Year In Review - Part I

I only have a few days left of this year and since this year has sucked so royally, next year, the big 2010, will be grand. One can only hope.

As today is my Friday, I'm feeling pretty good. I thought that I'd get started on my year in review. To say I don't know where to start would be completely cliche, but true. It's not that I did so much that I can't even begin; rather, I just don't remember. Lucky for me (and you), I wrote a blog this year!

Instead of recapping all that has happened in the year, I'll simply start with the topic of "Downtime- What I Did to Recharge". Wonder where I got this great [modified] idea? Well, check out this fellow here!

I Blogged at stephysite and hoklife!

There are the obvious things to make myself physically "unwind" and these consist of Nyquil and diphenhydramine. A lot of Effexor helps too!

I've spent some time this year "getting in shape" which translates to "tearing up my knees". I ran a couple of 5k's and tried to regularly stick to jogging that allows me to think alone while physically exhausting myself. The best benefit is the endorphin high.

Doodling has become a new "stress reliever" at work. I suppose it started one night after talking to @ironstef about zentangle. I recently purchased a lovely handmade [out of used books] journal to store my doodles. The lovely journal was made by @thefancylamb

Reading is always high on my list of things to do. It serves so many purposes (keeps the mind fresh with ideas and knowledge, kills the time on the bus, lulls me to sleep, tells me amazing stories, gives me things to talk about, and relaxes me). This year I've read more than most years because I've used public transit about 75%-85% of the year; which happens to be where I do most of my reading. Here is a small list of what I read in 2009:

• A Dirty Job
• Fool
• Blood Sucking Fiends
• You Suck
• The Twilight Series
• Let the Right One In
• Ladies and Gentlemen, The Bible
• Broken

Want some words? Here ya go...
jump the couch: A defining moment when you know someone has gone off the deep end. Inspired by Tom Cruise's behavior on Oprah.
Chrismukkah: the holiday mixture for Hanukkah and Christmas.

Books and Psycho Killer

I have to report that yesdterday, I slept like a dream! I'm not sure if it had to do with the fact that I'd stayed up too late the night before; or if it was due to the fact I worked out at the gym for 2.5 hours; or if it was due to the yoga class I went to that really got my muscles good and stretched. In any case, it was exactly what I needed.

I just heard Psycho Killer (it played through on my iPod). I like that song, a Talking Heads song I always forget about. Odd though, singing fucking French. Speaking of French; I love that in the book Fool, by Christopher Moore, Pocket the fool will say "Moi?", "in perfect fucking French". If you read the book, you'll see what I mean. It's catchy!

In terms of books these days, I have a stack of borrowed books to get around to; for example, I have the Twilight series (which I expect to be cute, but perhaps not the best source for literary enticement) and I have another series of books Eva lent me that I can't even recall. I also have a small group of books that I bought but still haven't gottent through (either because I can't get interested or because I have gotten around to them).

And still yet on books, I did buy a David Sedaris book. After reading Moore, I am just really into wanting some good satires. There are only a few books left by Moore that I have not read, and to be honest, I want to drag them out for as long as I can. It's dissappointing to find an author you really enjoy who happens not to have a ridiculous amount of books to read. So anyway, if you know of any good satire authors, or really ANY good books, please send your suggestions my way! Please!

Anyway, so I'm dressed cute today, well as cute as I can make myself. I have a party for work this evening. It's the A List '09 Party! Very exciting! I'll be sure to report later!

Word-
weapons grade: Better than the rest, of higher quality.

Painted-face-a-phobia?

Oh boy, lots & lots to say...this could become a rambling mess, but I'll try to focus it up a bit...

1. Thanks to Janet, I found this pool of pictures called "Looking Into the Past"; pictures of pictures . . . please take a look for yourself! I think JPo would really appreciate these.



2. This may be totally morbid, but that is me. I went to dad's grave for Father's Day. I took him flowers and beat myself up the rest of the day because I can no longer remember what his favorite color was. It's hard to lose memories you can't bear to lose. Before you know it, they are gone.



3. Bella has some odd bumps all over her bully dog body. Best guess is that they are hives. Can't find the cause, they don't appear to be getting worse, but I can't say for certain they are getting better. My poor sweet baby! Any ideas?

4. I am going to start Geo Caching. Not sure what it is? Well here is my summary: modern day hidden treasures. Go check it out for yourself. James already told me that he is in for this adventure, and I know Amanda will be involved. It's very interesting, though I need a GPS unit! Here is a website you can check out: GPS GeoCaching

5. DUDES, no one told me that Tim Burton was making an Alice in Wonderland. Even worse is that no one told me Johnny Depp is going to be the Mad Hatter. Oooh, let the nightmares begin! (Trust me on this, A-in-W has always scared me to the point of nightmares, so yes, I am a complete and total sissy (side note: make up covering the entire face and masks really really scare me) could some one please tell me what this phobia name is)!



6. Some quotes from the book I'm reading that some of my readers will find amusement from:

"I have it on good authority that her feet are like ferryboats. They strap them under her gown to keep them from flapping when she walks."

"I don't trust anyone who appears so trustworthy. They must be up to no good." (Click here to recall why this sounds like me)

"Do you think [they] are poofters, or are they, you know, just fucking French?"

7. A 105 degree F. heat index is really much warmer in St. Louis than Jamaica. Maybe it was the rum in Jamaica that made it feel less painful?

8. An ad in the Planetizen online mag., for HOK, my employer:



9.Words:
man stand: The act of a man standing outside of a shop while his wife/girlfriend/partner shops inside. Man standing involves looking into space, at other women, or in the case of multistory shopping centers, leaning on railings of an upper floor watching people below.

break the seal: The point at which you first [urinate] after you have been drinking alcoholic beverages. After that you will have to [urinate] a lot more often.

This One Is All About Words

Ah yes, we do exist, engineers that love words. We may not be poets and we may not make art, but we do love the idea of listing things out, giving them meaning, and then repetitively using them! With such great enthusiasm I got to read a blog yesterday about words. Thanks to Twitter friend @SomeChum for sending me there!

Speaking of words, I used some yesterday to blog for my employer, HOK! My enthusiasm to write is overwhelmingly high; but I find that when it comes to keeping a good name associated with my employer I hesitate on what to write about. I could honestly write about lots of things, but I fear most people would find it dull and comparatively unuseful. Those HOK bloggers are some interesting people! But this personal stuff here, it flows outta me like stink on a pig! (ha)

Also speaking about words, I've began reading my newest book by Christopher Moore titled Fool. The language is a bit hard at first because it is set in England, in the time of "a more or less mythical thirteenth century Britain". I am certain I will enjoy it for two primary reasons: 1)it is by Christopher Moore and 2) THIS MAP [Ed. Note: please make note of France!].

I have one more thing to say about words before I leave you with the word of the day (and some extras). Sometimes when you read this blog, you might feel as though there is some coded or underlying meaning that you don't get. Well, you are right. Sometimes I say things that only one or two other people will know. I don't know if those people or anyone reads these blogs, but if they do, they'll get the meaning. They will know I am talking about them or to them. Sometimes the "coding" is less evident, and sometimes it is blatant! I try to use a word that "the person" will know. Perhaps a word that only "we" use, much like an inside joke. So perhaps if you see the word puttanesca you will know I am saying hello without pointing You out. Perhaps if you see a bizarre sentence like "find a safe place, then what next?"; you'll know it was meant for You specifically! So at any rate, please enjoy, and keep your eyes peeled for a secret message!


Goodies-
Desultory: something lacking purpose
Puttenesca: prostitute sauce! A tomato and anchovy sauce for pasta
Inglenook: a nook typically near a large open fireplace
Cofishes: Other fish in a group; coworkers, cohorts, etc. Shut up, it's a word. [Ed. Note: that's from Christopher Moore]

Word of the Day-
whoadie: A friend, particularly someone from the same area of the city as you.

What I Did On My Summer Vacation

I wrote here if you are signed up to read: My Private Blog. It's a blog I started that is about me and all the madness that happens in my head.

I read these books: Bloodsucking Fiends, A Love Story; Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bible; Broken.

I read these blogs: kottke.org, Barbaric Gulp, Heavy Backpack, and my newest fave-I Did Not Know That Yesterday!

Things related to people: Bella learned to poo and jog at the same time; Riley was coaxed to poo by telling him "it's okay, everyone poops"; I missed my Cousin Betsy's party so to her I say "Congratulations!"; I love Tim Armstrong; hang in there Mike C. and Holly; Eva and I are talking about getting tattoos, nice idea, we'll see if it happens soon; I got Bernie's CD in the mail last week, it's great, check it out!

Other things I did: went to a food cooking demo class; bought a trifle bowl, new patches, and insulated bag; lounged, jogged, biked, rode roller coasters, played in a water park, and walked a lot; ate ice cream and cookies and ate too much food in general; got annoyed, got some sleep, had insomnia, got worn out; took some pictures; picked some berries; went to see Rancid (oh how I love Tim Armstrong). I'm sure there's more!

I'm happy to say that True Blood is back on HBO. I could just eat up that vampire Bill!

Words you missed:
trade junk: to have casual sex
remasculate: To grow one's balls back after they have been shrunken by an especially effeminate activity. The opposite of emasculate.
gradumacate: To successfully complete four years of edumacation with passing grades, capped off by attending gradumacation.
e-haircut: A change in a person's online identity. Also called an "i-haircut".
shark:To engage in overt attempts at procuring a partner of the opposite sex. You can accuse someone of sharking by putting your upright, straight hand up to and at right angles to your nose and forehead, and weaving your head from side to side as if you were a shark in the murky depths.
chesticles: Female breasts.
work hot: A person who may or may not be hot, but is the most attractive person in the set of people you work with so you lust after him/her. [Ed. note: There is always someone to lust, isn't there?!]

Today's Word:
herm:A hermaphrodite.

Amanda Is Finally On Facebook

Blog-
Last night was rough. Today is bearable, I'll be leaving work at noon. Today's lessons:

1. Don't sweat the small stuff.
2. Don't panic and stress about the things for which you have no control.
3. Give yourself something to look forward to, always!
4. At the end of the day ask yourself if the choices you made, actually made you happy . . . if not, then on the next day, try to reconsider what you can do differently.
5. It's probably too far from your heart to kill you.
6. Don't let guilt guide you.

Recent updates: I finished Dog On It, super cute book that I am loaning to Chris. I am now onto Bloodsucking Fiends. We have Mama Skweak's birthday party this weekend. My window in my car was fixed thanks to Chris who went to the junk yard, got a window and put it in himself. Saved me loads of money too. I may have already blogged that. Amanda is finally on Facebook. Took long enough! I am still pondering the 6th installment of the Hitchhiker's Guide. Thanks to the Sutter siblings for providing me with exciting play by play on the ESPN spelling bee yesterday (when I needed the entertainment)!

Yesterday and today's comic Brevity, (that I am sharing this week because it's backwards)! See previous blog for clarification!





Likes/Dislikes-

People I know blogging; or getting to read interesting blogs.



So many bloggers, does anyone read any of it? And why aren't more people I know blogging?


Word-
yo

1. When followed by an apostrophe (yo'), a contraction of "you" or "your".

2.An informal address or title to one whose name is not known; can be used as an interrogative address.

3.A declarative or imperative exclamation, whether alone or within a sentence.

Did You Remember Your Towel?

This weekend, and in general some things I found interesting . . .

1. Yesterday, Monday May 25 was Memorial Day for the US, a Bank Holiday for the UK, and Towel Day for everyone. What's that all about you ask? Read Hitchhiker's Guide and you'll know all about the need for a towel. You could also check out the following website: http://www.towelday.org/! For those of you that are unaware, some Irish fellow is commisioned to write the next installment of the Guide. I'm holding him to extremely high standards! (How does one pronounce that name, Eoin? (Owen??)an be assured I will read it and let you know my opinions!

2. LoopLoop Video, Sorry I'm Late. Watch all the way to the end to see how they made this short film. For those of us not artistically savvy, it's really cool. For those of you that may be artistically savvy, perhaps you already know how cool it is; but neat to watch anyway hopefully?

3. I went to the bookstore twice this weekend. It should be no surprise to you that I left both times with books. What did I buy? Dog On It; Bloodsucking Fiends; Broken; Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bible; Fool; 101 Things To Do With Ramen Noodles. I finished Lovely Bones and am mostly through Dog On It!

4. This week, one of my favorite comic strips, Brevity, is mixing it up.



So what is Your favorite comic?

5. My broken window was repaired on Friday; Grace was 4 on Saturday, party that morning, then we had a mellow night at Eva's; I went for a bike ride on Sunday on a winding path that was really neat (in Glen Carbon); I washed a load of towels on Monday for Towel Day, so yes, that does mean I had Monday off of work; I don't know that I ever updated anyone on any of my cool birthday presents; I watched Eagle Eye yesterday, good film, I've been waiting for the government to contact me; surprisingly enough I am in a good mood today that I can't explain (nothing great happenend, nothing bad happened, didn't sleep bad, didn't sleep great; it's very odd, I'm sure it will dwindle as the day moves along).

Words-
shank:

1. A homemade knife.
2. To stab someone with a homemade knife.

muscle queen: A gay man who pumps iron every waking moment in order to be as physically appealing to other men as possible.

totty:

1. An attractive or sexy person. Usually refers to a women, but sometimes used for men.
2. To be unsteady on one's feet, usually as a result of intoxication.

Shitty in General

Quickly bringing you up to speed:

Saturday Eva threw me a birthday party. We went bowling at Pin-Up Bowl. Then we went to her house for a bonfire. I got way too drunk to know what I was doing, but tried opening gifts. Opened an embarrassing box of sheep (thanks Rob and Brandy, it was cute, and very thoughtful), told people they could eff off (lol, it's like my new thing to do these days), dragged my brother into things he didn't want to be involved in (no wonder he doesn't really like me). I was crying because I'm old and I feel like an idiot and the anxiety I have these days is beyond overwhelming. I made myself throw up because the amount of alcohol I had in my system was too much for me to manage. Glad that is over with! I did get some really great gifts though.

Sunday morning, a knock on the door, I answer to see our neighbor Jim. He looks alarmed, proceeds to tell me that someone busted out my car window. I was so confused I just nodded and looked from him to the car several times. I dressed and looked. I lost all faith in humanity. I am angry and hateful. I slept all day Sunday since no one would help me become totally obliterated. Someone threw a fist sized rock so hard through my window that it bounced off the opposite side door panel and broke that as well. Still waiting to hear from the insurance company.

Among other things about last week, which was shitty in general (turned 30, heartbreak, I was annoyed by coworkers, had too much anxiety about the party, had jobs creep up on me causing lots of stress, wanted to cry most nights, did cry a few nights, told that our structures group is moving in the office thus loosing space, Ruben is officially out of our department, Andrew is now part time in our department) work was more stressful than I'd ever like it to be for me.

Finished reading You Suck by Christopher Moore, brilliant stuff.

Started reading The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. 33 pages in and I'm already crying and thinking of the people I should call to tell them that I love them, just in case I should die tomorrow, today even.

. . . to Kelly if you are reading this, we both know Mike wants to keep you, and I would venture to guess you know I think we should get to keep you too, but in all seriousness, you are awesome and I haven't seen Mike this alive in many years. So even if we can't keep you (which I think we should get to) thanks. It's good to see friends happy!

. . . to Becky, dude, I am sorry for laying on your boyfriend. He's like a teddy Bear and he was laying on the couch where I wanted to be . . . sorry dude. It won't happen again; and you were looking totally cute on Saturday, don't know if I told you that or not!

. . . to my sister who so awesomely gave me a link for T-Shirts that I've been wanting to get; 80stees.com . . . I'm thinking for sure a Ghostbuster's T-shirt.

So onto today:

Read Janet's blog, and saw these posters . . . done by graphic designer Stephan Massed-Bidal. He takes odd, and old images and then pairs them with a quote. Different, which is exactly what I was looking for this morning.

Words that I have not given you:

eco porn: A corporate advertisement that extols the company's environmental record or policies, usually by a company known to rape and pillage the environment as often as possible.

prevert: A softcore pervert. Someone who is in early stages of perversion.

effed in the a: A different way of saying, "Dude, we're screwed".

Clark Kent job: Your day job that pays the bills but is not what you really want to do.

I'm Looking for Fun T-Shirts

I'm curious to know how many individuals get the regular old run of the mill flu every year? How does this compare to the swine flu?




And on a similar subject, but not at all similar; terrible storms jarred through the Midwest last night. (3 casualties, similar to pandemic, see where I was going with that?)


I finished Dead and Gone last night, I'm still forming an opinion on the ending. It, as all the rest of those books, went way too quickly. I started reading You Suck, A Love Story. Chapter 2 is the best so far, hands down.

To Mike and Kelly I have this to say: I don't know what kind of crowd you run around with these days, but Bacon Lube with a little bit of mayo later is just horrifying! I hope you practice safe eating!




I'm looking for some fun t-shirts to buy (hence the displays today). If you find any good one's please let me know!

Word of the day-
press: To try to scare someone. [funny, that the press (meaning media) is scaring us with this whole flu thing]

My Dictionary

I've been told by a few random (and some more specific) people that I tend to use words that appear to be "made up". Now I admit that I do have a whole vocabulary of words that I use that are probably not in any dictionary. One for instance is "hippie-fied". Or another for example is "bloggy". There are however words that I love to use that happen to be real words (believe it or not)! I thought that you, my loyal readers (thanks to all three of you), should have the benefit of seeing a small list of my favorite words, real and fake! [I have placed a link with each word that may or may not have anything to do with the word, it's just fun this way]

facetious: One my all time favorite words first noted in my brain by They Might Be Giants (stop squirming Mike). It means to be funny as opposed to being serious, as in, to joke with another. I tend to use it when asking someone if they are making fun of me rather than making a compliment!

idiosyncrasies (alt: idiosyncratic): I first heard this word on the History Channel when in high school and made a mental vow to use it at every opportunity I could. I have a feeling that instead of that mental note, the one that actually got interpreted by my brain was "become as idiosyncratic as often as possible". Oh well, you can't win them all. This word is meant to define an peculiar characteristic. As in, "Stephanie's usage of user-created words is very idiosyncratic making her a one of a kind writer'! [On a side note, I tend to leak sarcasm far too often]

onomatopoeia: a previously blogged term, I like to say this word. It may have nothing to do with a conversation at hand or a song I am listening to; it's just fun to say. It is defined as the word used to define/describe/verbalize a sound. For example, the word oink is defined as the sound a pig makes "oink".

bloggy: a word to define my mood. I do not say that I feel like writing or that I am inspired; I choose to say "I feel bloggy".

percolator: A toaster for water.

obsequious: Another TMBG word (I mean it Mike, STOP squirming). Say it, OB-SEE-KWEE-US, see that was fun! It means to be subservient or submissive.

REVITized: To describe the transition from a two dimensional drawing into a 3 dimensional object.

eff: a shortened version of Fuck. Why shorten by only one letter? F looks unfinished.

sheepeses: Multiple sheep. Duh!

Jeepers Criminey: Okay, so this is more of a phrase, but I like it indeed. It's beats the heck out of shouting "mother effer", "Jesus Christ", or "Fookin' Fiddle Sticks".

You Suck!

Ah, nothing like some hot tea with a bit of milk and sweetener to get you going on a cool and rainy Spring day! Or, that's what I am telling myself!

I wanted to blog yesterday night, but I had taken some diphenhydramine and had the urge to sleep. Knowing that I rarely feel the opportunity to sleep, I took my mind up on its offer and crashed into bed with my snuggle pillow held tightly to me! It lasted until about 2 or 3 in the morning. I was awaken to a nightmare that I no longer recall; but I can vividly remember my heart beating at a ridiculous pace! I nodded in and out of sleep until about 5:30 this morning. I am so tired!

On other topics I went to the bookstore last night. Borders of course! I had to go because the latest Sookie Stackhouse novel was out on bookshelves yesterday. I couldn't miss buying that. I also was at the end of my Christopher Moore book, A Dirty Job. I had purposely dragged it out as long as I could even though it was really good to read! I loaned it to Chris because I truly believe he will appreciate the humor! Something I learned about that book just last night . . . it glows in the dark! All this time and I just learned it! Of course I don't make a habit of reading in the dark so I have to wonder just how many people know about its glowing properties?

It happens every time I walk into the doors of the bookstore; euphoria from the perfect temperature, perfect lighting, and the smell of refreshing books! Dead and Gone was right there for me when I walked through the door, I snatched it up as if someone were ready to remove them as a waiter removes a half full plate in front of a still consuming diner! I wasn't about to let it out of my sight!

I marched onward with a mental list of books I wanted to peruse! More Christopher Moore, Chuck Palahniuk, and a handful of titles I could think of at that moment. As it always goes, I can never leave a book store with fewer than two books, I left with three. Lovely Bones, You Suck, and Dead and Gone.

Also yesterday, Shane sent me to some videos of Olga from Toy Dolls teaching how to play various songs on the guitar! It was brilliant! So thanks for that Shane Brain! I'm still so far back on the learning curve I'm beginning to believe I'll never figure it out. My fingers just don't move that fast. But I suppose, like everything else I have ever encountered, it will take time, practice, and patience!

Other things I find noteworthy:

I wrote in My Other Blog yesterday as well should you want to look at some cool photos. I finally watched Monday's episode of House, where CTB (a.k.a. Amber) sang part of a Specials song! I reached 100 posts on Twitter (which I some how felt unaffected by). I read through a blog called (and previously referred to in my blogs) Bifsniff; where I found a trailer that was very interesting (to say the least). BUT, on that blog is a great, and I mean great sort of advertisement. I do think you will like it!

Now that I have rambled, please write me to tell me how you are doing! Maureen, I haven't heard from you in ages. Are you doing okay?

Word of the day-
snark: Sarcastic comments. Combination of "snide" and "remark". {Sounds like this word is right up my alley]

Death. It's A Dirty Job

It's Wednesday. This is encouraging. Closer to Friday! I've started the morning out with a good mood despite the poor quality of sleep I got last night. I didn't take any Tylenol PM, which could have been my problem. I also lost my snuggling pillow some where in the middle of the night. Lastly, I ended up with the White Beast, a.k.a. my princess Bella. She was snuggled up to me under the blankets. She's a bed hog though, so I had no bed and no blankets.

I think I mostly can't sleep because I want to read; after days upon days of not being able to concentrate, my mind keeps dwelling on needing to read more. I am reading a book called Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist. The whole gist of the book is about a boy and girl. The synopsis:

It is autumn 1981 when the inconceivable comes to Blackeberg, a suburb in Sweden. The body of a teenage boy is found, emptied of blood, the murder rumored to be part of a ritual killing. Twelve-year-old Oskar is personally hoping that revenge has come at long last---revenge for the bullying he endures at school, day after day.
But the murder is not the most important thing on his mind. A new girl has moved in next door---a girl who has never seen a Rubik’s Cube before, but who can solve it at once. There is something wrong with her, though, something odd. And she only comes out at night. . . .

The next book awaiting me to read it is A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore. I've mentioned this book and author before. This book is about a guy who gets a dirty job. The synopsis:

Charlie Asher is a pretty normal guy, the kind of fellow who makes his way through life by being careful and constant. And Charlie's been lucky. He's married to a bright and pretty woman who actually loves him for his normalcy, and who is about to have their first child.

Yes, Charlie's doing okay. That is, until the day his daughter, Sophie, is born. Just as Charlie turns to go home, he sees a strange man in mint-green golf wear at his wife's bedside, a man who claims that no one should be able to see him. But see him Charlie does, and from here on out, things get really weird. . . .

People start dropping dead around him. It seems that everywhere he goes, a dark presence whispers to him from under the streets. Strange names start appearing on his nightstand notepad, and before he knows it, those people end up dead, too. Yup, it seems that Charlie Asher has been recruited for a new job, an unpleasant but utterly necessary one: Death. It's a dirty job. But hey, some body's gotta do it.

Bestselling author Christopher Moore now shines his comic light on the undiscovered country we all eventually explore -- death and dying -- and the results are hilarious, heartwarming, and a hell of a lot of fun.

I have had a book recommended to me that I will soon check out (The Woman Who Walked Into Doors by Roddy Doyle). I will have assumed Mike C. to know of this author and to provide me with a just opinion. Then lastly there is a book that I want to check out only because the website for it is amazing looking (No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July). I know nothing of the author. I still of course have a list of books I am "reading" such as The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul. I've been reading this for a long time. I get distracted, and then get back to it. There is also Shortage of Engineers which describes my life as an engineer very well! I looked on my book shelf last night looking for another book and saw some others I had still wanted to read, or at least reread. So anyway, yes, I have reading on my mind. It's a pleasurable escape from the real world!

Now onto some other thing I like, charts and graphs. A funny and witty little thing I found in the HOK Life blog! It's the GraphJam! Seriously, I find it amusing, I assume if you are reading this blog, you have a similar sense of humor and will also find it amusing! So here you are, Graph Jam (the site might be a bit wacky acting, taking ages to finally load and such, but have some patience).

Word of the day-
9 to 9: A way to say you hustle. Most people work from 9 to 5, but you put in more. You have the 9 to 9 hustle.

The Gospel According to Biff

It's Monday. I can't say if I'm glad or sad about this. On one hand, it gets me back to my routine, on the other hand it gets me back to my routine! In either case, my hands are full of routine!

Anyway hi-lights from the weekend and road trip to Kansas City:

Boca di Boppi (actually Buca di Beppo, but Eva and I took it to extremes and had a whole conversation that no one else understood! In fact, I am sure we didn't understand either!)

Matt and Erika Herring have an adorable child (looks like a baby). It, I mean she, cries a lot. I have a soothing effect on the child for some reason. Eva has a similar effect. I believe this is for two reasons. The child loved our plump bosoms, and we sang Rancid to her. Who wouldn't love to be serenaded by Rancid?!?! Her name is Molly and she's a cool little thing. For the record, they are good parents.

There were weird rabbits located around the Plaza in KC. Don't ask me where the Plaza is, all I know is that it was south of our hotel. Anyway, weird rabbits all over. Giant human sized weird rabbits.

Eva and I bought boots. Larry's boots. Pretty sweet if you ask me!

Free hugs were being given out at the Plaza. Free hugs guy restored my faith in humanity, but as usual, that quickly flew right out the door. What happened? Oh nothing really, just a accumulation of annoyances. I have a very very tiny list of people that are allowed on my planet (free hugs guy is one of them). Sorry, but there isn't enough room on my awesome planet for people that make me mad or annoyed. (Holly & Drew, you are both good, you are family that I like, you get to stay so don't get paranoid).

I think I drank sour milk, still alive though.

My newest Madness album showed up in the mail!

The English Beat were awesome. Eva and I almost didn't even go. The local KC crap radio station was holding a Prom Theme for the show. Eva and I showed up in our cowboy boots, jeans, and regular tops. Everyone else (except for maybe 3 other people) were in prom gear. Tuxedos, dresses, gowns, etc. We did however go in and skanked our happy little hearts to soreness! An adorable boy standing next to us (in a stylish and dapper hat (drool)) skanked with us. The girl he was with was not too happy about this. Oh well, we had a great time!! Great, and I mean great show!

My blog crush Justin Z. made the Toronto Star (local paper). You should read the article and blog!

I, as usual, bought a new book to read even though I am reading two books (and a third for work) as I write! Looks good though. A book by Christopher Moore called A Dirty Job. Very few people could vie for favorite author in comparison to Douglas Adams, but Moore is one of them! He wrote a book called Lamb, the Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal that I really enjoyed. I'm excited to read Moore (yes, pun intended)!

Well, this is where I need to stop and move forward with my routine! So now, the words, you know what I'm talking about:

Friday - bardcore: A pornographic movie with a Shakespearean plot.
Weekend - C and E: People who show up at church only on Christmas and Easter.
Today - girlfriend button: The button on the controller of an Xbox, Playstation, or Wii you have to press to pause the game when your girlfriend wants to talk.