PETA, Presents and Prayers

PETA: The report back from PETA is as follows.... I am SHOCKED! Emily: I heard back from the DOA investigator last night, who determined that there were no violations present at the store when she was there. She claims all of the animals were found in good condition, with access to food and water. She told me she found 1 dead reptile on the premises, but she could not determine cause of death and felt all of the other animals were in legally acceptable conditions.

You might want to wait another week or so, as the owner will likely be watching things carefully after last night’s inspection, but if you are still willing to return to this pet store and scope things out again and try to snap a few photos if you spot any concerns, that would be extremely helpful!

Presents: I got some great stuff this year...but especially from my beau. Todd gave me fishing waders (to keep me warm and dry when I am fishing) and a gorgeous necklace and earring set of Venetian Blown Glass heart shaped pendants. (click on the link and look under NEW LOOKS...and scroll over Venetian Glass. He has great taste. I can't wait to use the new fishing waders.....since I always get soaking wet when I am fishing! HA!

Prayers: I still need everyone's prayers in regards to my previous post. I will share when the time is right. I should hear any minute now.

Restraint

On Tuesday night I packed my shaggin-bag, left a huge bowl of food and water for the kitty and headed over to Todd's. All night I kept singing "Snow Day! Snow Day! Don't have-ta go to work...DAY!" I had decided that night that no matter how much snow we got...I was either going to call in for the storm...or call in sick....but it was GONNA be a snow day...day off for me. Weeeee! Todd got up and got ready for work. I lazily turned on the tv...it was 7 am and it had been snowing since 4 am....(I got up several times during the night to survey the progress on my self-proclaimed snow day). The news was reporting the blizzard was here....and thankfully the news convinced Todd to join me on Snow Day 2006. Weeeee! The news wasn't wrong either....and we got 2 1/2 feet of snow in the exposed areas...and over 5 or 6 foot drifts up against the garage and the house. It was truly beautiful and several times I asked Todd to come over and look out the window with me. His house is surrounded by a bunch of open space and it looked like what heaven must look like all snow covered and sparkly. Gorgeous.

Todd told me on Tuesday night to not look for my presents in the house. THEN proceeded to tell me WHERE they were hiding....UNWRAPPED! OK. I am the girl who as a child devised a plan to open all of the presents in the house and at my grandparent's house....look at them....and in some cases play with them....then wrap them back up and act surprised when I opened them with the family. OK? Thats me. And he TELLS me where the presents are DAYS before Christmas. As of 1:20 pm on Dec. 23rd...I am pleased to report that I haven't snooped. I haven't ruined my Christmas surprise. Talk about restraint.

We have a full Christmas schedule the next 2 days. Tomorrow...Christmas eve...we are going to Todd's aunt's house at 2 pm then to my Grandma A's house right after the Broncos game. I have to bring a salad. Then Christmas morning...we are going to my parent's house at 10 am then right to another one of Todd's aunt's houses....then at 5 pm to my aunt Judy's house. Wowsa. Fun tho. I am not dreading the running around ONE bit. It will be fun...our first Christmas. And....it's gonna be a White Christmas. How storybook is that? Ha.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all. Kisses!

PS.......fear not friends of my kitty Sasha....I have been over to see her and play with her...she has not been alone this whole time. :)

PETA

Recently Todd and I stopped into a Reptile Pet Store to check it out. We were horrified by the condition of the animals. I saw a stack of plastic containers with a paper towel in the bottom, no holes punched in the top, no water, no food.... and a small albino frog in each container....they all looked dead. There were stacks and stacks of these dead-frog-containers. Several of the lizards in the cages looked dead or VERY sick. Very dirty cages. Over population galore. Overall.... bad news. I sent a letter to PETA and got a quick response. They are sending an agent over to the store TONIGHT to do a full investigation. Wow! The gal from PETA said she would give me a full report tomorrow. I hope I see a "CLOSED" sign on that store....it was so sick. I have had nightmares about that place. Poor wee frogs.

Don't take the kahlua from the drug dealer

I was at a party this weekend....and I am sad and frightened to say...I blacked out. I am not sure what happened. We were all having a good time. We started to play the holiday favorite... "White Elephant" where you can steal gifts from other party goers. I had a good number....and my position in the game pretty much gave me a chance to steal away whatever "White Elephant" gift I wanted. I took a large bottle of kahlua from this bitch-on-wheels of a girl who is widely known as a drug dealer. Sweet. She's not my friend. But somehow ends up at these parties....although I don't think anyone really likes her. Anyway. She GLARED at me. I didn't think anything of it. Who cares right? Anyway...about 20 minutes later, I find myself crazy tired. Thank God Todd was there....and we had already planned on staying the night. He put me to bed and watched me and took care of me. The freaky thing is...I don't remember anything after I sat down on the couch. Bits and pieces....but that is all. Todd told me of conversations we had....conversations I had with others. Things I said and did. POOF. Nuttin. The next morning someone said, "It was like you were drugged." Seriously. It was. Folks I can handle a few cocktails....and have had enough booze before to kill a small animal....and I have never blacked out. I bet the drug dealing bizzo dropped something in my cocktail. I BET she did. It was so scary. Word to the wise....don't take the kahlua from the drug dealer.

So much to say

I have so much to say. So much I want to spill all over the internet thru my blog. But I know better. In due time....in due time. All I ask right now is for my friends and family to send me good vibes and thoughts...and the things that I need to happen in my life....will happen. No reason to worry or speculate my friends and family....if you don't know what I am taking about.... ask me. I will tell ya. Fingers crossed. Man oh man.... fingers, toes, arms, legs.... crossed.

Bleep, Bleep, Bleep, Bleep, Bleep, Bleep-Bleep

My office is small...and it feels like everyone sits right on top of everyone else. The woman who sits next to my office is currently sitting at her desk doing something on her computer that is making me want to poke my eyes out. Her computer keeps making a Bleep, Bleep, Bleep, Bleep, Bleep, Bleep-Bleep noice. ARG! I said, "What are you doing? Playing video games over there?" And she replied, "No, I am deleting emails." ARG! Annoying at it's purest sense.

I have a weekend full of parties. Tonight, we are going to Todd's friend's birthday party at the Red Room. It doesn't start until 9 pm. Yawn. It's hard for me to go out that late on any night...but especially on a Friday. Tomorrow night, we are going to Cherill's annual Christmas Party. Sunday night, dinner at my friends Kathy and Ted's house. We are party animals.

Merry Christmas friends!

Routines

My favorite instructor at the gym teaches the Monday Group Cycling Class. She has been AWOL for 3 weeks now... and we have had subs every week. I call this morning to reserve my spot in class and they have canceled my 12:30 class and moved it back to 12 noon to combine it with the 11:30 am class....AND I don't like the 11:30 am instructor at all. Damn! *Fists in air* I ask who is teaching and the gal on the phone doesn't know. I sign up for the class anyway hoping that he wouldn't be teaching the new class...but yes...indeed....he is teaching. So I move to the Elliptical machine for 45 mins then lift weights after. Oh Nelly. I am gonna be sore. I was really bummed about the thought of my work out routine being messed up....because if I get out of routine...then I don't work out...and then...well that is no bueno. But I think I could live with this new work out and routine...I will tell you next week for sure.

I won

OH...by the way...I won my ebay auction. I got the highly sought after item even after a few sneaky moves by my competition. I am sooo pumped. Now I just need to get the item in-house...make sure it works...and ta-da...success!

Band Aid

I heard that song "Do They Know It's Christmas Time" by Band-Aid earlier this morning and cracked up. You remember the song....right? It was a group of artists in the 80's all performing a line or 2 of this song with all proceeds used to fight AIDS in Africa. That song was played every 5th video on MTV back then....oh and back when MTV actually played videos. I digress. I hadn't heard that song in years and years...and I stopped getting ready for work this morning to enjoy the song. I used to be able to act like little miss smarty pants every time that song came on and name the artists singing that particular line of the song. I am SURE it was annoying to others. Ha. Today, I think I was only able to name Cyndi Lauper and Michael Jackson for obvious reasons.

Home Make Over

I used to really like the show Make Over Home Edition...until it got painfully cheesy. They were working too hard to make the show "good tv"....really laying the sad story on THICK. Regardless, I still catch the show once in a while. More often than not, I think to myself.... how in the world are these people... who are down on their luck...going to pay the taxes on the prize they just won...a house. Or...how in the world will they afford to heat or turn on the lights in a house that big? I wish I didn't know all of the legalities with prizes and the taxes...ruins some tv shows for me. Anyway. Tonight's show really got the water works going.....I had tears streaming down my face about 10 times while watching the show. The family being helped was a couple and their small daughter. The mom was a LA police officer when she was shot in the line of duty and became a paraplegic. Her wish was to be able to be more self-sufficient. To be able to bathe herself, get in bed herself and most importantly, to be able to care for their daughter...to be able to pick her up...put her to bed...just be a MOM. The house that the folks from MOHE built for the family was A-MAZ-ING! Now that's good tv.

As a side note, when MOHE came to Colorado for a Make Over...they worked closely with a local non-profit to find a family to help. I know a girl who works there. She said that her organization basically opened their doors and files to the families who were interested in talking to the MOHE folks about their story. The MOHE folks narrowed the search down to 2 families. After doing a more thorough background check it was discovered that the husband had a history of domestic violence. The other family...no criminal history...but didn't have quite as bad of a story...you know...a bad story that would make good tv. Anyway...they picked the family with the bad-dad....and he ended up being arrested and is probably either in jail or prison for.... yup... you guessed it...domestic violence. Sheesh.

Care packages

I am working on putting together care packages for our local troops overseas. My company has given me $2,000 to buy supplies and ship them. I contacted Ft. Carson yesterday and got the list of items that the troops requested in their care packages and 6 different contacts overseas to ship the packages to. I got a lump in my throat as I read the requested items; Calling Cards, CDs, DVDs, Games, Candy, Gum, Soap, Toothpaste, Foot Powder, Fire Retardant NOMEX Gloves (Black, Green or Brown), Oakley Sunglasses to protect eyes for IED explosions, shampoo, shaving cream, razors, Magazines (muscle/fitness, sports, and cars), batteries (AA, AAA).

OK... a few of the items are leaning more towards a comfort item...but why don't our troops already HAVE sunglasses to protect their eyes from IED explosions? Or fire retardant gloves? Wha? And toothpaste, shampoo, shaving cream, razors? Come ON! Our troops need things like this. *Sigh* Anyone of my friends and family who want to donate items in the care packages...let me know.

ebay

I have been looking on line and in stores for this one particular gift for someone....and haven't had any luck. It's sold out everywhere. I found one on line that was brand new...for over $100. Ouch. Not THAT important to me to give that gift. I decided to go to ebay to see what I could find. I found an online auction for this item that is listed as "like new" being auctioned off. The seller is listed on the site as having 99.8% positive feedback as a seller and has been a member of ebay since 1998. Plus the seller guarantees the product will work or money back in 7 days. The auction ends at 7 pm today. I am the winning bidder right now at..... (insert drum roll here).... $12.50 plus $4 shipping. HOLY CRAP. I keep refreshing my ebay page to see if I have been outbid. Plus...I set up a feature that ebay will send me a text message on my cell phone if I have been outbid...and give me the option to bid again. THIS ROCKS!

I used ebay once before to sell some Pet Shop Boys tickets. I sold them for about $5 less than what I paid for 'em to some dude. He met me in the parking lot of a grocery store. The whole transaction felt like a drug deal.

Dude: "You Emily?"

Me: "Yea, hi. Here are the tickets."

Dude: "Here's the cash. You might want to count it."

Me: "Yea. It's all here. Thanks. Have fun at the show." (Picture me darting to my car)

(end scene)

The whole time I felt like a total criminal and that people were pointing and staring "Look Ma, a (whispered) DRUG DEAL" At least this ebay exchange will be shipped....if I win.

H & R BLOCKheads

I think I have to find a new path to drive home until the stupid billboard from H & R Block is taken down.

It reads: I got my tax return of $1,542. Without my W2. I got people.

Wha? I got people? I know they use similar tag lines "It pays to have people" or "Our people are your people"....ok...I get the whole PEOPLE part. But the use of bad grammar is disgusting. AND the guy on the billboard is Hispanic. How pissed would I be if I was the model used for that photo shoot and H & R Block thought using my face and bad grammar would communicate their message. Way to go H & R BLOCKheads. I wonder if they have gotten complaints?

I don't wanna hear it

My office is small.....a world of cubicles and small offices. I have to admit...I am shocked at the conversations my co-workers have sitting 2 feet from 25 people. I just heard one gal talking to her doctor about a rash and the details made me gag sitting at my desk. I will spare you. But the word "discharge" was thrown around a couple times. Ewh. Ewh. Ewh. I don't wanna hear it.

Nyquil

Did you know that Nyquil...along with many other products took the decongestant out of their products? Yup. Thanks to those meth-head LOSERS who use these products to poison themselves. The medicine in decongestant can be used to make meth....so many products are taking it out. I found out after it was too late. So...I took some Nyquil and my head was still full of gook....there was no relief from sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, STUFFY HEAD, fever, so you can rest medicine. Ek. The new bottle reads; The nighttime, sniffeling, sneezing, coughing, aching, fever, sleep better to feel better medicine.

Christmas Survey

My friends love to send those "get to know your friends" surveys. I usually don't participate. Yawn! But this one I did.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate always. Egg Nog on New Years Day

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa wraps the presents and puts 'em under the tree.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White lights

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No, but my mom hangs it and no one in the family walks anywhere NEAR the stuff.

5. When do you put your decorations up? First weekend in Dec...typically.

6. Favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Green bean casserole

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: This isn't a favorite...but a story that my mom brings up every year. The blizzard of '82 was freaky for my family. We had gone over to my grandparent's house for Christmas eve....and then realized it wasn't safe to drive the whole family back to our house...I was 10...but my brother was 7 and my sister was 1...and since we couldn't get home...they were FREAKING OUT that Santa wouldn't be able to find us. LOL. So after we went to bed with tear streaked faces....my dad and grandpa got in the car and drove for HOURS in the shit (before cell phones) to get our presents....it was a 2 mile drive...and they had to dig themselves out several times. My grandma and mom were FREAKED. Damn kids. I would have told them to shut the hell up and deal with the fact that Santa wasn't coming to our house. LOL.

Actually, favorite memory was every Christmas my Grandpa A. was alive for....especially when we were kids. He LOVED Christmas. In general, he was kinda salty and crabby...but during Christmas...he wore this shit-eating grin from ear to ear. Ahhh.

OH and another great one. The year that the movie soundtrack for Purple Rain came out...my brother and I both got a boom-box and a cassette of that sound track. I put mine on in the kitchen while we were eating Christmas breakfast....and about 6 songs in.... "Darling Nicki" came on...."I met her in a hotel lobby masturbating with a magazine..." My dad crapped his pants...and my parents fought the rest of the day. LOL.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I snuck out and saw my dad putting together a bike for my brother. I confronted him later...and he told me to keep my mouth shut and not ruin it for my brother and sister.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We go to my Grandma A's house on Christmas Eve...so we open presents from that side of the family. We spend Christmas morning at my parent's house...and open immediate family presents then. Christmas afternoon/evening we go to Grandma and Grandpa C's and we open presents from that side of the family.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? I have a TON of Christmas ornaments. My family is big on giving ornaments. I put a ton of lights all over....then carefully unwrap each ornament...look at the date and who I got it from...and gingerly hang it on the tree.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it...love it....love it. Let it snow!

12. Can you ice skate? Yes. I used to skate and compete. I stopped skating when I was 12. My pro (coach) wanted me to quit school, get a tutor, and skate full-time. I didn't want to do that. I wasn't THAT good.

13. Favorite gift? I can't come up with ONE favorite. Is that sad?

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? The whole sha-bang. Being with friends and family. The food. The parties. The holiday lights everywhere. The presents.

15. Favorite Holiday Dessert? Pumpkin pie

16. Favorite holiday tradition? Christmas morning at my parent's house. Watching their dogs open their presents...its so funny.

17. What tops your tree? An angel.

18. Prefer to give or receiving? Are we still talking about Christmas here?

19. Favorite Christmas Song? Little Drummer Boy

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? Yum yum!

Not doing yourself any favors Cosmo

So Jerry Seinfeld was the scheduled guest on Letterman last night...he was there to pimp the new Seinfeld DVD release....bad timing for him with Kramer's tirade on Friday. Anyway. Michael Richards/Kramer appeared via satellite on the show too. He didn't do himself any favors with this appearance designed to apologize to everyone for his bad behavior. He kept calling African Americans "AFRO-Americans"! Wha? Then when he started getting upset and shook up...he resorted to calling them "Blacks". Oh my. It was all very uncomfortable. The live studio audience started to nervously laugh (it is a comedy show for Pete's sake)...and then Jerry said, "Please don't laugh, this isn't funny." Whoa.

Weekend

I had a wonderful weekend with my beau.

On Friday we went to see the new James Bond movie "Casino Royale". I freaking LOVED it. It was so well done. This new James Bond is dark folks...he is deep...sensitive....oh and let's not forget....white freaking hot. The movie was more brawn than other Bond movies. He used his strength...not gadgets and tricks to get the bad guy or gal. I loved it. Go see it. I heard that this Bond character is more like how he is written in the books.

Saturday, we took his dog to the vet, took a nap, then he came to my house for dinner. My bro came over too. It was fun.

Sunday, we went bowling. We played 4 games. I actually won the last game. Sweet. And....it wasn't until I was sitting on the bike for my Group Cycling class that I realized that my right bicep and my left ass-check are SORE. I guess the lunge-motion that happens in bowling...made me sore....SAD! Then we watched a tough Broncos game.

Another great weekend! Ain't life grand?

Shout out to Susie...I am proud of you and so happy for you. You have a plan.

What are people thinking?

I am telling you what. About 10 times a day...I shake my head and think "what are people thinking?" This one....did more than make me shake my head...it made my stomach hurt. The whole OJ book and Fox TV "special" is disgusting. "IF I DID IT". SICK. I am disturbed by this. I just read that both the book and Fox TV thing has been cancelled. Good.

The thing that I just KNOW will happen....bootlegged versions of this CRAP will be all over the internet...and it will still get seen and read.

My stomach hurts even more.

Oh Cosmo...no you didn't.

Michael Richards....our lovable Cosmo Kramer from Seinfeld...was doing stand-up at a popular comedy club in LA last Friday...and well...to put it lightly.... FREAKED OUT. (Note this video is racial and you may want to skip it.) He was getting heckled by 2 gentlemen and he lost it. He hurled racial slurs and lost his mind shouting the "n" word. Jerry Seinfeld gave a statement that he is just "sick over this." I bet. A new DVD release of Seinfeld episodes is loaded and ready to drop to the public in time for Christmas. Ouch. Now, the cynical side of me thinks it's a publicity stunt. Get Seinfeld in the media...any pub is good pub (publicity ) as long as they spell your name right....correct? No....it's not.

Oh Cosmo....no you didn't.

Sleep

Work has been nuts. I am rebuilding everything from the ground up, evolution, growth, change...and it exhausting me....and it's exhilarating. All of this change is messing up my sleep patterns. I either fall into bed at 9:30 pm (very early for me) or pace around the house trying to turn my brain off until super late at night. Last night at 10:57 pm I resorted to taking a 1/2 shot of Nyquil and moving into Todd's spare room to sleep since I was keeping him up flipping from left to right...accompanied with a deep sigh (that I didn't know I was doing until later). Poor Todd. He told me I didn't need to go in the other room...but I did anyway. I crawled back to his room at 5:18 am in a Nyquil induced dope....and drug my ass out of bed at 6:45 am. I think I only got about 4 hours of sleep. All of my friends who have kids just let out a maniacal laugh at my bitching for only getting 4 hours of sleep.... 4 hours is a full night's sleep for any parent.

I am sooo looking forward to next week.... I love Thanksgiving. A holiday that you get at least 4 days off in a row....sleep in....take naps...ahhhh. I don't have to buy anyone presents. I get to see my family. And...I get to eat like it's my full-time job and the menu is full of meals with gravy, sauces, bread, cheese, ham and turkey. Bliss.

My voting experience

I left my office twice today...at 2 different times...to try to vote. I was armed with my vote registration card, ID and my voter cheat sheet to make my time in the voting booth limited. The first place I visited was The Webb building...uhm.... 2 1/2 hour wait at 10 am. Back to work. Then to Tattered Cover at 2 pm.... 2 hour wait. Back to work. I left work at 4 pm to hit a voting center in the hood at 28th and Glenarm at the rec center. The line was out the building. I was getting reports that it would take almost an hour. OK. Fine. I had waited 40 minutes when the line turned the corner and I could see inside the rec center....holy shit...about 200 people ahead of me and apparently the check-in computers had locked up for the 2nd time today. Sweet. I was already too far down the line to move to a new location. My choices were...suck it up and wait or go home. Of course I wasn't wearing sensible shoes. Ha. After exactly a 2-hour wait I voted. The thing that I found interesting was that when the Election Officials announced the computers were locked up and they didn't have an ETA on when they would be back up...people DIDN'T LEAVE....in fact...there wasn't even any audible bitching. I guess people really value their right to vote.

Election

Good lord. I am so ready for this election to be over. Sick and tired of the ads. The recorded election phone calls. Everything. Todd and I sat down and read over the big blue book on all of the issues tonight....holy moley there is a lot of stuff on the ballot tomorrow. At least I have my cheat sheet.

One comment on the TV ads: I am so sick of seeing candidates wearing cowboy hats and/or fly fishing to show how "Colorado" they are. I don't know ONE person who wears a cowboy hat (that lives in Colorado). Just because you wear a cowboy hat...that doesn't say "Colorado" to me. I just don't get it. This is not a hick town...ok...not anymore at least. There are parts of Colorado that still have farms, cowboys and people who wear cowboy hats...but I don't believe that look encompasses the people of Colorado.

....maybe I am just tired and cranky...it's after midnight...and I am wide awake.

Overheard

I was just in the kitchen at work. Two guys were talking about lunch. One said, "I am craving Lobster Brisk." (Incorrectly pronounced brisk (bris) instead of Lobster Bisque.) And the other guy said, "ah, you're craving seafood circumcision?"

I am so laughing my ass off.

Flat Tire

I got a flat tire today at 19th and Quebec at 7:30 am. Sweet. I have had 2 flat tires in 2 months. Sucks. Same tire both times. Both times after leaving Todd's house in the morning.

The first time Todd helped me. He gave me the keys to his 2nd car to drive to work. After work, he changed my tire and got it fixed - I didn't even get my hands dirty. It was so sweet. I am not used to having someone DO things for me. It was great.

Today, I called Todd and told him my tire was flat. He came and picked me up and drove me to my house, waited for me to get ready for work and drove me to work. What a doll. We left my car on the side of the road. I called my dad (who is retired) to see if he would have time today to help me change my tire. The last thing in the world I wanted to do is wait until tonight after work in the cold and dark and try to change a tire. Anyway. My dad picked me up and we went back to 19th and Quebec. He helped me...but he was teaching me how to do it the whole time. Making ME do it. I got my hands dirty. I got my jeans dirty. But I learned how to change a tire. I had to smile. My dad is a teacher at heart....I love that.

Genius in action

I have been to every home Broncos game (but one) this season. Bliss. Todd's company has 2 sets of four season tickets in club level. He gets to invite a client plus one...and I get to be his plus one. I have been very spoiled. Yesterday's game was against the Indianapolis Colts. It was an amazing game...even tho my home-town boys lost by 3. There were 7 or 8 lead changes....and the game came down to the last 6 seconds....Indy Field Goal. DANG! Regardless. I truly enjoyed watching Peyton Manning in action. He's a genius quarterback. Such a student of the game. SO SMART. SO ATHLETIC. Amazing. He is grace under pressure. Everytime he touched the football every person in Mile High was screaming and stomping their feet. In fact, my feet were tingly after the game from stomping 'em so much. Anyway. I loved watching him pick apart the defense. I know. I shouldn't have enjoyed watching him pick apart the BRONCOS' defense...but I love the game of football. Peyton Manning is genius in action.

Oh Madonna

OK - so Madonna was on Oprah yesterday to talk about this debacle with the adoption from Africa. As a side note, I actually feel bad for Madonna and this situation with the adoption. However, I had to shake my head at her English accent. I cracked up everytime her accent would go back and forth to and from her English accent. Folks. Let's not forget. Madonna is from freaking DETROIT! Hahaha!

Kiss-Cam

Last night I had free tickets to the Avs game. We had great seats....14 rows up from the ice...on the attack-twice end. Anyway. Todd was teasing me that we would be on the Kiss-Cam from the second we sat down. OK. For those of you who don't know.....the Kiss-Cam is this thing they do at Avalanche game where they put up people on the jumbo-tron and they are supposed to kiss. Some people are couples...and some not...it's entertainment. Anyway Todd was teasing me that he would do something to embarrass me if we got on the Kiss-Cam...something like lick my face. Ha. So the Kiss-Cam comes up on the jumbo-tron. I keep glancing up...but I was looking thru and scanning the arena to find where the people on the screen were sitting. I notice that the people around us are sort of...buzzing. I look up at the jumbo-tron. OH YES.... we are on the screen. Todd sweetly put his arm around me and kissed me................ from what I remember. Instantly...when I saw us on the jumbo-tron.....my ears started to ring and life was in slo-mo. My cell phone BLEW UP with text messages from people I know who were at the game and saw Todd and I on the jumbo-tron. To add insult to injury....my ENTIRE upper management staff from work was at the game. So.... they gave me shit-galore today about the Kiss-Cam. Ah.... gotta love it. The narcissistic side of me...LOVES that I was on the jumbo-tron. HA!

Bachelor of the Year

This past summer my sister was promoted at her job. Sadly, she had to break her lease and move out of state. She had signed a 2-year lease. She did that because her landlord said that he wouldn't raise her rent for those 2 years....and she thought she would be there for the next 2 years. When she got promoted and had to move she tried to work out a deal with her landlord.... anything. She said she would find a great sub-lease...anything to make this a win-win for both parties. She was in a tough situation. Nope. He wouldn't have it....she would have to pay him rent for a place she wasn't living in....for the next year and 1/2. He wouldn't let her out of her lease. AND...you know....the law was on his side....so I can't really blame him. It got nasty. Lawyers. Lawsuits. Fighting. Anyway. Natalie called me on Thursday laughing her ass off. Her ex-landlord was selected as Cosmo's Bachelor of the Year.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/18/earlyshow/leisure/celebspot/main2102523.shtml

For the record....Natalie swears up and down the street that this guy is GAY. C'mon look at this guy....no self respecting straight guy would wear a white belt. LOL.

What a small world.

Get a job...ANY job

Radio is a tough business. People get fired all of the time. It's sad, but in the entertainment business...it's par for course. I am sure that if I stay in radio long enough...I too will get fired. Anyway. Back to my original point. I have watched so many radio people completely self-destruct when they get fired. They sit at home and get wickedly depressed. They look for radio gigs ONLY. Folks. I realize that you have spent the last 20 years being a deejay or a production director...but you have SKILLS other than radio....I promise. Go get a gig at Home Depot, Walmart, King Soopers...damn anywhere. Do you know how well those companies pay? And their insurance packages rock. Put some money into your household. Don't sit at home and become wickedly bitter and depressed....and broke. Apply for those radio gigs on your evenings and weekends. But GET A JOB...ANY JOB. I just don't get it. I really don't get it. I am tired of getting these horrible boo hoo for me phone calls and emails...."there aren't any radio gigs." Then when I suggest another field, there is just silence. I want to shake them..."you have kids....you have a mortgage...you have worth....go out and do something....don't just wallow in self-pity....you have been out of work for 8 months." Sheesh. I have seen it sooooo many times.

Blast from the past

Katie told me yesterday that an old friend of ours, Andrew, is back in Denver and back in radio. Jill is moving to Seattle and he will be replacing her at Katie's radio company. I have known Andrew since Junior High. We dated for most of our 9th grade year. He went to the other Junior High that fed into our high school. He was the lead in the school play. I was the captain of the softball team. From different crowds....but that boy's brown eyes and smile used to make my knees weak. We broke up after a party at my house where I was upset with him...and one of my guy friends decided to beat up Andrew. Quick way to lose a boyfriend who didn't like my football player friends before getting beat up. Anyway. Cut to 10 years later....Andrew and I are working at the same radio company. He is married. I have a boyfriend. He gets a divorce. I break up with the boyfriend. We date again. We break up because he gets back with his ex-wife. That was 3 years ago...I haven't seen him since. Last I had heard was that he was re-married and had moved out of state. NOW - TODAY, I hear he is back. I don't want to date him....AT ALL! I love Todd and that is that. However, hearing his name yesterday dredged up the nuttiest dream last night. I had to crack up.

My dream:

Main Character in My Dream - and real life back story: Charlie - He and I were friends in high school....but he started to hate me because...I went to prom with his friend, Frank...as "just friends" in my eyes. Around midnight on prom night, Frank wanted to go back to the hotel room he had rented to be "alone" with me....and I still wanted to party...so I left him in the room and went back out to party. I ended up kissing my ex-boyfriend. Apparently, that really upset Frank and Charlie got pissed at me for upsetting his friend. (How dumb was high school?)

OK - back to my dream. My dream was that I got a package from Charlie in the mail. It was a bunch of cassette cases with some audio diary recorded by him on them of how much he still hates me today because of all of this different stuff I did in high school....including leaving Frank in the hotel room....and one of the other things...was getting Andrew's ass kicked at my party. Anyway. Way to drudge up some memories KATIE! LOLOLOL! And I think that the audio diary was on cassette cases was a nice touch. HA! What a blast from the past!

Soap Box Time

The article below talks about how kids are influenced to smoke by seeing it in movies. So 2 docs want to have any and all movies with tobacco references in them rated 'R'.

This is what pissed me off. If kids are so monkey see, monkey do....If kids are so damn impressionable to smoke just by seeing it on the screen or TV, then what the hell does that say when they see movies full of people having sex and shooting each other? THOSE movies still get a PG-13 rating. People being violent and killing others but thank GOD they aren't smoking! A kid can shoot up his school, but with this new law at least he won't do it with a Kool hanging out the corner of his mouth.

And ANOTHER thing: since when do smart, reasonable adults let movies and TV tell their kids what to do? That's what parents are for! So this takes one more thing off of a parents To Do list? "Oh, OK, I don't have to talk to my kid about not smoking, it's already taken care of by Hollywood."

I am so steamed about this.

In the movie "Titanic," Kate Winslet's character rebels against her mother by smoking.
For Julia Roberts in "My Best Friend's Wedding," smoking cigarettes helps her character cope.
And in "Men in Black 2," even the aliens smoke. All these movies carry a PG-13 rating, but not even G-rated films are immune to smoking. In the children's movie "101 Dalmatians," villain Cruella De Vil puffs away. Two prominent doctors are hoping to change that. Stanton Glantz, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and founder of Smoke Free Movies, and James Sargent of the pediatric department at Dartmouth say movies that depict smoking are the single greatest media threat to children. This week in Atlanta, they spoke out against the movie industry's portrayal of tobacco. "The average kid watches three or four movies a week, and gets exposed to literally thousands of glamorized depictions of smoking in those movies," Sargent said. Sargent and Glantz found that in 2004, 75 percent of all G, PG and PG-13 films showed characters smoking. Sargent and Glantz want all films that contain tobacco usage to automatically get an R rating. "That one simple change in the rules, we think we would prevent about 200,000 kids a year from starting to smoke," Glantz said. Getting the movie industry to change may not be easy. Since the early days of Hollywood, filmmakers have had a love affair with smoking, using it to build mystique around characters. "Everybody smoked. Alan Ladd smoked. John Wayne smoked. In 'Rebel Without a Cause,' James Dean smoked," said ABC movie critic Joel Siegel. But studies show 390,000 kids start to smoke and 400,000 people die from smoking-related illness each year. Sargent and Glantz say that the health effects of smoking should trump its perceived glamour.

That is NOT a love song

I am often shocked at what song some couples give as "their song". More often than not I think...what the? That is NOT a love song. OK - for example. "Every Breath You Take" by The Police. That song is about a stalker. True.

Here are the lyrics....

Every breath you take.

Every move you make.

Every bond you break.

Every step you take.

I'll be watching you.

Every single day.

Every word you say.

Every game you play.

Every night you stay.

I'll be watching you.

Oh can't you see.

You belong to me?

How my poor heart aches.

With every step you take.

Every move you make.

Every vow you break.

Every smile you fake.

Every claim you stake.

I'll be watching you.

Since you've gone.

I've been lost without a trace.

I dream at night, I can only see your face.

I look around but it's you I can't replace.

I feel so cold and I long for your embrace.

I keep crying baby, baby please.

Oh can't you see.

You belong to me?

How my poor heart aches.

With every step you take.

Every move you make.

Every vow you break.

Every smile you fake.

Every claim you stake.

I'll be watching you.

Every move you make.

Every step you break.

I'll be watching you.

I'll be watching you...

Creeeepy huh? Not the sultry love song that some may have thought. Or how about "Crash" by Dave Matthews Band. Uh folks....this song is about a peeping tom.

Here are the lyrics.....

You've got your ball.

You've got your chain.

Tied to me tight tie me up again.

Who's got their claws.

In you my friend.

Into your heart I'll beat again.

Sweet like candy to my soul.

Sweet you rock.

And sweet you roll.

Lost for you.

I'm so lost for you.

You come crash into me.

And I come into you.

I come into you.

In a boys dream.

In a boys dream.

Touch your lips just so I know.

In your eyes, love, it glows so.

I'm bare boned and crazy for you.

When you come crash.

Into me, baby.

And I come into you.

In a boys dream.

In a boys dream.

If I've gone overboard.

Then I'm begging you.

To forgive me.

In my haste.

When I'm holding you so girl.

Close to me.

Oh and you come crash.

Into me, baby.

And I come into you.

Hike up your skirt a little more.

And show the world to me.

Hike up your skirt a little more.

And show your world to me.

In a boys dream.. in a boys dream.

Oh I watch you there.

Through the window.

And I stare at you.

You wear nothing.

But you wear it so well.

Tied up and twisted.

The way I'd like to be.

For you, for me, come crash.

Into me.

Or my personal favorite, that I actually heard at a wedding as the newlywed's First Dance "Only You" by Yaz. This is a BREAK UP song for Pete's sake. In the category of ironic....They are divorced now.

Here are the lyrics....

Looking from a window above.

It's like a story of love.

Can you hear me.

Came back only yesterday.

I'm moving further away.

Want you near me.

All I needed was the love you gave.

All I needed for another day.

And all I ever knew.

Only you.

Sometimes when I think of her name.

When it's only a game.

And I need you.

Listen to the words that you say.

It's getting harder to stay.

When I see you.

All I needed was the love you gave.

All I needed for another day.

And all I ever knew.

Only you.

This is going to take a long time.

And I wonder what's mine.

Can't take no more.

Wonder if you'll understand.

It's just the touch of your hand.

Behind a closed door.

All I needed was the love you gave.

All I needed for another day.

And all I ever knew.

Only you.

Oh Willie

Willie Nelson's public statement regarding being caught with a bag of Marijuana:

"It's a good thing I had a bag of Marijuana instead of a bag of spinach. I'd be dead by now."

Face Off

I got invited to attend the Av's Face Off Lunch yesterday at the Hyatt. It's a charity event where all of the 2006-2007 Avalanche players are introduced before the opening of their season. We were at a table of 6 and we had Marek Svatos at our table. He is hot....WHITE HOT....24 years old but really hot. Anyway. The whole team was in suits and every last one of them looked horribly uncomfortable dressed up. As they were introduced on stage I had to giggle at how sweet and humble they all looked. Let's not forget what they do for a living....hockey players draw blood of others and get money and cheers to do so. I found it endearing that they weren't acting cocky. If you have ever been in the presence of professional football or basketball players....you would know that the arrogance is pouring out of every pore. Not the Avs players...and with my experience... Hockey players as a whole. The guys were asked questions by this sports reporter like "who on the team would win at Survivor? Who on the team would be the best Mr. Mom? Who on the team would be most likely to eat a bug? The guys kept poking fun at La Perriere... they call him Lappy...and it was cute. On a side note, Lappy has a face for hockey...he has a roman nose...it's ROAMing all over his face. Anyway...I smiled from ear to ear the whole time. During lunch Svatos smiled at me a couple times and I thanked GOD that the lights were dim...because my face was bright red. He is adorable. I know...he's 24....he's my new fav. GO AVS!

Unrepented Sin

I wasn't sure how to process a conversation I had with a girl I know....so I had to post what was said....to process it a little. A little background first. This gal is 25 years old. A devote Christian. And until a few months ago...a virgin. She met a nice guy online and once they said "I love you" they started having sex. OK. Well they have been having sex for 2 months now. This past weekend they (she) decided to not have sex anymore until they are married. She said, that she feels that she is moving away from her relationship with God because of unrepented sin. She feels that because pre-marital sex is a sin that she is sinning and God will not bless her life or her relationship and in the eyes of the Church and they will be doomed as sinners. She told me that she has asked for forgiveness from God (repentance) for having sex, but that part of the deal with repentance is that you promise to not do it again. She is crushed because Sunday they promised to not have sex until they are married, but had sex last night. She is afraid that this will change her relationship with her boyfriend. She said that they should just go ahead and get married right away so they can start having sex again (wow - what a good reason to get married). She said that if unrepented sin stays on the soul, spiritual decay sets in and a Christian begins to backslide and spiritual death eventually occurs. She said that last night they sat on the couch and tried to not touch each other while watching a movie and when they did touch she felt like she was walking down the path of sin.

After she said all of this without taking a breath and all in 1 minute...I gathered myself and said. "I am sorry that you are down over all of this. I, personally, have never been able to find a religion that I 100% can wrap my arms around because I don't agree with all of the rules or whatever. I believe that sex between 2 consenting adults who LOVE each other is wonderful and shouldn't be viewed as bad. It makes me sad that you are feeling blue over this. I totally respect your church and decisions...and I hope you can find peace with whatever you decide to do. But my opinion is that you should never feel guilt because you show love thru sex with the person you love. Sorry. That is my opinion. " (said all in one breath and under a minute.)

I can't find the words to say anything more.

Generation Y

Erin and I went to The Fray concert at Red Rocks last night. We joked on our way into the show that we would probably be the oldest people at the concert. Well...we were right. About 95% of the audience was younger than us....the age group called Generation Y....18-27 year olds. OH well. The concert was so fun. We danced, laughed and cheered. At one point while I was dancing, I scanned the crowd. The majority of these Gen Y'ers were not dancing....at all. They were not talking to the people they were with...but talking or texting on their cell phones. They were taking pictures on their cell phones and typing in captions. What the? These kids have NO idea how to interact with people face to face. They are not active or athletic at all. I made a crack that they don't know how to dance unless they are dancing on a video game...using their thumbs to move... not their feet. It was scary to me. Has technology created a world of people who won't know how to look at someone and actually laugh out loud? Or will they just type LOL into their cell and text it?

Mr. Fix-It

A friend of mine was told that her job would most likely be going away and she could be laid off in the next month or so. Sad huh? Well, she has been very upset and her husband took matters into his own hands. It's a very male-trait to try and FIX the things in their loved one's lives. Instead of just listening to your challenges and fears....they want to FIX them...make them better. Most men are incapable of just saying, "Ah honey, that sucks you had a bad day." MUST FIX PROBLEM MAKE WIFE HAPPY. (I think it's sweet) Anyway. Her husband took matters in his own hands. He started an email campaign asking people to send emails and letters to her boss saying that she deserves to keep her job. Now, she is a public figure, and he wanted people to be discrete in their letters...and keep them non-personal...just a fan wanting management to know that she is loved by the public. Well. That back-fired. His email plea got back to the hands of management...and that was the last nail in her coffin. She was let go - permanently. My poor friend... Mr. Fix-It has some fixing to do at home now. Sad. My advice to her was...jobs come and go...his heart was in the right place...don't let this hurt your marriage. She is pretty pissed...but life will go on.

Life is Good

Life feels back to normal. I feel good. I feel together...finally. I just paid bills, balanced my checkbook, filed paperwork...and my house and home feels clean and together. Whew.

I had a great weekend so far.

Friday - the gang went to the Paramount to celebrate with Selena and Jason who are in town from England. Man...it was great to see them...and they got to meet Todd.

Saturday - I went to my dad's team's softball game (he's coaching my old High School's team). They won...exciting finish. I did have to laugh though...he was tougher this summer on the 8 year old girls than he was on the 18 year olds. Interesting. After the game, I went over to Denver Mattress to just "look" at a new mattress. Todd showed me how badly worn my mattress was....that the springs were shot. I admitted to him that my arms and hands often fall asleep when I sleep...and he told me it's because my body is not getting the support that it needs for a good night sleep. I honestly can't remember ever getting a new mattress...and I have had my bedroom set since I was a kid. Sad? Yes. So I went to just look....and walked out with a new mattress set for $350...pretty good deal for a gorgeous pillow top mattress, box spring and mattress pad. I brought it home....unloaded it into my place...by myself. Then took my old mattress and box spring down to the dumpster. I was a girl on a mission. I still can't believe that I carried that stuff 100 yards down the hall....then up and down 3 flights of stairs....by myself. I took a nap today on my bed.... ahhhh...this is what people have been talking about. I love my new bed. Saturday night, Todd and I went to dinner then to see Little Miss Sunshine. It did not disappoint. I am sure (and actually Todd commented) that I was laughing harder and louder than everyone in the theatre. I loved this flick. I loved every character. And Olive reminded me of Hannah from the team I coached this summer....heart...100% heart. Love it.

Anyway...today...Sunday...I went to brunch with the girls...then home to take the afore mentioned nap...and just finished paying bills. I am getting ready to head to Todd's to watch the Broncos game...he is making dinner.

Bliss. Life is good. I am a smitten-kitten. Did I mention how great life is?

It's been a week....

It's been a week since I got back from vacation...and it's been a whirl-wind. Work is nuts. Life is nuts. I am just so busy trying to get everything done...from grocery shopping, seeing friends, work...just life in general. I can always tell when my life is out of control busy...when I don't post on my blog. Deep breath. I need to find more time.

Gemmiest gem

OH....how did I forget to mention the gemmiest gem of my mom's Freudian slips on our family vacation?

We were all playing poker having some cocktails after a fun day in the outdoors...and my mom is telling Todd about me...as a baby. She tells him that she was a young mom and didn't know that she wasn't supposed to start feeding me baby food at 2 months old. But that I...and I quote..."had a great gag reflex, she could use her tongue and knew how to swallow." Todd's eyes got as big as saucers. My mouth fell open. I looked at my dad who was laughing SO hard that he was slapping his knee...and laughing so hard he had lost sound...just cracking up so hard. OH my. The room erupted in a roar of laughter. My mom (bless her heart) was just sitting there with a confused look on her face. Ahhh. LOL!

One more gem

I remembered another gem that my mom blurted out that cracked us up this weekend. We kept laughing that the 2 boy dogs kept humping each other. It was a dominance game between them. Anyway. So my mom said "you know when Zachary humps Jack, he slobbers in his ear." We all DIED laughing. My dad, brother, Todd and I were laughing our asses off. Oh man...I am cracking up.

Doggie-Style

The fishing trip was great. Got back last night....then basically got in the shower to get ready for the Dave Matthews concert. The weather was a wee bit rainy...but that actually really helps with fishing...catch more fish! The last night (Monday night) it actually froze overnight and we had to scrape ice off the windshield to drive home....but when we left it was about 65 degrees out. We all caught a ton of fish! In fact, Todd was calling me "Trout Master" by the end of the trip. We only kept one fish and had 'em for dinner that night. YUM! My family really got along with Todd. AND...my parents let Todd and I share a bedroom....it had 2 single beds in it...but that was a huge step for them. LOL!

Here's a funny story from the trip. My mom often says funny things that she has NO idea are dirty or a sexual innuendo....and we laugh. Anyway. My parent's dogs and Bob's dog LOVED Todd...and would break into our room and lick his face in the morning... since he was the last one up in the morning. Anyway. I was in the shower and my bro and Dad were out fishing - when Todd got up. He walked in the living room and my mom says to him, "So I hear you got a bunch of wet kisses this morning." And Todd just looked at her like "Wha?" And she said, "you know, Doggie-Style." I guess he was just DYING inside laughing...but just said, "Uh yea, Jack did come in and give my face some licks this morning." OH damn!

Karma

Early in my career I worked with the biggest douche bag. He was the radio station's Program Director. He used to walk past the fax machine to hand ME a fax to send out for him. He would sit in his office and shout for me, "Emster? Gotta sec?" In this totally annoying whinny voice. He used to shop out of this magazine called International Male...that Becca and I would crack up everytime he mentioned it...because it was a catalog for gay men....at least we thought so. I think it was the silver glittery button-up vests that gave that away. Anyway. He was a dick. Treated everyone like crap and annoyed me to my core. He got fired for some shady things and hasn't landed another job in radio. Karma. What goes around comes around.

About a year ago, I got a call from him. He was selling ads in Qwest Dex. Karma. I was polite and declined. Then he had the gall to say to me, "Well, Emily, you must not want your station to WIN if you don't want to advertise it the way it should be." I chuckled at him and thanked him for the call. Buh-bye.

Cut to last Friday. He called me again....left 2 messages that day. He dropped my old boss' name and told me he started a new business and wanted to talk to me. Tuesday, 2 more phone calls & messages. Gotta love caller ID at work. Yesterday, 3 more phone calls, 2 messages. I was in the office at 7 am today so I figured I would call then, leave a message, give him my email address for him to send information on his new company. He CALLS AGAIN. Call - Screened. I had to completely crack up when a few minutes ago the Promotions Director for my sister station stopped by my office and asked if I had been getting hounded by ST (initials only... to protect the innocent...ha!) Apparently he had been calling Zak too. Zak told me he was enjoying treating ST like he used to treat him. You see...back in the day... Zak was a Record Rep...and ST would treat him like crap and was totally unprofessional. Karma. Revenge is best served cold.

Ahhh...Labor Day Weekend

My labor day weekend was glorious. Went to Taste of Colorado, Six Flags, played in a celebrity softball game (I was on the average joe team...not celebrity...oh and we won...beat the professional athletes...sweeeeeet), went to a family bbq, napped, relaxed and watched movies.... wonderful. Going to Taste of Colorado and Six Flags was interesting...spending time with Denver's finest (not). Todd and I spent the entire weekend together. I am not used to having so much stuff to do on a weekend...with SOMEONE. It's been an adjustment only because I have been neglecting some things. Grocery shopping. Secret Single Behavior. Spending time with my brother. Laundry. Making candles. Stuff I either LOVE or NEED to do. I will get more balance soon....but for now...soaking up the time with Todd. He told me that he will be donating a kidney to his mom sometime in the next year. That scared the bee-geez-ys out of me. Everything will be just fine.....I know it will. I told him that I respect and love him for his decision...and the gift that he is gonna give....and I will take care of him while he is recovering. But still...you only get 2...and if you give one...anyway. Deep breaths. Todd is going on my annual family fishing vacation to Steamboat. My parents made it very clear that we can't share a room/bed...but I understand. Should be interesting.

Calling all pranksters!

I have a friend that has a good hollywood gossip connection. She always spills hollywood gossip before it hits the tabloids. Last year she told me a rumor that Tom Cruise and Rob Thomas (Matchbox 20) were secret lovers. Every time I hear a song by Matchbox 20...I giggle. I don't really believe this one...but here's a funny thought.

So...here’s what somebody’s gotta do...remember a year or two ago this prankster got a Michael Jackson lookalike and a fake entourage and made it look all official and snuck the fake Michael Jackson into some event somewhere? The press showed up and everybody bought it.

OK - Three words: Fake Tom Cruise. Get a 100% dead-on bulletproof lookalike, and then get Fake Tom Cruise backstage at a Rob Thomas concert....make it look totally real with an entourage and everything, and have Fake Tom Cruise go up to Real Rob Thomas like he wants to talk privately or something and Fake Tom Cruise tells him about how sorry he is that he denied their love. He wishes he had the whole thing to do all over again.

See…what…Rob…does!! What would Rob Thomas do? OMG! WWRTD?

If all goes well...Real Rob Thomas would even have Fake Tom Cruise come out on stage to sing a couple of love songs together during the show! I can see it all now on Access Hollywood, from the vantage point of, like, some cheap camcorder that was in the crowd.

This would be perfect! Someone has to do this!! Calling all pranksters! Ashton Kutcher, Jamie Kennedy, Tom Green....get TO IT! HAHA!

Family Feud

I was at the dealership getting an oil change yesterday and they had the Game Show Network on the TV in the waiting room. YAY! I love game shows. They showed a rerun of a 1970-ish Family Feud with host Richard Dawson. OK! First, I must say, his White Leisure Suit was almost too much for me to handle. I kept giggling when he would walk around. No one...I mean no one looks good in white pants...and especially not coupled with a tacky jacket. Anyway. I was FLOORED at the fact that Richard Dawson would KISS every female contestant right ON THE LIPS every time he talked to them. Wha? Not a firm hand shake. A kiss. Not on the cheek. Right on the lips. The kissing is crazy in the first place...but ON THE LIPS? Right in front of their husband in most cases? And every woman would make this gross-gringe-yuck look after he kissed them. I bet he had the breath of an onion-greasy pork chop-smoker. Ewh!

Susie

Happy Birthday to my dear friend Susie!

I met Susie about 7 years ago at my old job. She was (and is) always the den-mother at work. She takes care of everything and everyone. She has been in radio over 30 years and knows everything and everyone in the business too. Although we grew up in different generations...we are the same person in so many ways and connect on so many levels. I respect her drive, her heart, her loves, her challenges, her ideas, her beliefs, her intelligence, her soul, her whole being. Susie and I could sit in a vacant room with no other entertainment (other than each other) and be totally content forever....chatting and telling stories.

Athough we had worked together for a while...the first time we actually sat down and chatted was at a company softball game. I found myself telling her stories about myself that I hadn't totally admitted even to myself yet. Her caring soul made me believe that I could trust her...and tell her my hopes, fears, sadness...and I wouldn't be judged or shunned. That was the beginning of a wonderful friendship.

She's such a strong woman and I am proud to call her friend.

Highlight to lowlight

I went yesterday to the salon to get a highlight....to make me blonde girl again! I arrived at 2:10 pm and sat right down in my stylist's chair. She foiled my partial highlight in about 35 minutes...so it's 2:45 pm. She gave me a handful of magazines and then POOF! She vanished for 50-55 minutes. I watched the stylist in the chair next to mine do a FULL highlight, cut and style in the time I was sitting in the foils....waiting. After my butt started to fall asleep and I realized I had read all 4 rag-magazines...I got up asking where the HELL Amanda was. Minutes later she comes back. I look at her and say, "I was getting worried...I..." and she just ushered me back to her chair and styled my hair. I was PIIIISSSSED! First of all, I left work to go get this done and she made me sit and wait for her to do God knows what?!? When she was finished, she says to me, "sorry you were worried!" And I replied, "Well I sat and watched her (pointing to the stylist next to me) do a full highlight, cut and style all in the time I just sat here." She blows off my comment by saying, "Oh well, she's fast." Wha? I pay and only tip her $13 on $95 (I normally tip her at least 20%) and leave. As I am driving past the front of the salon, I see Amanda talking to the owner of the salon...and then Amanda runs out of the salon crying. I instantly feel bad. Who knows what was going on in her life that she needed to take care of? Maybe she needed that time to regroup, call a friend, cry alone....who knows? It bothered me all the rest of the day...and hung a gray haze over my usual glow after leaving the salon. But the more I think about it today...I am not happy again. If she needed another stylist to finish my highlight and get me on my way.....then she needed to do that. Not make me sit in a chair looking like an alien with tinfoil sticking out all over my head. Is that mean?

Are you missing a 710?

Even me...a blonde can appreciate a good blonde joke.

Yesterday I was having some work done at the car dealer. A blonde woman came in and asked for a seven-hundred-ten. They all looked at each other, and the Mechanic asked, "What is a seven-hundred-ten?" She replied, "You know, the little piece in the middle of the engine. I lost it and need a new one. It had always been there." The mechanic gave the woman a piece of paper and a pen and asked her to draw what the piece looked like. She drew a circle and in the middle of it wrote 710. He then took her over to another car which had the hood up and asked, "Is there a 710 on this car?" She pointed and said, "Of course, it's right there." Click here to learn the identity of the mysterious 710.

What is CBS thinking?

I heard this morning that the geniuses at CBS television are changing some things on this fall's "Survivor" show. This season, the teams will be divided by RACE or ethnicity. There will be an African-American Team, an Asian-American team, a Hispanic-American team...etc. What is CBS thinking? This is bound to cause HUGE problems....ahem...ah yes...this is exactly what CBS wants to happen. I think it's sad on so many levels. The racial slurs and stereotyping will be flying.... I am sure. Ah yes...this MUST be what CBS wants. I think I will sell my stock.

Holy small world Batman!

OK.... I knew this would happen...it's such a small world...and both Todd and I grew up in Colorado...

I just sent a picture of Todd and I to my friend Rene` (who lives out of state now) and she just called me and told me she used to date Todd. She and I were friends when they were dating. I asked her for some dirt or why they broke up...and she said she was just too crazy at the time to appreciate a nice guy. She said they went on about 3-5 dates. It was a blind date because her aunt used to work with him. HOW FUNNY IS THAT?

All that glitters is gold

Here is a picture of Todd and I at the Friday Happy Hour for my birthday!
My birthday weekend was fan-freaking-tastic.

Friday night a group of us got together for happy hour. The plan was to go to Uptown...but when Christine got there at 4:30 to get us a table...the place was packed...no tables for us. I instantly went into event-planner mode and came up with Plan B. We moved to The Boca Room (aka The Peach Pit After Dark/The Lounge). The Boca Room just recently changed management and got completely remodeled. It was perfect. We took over the patio and had a rockin time. The guest list was small...I only included the people who asked what I was doing for my birthday or asked if they could take me out for my birthday. Todd got to meet some more of my friends and that was wonderful. Great time.

Saturday (my actual birthday) Todd took me to Vesta Dipping Grill for dinner. I got to wear my new blue dress and felt like a million bucks. As a side note, I have never had a boyfriend on my birthday. In high school and college I would always break up with my boyfriends for the summer...no attachments....summer lovin'. And now, as an adult...timing never worked out so that I had a boyfriend on my birthday. Anyway. Todd and I got to the restaurant and I opened my gift from him. He had been talking about my gift for weeks...and I could read some nervousness on his face. He got me the most gorgeous gold necklace. It's really long with many circle hoops connecting it all together....the line at Jared Jewelers is called Geometric. It can be worn at many different lengths. It's very funky...it's very me. He did a great job. We joked several times mocking that stupid TV commercial...."HE went to Jared." You would have to know that dumb commercial to get it...but I think it's hilarious. I am a smitten kitten.

Shoot me now! LOL!

I got 2 of my young (22-25 year old) employees to fill in on my softball team last night. One of the girls who played last night just stopped by my office and said, "Liz and I were so pumped up after the game last night, we went and ran 2 miles after."

Someone shoot me now.

I think I am having a relapse of the 15 minutes of pouting over being old. Hahahah!

For about 15 minutes

For about 15 minutes last night I felt old.

I had my 2nd co-ed softball game (I am playing not coaching) and I got hurt AGAIN. Gone are the days where I could play 7 games a day in 100 degree heat and not even be sore. Our first game was last Thursday. I slid into 3rd (I was safe) to avoid getting my block knocked off by the steroid-fed short stop on the other team who was firing a throw to 3rd to try and get me out....and I sliced the top 5 layers of skin off of my right shin. Sexy. It looked like a huge 6" x 4" burn on my leg. It hurt like a mo-fo. After the game, Todd cleaned up my wound, and took care of me for days. Then last night, I pulled my left quad muscle. Great...TWO gimp legs. I even stretched and got warmed up before the game and still got hurt.

I pouted for about 15 minutes. Todd told me I wasn't old. I took a shower and had a new attitude.

Big fan of your work

I kinda share an office with another guy. Basically it used to be one big ass office that was made into 2 offices by adding a 10 foot wall to separate the 2 offices....but the ceiling goes up another 30 feet...and no wall. So basically he can hear everything in my office...and I can hear everything in his office. Oh joy! Everyday for about an hour or so he returns phone calls. Yes, an hour...he gets a ton of phone calls. And EVERY SINGLE TIME he calls someone he says the same thing. "Yea, hi, (insert name here), it's G, I'm a big fan of your work...." It makes me nuts. It's a funny line and all...but c'mon! EVERY PHONE CALL? Time for some new material. Ha!

Wave of sadness

It was just announced that the suspect in the JonBenet case is a 41-year old 2nd grade teacher. I was soooo upset by this case when it first hit the news...(then got sick of it)...but I just had a wave of sadness. Poor Patsy Ramsey died with the whole world thinking she killed her child.

Finally

Finally - an arrest was made in the JonBenet Ramsey murder case. I have always thought it was her brother. I wonder who it was.

A Boulder County District Attorney investigator is bringing a suspect in the JonBenet Ramsey murder case back to the United States. The suspect was arrested in Bangkok, Thailand Wednesday morning. The suspect has confessed to certain elements of the crime that are unknown to the general public. Both John and Patsy Ramsey, before she passed away in June, were consulted during the investigation. The suspect is expected to arrive back in the United States, possibly within the next two days, accompanied by an investigator from the Boulder DA's office. The Boulder County DA's office has not confirmed the identity of the suspect. However, they plan to have a press conference Thursday afternoon. They released the following statement Wednesday afternoon: "Boulder District Attorney Mary Lacy confirms the arrest of a suspect in the December 26th 1996 murder of JonBenet Ramsey. The suspect was arrested on August 16th 2006 in Thailand after several months of a focused and complex investigation. Jon & Patsy were consulted during the course of the investigation and the Ramsey's have been notified."

Coupledom

Since I am officially in a relationship and entered the world of "coupledom" I have been getting NEW invitations to things....couples things. Several people have invited me to couples dinners, couple parties...just couple stuff. I am kinda bothered by this. When I was single, I wasn't invited...so why now? Just because I have a date? Was my single status a threat? Was it uncomfortable for the couples? Did they pity me? Or were they afraid I would hit on or flirt with their other half? Phhhlllleaaase! I swear...I will always invite single friends to stuff...and not leave them out because it's a "couples" thing.

I hate people

I know it sounds like a terrible thing to say...but at least once a day I find myself saying "I hate people!" Always in reaction to some idiot. My current personal favorite are the people talking on their cell phone while driving. I do it too...but I have a hands-free device and I don't drive like a dumbass. People on their cell phone while driving... drive VERY slow. Have you ever noticed that? Then, they don't think ahead about what their next turn will be (because they are distracted) so they are driving slow... and then hurry up to turn or change lanes at the last minute...with one hand on the wheel and the other on the cell while violently whipping their head from side to side. I hate these people. I play this game with myself where if I see some person driving like how I described above...I pull up next to them to see if I am right...are they on their cell? Yes, about 90% of the time. My new thing is I get their attention and close my cell phone and mouth... GET OFF YOUR CELL PHONE AND DRIVE! I hate people.

I hate the people who have 25 items in the 14 and under line at the grocery store.

I hate people who ride bicycles on city streets. There are parks for that. I nearly KILLED a man on a bicycle yesterday (this is a regular occurrence) ...he was wearing a patch over one eye...which must have been cutting the blood off to his brain because he totally rode right out in front of me. I had to squeal my tires to avoid crushing him....everything on the front seat flew to the floor. Then he cussed at ME!

I hate people who shout on their cell phone in close quarters to other people. In that same vein, I hate people with loud annoying cell phone rings.

I hate people who bring children to bars....not restaurants...bars...and just because the bar serves food...doesn't make it a restaurant.

I hate the people who beg for money on the streets of downtown. I can't walk 2 blocks to the gym without being approached at least twice. I just plain hate people. Ha.

For the record....I am not bitter....I am not pissed off...I have never been happier...just hate people.... dumb people.

Congratulations galore

On Friday, August 11th - Kristen and Kevin welcomed the birth of their baby boy, Austin Spenser. He is 6 lbs 11 oz, 20" long and has a full head of brown hair like his mom. Mom, Dad and baby are doing fabulous. Cheers to you!

On Sunday, August 13th - Emily and Andy got engaged... on Em's 30th birthday...what a great gift! I am sooo happy for you Emsy!

Congratulations galore!

A buck for the bride

My dear friend Paul has created a website to try to raise $$ for his wedding. Here is the email I got from him with his intention of me fowarding it to people. Probably not. But I will post it here. Creative. And very Paul. I would be so happy for them if this worked. You know...the March of Dimes started when President Roosevelt asked Americans to mail in a single dime to help fight Polio. Bags and bags of dimes came in...and the rest is history. Cheers to Paul and Sharon.

Hi,
My name is Paul and I have one simple goal: to marry the woman of my dreams. But I need YOUR help! I've seen other sites where things like this has worked, so I figure I might as well take a chance.

Please visit http://www.buckforthebride.com/ to find out how you can help. Even if you can't help in a traditional sense, you can help me by forwarding this message on to at least 5 of your friends and family. I can't guarantee it will bring you luck, but you'll be doing something to help out a person in need.

Thanks for anything you can do and helping my dreams come true.

Paul

Board Games

When I was watching Cherill's kids and I was running through a list of fun stuff we could do together. I said, "how about we play a board game?" The 2 older ones looked at me confused. "Board game?" the middle boy asked? "Uh, yea, like Monopoly, Sorry, UNO, Scrabble...you know board games," I said. They had no idea what a board game was. Boy times have changed. Now those games are computerized and digital and all fancy. I had to crack up.

Attention to detail

The team of 20 that I manage are all part-time so I really try to help them all find full-time work in radio. I let them know about job openings internally and at other radio companies and offer to help them with resumes, cover letters and other creative things that will help them rise above the pack. One of my staffers just applied for a full-time promotions gig at a news station. I suggested she write a series of fun and interesting press releases on the station, her getting the job, upcoming events etc. She took a rough draft crack at them. They were decent. I worked with her and gave her some suggestions. I told her to check the spelling of everything...check and double check. Promotions is all about ATTENTION TO DETAIL. Honestly, forget something as small as tape for banners for an event and you are screwed. So anyway.... I see her this morning and ask how the interview went...ok...get ready for this...she says..."Good. I gave her the press releases. But found out after I gave them to her that I MIS-SPELLED HER NAME in them...opps! Maybe she won't notice." I realize that I am starring at her with a look of utter and complete shock with my mouth hung wide open...and I said, "Uh...hell yes she will notice...oh well." And I walked away.

Fireworks

Friday was Todd and I's one-month anniversary. He gave me the most beautiful bouquet of flowers. As I was standing in his kitchen gushing over how gorgeous they were...he looks at me and says, "they are supposed to look like fireworks, red, white and blue....get it?" Our first date was on the 4th of July watching a fireworks display. Romantic and thoughtful....wow! We went to dinner at the Coral Room in Stapleton...which I highly recommend. We are dorks that we celebrated a one-month anniversary...but I soaked up every lovely second of it.

Saturday, I had to work a station event and then I babysat Cherill's 3 kids so she and her hubby could go out to dinner for his b-day. I love those kids.

Sunday, Todd came over in the morning and we went to Racine's for brunch then back to my house to hang out until around 4:30...and then we went to his friend's house for a bbq. I got to meet all of his friends and their wives. Nice people. I had such a great weekend.

Beth

At my sister's bridal shower I had a chance to chat briefly with my mom's cousin Beth. I never see that side of the family...so I guess it was nice to see her. She is a few years younger than my mom...but NOTHING like my mom. Beth's dad is my mom's dad's younger brother...does that make sense? Anyway. Beth and her siblings were all hippies in the 60's (and still kinda are today)...pot smokin'... motorcycle ridin'...tie-dye wearin'...hippies. My mom was the Sunday School Leader at her church. My mom and Beth are night and day different from each other. Growing up...Beth and her siblings were never nice to my mom. In fact, even to this day I have heard Beth make shitty comments to my mom....and that pisses me off.

OK... cut to now. Like I was saying, I chatted briefly with Beth at Natalie's bridal shower. As we were leaving Beth said (quite loud) "I have always liked you Emily...and now we are old enough to really hang out and party...we should get together." I thought my mom was going to have a heart attack. I think partly because Beth and that whole gang never accepted my mom. AND I think because my mom has never thought too highly of their lifestyle choices. I shrugged off Beth's comments and said, "Oh yea, that would be nice." My mom looked hurt.

I never called or contacted Beth...but saw her again at the wedding. This time she had about 15 beers in her and kept telling/shouting that we were gonna hang out and get to know each other. Beth wrote down all (I mean ALL) of her contact information on a cocktail napkin. After the wedding...I put off calling....and put off calling....and finally after a comment from my aunt that she was really hoping I would call... called her to set a time to get together. I really don't want to be her friend or get to know her more...for several reasons. She is mean to my mom. And...I really believe it would hurt my mom's feelings that her cousin didn't think she was cool enough to hang out with or even be nice to...but her daughter is. I would NEVER want to hurt my mom's feeling....well...at least now that I am an adult...I don't want to hurt her feelings. Beth and I had plans tonight and she cancelled. Whew. I really wish I could just tell Beth how I feel...and that I am not interested in being "friends"...but she's family. I know she doesn't respect the concept of family like I do...because she is so mean to my mom....but MY MOM taught me to be respectful of my family. See....they are night and day different.

PR Nightmare

I do volunteer Public Relations for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. We just found out that we need to create a PR plan to deal with the "Right To Life" idiots who are planning on unveiling their anti-abortion platform at our HUGE event in October, Race for the Cure. They are protesting the Komen Foundation because we give grants to Planned Parenthood. OK. We don't fund any other program at Planned Parenthood except the Breast Health and Mammogram programs. Even though we have explained this to these "Right to Life" people...they still want to come to Race for the Cure and attempt to ruin a day of honor, tribute and celebration. The thing they can't get through their thick skulls is that many un & under insured people use Planned Parenthood as their primary care physicians. They don't have any or adequate insurance, so they go to Planned Parenthood. SOOOO...Planned Parenthood needs money to help screen and treat Breast Cancer for the un & under insured women. We are not for or against abortion...we are FOR saving lives by giving funds to eradicate Breast Cancer as a life-threatening disease for everyone...even the people who can't afford tests or treatment. We have wickedly detailed records of where Planned Parenthood spends our grant money...every cent is on Breast Health and Mammogram programs. I am sitting here shaking my head. These "Right to Life" people are against abortion...but they are willing to protest another organization trying to save lives too. Get a grip!

Headphones on your neck don't make you a dee jay!

Some guy just showed up at our front desk wearing headphones around his neck asking to speak to our program director about an on-air job. Ahem. First of all...you don't just show up at a radio station...or ANY business for that matter and ask to have a meeting with someone...especially if you are interested in a job. Secondly... wearing headphones on your neck doesn't make you a dee jay....doesn't make you LOOK like a dee jay...just makes us crack up for 20 minutes at what a dork you are.

Weekend

I had a great weekend....a truly great weekend.

Friday night was my cousin Chris' wedding. Todd and I went. It was a typical wedding and nothing to out of the ordinary happened...except at the end of the night when we were leaving the reception. My mom HUGGED Todd goodbye - whoa. And then my dad said to Todd, "I have that exact same shirt and tie." And they joked back and forth about what good taste they have. This may not sound like a big deal to some people...but in my world...this is a whole NEW world.

Saturday I played in my High School Alumni Golf Tournament. There were about 70 players. And I had dated 8 of the guys there. Hahah! It was really nice to see everyone...truly. AND...I won "Longest Drive"...not sure HOW...but I did. After the tournament, I went over to the post-party. I chatted with a ton of people....caught up....had a few laughs...then realized that I wanted to be at Todd's....so I excused myself to head out. One of my buddies said to me, "What? Are you afraid of your past?" I replied, "Uh no....but I am gonna go see my PRESENT....see ya!" Whatever dude. I got to Todd's....took a shower...had dinner with him...and had a fantastic time.

Sunday morning I went to brunch with the girls. Yum! How I love brunch! Afterwards, I went home and laid on the couch and watched the Rockies game. Then.... Todd came over and I made turkey tacos. What a great weekend!

I am running a freaking day-care

I manage 20 employees....all under the age of 26. I got a phone call this Saturday from one of my street team guys while they were out working for the station saying that 2 of the girls were not "listening" to him. They were all apparently fighting and making a scene at the Rockies game. Sweet. I told them to calm down and knock it off and I called a meeting with all four of the team members this morning. I used a management technique called the "talking stick"...only the person WITH the "talking stick" may speak....no hum...ahhs... deep breaths....or any reaction of any kind from the other people in the room with the person with the "talking stick" is talking. The meeting is over...finally. I am sitting here just shaking my head. It was THE DUMBEST meeting ever....and I told them that. I told them that they need to take a good look at themselves and figure out a way to move past this incident...and to work to make sure they don't lose their cool again while representing my radio station. They should be embarrassed...and I am never gonna get that 30 minutes back again.

*SIGH* I am running a freaking day-care.

Speaking of 3rd time is a charm....

...I got my 3rd flat tire in my car since I have owned it (2 years) this morning. Todd had gotten back in town from his week-long trip to Vegas yesterday evening and I went over to his house and made him dinner. After a lovely evening, the morning sucked. Todd was ready to go to work at 7 am...so I packed up my stuff and he walked me to my car. Kiss kiss. Then he jumped in his car to head to work. I start to drive away to realize that my front driver side tire was flat... FLAT FLAT...to the rim flat! I got out of my car and paced around it for about 5 minutes...evaluating my opinions. He lives in east bum-fuck...so walking somewhere wasn't an option. Taking a cab home... would be about $80. Actually change the tire? I was not in the mood. What to do? It's hard for me to ask for help from anyone. I don't want to inconvenience people. I finally called Todd. Voicemail. He calls me back. By that time I had unloaded everything in the trunk and was contemplating using the Fix-A-Flat I had to get me to a tire store. Hum. Todd said to not do that.... he would be there in 15 minutes. He got there and hugged me about 10 times saying sorry for not making sure I left safely. He gave me the keys to his car...and he took his company car to work. He said he will fix it tonight after work. Ahhhh! What a sweetie! I guess my 3rd flat tire showed me what a CHARM Todd is! (Although, I already knew that.)

OH...and the 3rd wedding for my cousin Chris this past Friday...is actually THIS Friday. Nice. I wrote the wrong date in my day-timer. Chris had called me months ago to "Save The Date"...and when I got the invitation...I just filed it on that date he gave me a while back...without even looking at it. Thankfully, I didn't actually drive to the wedding...but I did start to get ready. Sheesh huh? Ha!