Like I said here, I looooove best and worst lists.
NavyGuy gets credit for stumbling upon this gem - it's Time Magazines' Top 10 of Everything 2009. There are 50 lists! Jackpot! Seriously, it's enough reading material to get you through the whole rest of the workweek.
Some of my favorites so far? Top 10 Buzzwords, Top 10 Fleeting Celebrities, Top 10 Movie Performances, Top 10 T-Shirt Worthy Slogans, and Top 10 Underreported Stories.
Hooray for the end of the year!
Time magazine has their second annual list of the Top Blogs of the Year - I'm shocked to see MarryingtheNavy has been omitted once again, but I'll forgive them the oversight.
Check out the list here. I'm considering adding a few of their suggestions to my Google Reader in an attempt to read something other than entertainment news and craft blogs. Any of their suggestions look good to you? Is there a blog you read that should have made the list?
NavyGuy leaves this morning for another two week detachment. This time, he's headed for El Centro, California (inland from San Diego). The weather starts to get pretty yucky up here in northwest Washington this time of year, so instead of wasting time not being able to fly, the training command always plans a few trips to sunny C.A. in order to help the students actually fly. For instance, NavyGuy has been scheduled for seven flights in the past eight days... he's only actually flown once. Ideally, when he and several other students are in El Centro though, they'll be able to get a bunch more flying done, and move along in their syllabus.
Obviously, NavyGuy being gone for two weeks sucks for a great many reasons (including, but not limited to, #7 - I can't watch any more How I Met Your Mother 'til he gets back, and #38 - There's no one else to blame for leaving water glasses around the house). However, instead of focusing on the negative, I'm going to try to find the positive. Namely, some time for fun girl activities and progress on several projects. Today I have a nice little trip to Bellingham planned, for some craft shopping and Barnes and Noble lounging. I've also been brainstorming a to-do list... which I'll list here in hopes that sharing it with the blogosphere will guilt me into accomplishing more of the tasks:
1. Make our moving announcements
2. Finish hanging pictures around the house
3. Start Thanksgiving menu and decor preparations
4. Create a Wonder Pets cape for my goddaughter's birthday party (I have until December on this one thank goodness)
5. Get guest room ready for guests at Thanksgiving!
6. Finish preparing for the puppy's arrival.
7. Start Christmas shopping list
I'm sure there's more that should be on the list, but I'm tapped out for the time being. Anyway, happy weekend to all!
1. Humidity hair.
2. Butt sweat.
3. Having to reapply deodorant.
4. Sweating while you shower.
5. Getting into a car that feels like a convection oven set on 425.
6. Sweating while you sleep.
7. Eating only salads, or foods that don't require using the stove or oven.
8. Feeling sweat drip down your back, or swish between your thighs.
9. Burning your hand on the metal part of the seat belt.
10. Getting stuck to vinyl restaurant seats when wearing shorts.
What else can we add to the list?
I spent yesterday and today working, without any crazy customers or good stories, so all I have to offer today is some interesting things that I've been checking out on the interweb ;)
An Open Letter to Jon Stewart - Slate.com
Sartorial article about Stewart's influence and Jews in the media.
20x200
This is a neat website where you can buy art - now what's unique about it is that they sell all original works, but at really reasonable prices. You pick the amount you want to spend (as little as $20 for an 8x10), and then browse the collection. It's great if you're in need of some uncommon wall decor at a stomachable price. (The name stems from their original premise of prints either $20 or $200.)
Daily Blog Tips
For you fellow bloggers, this blog is a wealth of fabulous information on everything from how to attract more readers, to how to collect guest posts, to how to develop new ideas for content. Anybody who blogs could benefit from this.
1. Finish shopping for ring bearers and flower girl. Check. This one was easy-peasy.2. Locate super hot heels for rehearsal dinner, that are not only comfortable, but make my calves look thinner than my thighs. Eh, sort of. Found some nice blush colored heels at Kohls, which fit my criteria of comfortable and cheap. They're more along the lines of sophisticated rather than hot, but such is life.3. Locate appropriate bachelorette party outfit. Score! We're doing a girls' dinner and then a sleepover party at my MOH's house, so I just needed a schnazzy top to go with jeans and cute shoes. Macy's came through with a gauzy, floaty sleeveless top (I can't for the life of me find a photo online) - on sale!4. Stock up on tape runner refills which (of course) are mysteriously out at the Wal-Mart in town. Check. Five more refills ready to finish up all of the last wedding DIY projects.5. Return the three pairs of shoes that Mom isn't going to wear at the wedding. Check. 6. Round up the remaining gifts for the groomsmen. Um, 1 for 5? No worries though, because the remaining four can be purchased in town.7. Stop in at Barnes and Noble for one specific item, and leave without having convinced myself that any other items are necessary. Fail. I left with the specific item, plus a scrapbooking magazine. The justification was that I needed something to read while I ate my wonderful lunch of...8. Decide between a sandwich at Atlanta Bread, or a burrito from Pancheros for lunch. Sandwich. Deeeeeelish.9. Buy what seems like the four thousandth roll of ribbon involved in this wedding. Three more rolls of pink ribbon for the programs, plus brown paper, a bone folder to make nice creases, and a few more guest book stickers on sale at Archiver's.10. Visit with HistoryGirlie, Kitty, and my old peeps at the high school!!!! Heck yeah! HistoryGirlie made me a fabulous dinner of her famous fettuchini and garlic bread, then we helped Kitty drive around the yard in her new Cozy Coupe, and ended the night with some gossip and Grey's.I could keep going, but the to-do list for today is just as long if not longer, and sadly, involves significantly fewer fun shopping tasks. Have a great weekend all!I'll update on my progress tonight...
1. Finish shopping for ring bearers and flower girl.
I leave for Wisconsin (for one month, during which I will be attending several showers, oh and my WEDDING!), in about 16 hours.
Tasks Completed:
- get pedicure
Tasks Not Yet Completed:
- Fit one month's worth of clothing, beauty products, craft supplies, reading material, and wedding paraphernalia into suitcase (that I can lift).
- Take NavyGuy on pantry orientation, lest he think I've left him with no provisions and ordering pizza is his only option for nourishment during my month away.
- Decide on a first dance song with NavyGuy and practice "dancing"
- Locate my sunglasses.
- Locate my iPod charger.
- Charge iPod.
- Pay bills and organize household management (so the place doesn't fall down around NavyGuy, and two roomies in my absence).
Um... here's the current "packing" status...
Too many shoes? Beauty supplies still need to be added... you think TSA will mind if I simply show up with three garbage bags full of all this stuff?
Central Time Zone here I come!!!
Hmmm...
Pack for month long trip home? Nah.
Work on any of the unfinished wedding tasks? Nah.
Make dinner for NavyGuy? Nah, he hasn't bothered me about it yet.
Respond to a fun note on Facebook? Heck yeah!
Miss A passed this "Book Nerd" quiz onto me. I've omitted a few questions that seem to make no sense (or for which I have no real or entertaining answer), and tagged a few others of you at the bottom! If you have a great answer to one of the questions, feel free to share in the comments!
1) What author do you own the most books by?
Ann M. Martin. Babysitter's Club Series (#1-84, plus 12 Super Specials, 15 Super Mysteries, and the Ann M. Martin biography). If this is foreign to you, go away - I'd like to pretend you don't exist.
2) What book do you own the most copies of?
The Westing Game.
3) Did it bother you that both those questions ended with prepositions?
Should I be worried that I didn't even notice that?
5) What book have you read the most times in your life?
The Giver
6) What was your favorite book when you were ten years old?
Where the Red Fern Grows
7) What is the worst book you've read in the past year?
I know there will be some haters out there, but I'm gonna be honest - did not love Coraline. Maybe the movie is better, but the story didn't grab me.
8) What is the best book you've read in the past year?
Water for Elephants and Still Alice.
9) If you could force everyone you tagged to read one book, what would it be?
Still Alice - see here for the explanation.
11) What book would you most like to see made into a movie?
The Giver
12) What book would you least like to see made into a movie?
The Dictionary?
14) What is the most lowbrow book you've read as an adult?
Nora Roberts all the way. And yet, I have no regrets or shame.
15) What is the most difficult book you've ever read?
Plato's The Republic. Worst. Book. EVER.
17) Do you prefer the French or the Russians?
Russian.
18) Roth or Updike?
Roth.
19) David Sedaris or Dave Eggers?
Sedaris.
20) Shakespeare, Milton, or Chaucer?
Shakespeare.
21) Austen or Eliot?
Austen.
22) What is the biggest or most embarrassing gap in your reading?
Some of the "greats" have slipped through the cracks... for instance, I've only dabbled in Dickens.
23) What is your favorite novel?
Where the Red Fern Grows!
26) Essay?
Anything by Ralph Waldo Emerson
28) Work of nonfiction?
America's Women; 400 Years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates, and Heroins.
29) Who is your favorite writer?
I would like to officially dodge the question and say Aaron Sorkin. And I would officially like to dodge the question and take Miss A's answer!
31) What is your desert island book?
The Harry Potter books. All 7.
32) And finally... what are you reading right now?
Population 485; Ladies of Liberty; and The World is Flat (I tend to keep different books in different places and jump between them.)
And now for some tagging! HistoryGirlie and Jersey Girl - I know you could both share some good reads. (I've included the questions I omitted at the bottom in case you want to take a stab at them.)
4) What fictional character are you secretly in love with?
10) Who deserves to win the next Nobel Prize for Literature?
13) Describe your weirdest dream involving a writer, book, or literary character.
16) What is the most obscure Shakespeare play you've seen?
24) Favorite Play?
25) Favorite Poem?
27) Favorite Short story?
30) Who is the most overrated writer alive today?
I'm off subbing for the sixth grade again today, but I couldn't leave you bored and actually using your worktime productively!
The Education Experiment We Really Need
Very interesting analysis about KIPP schools (which if you haven't heard of, even more reason to read this).
Is That Really You, Shaq?
Twitter has gotten completely out of control. Out. Of. Control.
That Cannot Be True
Found this new blog, detentionslip.org... you'll laugh and then cry at the stupidity and horror in our nations' schools. Sample title posts: "Principal Body-Slams 15 Year Old" (Have no fear, there's video...)
And if that isn't enough...
100 Best Bridal Blogs
Here's a list of TONS more wedding-relatedness to read.
Enjoy!
As a fan of all things book-y and British, this Facebook note caught my attention:
Apparently the BBC reckons most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books here.
Instructions:
a. Look at the list and put an 'x' after those you have read.
b. Tally your total at the bottom.
1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen x
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien x
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter - JK Rowling x
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee x
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell x
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman x
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens x
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott x
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger x
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger x
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald x
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck x
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame x
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis x
34 Emma - Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis x
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini x
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Berniere
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden x
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell x
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown x
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving x
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery x
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding x
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan x
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel x
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens x
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon x
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck x
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tart
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold x
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett x
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola x
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker x
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro x
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White x
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom x
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad x
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupéry
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl x
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo
Hmmm... 36 of 100. I don't feel too embarrassed (except for perhaps the fact that I've read Narnia and Harry Potter but not Hamlet or the Bible). Too bad it doesn't count if I've seen the movie :) Count up your total and post it in the comments! Any major book oversights?
I've been tagged on Facebook by one of my dearest buds (the future "Mrs. Gavin Rossdale") with this little activity. The rules: Write 25 random facts, habits, goals, etc. about yourself. (You're also supposed to tag 25 other people included the original tagger, but I'm not feeling in guilt-inducing mood, so I'll just leave this open to anyone who'd like to participate.)
Off we go!
1. When I was younger, I wanted to add an "e" to my middle name to change the way it's spelled.
2. I dry my feet off in the shower before I touch the bathmat, because I can't stand the feeling of anything soggy.
3. I would wear sweatpants and my muckluck slippers everyday if the world wouldn't judge me.
4. I once got a police warning for "unnecessary acceleration" when I was doing donuts in a parking lot on a snowy night.
5. I broke two bones as a kid - my elbow and my collar bone.
6. Because I didn't do my physical therapy when I broke my elbow, I still can't bend my arm and touch my hand to my shoulder.
7. Feet scare me.
8. Sometimes I worry I won't like my future children.
9. I cried in first grade the first time I ever got a math problem wrong.
10. In high school, I helped a fellow yearbook staffer paint the darkroom black, and we attempted to explore the "secret passageway" that ran underneath the school. (We didn't find anything.)
11. I'd like my next big trip to be to Ireland.
12. I don't read my Newsweek magazine cover to cover; I browse through first and read the entertainment articles, and then go back and slog through the political and world news.
13. I detest talking on the phone.
14. My favorite elementary school book was Where the Red Fern Grows.
15. I played one of the Lullaby League munchkins in a junior high production of The Wizard of Oz. (Yes, many moons ago I could sing that high.)
16. I miss my dog.
17. Getting the mail is typically the highlight of my day, and federal holidays with no mail delivery chap my ass.
18. Last week I agreed to donate ten dollars to a random Washington state charity because I got confused on the phone and then felt too awkward and embarrassed to say no to the request. (See #13.)
19. My shoe size has been an 8 for as long as I can remember, yet recently I've needed size 7.5 or even 7. I think my feet are shrinking. (See #7.)
20. I'm really proud of my work as an AP teacher.
21. During college, I taught step aerobics classes at the university gym.
22. I always sleep on my side.
23. I'm typing this up to avoid doing my workout.
24. I'm powerless to stop my addiction to Cheerios.
25. I love making lists!!!
Whew - that was more difficult than expected. Who's going to be next to share their randomness?
Instead of simply acknowledging the best and worst of this past year, or listing trivial details, I'd like to indulge and play along with a questionnaire that I've stolen from other blogs (check out HistoryGirlie's answers here). There are many, many questions, and I've edited and omitted where necessary, but I like their serious and thought-provoking nature. 2008 will be remembered in my life as one of the "big years," so I'd like to give it proper recognition and remembrance.
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before? Pack up my life and move across the country to an unfamiliar place.
2. Did you keep your New Year's Resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I'm sure I made resolutions last New Year's Eve, and I'm sure they were forgotten soon after. I'm hoping that by answering these questions, I'll be able to set more significant goals for 2009.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? No... but 2009 should prove fruitful :)
4. Did anyone close to you die? Ebony :(
5. What countries did you visit? I was too busy skipping around the 'ole U. S. of A. to use my passport.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? A puppy!!!
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
July 26 - Sister's wedding!
The date NavyGuy and I left on our move to Washington.
November 4th - Election Day (history geek, remember?)
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Surviving a month long move from the south east coast to the north west coast.
9. What was your biggest failure? Lacking the necessary attitude to accept my changing life.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? I learned to better manage the IBS that was diagnosed the prior year, and continued to face my anxiety and stress. Oh, and I got a cold over Thanksgiving. Boo.
11. What was the best thing you bought? A new comforter set.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My mom.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Sarah Palin.
14. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Planning the wedding!!!
15. Where did most of your money go? Target, Old Navy, Barnes and Noble.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008? Anything by Rhianna.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:a) happier or sadder?b) thinner or fatter?c) richer or poorer? Happier because I'm with NavyGuy, sadder because I miss my old life; thinner in the wallet, fatter in the thighs; richer in experiences, poorer in Vitamin D.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Reading - given all the time I could have devoted to it, I finished a surprisingly small number of books.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Snacking and sitting on my rump.
20. How did you spend Christmas? Drinking Brandy Slush and eating appetizers with family.
21. Did you fall in love in 2008? Yes. With blogging.
22. What was your favorite TV program? The Wire. So sad it's over, so glad I'm not a corner kid in Baltimore, so excited to see David Simon comes up with next.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? Not particularily.
24. What was the best book you read? The Twilight series - I still haven't quite put my finger on why these sappy teen romance adventures are so captivating, but trust me - they are!
25. What was your greatest discovery? Weddingbee.com. Hilarious, sassy, DIY-crazed brides share their wedding planning in real time. I blame this site for enabling my procrastination, and giving me too many amazing ideas to use in one wedding.
26. What did you want and get? The world's most beautiful engagement ring. (Fine, nitpickers, he proposed on December 24th of 2007, but the ring was still sparkly enough to distract me in 2008!)
27. What did you want and not get? A full time job.
28. What was your favorite film of this year? Sex and the City!
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 26, but honestly, I can't remember what I did on the actual day of my birthday. I do remember my mom bringing a Ho-ho cake up to my apartment so I could have my favorite cake!
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? Sweatpants mixed with raincoats. Not a "Best Dressed" year for Mugs.
32. What kept you sane? Pills. NavyGuy. Dairy Queen. Not necessarily in that order.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I'd like to be Tina Fey's best friend, and Jon Stewart's secret girlfriend.
34. What political issue stirred you the most? Gay marriage bans.
35. Who did you miss? EVERYONE! At this exact moment, I miss Historygirlie the most because I want to talk either crafting or John Adams the miniseries.
36. Who was the best new person you met? Brooklet, a new friend in Washington, who's equally tepid about the Navy life and Pacific northwest.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. Texas is very big and boring, but it is the home of Dairy Queen, so there'll be one at almost every highway exit.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. Sara Bareilles, Many the Miles. "How far do I have to go to get to you, many the miles, but send me the miles and I'll be happy to follow you Love." So apropo. :)
I've been to the post office three times in the past three days. Between Christmas cards, Save the Dates, and holiday packages, I've had to venture to the most stressful, most infuriating, most godforsaken place on earth in the month of December three times (so far) this week. I've tried 9:45, 1:30, and 2:50. Each time there have been between eight and twelve people in line ahead of me, at least two of whom have apparently never been in a post office before and seem to have no idea what this animal is. Based on my tedious and exhausting experiences, I've compiled the following suggestions to help lessen the pain for all of you...
1. Wear comfortable shoes. You will be standing for quite some time; neither heels nor flip flops will provide the leg and lower back support necessary.
2. Do not get into the line until you have everything you need. People who get in line, realize they need a mailing envelope, exit the line, flip through six different mailing envelope sizes, choose a seventh, and then attempt to return to their original place in line will be heckled or possibly punched.
3. It is acceptable to pick out a mailing envelope, get in line, and use the back of the person in front of you as a flat surface on which to fill out the mailing envelope.
4. Cranky, tired, hungry, smelly, loud, or rash-ridden children should be left with a responsible babysitter or breathing adult; if you must bring your child into the post office, at least bring along something for them to do. If you think standing in line at the post office is boring, try doing it as a four year old.
5. Do not get in line behind anyone who was alive during FDR's administration. You will either be forced to listen to a diatribe on the price of stamps (you know in my day...) or will risk pulling your hair out when they want to make small talk with the postal worker and then write a check to pay for a $2.56 package. If there is a senior citizen directly in front of you, allow the person behind you to step forward. Trust me - proximity is key. The more you can distance yourself from the frustration, the less it will raise your blood pressure.
6. The postal clerk is God. He/she has ultimate power; forget this, and you will reap the consequences. Treat him/her with due deference, be prepared when you get to the window, allow them to finish each excruciating question (no interrupting!) about whether your package has anything liquid, flammable, or dangerous, and you may make it out unscathed. (Special Note: if one or more clerks closes their window at any time, do not mutter sarcastically under your breath about the number of breaks federal employees get while hundreds of taxpayers wait helplessly in line; you will not be served any faster... do not ask how I know this.)
7. Unless your dog has official paperwork indicating his specialized training and intelligence, he does not belong in the post office (hint: seeing eye dogs need to walk on the ground, not ride in your purse, in order to be effective).
8. There's a reason they put those posters up on the walls with pictures of all of the different stamp designs. Do not stand at the counter, with other patrons lined up behind you, hemming and hawing over the Nutcracker stamps versus the Virgin Mary stamps. Look at the poster, go with your gut, and pick a design.
9. Do not go on your lunch hour. Just don't do it! I don't care if you work, I don't care if that's "the only time" you can go - if you expect to get in and out of the post office between 11 and 1 in less than thirty minutes, you deserve to get stuck in line behind the woman with fifteen different packages for her fifteen different grandchildren. Go after work or on a Saturday morning - those times are still going to be busy, but at least then you aren't standing behind me tap tap tapping your (high heeled) foot, irritated because you aren't going to get back to work on time.
(Sample post office line; note the distraught look on the face of the woman to the far right - I predict she just discovered they're out of Virgin Mary stamps and she'll have to go with the Kwanzaa ones.)Upcoming Holiday Movies To Know
1. Twilight - the popular vampire book turned film.
2. Four Christmases - Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaugh comedy.
3. Doubt - Meryl Streep, the Catholic church, and her 14th Oscar nomination all in one.
4. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett fantasy
5. Frost/Nixon - historical interviews after Nixon resigned (history geek's thriller).
6. Australia - Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, war epic from the guy who made Moulin Rouge.
7. Milk - Sean Penn, the story of the first openly gay politician.
8. Marley and Me - dog story with Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson
9. Revolutionary Road - Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet (sans the boat).
10. Nothing But the Truth - Will Smith flick that Oprah already "loves."
Books on My Nightstand
1. The World is Flat - Thomas Friedman
2. Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
3. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle - David Wroblewski
4. Ladies of Liberty - Cokie Roberts
5. Summer Sisters - Judy Blume
Upcoming Events I'm Jazzed For
1. First Annual Anacortes Thanksgiving Family Fest 2008
2. registering for wedding gifts
3. NavyGuy getting his new cell phone
4. no more whining from NavyGuy about when his new cell phone is going to come out
5. no more being forced to read or watch or listen to information about his new cell phone
6. lunch at Kevin's Sushi and Grill (yum yum chicken teriyaki)
With the amount of time I spend wandering through the webworld, I figured I should put my travels to good use and share some sites that might interest segments of my reading population :)
Gluten Free Mommy
I stumbled upon this one while searching for a good photo of the apple crisp I discussed here. A long time friend of mine is a victim of celiac's disease, a nasty illness which makes wheat Public Enemy #1 (gluten is the fancy word for wheat). Over years of trial and error she's learned which foods she can safely eat, but whenever I run across a good gluten-free source for her, I feel the need to pass it on. This blog is a collection of easy gluten-free recipes - there's also tons of links to other bloggers with a similar passion. Miss Kewi - bon apetite!
Mint
NavyGuy and I have nine banking accounts. We also have three credit cards. I know this may be a few more than most couples, but as engaged peoples, we're still in the process of combining our finances, so somehow between the two of us we have checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts - you'd think for all the accounts we have we'd have more money! (Hah... sad laugh.) Okay, so even for the rest of you who have a less complex financial situation, mint.com can be a lifesaver. The website basically keeps track of all of your financial information - income, spending, credit card debt, loans, whatever! You input your account information (it passed NavyGuy's tough online security test, so don't fret), and then it magically keeps everything updated and organized. So far we mostly use the website as a one-stop safety valve for our accounts (hmm... which account can I pay the water bill with?), but it can organize your financial information to help you create and stick to a budget. The biggest selling point for this website is that it's free, unlike many other money managing software programs (ex. Quicken). It's also accessible anywhere (meaning you can check your accounts at home, work, vacation, etc.) I included a screen shot below; it's very user-friendly and customizable.
There's lots more information on their website, and many other bloggers have reviewed it more intelligently; mostly, I wanted to alert those of you who are looking for ways to keep a better handle on your money.
Cele\bitchy
Their catchphrase is "stylish celebrity escapism" which I think is college-speak for "tabloid gossip with pictures." For those of you who'd rather read People than the Washington Post, this site is a grand way to get Hollywood gossip. Each article includes witty analysis along with the original source for the tittilating news about Paris, Tyra, Ashlee, or Russell Simmons (all of whom are on the front page today). They tend to get more of the offbeat news that isn't covered in many of the other mainstream publications; you have to appreciate the random bits of scuttlebut.
Holiday Mail for Heroes
I know the economy isn't great this year, and everyone is going to be looking for ways to cut back and save money. I'm going to start my campaign right now to make sure than two things don't fall by the wayside: 1) donations to charities and 2) holiday cards. Donations to charities don't have to come in the form of lots of money, and neither do holiday cards. (Look for future rants on all the ways you can frugally participate in these traditions.) Anyway, my point is that this website will give you the mailing address and all the information you need to send a Christmas card to a military servicemember or veteran (two birds, one stone). The Red Cross is trying to distribute one million cards, and they even have a link where you can print out a card. The full instructions are listed on the site, and there's also information about how to make other types of donations to soldiers (gift cards, care packages, etc.). If you're already making or getting Christmas cards, how hard would it be to add one more to the list? Teachers - how many of you need a quick 20 minute time filler or sub activity? Kids make great holiday cards. I doubt soldiers will be too picky about spelling or artistic ability :)
I stumbled upon a cool book/journal over the weekend, and discovered there's a website as well. The book is Listography Journal: A Life in Lists. Listography is explained by its creators:
"Listography provides users (listographers) of all ages an easy-to-use tool for creative list writing and sharing. Through list making, you can simultaneously create timelines and shape an autobiography. Therefore, your listography is a perpetual work in progress, a time capsule you can share, and perhaps a map of your life for friends and family."
Amazon.com describes, "This quirky and imaginative guided journal is the ultimate tool for creating a unique autobiography entirely in list form. Some lists are obvious (greatest accomplishments, best friends, favorite food), others obscure (guiltiest pleasures, greatest acts of kindness, personal fashion trends)..."
I am crazy about lists, and I know many of my friends are as well. There is something blissfully satisfying about creating lists, and then checking items off as you go. Half the time I make a list simply for the act of creating it, with no real intention of actually following it in any way! The journal would make an excellent gift, and list topics would also make for great conversation starters.
The website follows the same premise, but allows you to make the lists online, saved in a profile if you choose. You can also read other users' lists; I found a fun one titled "Things I Might Name My Future Cat." In honor of listography, here a list...
The List of Types of Lists I Like to Make:
I had disappointing news: I was unable to view the tree-sitters up close. Upon further investigation this morning, I discovered that the situation has escalated. You knew this schiznit was going to get ugly eventually, and I decided it would be wise to avoid possible tear gas or projectile feces. Check out this timeline of events from this morning, and I think you'll agree I made the right choice. (The photos included in the article give you a good idea of just how crazy this debacle got.)
And the disappointment continues: I was unable to find Cheese'N'Stuff. Apparently, it's in a vortex (like the 19th floor from Sideways Stories of Wayside School) and could not be located. After further consulation with Google Maps, I will try again tomorrow.
In my quest to find Cheese'N'Stuff, I managed to trek approximately five miles throughout the UC Berkeley campus (no, I didn't actually count, but I think that's a very conservative estimate). It was during that time that I finally reached the conclusion that I am officially no longer a college student. Now, of course, I haven't attended a university in over 4 years, but I still feel quite young at heart. And I always thought I was still in the college-mode (young, hip, iron-stomached, invincible, passionate, slightly noctural)... until I spent 45 minutes wandering amongst current college students.
Signs I am no longer a college student:
1) I cannot walk and text without running into things.
2) My cell phone does not take photos, play music, email, baste a turkey, and make calls.
3) Pizza at 1:00am
does not sound appetizing.
4) I still don't understand how to play beer pong.
5) The logic that once justified wearing a sweatshirt with flip flops no longer exists.
6) If you're going to schlep several miles to class, you should not expect flip flops to be comfortable (wear some tennis shoes you idiots - your lower back will thank you!)
7) My t-shirts no longer spew pride in a university or anger at a random business conglomerate.
8) I carry a real live purse, not a messenger bag.
9) I don't know the latest websites you can use to download free music or movies.
10) My iPod earbuds are not permanently implanted in my ear canals.
Yes, one and all, I am officially old. Excuse me while I go take my afternoon nap (after which I'm looking forward to a quiet evening with my crossword puzzle). Judge away!
Ten Things I Accomplished Today
1. Showered.
2. Biked 3 miles and ran 1 at the fitness center - ouch.
3. Cleaned the microwave - ew.
4. Completed a wedding card.
5. Napped (yes, that is an accomplishment).
6. Remembered to take my new chewable gummy vitamin.
7. Bleached the kitchen per the Orkin Man's instructions (I now smell like a pool).
8. Found the Navy t-shirt that my Grandpa (former Navy pilot) wants.
9. Completed my grad school application for a Masters in Education program.
10. Refrained from eating my weight in Pizza Hut pizza for dinner (I did have a piece for you though Farmer Girl).
Five Things I Still Need to Do Before My Return to Wisconsin
1. Finish my sister's wedding guest book (calm down sister, I just have one pic left).
2. Clean out fridge so I do not return in a month to spoiled food (NavyGuy eats out... alot).
3. Laundry. Ugh.
4. Pack. Ugh, bleh.
5. Decide which magazines will accompany me on the airplane.
Three Things That Amused / Terrified Me Today
1. Amused: NavyGuy's attempt to remove his sweaty flight shirt (post flight), whilst talking to his parents on the phone (it required a Houdini-like shoulder dislocation).
2. Terrified: The elderly woman blowdrying her hair in a t-shirt and her underwear at the fitness center (ah, to just not care anymore).
3. Terrified me so much I may not do laundry ever again: This. (There's also video on cnn.com)
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