Caucus is cock-eyed?

In light of the upcoming Iowa Caucus tomorrow. I felt inclined to share this story. A guy I work with is from Iowa and was explaining the election Caucus process to me today. I am going to share his view on a caucus without my own research on validity.

OK. Apparently it takes the average voter at least 3 hours to participate. Wha? Sounds like voting in ANY election in Denver. I digress. Anyway. You show up to your voting neighborhood area and show your support for your candidate by standing in a section of the room assigned to your candidate. Sounds like a high school student council deal to me. I can picture poster board, glitter and markers "Vote for HILLARY for 2008 Prom Queen. Anyway. Everyone can see WHO you support. Much different from a voting ballot box where your pick is private. Anyway. After a while, it is determined if your candidate is "viable" for your voting area. Which means...does your candidate have enough support to be one of the top 2 candidates for that party? If yes, VIABLE. If not, no....move on...find a new candidate to support. Say for example, you are for Edwards. After showing your support for Edwards, if he is not a "viable" candidate for that area...which means he doesn't have enough support by other voters...then you will be approached by the other candidate's supporters for your support of their candidate. "Hey Joe-Voter, I know you like Edwards, however, Hillary believes this-that-and-the-other issues the same. Come join our side." Seems like a sick game of playground rules to me. Should be interesting thing to watch tomorrow. I am an avid voter...but just NOW learned more about the process. Interesting.

Watch our stuff....(wave)...thanks!

NYE was a blast. We started at Todd's friend's house. Fun. Good times. Tons of ankle bitters running about fueled by sugar and carbs. Everyone was very interested in our wedding plans and I really like Todd's friends. All good people. The party at the hotel did not disappoint. It was fun to hang with Paul & Sharon & Sara & Fizz. We danced and partied into the new year. Cheers to you all my naughty monkeys (a la Craig Ferguson...ha). Here's my favorite picture from the night. Self portrait of our New Years KISS!

So here's a story for ya. We got to the hotel party a little early and stood in line for the doors to open. We were able to score a table. Since it was just the 2 of us at the time...and it was a table for 8...I kept inviting couples to sit down with us. The scene was the same each time. A couple standing by the doors with a drink and a full plate of food scanning the room looking for a place to sit and eat. I would wave 'em in and ask them to join us. Met some great people. The first couple was interesting. They were in their 40's...dating...not married. The woman runs a company for thank you cards. She has created a software that people may use to type up their "thank you" cards, and the software will print them up in YOUR handwritting. I didn't completely grasp what she was saying...it was loud. Anyway. They announced that they were going to go grab their jackets to head outside to watch the fireworks show at 9 pm. They are walking towards the door and turn to say goodbye. I glance up and wave. She says, "Watch our stuff (wave) thanks!" Wha? She had left her purse and he had left his tuxedo jacket. WTF? We JUST met these people and they expect me to sit at this table and watch their crap while they go watch a fireworks show. Hell and no. OK OK...if you know me...you KNOW that we watched their crap. But STILL. I am a sucker. Ha. I am always entertained by people. Happy New Year!

Happy New Years Eve

Exactly 5 months from today is our wedding. Wowsa. Can't believe it. Deep breath. Tons to do still. We have enough done that we could get married tomorrow...but still more to do.

Happy New Years Eve to all. I hope you have a wonderful and safe celebration. Todd and I are going to his friend's house for a day-time party (these folks have wee ones...thus a Noon-Years-Eve deal) then downtown for a hotel party. I was able to score free tickets...and a very inexpensive price for hotel room at a swank hotel 1 block from the party. Sweet. I have a massive headache and head cold...and really really have no business going out. But the party machine has left the gate and we have already purchased our tickets. I am supposed to be getting ready to leave....and can sense Todd wishing I would get off of the computer and get into the shower...so I best run friends.

Cheers! So ready for 2008.

Crying

Admittedly I have been in this haze for about a year now. New job. Met the love of my life. Got engaged. Planning a wedding. Moved to a new home. ETC ETC. Just life I guess. I haven't posted to my blog much...and I haven't read my friends blogs enough either. I just read about 4 months of Em P's blog. Cried. Laughed. Hooted. Cheered for her. Wanted to hug her. Wished I was there for her. Love seeing her kids growing. Thanked God she has Peter in her life. Just loved reading about her family and the antics of her 2 kids. They are gorgeous creatures with the charm and intelligence of their parents. Then to Erin's blog. Same feelings. Started in June...and am still reeling from her sweet post on our engagement that I didn't see until today. Click here - Scroll to June 13th. Wow. The last line made tears stream down my face. Sometimes you don't know how much your friends see or feel...until you SEE it in black and white. I feel loved.

Back in the Saddle

I have been missing posting to my blog. It's time to get back in the saddle. I see something or do something and think it would make for a good blog post. For example, I was at a meeting in this building that is supposed to be the most environmentally "green" building in Colorado. Their toilets had 2 flushing options. Pull the handle up to flush if you only went "number 1" and push it down if you went "number 2". Funny. Apparently it flushes with less water for just pee. Ok whatever. Up for 1 and down for 2. Thought that would be a funny blog title. Up for 1 and down for 2. Anyway. I have been away for a while...and tons has happened. Here's the Reader Digest version. The last 1/2 of the year has been full of highs...and low lows.















1. Todd and I got engaged on June 9th. This is one of our engagement photos. We are walking on sunshine. We are getting married on May 31, 2008. Wow...only about 5 months away. We plan to try to start a family after the wedding.

2. My sister had a beautiful baby girl on Nov. 25th. She's a gorgeous & sweet baby and I love her with all of my heart. Nat and Danny are wonderful parents. I can't stop buying stuff for the baby.

3. My brother and Rebecca got engaged last month. Very happy for them both!

4. Both Erin and Emily got married recently. Em in August and Erin in November. You go girls. So amazing to have all 3 of us get marriend within 10 months of each other. Wacky! :)

5. Cherill is preggers with her 4th kid. It's a boy! Three boys and a girl. Hands full!

6. Maria and Brian gave birth to a baby boy named Austin. He was born 13 weeks early on Oct. 14th. He is in the NICU and hopes to come home by his due date of Jan. 11th. I will go stay with their family in Chicago when Austin comes home to be with Maria and help.

7. Both Cherill and Stephanie lost babies recently. Cherill lost a baby at 17 weeks. Steph lost a baby boy at 29 weeks. May you lay in the arms of the King.

That is the basic update. There is more...but all a heart can handle right now.

Christmas was wonderful. I had a tough time dealing with not being at my parent's house on Christmas Day. We decided to split time between our family this year. Christmas Eve at one side. Christmas Day at the other side. We went to my parent's house on the 23rd to open gifts and celebrate together. On Christmas Eve, we went to my Grandma's house. Then on Christmas day we went to his aunt and uncle's house. My heart hurt a little all day yesterday missing my family on Christmas Day. Plus I knew it made my mom and Grandma sad to not have us there. Compromise is good...and a huge part of being together...but I am not going to say it's easy.

OK - enough for now. See you soon.

Long...way...long

I am almost embarrassed at how long it's been since I posted to my blog. Almost. I had a lot going on...and I was enjoying it. And quite honestly, I had forgotten my password to my blog...and it came to me in a dream last night....so here I sit. I sit looking out the window of our office at the steady stream of airplanes flying into DIA. It's a holiday weekend...and folks are coming home from something fun....I hope. Memorial Day Weekend. A time to give thanks and honor to our vets. Memorial Day always makes me miss my Grandpa A. He was a vet and a very proud American. I miss him. My dad told me a funny story about him that I had never heard before. When my Grandpa was 14 he got sprayed by a skunk. He was so angry about being sprayed...he killed that skunk with his bare hands....even though he was sprayed about 10 more times. You had to know him to see the humor in this....not about the dead animal (that's actually sad)...more about the extend of his temper. I am soooo my Grandpa A on soooo many occasions....but not as many occasions as my brother Bob...he IS my Grandapa A. Ha.

I love living with Todd. I told him the other day that I can barely remember my life without him....and couldn't imagine a time in the future without him by my side. Life is good. We worked 2 days this long weekend at my condo getting it ready to sell. I wish I had done these upgrades when I lived there to enjoy them...oh well.

The weekend was full as usual. Friday night we met some friends out for drinks in celebration of Christine getting out of jail....aka...radio. She starts her new gig next week....congrats my friend. Saturday was Paul and Sharon's wedding in Boulder. It was a lovely evening and a good time was had by all. We stayed at a small cabin just a mile from the wedding...it was perfect. Sunday we had my parents over for a bbq. It was the first time they saw our place...and it made it all very real for me....I actually live here...and I am not just an over night guest anymore. I had to crack up...my parents didn't go into our bedroom during the tour. I wonder if seeing my bedroom with Todd made them uncomfortable?!? Todd played in a golf tournament today (Monday)...and had to get up at 4:30 am....blech. After golf, he met me over at my condo and we painted until around 5 pm. Long day...especially for Todd.

Barkley (Todd's dog) and Sasha (my cat) are getting along fabulously. Well...as fabulously as a dog and cat will. Right now, he is laying at my feet...and Sasha is on her bed (that Susie gave me years ago) glaring at him. Ahhhhh....love is in the air.....totally kidding. Tolerance is in the air. Ha.

My brother moved in with his girlfriend Rebecca. I am super pumped for them. I can't wait to see their place.

Some very sad news. My old dear friend and co-worker Amber P died on May 17th. I don't want to cry right now so that is all I can say...so if you want to know more...ask me.

Expensive Sweatpants

I moved in with Todd. I am putting my condo on the market, so I didn't move my furniture because I will stage the house to help sell it. Folks, looking for furniture, tvs, kitchen stuff...anything? I am sure I have it that you can have. Anything I don't give away to friends and family I am donating to a non-profit...so lemme know. Anyway. Things in my life are grand and moving towards a place that I prayed for a long time. I am a smitten kitten and blessed to have met and fell in love with Todd. He's a peach.

I was talking on the phone with my college roommate Maria tonight. We reminisced and giggled at the fact that we have known each other 1/2 of our lives. I met Maria in August of 1990....I was 17....I am 34 now. She squealed with delight when I told her that Todd and I moved in together. She knows my battle scars and how many frogs I kissed and how long I waited for just the right guy. I kept telling her he was out there...and she believed me. In fact...as a side bar...when I told my Dad the good news...he said, "Well, this one almost deserves you." He laughed and teased me and told me that he and my mom love Todd...no one will really really really EVER deserve me....but Todd is a great guy. Ha. Anyway. Maria and I giggled and caught up on the phone and she started talking about the guys we dated in college. It was funny. All these years later....Maria has 2 boys and has been with her husband for 13 years...Brian (her husband) rocks the casba. Anyway. Maria was saying that she was looking thru old college photos and ran across a box full of pictures of Maria and another college boyfriend, Drew. She admitted that looking back, she didn't think he was all that good looking. I told her that he was a nice guy and had great eyes and a personality that made him adorable...and quite frankly...he was the star of the college soccer team and quite sought after by other susie-co-ed's. Maria said something that is still cracking me up as to why she thought he was great in college.... "Drew lived off campus, was a good dresser as far as athletes went and always had food in the house." Oh my gosh. How our criteria has changed. I can't remember the last time that one of my dates got a good score for living in a dump close to a college campus, who wore expensive sweatpants and had a food in his fridge. Ha. I am laughing my ass off. Maria - you are a funny and fabulous friend.

Sweet 16

My NCAA March Madness Pool started off....poor....to say the least. I feel that I have rebounded a wee bit (pun intended). I have 10 teams still in for the Sweet 16. I have all of my Final Four and Finals teams still in.....could be interesting. Honestly...kind of a boring year though.... tons of top 5 teams still in. I picked a few good upsets. I don't really like Duke...picked the huge VCU upset....sweet. And I had UCLA too. Fingers crossed. My pool winnings is for work...so it goes into our yearly fundraising for work...but hell...gotta love winning!

She's having a baby

I ripped off the title to this post from one of my favorite silly movies "She's Having a Baby" starring Elizabeth Perkins and Kevin Bacon. Good flick. Well written and has a great soundtrack. I digress. The post was to announce that my (baby) sister NJD and her hubby are expecting a baby. Yes!!! Woo Hoo! The wee one is due on November 20th.

....that deep exhale you hear is.... me....full of relief that the pressure of a grandbaby is off my shoulders....for a year at least.

Wow...I am actually gonna be Auntie EM!

College dear friend and team mate Steph and her hubby Scott are expecting their first baby in November as well. And as I have posted before Cherill is expecting her 4th wee one. Babies galore. Weeeeeee! (Don't drink the water.) Ha.

Gag

I think it's so weird when couples share an email address. Seriously are you so connected at the hip that you can't have your own identity or at least your own email address? I think it's weird. And it leads me to another simple...yet deep question....WHY? Is it a trust thing? Wanting to be able to see and check each other's email? That can't be it. Any person with an IQ over a monkey can make different user name/email address. I just don't get it. Gag.

Not EVERYONE gets a ribbon

I am so pissed about the theory that I see coming out of kids, parents and schools today. OK. NOT EVERY KID GETS A RIBBON. I am gonna start by telling you....yes...field day at school was a BIG day for me. I typically won any and every athletic deal, trophy and ribbon...and had a ton of blue ribbons on field day. I did. Shoot me. I am more going to talk about this freaking mess in everything I see to deal with our next generation. OK. Every kid gets a ribbon at field day....just for showing up. Wha? Are we a socialist society? No. "Everyone is equal." No. I heard on the news today that parents are telling their kids to put down the pencil and not take the CSAP test....because....get this....it's TOO STRESSFUL...and they don't want to expose their kids to "that kind of stress". I want to kick these parent's asses with my yoga mat. You're right...my boss will give me a get-out-of-jail-free-card because turning my work in ON TIME might be "stressfull" for me. NOT EVERY KID GETS A RIBBON. GET OVER IT. Life is tough. People win. People lose. Learn to deal with success and 2nd place. Parents. I am sure if you are reading my post...I LOVE your kids. I am sure of it. However, I am not sure your kids are the smartest kids in the class...the one who should be starting pitcher on the baseball team....star player on the soccer team. Folks. Let's wake up. ACCEPT THE FACT: Your kid(s) are cool. But they are NOT the best at everything they do. They NEED you. Please don't shout at their coach. Think....do "I want to be their coach?" Sure as shit....you don't. Parents....your kids are cool...but I will bet a paycheck...there is a kid...or 75 times cooler than your kid....teach your kids how to win....not how to make mistakes. You AND your KIDS are NOT perfect.

The dick, the dork and the darling

Something I have always always enjoyed is watching the entertainment world use the same formula for the comedy or entertainment shows....the dick, the dork and the darling. Generally it's a dick-head stubborn man...and dorky guy and a sweet or stupid girl...the typical giggle box. Stop and think about the radio show you may listen to. The reality TV show. Think about it. Remember Frosty, Jaime and Frank? Bingo. Watch American Idol? Bingo. Enjoy Deal or No Deal? ANY soap opera. Think about it. It cracks me up.

Fair

My dear friend Emily lost her father to breast cancer on Friday. My heart burst in a million pieces when I heard. My heart broke for Em. Her mom (they were married for 40 years). Em's husband. Her 2 kids. Her brothers and sisters A-M-E-N. Her nieces and nephews. And oddly, my heart broke for me. That feeling shocked me to the core. I saw my dad a few hours after I learned of Roger's passing...and I teared up a few times when I was talking to him. I realized that I was mourning the fact that I will someday lose my dad too....and it broke my heart. It's not fair. Our parents and grandparents are supposed to stay the same age as the day we met them. They shouldn't age or get sick or die. It's not fair.

I will always remember Em's wedding day and the way her dad looked at her as Em gracefully and elegantly entertained the guests....smiling from ear to ear. He watched her with this proud glow on his face. I took a mental snapshot of that loving look. I won't forget it.

Anna....may you RIP...but

I am floored that I have seen more news coverage on Anna Nicole Smith's death...than the recent death of President Ford. Sick. Even on the actual "credible" news sources are carrying an update on ANS' death every news cast. Stop it. I don't CARE folks. Honestly, besides being a pretty white woman....who was a train wreck of a human...what did this person add to our worlds? I blame these 24-hour news sources from making Americans crave dirt...and lack a thirst for real history.

Long lost blogger

A post from the long lost blogger......

I got a call at 3 pm yesterday at work informing me that I would be giving a 25 minute presentation/speech for an insurance company staff of 75 TODAY. Wha? Gulp. Deep breath. I wrote a speech and practiced it....and all went fine. But oh damn. Public speaking has never been my long suit. I am just like Jerry McQuire - I am the Queen (King) of the Livingroom. I can work a small room. But not a conference room of people. I will get better....even though I know I did an ok job. I set high standards for myself.

I have never been a fan of Valentines Day. Ever. But this year....I enjoyed the perfect amount of Valentines. Todd and I made Valentines cards, exchanged small gifts and had a lovely dinner at his house with a fantastic bottle of wine. Bliss.

I started coaching again a few weeks ago. The girls from last year's team are 7 months older...and it's amazing how much they have grown. They are very adorable and already developing into fantastic softball players. My favorite player from last year, Hannah, is not on the team this year. She wasn't sure if she wanted to play again this year...and the deadline past. I saw her at the softball clinic this past Sunday....what a dolly.

Congratulations to Cherill who is expecting her 4th baby. Holy shit. Four kids. Ha. The baby is due in Sept. She invited me to go with her to her amino....I am honored.

My sister and her husband moved back to Colorado in September....and despite many phone calls wanting to see them and their new place....nuttin. I guess I may never have a close friendship with Natalie. Breaks my heart.

My windshield has an annoying crack that goes from one side to the other. Pisses me off. I know it will be about $200 to get a new windshield. I keep virtually shopping with that $200...thinking of other things I would rather spend my money on. Damn.

That buzzing you hear

That buzzing you hear is me...the busy bee. My new gig is fantastic. I love working in the non-profit world. Today I thought would be a sick busy day. I had 6 interviews scheduled (we are hiring a p/t receptionist) and in the middle of that....a lunch with one of my staffers who works out of her home wayyyy up north. Well. Four of my 6 interviews canceled. Yes. Canceled. And the nutty thing...this job pays really really well for a part time gig. Anyway. And my staffer needed to postpone due to an early morning trip to the emergency room with her small child who has a bad cold (he's ok now). So.... I have actually found a moment to post on my blog. Sadly, I can't even remember the last time I posted.

The other night, Todd and I got into an interesting conversation about a subject that I haven't been able to stop thinking about. The discussion surrounded the topic "If you were able to take a time machine back in history to witness any event (large or small) as a participant or an observer....what would it be? And would you be a participant or an observer?" I was able to come up with some good ones....but nothing that made me say - YES! That is the ONE event I would choose. Many of the ones I came up with that night were historic sporting events, Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, a Beatles performance in a small pub just before they broke it to the big time, several religious occurrences….but nothing that really stood out as the ONE event I would want to see. Since I have been thinking about this for days….as of today…the one event I would want to observe my birth. Is that selfish? Maybe. But I would love to really BE there (other than a squirmey screamy baby) to hear what my family said and did. Humpf. I think that sounds weird. I know I was already there. Again….humpf.

Todd and me at Katie's 30th b-day party...fun...a theme party!

Pretty Women

My new gig rocks friends. Rocks. I love it. I discovered that I needed to expand my Business Barbie wardrobe with some even more grown-up-girl business suits...you know...the classic kind that you buy in fancy stores. (Ha) So my gorgeous beau and I went to the mall in search of a few hot suits. NOT old-lady or super-masculine-not-so-female suits. I am talking H-O-T! I was told by the girls in the know to go to Talbots Petites....so we did. We picked out 2 fantastic pants suits....2 very Jackie O looking suits. I LOVE THEM. As the sales gal was ringing up my small fortune, she slips me a phone number and tells me "call this number if you (I) ever want to shop before the store opens, I (she) would set that up, a private shopping experience." Uh? WHA? I have never been offered THAT kind of shopping perk. Just like Julia Roberts in Pretty Women. If I ever actually do the private shopping day....you bet I will order pizza (just like the movie).

On another subject....I am sick and tired....tired and sick of the freaking cold and snow. I know...I live in Colorado....but damn. For the 5th week in a row, we got more snow. AND...I just heard that we will get more this weekend. Tired. Sick. Tired. Sick.

On yet another subject....I told my sister and her husband that I would put their wedding photos to music on a video slide show as my wedding gift. (Shh....no mention that the wedding was in late June). Anyway. I have made an executive decision to pay someone to get this project off of my desk. Folks. Looking for some extra cash? I have about 100-125 digital photos that I would like put into a slideshow for DVDs with a few transitions and music in the background. Wanna make some extra moolah? Let's chat. I don't have time to do this video. I have tons of good intentions...no time.

I'm Lovin' It

I am 4 days into my new gig....well...in the office (training in Dallas not included). Besides the fact that I think my brain is leaking out of my ear due to too much information...all at once...things are going great.

I have spent my career observing some pretty shitty behavior by management...and making a mental note of it....thinking..."someday...when I am the boss...I will do it different." Well...now I am the boss...and I feel that I am making good on that promise. I was given a list of Dept. Heads to meet with to do an Orientation. I have decided to treat everyone in the office with the same respect...and I am meeting with everyone in the office...even the part time receptionist. If the boss doesn't understand that everyone who walks in the door of the office has importance...then who will? Anyway. To quote a great marketer.... I'm Lovin' It.

I have to add....I am used to being in an industry where people are crude. Where the sexual harrassement flows like the booze. Where some people say FUCK every other word....in meetings. Where other managers have commented that my boobs look good in my new shirt. I NOW work in a world that I have YET to hear even a "shit" or "hell" from a coworker. And no one is commenting on my boobs. Wow. Is this the real world? Ha.

Space Junk

So...the news stations were calling the meteorite that I saw "Space Junk" on the tv last night. I giggled every time. The word JUNK cracks me up. I have heard people use the word junk to describe so many other things other than actual junk...that I crack up.

Out of the wood works

I mentioned that my new job was published in the radio trade mags...well...lemme tell you....old names and blasts from the past are coming out of the wood works. I have gotten so many phone calls and emails full of encouragement....and many....shouting congratulations for getting out of radio. Ha.

Damn...folks!

Well Denver got another freaking snow storm....3rd Friday in a row we have gotten dumped on. Sweet. I AM OVER IT! On the way to work I said "Damn...folks!" about 73 times. People....when it snows...scrape the ice and snow off of your car before driving. People...when it snows...and you don't have a car that can go thru 3 feet of snow...don't try....you WILL get stuck. People...when it snows....4-wheel drive helps you go...but doesn't help you stop. People...when it snows...and you are walking in the street...look UP and watch the cars on the road...they are bigger than you and can kill you if they hit you because they can't stop. People...when it snows or there is any precipitation....turn on your headlights. People...when it snows...and you can't see the lines on the streets....pull your head up and look around and watch the other cars around you and follow them. People...when it snows...don't drive like a total ass hat*.

*Ass hat: (noun) A person who has their head so far up their ass that they wear their ass as a hat. Todd was the first person who ever used that term around me and it cracks me up every time he says it. Em P introduced Asshattery to me and I have never laughed so hard. Good work.

Once in a lifetime

This morning I had a meeting at 8 am. Yuck. I spent the night out at Todd's....so to make it on time I had to get up at 6 am. I rolled out of bed and into my car and started my 45 minute trek home to get ready for work. At about 6:15 am I see this huge ball of reddish fire with a tail of white sparkly light...that looked like what I would guess that stardust looks like. I pull the car over, flip on my hazards and turn off my lights to see it better. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Then the ball broke into about 4 or 5 smaller red balls of fire with a white sparkly stardust tail....then it burned out. NUTS! It was awesome. I was driving west...and the thing (that was later determined as a SL-4 rocket body that re-entered the atmosphere over Colorado and Wyoming) was traveling north to south in a horizontal line. At first a million things ran thru my head.... "Dang, is that a plane crashing?" "What in the HELL is that?" "Holy shit." I flipped the radio on...and within a few minutes every station in town was taking phone calls on the "meteorite." NUTS! I was pissed off that I had an 8 am meeting...but thankful that I did because I witnessed a once in a lifetime experience.

I got it!

I have been on pins and needles for a couple weeks now hopin' and prayin' that I would get the job I had been interviewing for....well folks..... I got it. Whew! Hoorah! This is a huge gig for me and I am sooo happy! I am leaving radio after 12 years to enter the non-profit world.

I had to laugh....the national radio publications had my departure from radio as a freaking headline today. Must have been a slow news day!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! Here is a rambling of many things to share.

Gina and Steve welcomed their baby boy to the world on Dec. 29th at 9 pm. His name is Ian James and is 7 lbs 7 oz and 21 inches long. I can't wait to meet you Ian!

With the 2 blizzards (yes 2) we had over the holidays in Denver...I was out of the office pretty much for 2 weeks. Getting back into the swing of things today was tough...but I am finding time to post on my blog...so it must not be THAT tough. Ha.

The holidays were blissful. I loved the snow...even though I fully admit to being SICK of driving in this crap. I have never seen a storm stick around so long here.

We went to Katie's 30th birthday party on Saturday night...the night before New Years Eve. It was a masquerade party...and all guests were to wear Venetian Masks. Very fun. I love theme parties. I will post pictures soon. The party was at our friend's house wayyyyy out west...so we rented a hotel room with the plan to take a cab to the room. We couldn't get a cab all night. Todd tucked me in on the couch saying he would wake me up when the cab got there.... he was up until 4 am trying to get a cab. He's such a peach. We ended up sleeping/laying wide awake on the couch until 7 am...then drug our tired asses to the hotel. I had to work a radio station event on New Years Eve morning...so I left the room and went straight to the event. Sweet. It was worth the lack of sleep...because the party was super fun.

New Years Eve was fun...just my kind of NYE. Todd, Bob and I walked over to our favorite pizza joint. I had my mouth all set for our fav pizza "Fat Brando" and much to my chagrin, they were out of several of the toppings due to the storm and slow delivery trucks. Dang! Regardless...still had a good time. We played video games and drank a few beers. I brought along "Crackers" for the celebration. They are a tradition started by my old room mate Jennifer...her mom was from England. I love 'em. Anyway. The boys were sports and wore the paper crowns (from inside the Crackers) for a few fun pictures. I will post those later too. We went home around 10:30 pm...and Todd and I were in bed for the New Year. Kiss kiss. Happy New Year. Click (off went the tv)......slleeeeep.

The next morning I clicked the tv on to find out that Darrent Williams, one of our beloved Denver Broncos was murdered at 2 am. He was 24. One of his teammates Javon Walker held Darrent in his arms as he died. What an horrific thing to happen. My prayers go out to Darrent, his 2 small children, his mom, all of this friends, family, Denver Broncos, Javon Walker and any one else involved. Heartbreaking.

On New Years Day, Todd and I went for Sushi then to go see "A Night at the Museum". Cute. Predictable. Funny. After the movie we went back to his house...made some dinner and watched another movie.... "The Last Kiss" with Zach Braff (one of my favs). The movie was about relationships....period. The message I got from the movie was that no matter how perfect a relationship seems from the outside....no relationship is perfect. That saying you love someone is nice....but SHOWING someone you love them is most important. Parts of the movie were tough to watch....but all in all...it was entertaining and I would suggest others see it.

....and today....back at work....waiting for some good news.

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?