life as i see it

test

2009-01-30T22:51:00.001-05:00

test

delivery room

2008-08-26T18:35:00.002-04:00

when i heard about matthew mcconaughey playing the bongos between his lady's legs in the delivery room... "getting tribal" (i think that's how he put it), i had to laugh. i laughed even harder after watching this parody of him and the blessed event.

hilarious! only joel mchale could have done this better.

enjoy!

(listening to Be Nice To Everyone from Yo Gabba Gabba... on my tv right now!)

takin' it easy in the big easy!

2008-08-01T18:50:00.007-04:00

tom and i are in new orleans on vacation this week and are loving it! seriously, this is one of the coolest cities i've ever seen. today we hung out around the garden district and did some shopping. check out my new t-shirt. yeaaaahhh!

we are having a blast, and although we are missing lily terribly, we are happy to have some time just the two of us!

sew very great!

Cafe Du Monde

gettin' my beignets on, yo!

Oak Alley Plantation

sippin' on my mint julep!

someone had written, "is it for sale?" and tom nicely added the word "no"!

smart ass

mint julep dance

(listening to Stars and Sons by Broken Social Scene)

darn you, ethan hawke!

2008-07-26T23:29:00.007-04:00

ethan hawke and his girlfriend just had a little girl and named her Clementine Jane Hawke. now, congrats to them, but crap on them too for using a name that i LOVE! i know that seems like a ridiculously catty attitude for me to have...but let me explain.

as baby name trends go, this is pretty typical...

someone thinks up a cool name (a celebrity or a no-namer like myself)

a celebrity chooses that name for their new baby

all of a sudden, all of these copycat, wanna be celeb-like new moms/dads use the same name!

examples... shiloh, suri, maddox, etc etc etc

now here comes an extra bit of cattiness, so prepare yourself...

because i'm a tit-for-tat type of gal, i am putting on the record right now, the names that tom and i are considering for any future offspring that we might be blessed with.

for a girl...

Posey/Posy (our absolute favorite, though we are not sure of the spelling)

Penelope

Clementine (sigh, the same name the Hawke family just chose)

Violet

Libby

for a boy...

Eben (as in Ebenezer or the main character from 30 Days Of Night... yeah!)

Cash (tom isn't as crazy about this one as i am)

no matter what the blessing...another daughter or a son... the middle name will most likely be Ingram.

so there you have it. now it's set in "blogger" stone for time and all eternity.

gwyneth, angelina and co. go get your name-on, but for the record, i'm not going to feel like a pathetic copycat should you pick one of these before i push another kid out.

mmm hmmmm.... life as i see it, snap!

(listening to Freight Train by Elizabeth Cotten.....what an incredible musician this lady was)

happy birthday daddy!

2008-03-26T11:24:00.000-04:00

a daddy is good

for so many things

to get a tattoo with

or push you on swings

he'll always be there through

the day and the night

and when you are sad

he'll make sure you're alright

if you're on a car ride

that's tedious and long

you'll want him right by you

to sing Beatles songs

he's not always tidy

in fact he's quite sloppy

but there is no doubt

he's an excellent Poppy

so today is your birthday

and i just want to say

you've made my life wonderful

in so many ways

(listening to "Drive My Car" by The Beatles)

elliott covers

2008-02-27T17:39:00.002-05:00

i love finding covers of my favorite elliott smith songs.

e n j o y !

clementine

robbed

2007-12-08T13:54:00.000-05:00

as many of you may know, someone broke into our house this week stealing several of our belongings. our tv, a new macbook laptop, and most importantly, our external hard drive are all gone. the thing that royally sux about it is that about 95% of our photos and videos of lily are no more. luckily, many people have offered to send me what they have so that we can start to regain what we have lost. however, there are many that we will never see again which makes me extremely sad.

anyway, the most important thing is that everyone was safe. when the thieves were in the house, my mom and lily were upstairs. the thought of anything happening to either one of them makes me want to vomit. we are so thankful to God that they didn't make a sound that would draw attention to them.

so now we are on the way to getting back to normal. a new glass door, security system, computer...and soon a new tv will help us to move on. i'm having a hard time feeling safe, but know that my time here is probably limited.

i'm going to just continue to pray...

(listening to "Run" by Snow Patrol)

making the switch

2007-12-05T00:15:00.000-05:00

tom and i recently purchased a new macbook. as i'm still getting used to it, it'll be some time before i finally post something substantial. check back later.

(listening to "Battleships" by Travis)

life is crazy

2007-11-19T23:03:00.000-05:00

sometimes i feel like my life is spinning out of control and that time is moving too quickly.

lily is already crawling and walking (by holding onto things)and will be 10 months old at the end of this month

thanksgiving has finally arrived, though the malls have been decorated for christmas since the day after halloween

there have already been more presidential debates than i care to count

in two months lily will have been with us for an entire year

i will have been married for 8 years in the spring

i'll be 30 next summer!

life is moving way to fast for me. my family is getting older, i'm getting older. people will eventually get sick or die of old age... meaning that i will be that much closer to following in their footsteps.

kind of depressing if you think about it.

with lily (and any children yet to come) life will go on though.

ob-la-di, ob-la-da

(listening to Brand New Colony by Postal Service)

excitement for a stay at home mama

2007-09-20T16:30:00.000-04:00

it's not everyday that you see this happening on your street during the middle of the afternoon...

on wednesday, i shot that video from lily's nursery window. it was quite an exciting day on our street. apparently, someone had threatened suicide and soon the police, paramedics, firemen, and swat team were all on my street. it was actually a very sad experience as i listened to them talk over the loud speaker into a house and beg the person to come out and get help. they kept saying that they had been in contact with the daughter who was very worried, etc.

thankfully, the person didn't go through with it and now is getting the help that they so desperately needed.

it did, however, change what would have been a boring day on shallot drive to one full of anticipation and excitement.

(listening to "Beloved" by Minnie Driver)

jenn

2007-09-16T14:40:00.000-04:00

jovial

energetic

nurturing

noble

imaginative

friend

entrepreneur

ready

i'm lucky to have a sister like you. happy birthday.

(listening to "Smile" by Lily Allen)

auntie

2007-08-28T16:07:00.000-04:00

an auntie...

is always in your corner.
never judges but gives sound advice.
is like a mom but with a different perspective.
listens.
is creative and fun.
helps you to get dressed for your wedding.
is the keeper of secrets.
has a sense of humor.
makes the best christmas cookies.
is caring and loves you from the minute you were born.

everyone should have an auntie ... just not mine ... i'm not willing to share.

i love you, auntie. happy birthday.

(listening to "In My Life" by The Beatles)

tattoos

2007-08-23T16:02:00.001-04:00

last week, while visiting family in cincinnati, i decided to get two more tattoos. i now have a fleur de lis which commemorates the birth of lily, and cherry blossoms which i just enjoy because they are pretty and cheery. i had thought about both of them for a long time, trying to decide the perfect placement, etc. i'm so pleased with how they turned out. see below for pictures.

(listening to "So Here We Are" by Bloc Party)

jumping on the bandwagon

2007-08-13T14:52:00.001-04:00

like everyone else has already done... here are our simpsons characters. lily is my favorite!

(listening to "Golden Skans" by Klaxons)

morrissey

2007-07-25T16:14:00.000-04:00

i recently had the awesome experience of seeing Morrissey perform live. not only did he play an amazing set, but he did it all in front of a huge James Dean backdrop. it was an incredible experience and a concert i will never forget. here was the set list...

The Queen Is Dead

You Have Killed Me

In The Future When All's Well

Disappointed

The Last Of The Famous International Playboys

The National Front Disco

Let Me Kiss You

Girlfriend In A Coma

Everyday Is Like Sunday

All You Need Is Me

The Boy With The Thorn In His Side

Irish Blood, English Heart

At Last I Am Born

That's How People Grow Up

I Will See You In Far Off Places

Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want

First Of The Gang To Die

I Just Want To See The Boy Happy

Life Is A Pigsty

How Soon Is Now?

You're Gonna Need Someone On Your Side (Encore)

video of the week

2007-07-19T18:26:00.000-04:00

"happy" by ned's atomic dustbin

haircut

2007-07-12T10:51:00.000-04:00

i have a new haircut!

i love it. thanks, jenn, for the inspiration!!

(listening to "Pretty (Ugly Before)" by Elliott Smith)

new moon

2007-05-07T23:00:00.000-04:00

i am so excited, yet also sad. this evening i remembered that tomorrow elliott smith's album new moon will be released here in america. it thrills me beyond words to have the opportunity to hear for the first time some new music from him. as much as i am looking forward to this, i'm also quite sad as i know this could possibly be the last of the "new" music. he was such an incredible songwriter and lyricist. since his death in 2003, the music world has certainly had one less talented musician.

to hear his new album (for free) check out this myspace page.

(listening to "Going Nowhere" by Elliott Smith)

coachella - take four

2007-05-03T00:57:00.000-04:00

i have just returned home from my fourth trip to the desert for the coachella music festival in indio, california. i was originally not going this year... with a new baby, one income and a lack of funds... it just didn't seem like it was going to be possible. i willingly decided to not participate, knowing that going wouldn't be the wisest thing to do with our already lacking funds. however, as the event was drawing near, i became increasingly more depressed. seven of my closest friends were going to be making the annual pilgrimage to hear the finest in indie music, while i stayed at home with my new responsibilities. it felt like my family was going on vacation and i was the only one left home...alone. anyway, long story short... two wonderful people decided that i should still get to go. my sweet husband made it possible by working from home and driving lily to sitters, as well as having her for an entire weekend by himself. he is incredible. the other person, single-handedly paid for the trip. they are always so generous. thank you both.

don't get me wrong, it was incredibly hard for me to leave tom and lily, but honestly, i was thankful for the break. it felt nice to finally feel like "me" again. for five whole days i was only responsible for myself. when tom and lily (doggies too) left me at the airport i cried and cried. i felt guilty for leaving. before i closed the car door, i reached into the back of the car and "stole" lily's blanket. i needed (and wanted) to bring something (other than my breast pump) with me to remind me of her. it still had her sweet baby smell on it, which brought me comfort during the entire trip.

i had a blast. kristen and i went to the "tonight show" while the rest of the group went to a taping of "ellen". not only were we able to meet keifer sutherland (aka jack bauer), but we were seated in the very front row! perfect placement for when the baby otters jumped out of their glass tank during the animal segment!!

the desert was h o t. not quite as hot as my first year when we were camping (never again). luckily, there wasn't any humidity, so it didn't feel as suffocating as florida. one of the girls on the trip hooked us up with a condo at a marriott vacation club resort. it was beautiful and über comfortable. a perfect oasis for resting after a long day of heat, loud music and freaks.

the music was great. the highlight for me was seeing travis. i knew almost every song and the musicians were so humble and genuinely seemed excited to be there. other acts which were so much fun... cornelius, mika, and the teddybears. what made these bands so much fun to listen to wasn't just the catchy tunes and lyrics, but rather the company i was experiencing them with.

the coachies are made up with some of the best people i've ever met. they are so much fun to be with and really make me feel good about myself.

(ladies first, of course.)

stephanie - never one to stir things up, she is so easy going and all around lovely. with her subtle comments cleverly placed in the conversation here and there, you would find that she is an incredibly funny person. she is wonderful to have around.

kristen - probably my oldest and dearest friend. without her, i never would have gone to coachella in the first place. she fits in with the rest of the florida coachies perfectly. the experience wouldn't be the same without her, especially while expressing breastmilk in a portable bathroom.

devan - the nicest person to share a good conversation with. a wonderfully sweet and genuine friend. also talented at pointing out the weirdos nearby or the girl that needs to pull up her pants while dancing. being from the "d" ain't all that bad!

s o v (aka kelly) - don't let her deceive you by her outward appearance. she may look like a cheerleader and be a true class-act, but inside she is 100% f r e a k ! winning the contest of my favorite dancer to watch this year (yes beta, she beat you even without holding a bowl of pan-asian cuisine), she has a contagious spirit and energy to her. she is also lady sovereign's doppleganger, i'm sure.

betamike - whether its concocting the perfect escape route for when zombies or rage infested concert-goers attack, or his love for all things kitschy...beta adds the perfect amount of zip to the recipe that is coachie-stew. (especially when he's in his tighty whiteys)

britton - too cool for words. hilariously funny and unique...always willing to be the daniel to your carla by breaking out with his killer impersonation of a retarded giovanni ribisi. you make baking in the hot sun worth it.

james - such fun to be with all the time. great for a meaningful conversation on a long flight home, or for just playing along in a silly voice. james, you've added much to my life. without you, i'd have 1 less 1 less reason to smile.

thank you coachies, for memories i'll always cherish...even when i'm rockin' it out to mika after lily's stuck me in the nursing home*.

(listening to "Love Today" by Mika)

*don't worry, devan. i'll make sure that i keep my disease carrying old people fingernails far away from you.

littlest elliott fan

2007-02-25T11:12:00.000-05:00

(listening to "Little One" by Elliott Smith)

it takes a Coachie village to raise a child

2007-02-25T10:55:00.000-05:00

on saturday, lily and i went to the mall to meet some of our friends for lunch. here are a few pics of lily and her Coachie friends.

Uncle Ambassabeta

Michael and Johnny

Aunt Stephanie

(listening to "Phantom Limb" by The Shins)

counting my blessings

2007-02-20T12:54:00.000-05:00

i'm lucky. i'm not even ashamed to tell the whole world about it.

God has blessed me. abundantly.

i have been given a beautiful family. a husband, who not only is getting more and more attractive with each passing year... but who is so caring and puts me as a top priority in his life. a sweet baby girl, who has been sleeping through the night at only 3 weeks of age, and who rarely cries, making this new motherhood thing easier on me. two wonderful dogs, who are so well behaved and are very accepting of their new "sister".

i am so grateful to our parents and siblings for making this transition even easier for us. their love and support have been unmeasurable and we know that things would be much much harder without them.

our friends, who have rallied around us and been our "family" away from our real family, have kept us sane! God placed each and every one of them in our lives for a reason, and we're glad he did.

i love my life.

(listening to "Jolene" by Dolly Parton)

lily

2007-02-11T19:18:00.001-05:00

Lily Reynolds

happy birthday stephanie!

2007-01-08T21:44:00.000-05:00

another year of friendship with one of the best people i have ever known.

i love you, steph!

out with the old, in with the new

2006-12-31T12:17:00.000-05:00

goodbye 2006. you have been such a great year, in fact, one of the best years ever. you gave me so many wonderful memories...

franklin

the coachies

a new nephew, lincoln

orlando festival

work

pregnancy!

(listening to "Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing" by Sujan Stevens)

happy pawlidays!

2006-12-19T13:05:00.000-05:00

white christmas

2006-12-07T17:30:00.000-05:00

tomorrow morning i will be travelling to cincinnati for one final time before lily is born. i am so excited to see my family and friends and to experience some cooler weather for a change. it will also be nice to eat my favorite foods! i will definitely be stopping at Frisch's to grab something to eat asap.

i am a person that loves traditions. some of my favorite memories with my family are of going to the Festival of Lights, watching National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and getting the cherished ornament that my mother so thoughtfully picked to represent us each year. i am thrilled at the idea of introducing lily to such fun experiences, as well as starting our own as a family.

i have a great family, but i feel especially blessed to have been "adopted" into kristen's (one of my oldest and dearest friends) family. they so graciously let me take part in one of the most special traditions of the season, watching White Christmas.

i had never seen this wonderful musical until they introduced it to me years ago. i immediately fell in love with it. it just doesn't feel like christmas to me without hearing Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen sing "Snow". i so look forward to this every year and feel so lucky to share in this sacred Myers women tradition!

here is a little clip from youtube that has completely wet my whistle for watching this movie on saturday... e n j o y !

thanksgiving

2006-11-23T15:06:00.000-05:00

thanksgiving lunch at the polynesian hotel

this year, i have a lot to be thankful for. first of all, i'm so thankful to God for my wonderful family. both tom and i have been able to visit most everyone that we dearly love. we are grateful that everyone is in good health and that they are doing well. this year was even more special because of our new nephew, lincoln. he is a sweet addition to our growing family. i am so happy that he is in our lives and that we will be there to experience him as he grows. polly and franklin (our doggies) have also added so much to our lives. God is so wonderful for giving us such loving animals to shower with affection.

personally, i am extremely thankful for all of my friends. the coachies, our small group, and friends from work and back home in cincinnati have all truly blessed my life. God has truly provided a strong network of friends to support me, especially as i enter this next chapter of my life.

what i am most thankful for is tom. for as different as we are, we work. he has added more to my life than i can describe. he makes me a better person. as we go about this next adventure of becoming parents, i am glad that we are doing it together. there is no one else in the world that i would want for lily's father.

i am so excited to meet lily in this next year. she will be the best thing that i have ever done and will fulfill me as i have never been before. i thank God for her already and for the joy that i know she will bring to my life.

have a happy thanksgiving everyone.

(listening to "Goodnight and Go" by Imogen Heap)

ok, so i'm addicted to youtube, i know.

2006-11-20T17:16:00.000-05:00

i just keep finding all of these awesome things to post on my blog from youtube. i'm having too much fun!

now i don't want to offend anyone, so i apologize in advance if the follow clip does just that.
this is one of my favorite songs from the musical/movie "Hair".

i love me some nell carter!

good morning starshine

2006-11-20T17:11:00.000-05:00

this one's for you, betsy!

pokey little puppies like to play!

2006-11-13T22:41:00.000-05:00

tom and i have recently discovered two new ways to "torment" our little dogs, polly and franklin.

the accordian

the balloon

nat king cole

2006-11-13T17:37:00.000-05:00

i was lucky enough to find this video on youtube. bless the person who put it on there for us to appreciate.

nat king cole was and is one of the best musical artists of all time. watch this video and you'll see why.

e n j o y .

autumn leaves

2006-10-19T17:06:00.000-04:00

the falling leaves drift by the window

the autumn leaves of red and gold

i see your lips, the summer kisses

the sun-burned hands i used to hold

since you went away the days grow long

and soon i'll hear old winters song

but I miss you most of all my darling

when autumn leaves start to fall

metric meets elliott

2006-09-19T00:13:00.000-04:00

how cool ... searching youtube to show my mama an elliott video when i discover one of my favorite artists covering my absolute favorite. enjoy metric's emily haines sing "between the bars" by elliott smith. beautiful.

baby news!

2006-09-12T22:15:00.000-04:00

for news about our baby and updated pictures, click the link below.

www.babyreynolds.blogspot.com

japanese potty training

2006-08-28T21:15:00.000-04:00

so i'm watching the red carpet pre-show for the emmy awards last night, when they show a clip of a japanese potty training video. hilarious! i knew that i would find it on youtube (my newest passion) and couldn't wait to post it here on my blog for everyone's enjoyment.

you can totally tell that it is a japanese kid at the end ... as the japanese always seem to be giving the peace sign!

e n j o y !

catch my disease

2006-08-25T06:13:00.000-04:00

i had put this video on here a while back, but it never quite worked the way that i wanted it to.

if i could have been a part of any music video, i'd want to have been in this one.

it looks like they had so much fun ... and ... there's clapping in it!!

tag team

2006-08-22T22:11:00.000-04:00

you think that i would have learned the first time with Polly. remember this?

however, i'm not too bright these days ... and i obviously thought that it was a good idea to leave Polly & Franklin to play together unsupervised, while i checked my email. stupid me...

caught in the act!

partners in crime

(listening to "Deceptacon" by Le Tigre)

i feel gggrrrreeeaattt!

2006-08-08T18:07:00.000-04:00

this is so funny. snaps for charlie for finding such an awesome commercial. babies everywhere!!!

thank you

2006-07-19T17:40:00.000-04:00

claps for you, W!

thank you, Mr. President, for vetoing the stem cell bill today. popular or not, you did the right thing for all of the unborn children that deserve the chance at life.

(listening to "Say Yes" by Elliott Smith)

sunset boulevard

2006-07-14T14:54:00.000-04:00

it was may 2005.

a beautiful day in los angeles.

not too hot. sunny. perfect.

5 friends went to pay their respects.

elliott smith.

figure 8.

each wrote what felt appropriate.

fitting tribute.

a lovely afternoon.

walk down alameda

remembering

look closely near the end

(listening to "Between The Bars" by Elliott Smith)

guess who's...

2006-05-22T21:03:00.000-04:00

Tom and I are happy to announce that we are expecting our first baby at the end of January!

(listening to "Multiply" by Jamie Lidell)

5.13.06

2006-05-13T17:30:00.000-04:00

six years ago today. time is going too fast. it hasn't always been good. it hasn't all been bad. honestly though, in the end, it's been worth it.

i promise before God to love you and only you

for the rest of our lives together

i promise to love you in good times and bad times

to put your happiness first

and to always be faithful

this is the promise i make to you now

and the promise i'll keep forever

(listening to "All At Sea" by Jamie Cullum)

Ch-Ching!

2006-05-03T22:36:00.000-04:00

just returned home from one of the best weekends of my life.

here's a a video to wet your whistle of what's to come of my coachella recap post...

dance your pants off, betamike!

los angeles

2006-04-27T18:54:00.000-04:00

since i'm off to los angeles tomorrow evening for the coachella music festival in the city of indio... i give you

"angeles"

elliott

2006-04-24T12:12:00.000-04:00

i love this video.

attack of the african crown crane

2006-04-16T22:05:00.000-04:00

my job is rarely boring. in fact, since i never really know what someone is going to say, it's almost always interesting.

now don't get me wrong... i especially love when i have the opportunity to interpret at major theme parks in orlando.... wink wink. however, since i now know the shows like the back of my hand... it's not always that big of a challenge. i'm not complacent, i just know what i'm doing when i go there. the shows are always the same... that's the goal, anyway.

yesterday was the exception.

let me also add that my job is usually not dangerous. i mean, it can be, but for the most part it's extremely safe.

again, yesterday was the exception.

kevin and i were interpreting a particular bird show, when one of the stars of said show, decided to deviate from their well rehearsed script. when i say deviate, i mean... attack the interpreter closest to them!

no joke, people. i was standing near the stage, minding my own business... interpreting.. when all of a sudden, everything around me became windy! my hair was blowing around, feathers were flying, people in the audience were on their feet gasping and pointing, and a manager ran out into the middle of the crowd. the beautiful african crown crane was trying to attack me!

after i realized what was happening, i immediately jumped in front of kevin, and lowered myself as close to the ground as possible.. without actually lying down. the bird, who was no longer hovering over me, safely landed on the ground right next the first row of audience members. afraid that he was going to come back for round two, and try peck my eyes out, i hid behind kevin. finally, the trainer managed to get the bird onto the stage, and helped it to exit.

i'm not kidding when i say that it was incredibly hard for me to compose myself and finish the show.

you know how it feels when you're almost in a car accident? you know...the whole body becomes like jello thing? that's exactly how i felt.

i couldn't stop shaking and really just wanted to sit down and cry because i was so scared.

the rest of the show went very well, and afterwards we had a chance to talk over the situation with the trainers, etc. they told me that every show is videotaped for quality purposes, and that they would be reviewing the tape to see if i unintentionally provocted the bird to go crazy. please God, let me see that tape someday!!!

looking back now... it is pretty funny. it was definitely an experience that i will never forget!

*before someone asks.. no, this is not an actual image of the "attack"...

it's simply an illustration for your enjoyment!

(listening to "Blue Light" by Bloc Party)

happy birthday daddy!

2006-03-26T23:39:00.000-05:00

oh yeah!

(listening to "Rose Parade" by Elliott Smith)

kristen

2006-03-25T22:23:00.000-05:00

she'll always be there for you....

even when you steal the microphone from her in the Christmas pageant...

if you have to potty on your wedding day...

or if you need someone to catch your bouquet...

she'll even help you to conquer your fears...

she'll always bring a smile to your face...

and will make your friends, new friends of hers...

she'll never abandon you.

Happy Birthday Kristen!

I love you so much.

(in honor of her special day... i'm listening to "I Will" by the Beatles)

piccadilly palare

2006-03-24T21:59:00.000-05:00

1 9 9 3
vacation
love this picture
what a time in my life
piccadilly circus in london
nothing will ever cooler than that
enchanted forest manic panic dye
most comfortable overalls
my old sony walkman
new doc martens
Morrissey
l i f e

(listening to "Panic" by The Smiths)

tom

2006-03-16T15:00:00.000-05:00

today is tom's birthday. we met 12 years ago today, when he was 18, and now he's 30. time goes too fast.

tom is a private person, so instead of professing my love to him here, i'll do that in private. however, i will say..... that even though things have been crappy at times, and i mean... really bad, i'm glad that we've managed to stay together. it's been worth it.

happy birthday, my love.

i tell him this is his "author picture"

listening to "Four Leaf Clover" by Badly Drawn Boy... my new favorite song.. of course, IT HAS CLAPPING!!

polly is a bad girl!

2006-02-27T22:46:00.000-05:00

this is why Polly needs constant supervision. she was alone for about 10 minutes... and look at the destruction! she completely destroyed her bed. now she gets to sleep on the hard floor, like all of the other non-pampered dogs in the world. her loss.

i'm so pissed off right now.

(listening to "We Used To Be Friends" by The Dandy Warhols)

loosen that snot with a neti pot!

2006-02-17T18:07:00.000-05:00

ahhhhh! where do i even begin?

a few weeks ago, when i was in california with my family, my dad called me over to his computer to watch a video sent by my brother. paul is never one to disappoint when it comes to funniness, and that was true for this too.

at first, i wasn't sure what to make of it, because it started out with very relaxing music. however, i soon broke into hysterical laughter.

follow this link then click the top where it says "Watch the Neti Pot Demonstration Here"

poor lady, could she look any more asexual? i swear, this looks like it could have been a SNL skit.

apparently this is a very popular product, because i found multiple places that a neti pot can be purchased online.

in researching the neti pot, i found many beautiful images showcasing the pot's usefulness as well as expert neti users. please take a few moments to peruse my gallery.

professional neti pot user

just starting

who knew that my doppelganger was such an avid user?

according to this man's site, this is an image of "a wash while feeling okay"!

notice the grin?

"a wash while feeling cruddy"

closet neti pot user

"Comatose Neti"

who knew that Kevin Federline liked to neti?

take it from this guy, he knows how to neti

don't forget to finish with a "farmer's blow"

and then remember to stick your excess tubing down one nostril and out your mouth

(listening to "Trusted" by Ben Folds)

happy (v)heart day!

2006-02-14T08:28:00.000-05:00

(listening to "Plan A" by The Dandy Warhols)

"i wish i could quit you" ... (sob..sob...blah..)

2006-02-04T10:58:00.000-05:00

this is too funny. thanks alisa for posting this for our enjoyment!

nothing new...

2006-02-03T15:53:00.000-05:00

i really don't have anything to say, because nothing much is going on with me.

i did go to disneyland in cali last weekend. that was a lot of fun. as soon as i get off my butt and get my pictures developed... i will maybe post about that.

i cut and colored my hair today. (see below for a bad picture that i took of myself) i love it. it feels so healthy and i llllooooovvvveee the color!

hhmmmmm..... what else.... i'm happy... oh, i know! the coachella lineup has been announced. let me just say that i about pooed myself when i saw that the Scissor Sisters are going to be there. here are the bands that i'm most looking forward to seeing...

in no particular order...

scissor sisters
metric
daft punk
depeche mode
sigur ros
franz ferdinand
clap your hands say yeah (don't they just sound like a fun group?)
go team
cat power
the zutons
yeah yeah yeahs
bloc party
wolf parade
coheed and cambria
go! team
sleater-kinney

i'm not going to kill myself to make it to the Gobi tent in time to see...

mogwai
tool

i'm mostly excited to hang out with (v)hat + friends. so much fun!

well, that's pretty much it for me. here's my bad new hair picture...

have a good day everyone.

(listening to "Exit Stage Right" by Badly Drawn Boy)

kanye walks?

2006-01-24T15:17:00.000-05:00

this picture sums up exactly why i can't stand kanye west....

(listening to "The Repudiated Immortals" by Of Montreal")

scary!

2006-01-11T23:24:00.000-05:00

because i love all things scary.....

i give you....

diane feinstein

(not listening to anything except a plane going overhead, and my heart pounding in my chest at the sight of this woman!)

stephanie

2006-01-07T22:40:00.000-05:00

today is stephanie's birthday. to honor her, i want to dedicate this post to her and to our great friendship.

hot mamasitas!

wow, where to start. i first met stephanie when tom was doing an advanced internship with eyes & ears at disney. steph was one of his leaders and he always spoke very highly of her. i knew that she was very into music, and that she was a lot of fun, though i didn't get to experience that first hand, until several years later.

after tom and i moved to orlando, i found myself lonely and needing a friend. i didn't know it then, but God had brought stephanie into my life at a time when i needed her most. within a few weeks, she was coming to our house bearing gifts (she's always extremely thoughtful) and encouraging me to attend the farmer's market in winter park with her.

i could immediately see that she was cool, and that she was going to be so much fun to hang out with. we have had so many memorable experiences together. going to Coachella with {v}hat, buying the Mini, photobooths, concerts, movies, shopping, dog parks, restaurants, etc. what excites me, is that i know there are many more fun things yet to come! yay!!

more things that i love about her...

stephanie is and extremely talented writer and photographer. she is smart and respectful of people's views and opinions, even when she doesn't agree. she has such great taste in music and concerts (though i still can't get into Bright Eyes!), and she single-handedly brought me back from the dark ages of music listening and introduced me to a plethora of great bands.

most importantly, she is a devoted friend. she has such a warm personality. she is always willing to listen and advise when appropriate. stephanie always looks for the good in others.

we need more people like her in the world.

happy birthday steph! i love you.

(in honor of her birthday, i'm listening to "First Day Of My Life" by Bright Eyes)

gag me with a spoon!

2005-12-02T23:27:00.000-05:00

a few months ago, i was out to dinner with "vhat" and we were discussing commercials. that conversation was the inspiration for this post, even if it has taken me several months to finally sit down and type out my thoughts. anyway, here goes.....

in the business world, advertising is everything. the right (or wrong) words can either make a product seem ultra appealing or disgusting. a great example of the former are the iPod commercials. even though i am currently at war with Apple over their iTunes 5.0 fiasco, i still have to give them snaps for doing a great job of showing off how cool their product is. or even better.... how cool you can be once you buy it!

i know that i look this cool.. and skinny.. when i listen to Metric on my iPod!

now let's look at another company with one of the most disgusting advertising campaigns around. i'll give you a hint... it has to do with fingernails.

no, i'm not talking about Country Crock. you know, the creepy hands that caress the tub of lard, while you hear voiceovers done by a couple that probably work as dj's on your local "soft rock" radio station.

i also don't mean the old commercial with the fingernail that bends back and breaks while opening the pull-tab on a can of pop.

the most disgusting commercial award goes to.......

L A M I S I L !

i swear, it pains me to even look at this picture posted above. i remember the first time that i saw this commercial... i actually yelled out loud and had to close my eyes. from then on, everytime that i saw either that foot or "digger" (yes, that's right, that germ thing actually has a name!), i had to quickly change the channel.

i don't know what kind of crack the advertising exec was on when approving this one. however, if you think about it, they really did get the job done. i know that i won't ever forget this commercial. if, God forbid, i ever get some unidentified toe fungi, i'm sure that i'll be hoofin' (or limpin') it to the nearest drugstore to buy some Lamisil to rid my foot of the little "diggers"!

however, it doesn't change the fact that this commercial is immensely disturbing and gross. i shutter at just the memory of seeing that toenail pull back. yuck!

for your enjoyment, i thought that i would include a few more pictures that i found for lamisil. i'm sure that even the japanese and spanish audiences retch at the site of "digger"!

Lamisil has even thought of your gift-giving needs this Christmas season.

i can't imagine why this didn't make oprah's favorites list this year!

things that make you go hhmmmmmm??????

to close... a bit of advice for my loyal readers...

WASH YOUR FEET PEOPLE!

(listening to "Oh Sweetheart" by the Shout Out Louds)

what's a recorder?

2005-12-02T22:52:00.000-05:00

ahhhh.... technology.... i love it! i especially love my sidekick 2. i swear, it's hard for me to remember how i managed to live so long without it. to have information at my fingertips is fantastic.
for example, take into account a recent trip to see Tegan & Sara at the Social with some of my friends last weekend. my dear friend Stephanie, has a twin brother, and when i said that everyone has a "twin" she said, "yes, a doppelganger!" wha? i had never heard of such a word before. surely she must have made it up! however, it was only a few short moments from when i searched, before my trusty sidekick 2 had the answer for me.

(in case you are interested... dictionary.com gives this definition)

dop·pel·gäng·er or dop·pel·gang·er ( P ) Pronunciation Key (dpl-gngr, -gng-)n.
A ghostly double of a living person, especially one that haunts its fleshly counterpart.

interesting how you can learn something new everyday, even when just hanging out in between sets at a concert.

shortly after the vocabulary lesson, i mentioned how a song we were listening to sounded like it had a recorder playing in it. james, a cool new friend, totally agreed, and didn't even make fun of me as i began playing my "air recorder"! on the other hand, stephanie wasn't sure what we were talking about.

(enter my sidekick 2)

click click click......" aaaahhhhhhh!!!!!! ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! look what google images pulled up!!!!"

"Maddox Jolie" recorder prodigy

anyway, like it or not, this addiction has saved me many precious hours of racking my brain, trying to figure out the answer to life's burning questions like...

"what other movie have i see that actress in?"

"have nick & jessica made up yet?"

"who sang this song.....?"

etc. etc. etc. etc.

however, let it be known that i do realize that i have a problem, and i want all of those concerned to know that i am actively trying to prevent "sidekick thumb".

anyway, i've gotta go now....i think i just heard my tmail chime!

(listening to "Sleigh Ride" by Johnny Mathis... it's christmas people, give me a break!)

christmas....er... "holiday" rant

2005-11-30T17:38:00.000-05:00

i'm SOOOOOOOOO over it! this will be brief, because i'm so ticked off, and am going to spin class to burn off all of this negative energy.

now let me just say that i'm not one of those "christians" that will complain about seperation of church and state, prayer in schools, etc. it's not that i don't care, i just happen to agree that there shouldn't be prayer in schools, yada yada. however, i AM sick and tired of people feeling like christianity is something that not only can be trashed, but that should be changed.

take for example this christmas....er... "holiday" season. apparently, it is a new trend for major stores (and now cities... i.e. orlando) to take Christ out of Christmas. well, i guess that i can't really say that, because it isn't even called "christmas" anymore. no crap. if you go to kmart, or target and ask for a "christmas" tree, they won't know where to tell you to look. however, if you tell them that you want a "holiday" tree, they'll know exactly where to direct you. same as in my fair city of orlando, or my husband's employer. don't dare call the ginormous tree in front of our city hall, or in the middle of the happiest place in central orlando, a "christmas tree". get it right, it's now a "holiday tree", people!

have we become SO friggin' politically correct that we can't even use the word "christmas" to commemorate this holiday? it's been called that since this country was founded! what's the harm? i would venture to say that most americans celebrate christmas, but why can't we call it what it is? does this mean that a menorah should only be refered to as a "candelabra" because it is too religious to call it the former?

however, i do want to make it known, that i understand why schools decide to label their winter holiday parties as that, "winter" or "holiday" party. there are too many religions that people are involved in, to celebrate them each with their own party.... i.e. christmas, hanukkah... and we certainly don't want childrene to feel left out. on the contrary, this is very different from changing the name of our holiday icon, just to appease people who might not celebrate the way that the majority chooses to.

also, while i'm ranting, i'm extremely fed up with stores like Urban Outfitters and the like, in their "Jesus" bashing. wether they perceive it as "bashing" or not, isn't for them to decide. Jesus soap on a rope, Jesus the action figure, Jesus is my homeboy t-shirts, are not meant to show support or appreciation for our Lord and Savior. no, i'm sure that they are mocking. there would be major hell to pay, should we ever mock Allah and the islamic faith, or hinduism in such a blatant way. what gives people the "right" to only focus on christians and our faith alone? "Jesusland" meaning all of the states that our President won in the last election. frankly, it's uncalled for.

as an american, i am using my voice (thank you forefathers) and my freedom, to speak in outrage against this ridiculousness. i am hurt, and furious. shame on us, for allowing "political correctness" to dictate our "holidays".

(listening to "Amanda Cecilia" by Elliott Smith")

october recap (part 1)

2005-11-10T18:14:00.000-05:00

what an awesome month.

i don't feel like typing a ton... so this will basically be a pictoral of my monthly activities (with a few comments here and there).

e n j o y

October 11

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party

i love me some candy!

kevin doing the "candy dance"

tinkerbell, is that you?

no! it's captain hook!

holy crap. i love halloween!!

tom, steph, and kevin... pre- pop explosion

Magic Kingdom Scary Singers

what a great evening with my friends!

October 12

Friendaversary!

kevin harrington and i met a year ago at epcot center through a mutual friend. we had an instant connection and have been good friends ever since that night. not only was he an awesome friend, but he has become a vital team member in interpreting the shows at disney.

the night that we met, we went to watch Kool & the Gang, who were there for the food & wine festival. when we heard that they were coming back again this year, we knew that we had to go and "celebrate".

here are a few pictures that helped to capture such a great time!

on our way...

"it's a celebration!"

"oh yes it's ladies night"

dancing our pants off!

me and my friend

Boston Terrier Meetup

Fleet Peeple's Park

after watching the other Boston Terriers in the water, polly was enticed to join them.

boston terrier meetup group

pumpkins!

2005-11-10T18:11:00.000-05:00

here is the second part of the halloween post. scroll down for a look at pumpkins from halloween's past.

1980

this is the first picture that i have where i actually helped to design the face on the pumpkin. that is probably why it looks retarded.

improvement

as you can see, the pumpkin face has much improved over the previous pumpkin picture. it could be, that this was the year my mom started making us take turns at drawing the facial characteristics.

happy family pumpkin

ahhh... the perfect 1980's family picture. the pumpkin doesn't look that bad either. another year, another big improvement.

p.m.s. pumpkin carving

i don't know what my problem was, but obviously i was pissed off about something! paul looks happy, which means that he probably got to pick which part of the face he wanted to draw first. really, given the shape of the pumpkin, it doesn't look too bad!

the nightmare before christmas

in 1994, not only did tom come into my life, but also the most elaborate pumpkins that i have ever seen. this is the pumpkin which started it all.... "the nightmare before christmas". it makes my pathetic "sun" pumpkin look like the crap that it is. anyway, i remember tom spending hours making this pumpkin. it was truly a sight to be seen.

mortal kombat and the jackson 5

the following year, tom was addicted to playing "mortal kombat", so he decided to put the insignia on his pumpkin. however, i was addicted to the "jackson 5", and decided that "michael" (pre nose job, and child molesting) should go on mine. i cut out a huge afro and carved his face into the melon. i even had carved out the words, "jackson 5" on the top of the pumpking. i was so proud!

on halloween night, we were on my front porch passing out candy, and a woman came up, looked at my pumpkin and said, "oh look! they carved their last name into their pumpkin!" wha? no!!!! we weren't the jacksons!!!! couldn't she see the giant afro glowing in the moonlight? what an idiot.

goofy and cinderella's castle

again, tom's pumpkin is way better than mine....sigh. oh well, atleast i tried.

this was the last pumpkin that i made with my family before i got married. my mom was out of town (i think) and my dad and i had an evening at home and decided to carve this pumpkin while watching the movie, "it". what a great memory!

boob pumpkin & frankenstein

as soon as i saw this pumpkin, i knew that i had to buy it. when else would i ever find another pumpkin that looks like it has tiny breasts? my mom wouldn't let me use them for nipples, so i settled and used them for eyeballs.

isn't tom's pumpkin awesome? i swear, mine NEVER turn out this cool!

spider

i love this picture. tom and i carved this pumpkin for a halloween party that we were having with our friends from church. my fall display kicked-ass that year. ahhh yes, 2002, that's when i used to entertain and have people over. (something i haven't really done since moving to florida)

i love you

not my pumpkin, but wanted to put up a picture of it anyway. one of my students in my sign language class carved it for me as a thank you. it was so cool, that i just had to share it with all of you.

hope that you enjoyed my pumpkin post (even if it wasn't finished until the second week of november)!

check back for a recap of october!

(listening to "Thule" by The Album Leaf)

this is halloween!

2005-10-31T17:51:00.000-05:00

i love halloween! i look forward to this day every year. this is my favorite holiday. i know, some might say, "what about Christmas, which celebrates Christ's birth?" i like that too. however, a whole day dedicated to dressing up, eating so much candy that your teeth instantly rot out, and having the crap scared right out of your colon, is so much fun!

thinking back to halloween's past, and reading betamike's blog, inspired me to share some of my cool (and not so cool) costumes and pumpkins.

let us begin the journey.....

"kkk christy"

boba fett, kkk christy, and a storm trooper

this is scary in more ways than one. first of all, i totally look like the spawn of a klansman. secondly, i was only two years old, so my parents are to blame for this offensive costume. this picture was taken of me in 1980. we moved to this neighborhood (where i grew up... my brother paul, now owns this house!) only two months earlier. i'm sure that the neighbors thought that my parents were whack-jobs. i'm sure that they're right. nobody in their right mind, would dress their child like this in 2005, unless you live in the sticks in the south and drive around with a confederate flag in the back of your pick-up.

"raggedy ann"

i especially wanted to include this one for you, betamike. here i am dressed as raggedy ann in one of those cheap plastic costumes from the grocery store. i'm sure that i picked it out, since i was getting to that age where you make choices that seem good at the time, but years later, you realize that they weren't. my mom tells me that she tried to talk me out of it, but i insisted, saying that all of my friends had costumes like it, and i wanted to be just like them. i've always been such a poser.

"gypsy"

i remember that this was my mom's idea, but i loved it. having always been a jewelry lover, i relished the idea of putting on an obscene amount of rings, bracelets, and necklaces. of course, not only did i get to wear jewelry, but i was able to finally wear makeup too. i love red lipstick....as you can tell.

"ballerina"

there was an older girl who lived down the street from me and she took ballet lessons. at this time, i wanted to be a ballerina when i grew up. she let me borrow two of her old recital costumes for halloween... one for the school halloween parade and party, and the other for trick-or-treating. however, being that it is always pretty chilly in ohio during the month of october, i had to wear a shaw over it. everytime i went up to someone's house, i had to take off my "wrap" so that they could see my costume. this was years before disney sold one to match the actual costume (i.e. cinderella, snow white, blah, blah, blah).

"princess diana"

i always loved princess diana. in second grade, i even had my hair cut to look like her's. i was such a dork. anyway, this is me in my princess di outfit. the only thing that i remember from this night, was that my necklace broke on someone's porch, and my dad patiently helped me to pick each one up, and put them into my candy bag. i was devestated, and he took a bad and embarrasing situation, and made it so sweet.

"hippie"

admittedly, this was a half-assed costume. i didn't really feel like dressing up. i really only wanted candy. (or maybe it was pms. check back at the next post for a looksy at my pissed-off carving experience.) like the perm?

(** there is somewhat of a time lapse here, as it was around this time that i would go to my friends houses for trick-or-treating. resulting in... no pictures! **)

"nelly sue"

originally, this costume was made as a joke with a friend. we created aliases and went out to a hick country restaurant, called.... are you ready..... 'Po Folks. no crap. not only could you buy a moonpie at the counter when you were paying your bill, but you could also drink from jelly jars underneath flowerpot light fixtures. yee haw!

"the wizard of oz"

a few years into our relationship, tom and i had decided that we were too old to trick-or-treat, so instead, we went to the church to pass out candy. we had a hard time deciding what to be.... finally deciding to be "dorothy" and "the scarecrow" from the wizard of oz. i bought some red flats from goodwill, and spent many painful hours hot-gluing red sequins onto them. ouch!

"catbat"

this is one of my favorite costumes. tom's sister was having a halloween party, and we were helping her to carve pumpkins and prepare for the festivities. i didn't have a costume, so i created "catbat" out of a headband and a cape. we enjoyed scaring the crap out of jenn and her friends. what a blast!

"gypsy #2"

ok. i know, it's pretty dumb to reprise an old halloween costume, however, this time it was for a good cause. there was a younger girl that lived on my parents' street, and she didn't have many friends, or siblings...so my mom volunteered me to go trick-or-treating with her. she wanted to dress up like me, so i decided that being a gypsy (again) would be the easiest costume. i love this picture. not only does it show off my yellow doc's, but also my skinny body!!!! i swear, i've never looked better. what the crap happened?

so there you have it. a short jaunt down memory lane of some of my finest (and not-so-finest) halloween costumes. * check back to the next post for pumpkins from halloween past!

* some costumes which i had, but unfortunately, don't have pictures of..... Robert Smith (The Cure), Jellyorum (Cats), Sunshine Christy, Mary Poppins, Mousketeer, and Kids Incorporated dancer

(listening to "Feel Good Inc." by Gorillaz)

petunia face

2005-10-26T17:45:00.000-04:00

Petunia Face

polly is just as excited for halloween as i am. can't you tell? hee hee!

(listening to "We Didn't Do It" by Tegan & Sara)

christy reynolds?

2005-10-07T22:37:00.000-04:00

look what comes up when you google "christy reynolds" under images! whacked.

(listening to "Fortress" by Pinback)

"elliott" (the turtle)

2005-09-28T17:38:00.000-04:00

i don't know what it is about me.... if it is because i am soft-hearted (like my mama), or if i just have a really good eye, but i always seem to be able to find turtles in distress, and feel the need to bring them to safety.

since i have been living in florida, i have already saved three turtles from almost certain death. my most recent one being, "elliott", the ginormous turtle i saved on my street yesterday.

i was minding my own business, driving to the gym, when i drove past a turtle on the side of my street. i wasn't sure if he was alive or had "passed on", but i decided to stop anyway. as i approached him, i noticed that he was still alive, and needed to be moved, or would most likely be killed. the only predicament was how in the world could i get him to the lake? i had a bad experience when i was younger with a turtle in the car (that my mom, brother, and i were trying to save), so i didn't exactly want him to be next to me, even if that would have meant on the floor. so i decided that the trunk was the best bet.

i quickly cleared out my trunk, to make room for my
scared friend. as i was going to pick him up, a woman approached us on a walk with her dog, and told me that it was a hard-shelled turtle (of course! i have never known a turtle to not have a hard shell), and that she was glad i was saving it, because all animals should have a good chance at life.

when i approached him, he quickly went into his shell, though i could see that he had some extremely long claws...or nails, whatever. anyway, that made me nervous. i was afraid that he was going to start coming out of his shell when i picked him up, though he didn't, thank God. i did finally put him in my trunk, and quickly grabbed my Sidekick, so i could snap some pictures for this blog. yes, i am always trying to think of good things to write about!

anyway, i drove him to a nearby construction dump, that happened to be next to Turkey Lake. I quickly retrieved him from my trunk, and walked him all of the way down to the lake.

here, he started to feel comfortable enough to emerge from his shell, and hopefully, feel secure.

i named him "elliott", which seemed to be a much more mature sounding name compared to "tiger", the first turtle that i ever saved! funny how we sometimes give animals "people" names, especially named after our favorite singers. (another turtle that i saved a long time ago, was given the name "robert", after robert smith of "the cure".)

i hope that elliott lives many happy days in Turkey Lake, and that he manages to stay away from roads from now on.

"elliott" in his new home!

(listening to "Naked As We Came" by Iron & Wine)

he's fun, he's cool, AND it's his birthday!!!

2005-09-23T11:24:00.000-04:00

it's funny how you can instantly love a person, even after only knowing them for a short time. that is how i feel about michael kelly (aka betamike). i had always wondered who he was, but knew that he must be cool, having always been included in stephanie's concert update emails. however, it wasn't until i met him at her birthday party, last january, that i had a face to put with the name.

when i finally met him, he wasn't at all what i had expected. i can't quite put into words what i thought that he was going to be like, but i can say that the man with the awesome tie and cool glasses that introduced himself as "mike kelly", wasn't what i had imagined. nevertheless, as i sat across from him at the dinner table, realizing that we knew the same people and liked the same music, i was secretly hoping that we could become friends.

the rest is history. we saw each other at "paws in the park", where the first talk of going to "coachella" was suggested. and in indio, california, somewhere in between the "tender loins", morning breakfasts, talks of our mutual love of all things scary and "night of the living dead", and calling home to check on the "girls" (olive and polly), a friendship was formed. a friendship that i hope will last for a very long time.

i love you, michael kelly. have a very happy birthday!

(in honor of his birthday, i'm listening to "southern belles in london sing" by The Faint)

metric

2005-09-23T11:20:00.000-04:00

Previously shown here was...
"Combat Baby" by Metric

i LOVE this song, and i am digging the marionettes too!

"i got a question mark"

2005-09-15T22:36:00.000-04:00

so i was reading a blog posted by one of betamike's friends and it inspired me to be a copycat. he had a list of random "questions" that are sometimes forwarded for people to answer about themselves.

i have always been fascinated by the answers that people write, so i decided to make up my own "quiz" for the readers of this blog. if you want to take it, please feel free to copy and paste this post into an email with your answers. you might see some of the best (and most entertaining) answers in an upcoming post*. i went ahead and took the quiz myself, with my answers highlighted in red. e n j o y !

Quiz

1. if you could have named yourself, what would you have picked? clementine

2. if you could be on The Price Is Right, what game would you want to play? Plinko

3. suppose you are stranded on an island and have only one music group that you could listen to for the rest of your life, what would it be? Elliott Smith

4. what was your first pet's name, and what kind of animal was/is it? a kitty named "Max"

5. which search engine do you prefer...yahoo! or google? Yahoo!

6. which tabloid headline are you most bored of hearing about... brad and angelia, tom and katie, or britney spears' baby? tom and katie

7. what is the best concert that you have ever attended? (coachella doesn't count, vhat! i want to know a specific group) chemical brothers

8. what are you most comfortable wearing? sweatpants, a tanktop, and flip-flops

9. in high school, what were you "labeled" as? "alternative" (whatever that is!)

10. what is your favorite book? merriam-websters thesaurus

11. if you had to pick the last meal before you died, what would it be? my mom's spaghetti

12. if you could speak any language fluently, what would you speak? french

13. if you could visit any foreign country, where would you go? india

14. what is your favorite fast food restaurant? chick-fil-a!

15. if you had to chose, would you give up your hearing or sight? tough question. i guess, sight. weird coming from an interpreter!

16. if you could be a superhero, who would you be? spiderman

17. if you could commit any crime and get away with it, what would it be? arson

18. if you could hear what someone was thinking for one day, who would you choose? polly!

19. if you had the opportunity to change one thing about your body, what would it be? my legs

20. if you were a toy, what toy would you be? a big mouth singer

21. if you could be born again in any time period and country, when and where would it be? England in the 1940's

22. if you were the President, what would you change? roe v. wade

23. if you were going to die tomorrow, what would you do today? go home & get another tattoo

24. if you were a crayon, what color would you be? red

25. if you could have inspired any song, what would it be? "the luckiest" by ben folds

26. what is your favorite candy? twizzlers or tootsie rolls

27. if you could be an animal for one day, which animal would you be? a manatee

28. if you could front any music group, which would it be? rilo kiley

29. if you had the entire world captive for 5 minutes, what would you say? "god created us to love each other, so quit bickering and murdering innocent babies... (and of course) i love chick-fil-a and tom reynolds!"

30. if you could be invisible for a day, what would you do? sneak into the White House (like in X-Men 2!)

*unless otherwise requested, your name will accompany your answer, should it be picked for the blog.

(listening to "A Question Mark" by Elliott Smith)

the freaks come out at night....even for charity!

2005-09-15T21:06:00.000-04:00

recently, i was able to interpret at a charity event (which was open to the general public, so that's why i can write about it here). i was super excited to go and was going to be teaming with my good buddy, Rafael, and my friend Kevin, was going to be my date.

anyway, when we arrived, we all soon realized that it wasn't the "semi-formal gala" that was advertised. there were some whacked out people there, and people were dressed in anything from evening dresses to Hooters attire. as advertised, there were "celebrities and beauty queens" in attendance, even if they were just look-alikes or local.

overall, it was quite fun. the food was free, i was able to hang out with my friends, and it's not everyday that you get to interpret for Cher and Elvis impersonators!

bring it on, Steve Austin!

gypsies, tramps or thieves?
hmm..... maybe a little bit of each!

so nice of George and Laura to make an appearance

i'm so lucky to have friends like Kevin and Rafael

(listening to "Hey Now Now" by The Cloud Room)

vhat reunion

2005-09-13T23:24:00.000-04:00

vhat

what a nice evening with my vhat friends.

thanks. i needed it.

iPod

2005-09-12T14:57:00.000-04:00

in my sick mind, this is what i envision happening on the inside of my iPod when i push, "play".

(previously showing the "Such Great Heights" video by The Postal Service)

big mouth singers

2005-09-07T21:47:00.000-04:00

"LA! LA! LA!"

does anyone remember this toy? of course, i know that my dad will. you know how periodically, memories will come rushing back into your mind? this just happened to me a few minutes ago, so i immediately wanted to post about it.

only $6.99? sign me up!

when i was very young, probably two or three years old, i received a "Big Mouth Singers" toy as a present, probably for my birthday. i don't remember if i had seen a commercial about it, and wanted one, or if someone thought that it would be a cute present to give a little girl. nevertheless, i was given one.

this is where my happy story quickly takes a very sad turn. it broke, or was already broken when i went to play with it. i would push the buttons, and their happy little mouths would open and close, but no sound would come out. of course, i am sure that i was heartbroken. i have always loved music, and especially the piano, and i am sure that the concept of this toy could have somehow helped to foster that passion.

anyway, my father and brother realized that an opportunity was obviously presenting itself. you would think that the "opportunity" would be to return the faulty merchandise and replace it with one that worked, therefore, resulting in a happy daughter/sister. however, this nice option didn't enter their minds. instead, they decided that it would be more advantageous to exchange it for a basketball that the two of them could enjoy together.

now, i don't know if i realized it at the time that i was getting screwed (or as i like to say, "the ripper") out of a birthday present. i would like to think that i was oblivious to this cruelty. however, i do know that my naivete couldn't have lasted too long, because that became a favorite story for them to recall.

well, it's not all doom and gloom. i never let go the fact that they had done that to me, and i made my dear dad apologize on more than one occasion. years later, he did make it up to me. when i first discovered ebay, i found an original "Big Mouth Singers" toy and my dad did buy it for me. ironically, this one didn't work either!

so that's my story of the "Big Mouth Singers". i was just watching the above video of "Now It's On" by Grandaddy, and saw this toy near the end, hence recalling the memory of this classic toy.

(for my vhat crew... don't you think that it would have been better if, for the video, his hat had a better word written on it?)

(listening to "Pretty (Ugly Before)" by Elliott Smith)

iTunes...take a backseat, baby!

2005-09-07T21:22:00.000-04:00

oh yeah, i have a new favorite!!!

www.allofmp3.com

this website, has already saved me money. i purchased three cds yesterday for only a tiny fee. i'm hoping that this is legal.... Esq. (aka Kristen) says that it might not be, but i'm taking my chances. at least i am not "sharing" through some of the other sites that i know of.

anyway, you should check it out. very cool, and cheaper than iTunes and Musicmatch!

(listening to "Feel Good Inc." by Gorillaz)

these are a few of my favorite things...

2005-08-19T09:57:00.000-04:00

videocodezone.com is one of my new favorite things! thanks alisa, for showing me such a cool way to share my favorite songs (and videos).

check back to see new videos updated!

also, for my vhat crew, watch this video and look for the "door" at the end.

(previously showing the video "Son of Sam" by Elliott Smith

why "Diddy" do it again?

2005-08-17T12:48:00.000-04:00

breaking news! sean combs has changed his name, again!. you might not know him by his given name, "Sean", but rather.... Puffy, Puff Daddy, P.Diddy, yada yada yada. he was recently quoted as saying that he needed to drop the "P" because, "[the 'P'] was getting between me and my fans". wow! i never realized how much that one initial held me back from fully appreciating your rip-offs.....er...."music".

he has promised a grand "unveiling" of his name at the Video Music Awards. personally, i am sitting in a puddle of my own urine, just waiting in anticipation of this blessed event. please read this quote on what we should expect, should we be lucky enough to tune in for the walk down the red carpet!

"To be honest, the unveiling of Diddy, you gonna see that at the [Video Music Awards]," he told MTV News. "You gonna see that in the entrance. You gonna see that swagger. You gonna see how I'm gonna navigate you through the journey. I'm gonna play my position, my role. The artists are gonna play their role. We're gonna have an incredible, incredible party."

what's my role in this "show"? is it to sit and watch you parade down the crimson carpet in your white suit, cane in hand, top hat securely on your head, and an anorexic barely-clad waif on your arm? or is it to listen to you incessantly drone on and on, using your ignorant version of the English language, on how you are an "artist"? no thank you. that is one "journey", i will happily not be a part of.

this is the role model of the "future of america". disgusting.

(listening to "Cold Hands (Warm Heart)" by Brendan Benson)

speaking of clapping....

2005-08-15T17:46:00.000-04:00

ben lee

i love, love, love his new song, "Catch My Disease". it also has one of the most fun videos that i have ever seen. click his picture (above) and watch it through the link to the MTV2 website. if i could be in any music video, i would definitely want to be dancing and CLAPPING in this one!

if you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!

2005-08-05T19:20:00.000-04:00

i love any song with clapping.

if clapping and singing make you happy too, then you might enjoy the song list below. i can't help but clap along to these songs!

if you are rhythmically saavy, then you can impress your friends!

Ladies Night - Kool And The Gang

Comfortably Numb - Scissor Sisters

Dirty Harry - Gorillaz

Clark Gable - The Postal Service
Speak Slow - Tegan & Sara
The Sound Of Settling - Death Cab for Cutie
The Party's Crashing Us - Of Montreal
I Want You Back - The Jackson 5
You Got Me - VHS or Beta
Deceptacon - Le Tigre
Fell Down The Stairs - Tilly & The Wall
Shiny Happy People - R.E.M.
Kissing The Lipless - The Shins
Along Comes Mary - The Association
Get It On - T-Rex
Brown-Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
Sexx Laws - Beck
Close To Me - The Cure
Peace Train - Cat Stevens
Hey Ya! - Outkast
Wip It - Devo
Tiny Little Fractures - Snow Patrol
Rock Your Body - Justin Timberlake
Thank God I'm A Country Boy - John Denver
Ask - The Smiths
Beverly Hills - Weezer
Lollipop - The Cordettes
Hey Now Now - The Cloud Room
If You Wanna Be Happy - Jimmy Soul
Been Caught Stealing - Jane's Addiction
Holiday Road - Lindsey Buckingham
Hey Micky - Toni Basil
Gettin' Jiggy With It - Will Smith

because i can, here are some pictures of me and stephanie. she has a cool new Mini Cooper, and i am sure that we will have many hours of fun, clapping and singing together on our "mini" roadtrips!

(listening to "Nothing Much Happens" by Ben Lee)

what the???

2005-07-20T21:51:00.000-04:00

i found this picture of myself today and had to ask myself, what the crap is wrong with me? why must i always look like i am a retarded person who just got off of the short bus?

(listening to "Tiptoe through the Tulips" by Tiny Tim)

holiday drive-in

2005-07-12T14:49:00.000-04:00

ahhh, the drive-in. remember those? sadly, most of them are now gone and have been flattened by the newest Super Wal-Mart. if you think about it, we are destroying a little part of American history, one theatre at a time, as more and more of these relics are forgotten about and fall into disrepair. i would love to have been alive during their heyday, to celebrate this unique way to go to the movies. recently, while on vacation, i was able to journey back through time to experience going to the drive-in. i went with my husband, his dad and sister (polly too!) to the holiday auto-theatre in hamilton, ohio to take in a double feature.

polly and her dad, on their way to the drive-in

Rebound and Mr. & Mrs. Smith were playing, and even though i had already seen the later, it was going to be fun to watch them in such a cool environment.

after driving for an hour we finally saw the sign that let us know we had arrived. i was prettty sure that we weren't going to see another sign like this in the cornfield that we were driving through!

as we turned the corner and the screen peeked into view i became extremely excited. memories of past visits to establishments such as this, came into my head. Spaceballs and Superman IV were the movies being shown on my first visit to a drive-in. the year was 1987 and i was only nine years old. i remember peering at the giant screen watching Spaceballs from the backseat of my parents' car. i was eating popcorn while covered up with a ridiculous amount of blankets, and surrounded by every pillow that i could stuff into the backseat while still having enough room for my brother to sit. i didn't make it through both movies. i fell asleep during Superman. but i sure did try to stay awake for both, because i didn't want to miss out on such a cool movie-going experience.

anyway, back to my most recent encounter. it was a beautiful night for watching a movie outdoors. the temperature was not too warm and not too cool, but just perfect. after settling on a spot, we tuned the stereo to the right station, set out chairs and prepared the suv by layering blankets and pillows in the back cab. we sat around chatting and listening to old radio programs that were being piped through the loud speakers. one in particular, probably from the 1950's, was a man reciting the pledge of allegiance and talking about what it meant to him. it doesn't get more american than that... let's hit the refreshment stand!

while in the snack bar, i met a wonderful worker there named Debbie. she was very sweet and told me that i could take pictures of anything that i wanted, except for the screen after the movies had started. she even let me take a picture of her! i told her that she would be on my blog, but she didn't know what a blog was, so i promised to send her some pictures via the postal service.

the refreshment stand was so cool. it still had some of the original displays that continued to be used to present and sell food.

if i can speak candidly, and since i know that debbie will probably never be tech-savvy enough to search and find my blog, then i must say that the food sucked and was way over priced. no candy! can you believe that? i know, how could i survive, right? candy takes up 5 out of 6 of my basic food groups. luckily, it was such a cool atmosphere that my hungry belly didn't mind going without sustenance for a little bit longer.

jenn at the snack bar

vintage speaker

this drive-in didn't have any in working order, but one was on display.

the rules never apply to me!

everyone is ready for the show...

polly too!

during the intermission, we hit the snack bar one last time.

overall, it was a great time. both of the movies were good, and what could have been an ordinary night of going to the movies, really became an event that was unique and special with a family that i love and cherish. it was so much fun!

going to the drive-in is rad!

driving ..... me crazy!

2005-06-30T18:11:00.000-04:00

if i wasn't a nice Christian girl, this is what you would see if you ever cut me off on the road.

what the crap is up with people not knowing how to drive? i swear. i am so frickin' sick of people cutting me off, not waving to say "thanks" after i let them out, rubber-necking for no good reason, slamming on their brakes for nothing, and talking on their cell phones. ok, i might be guilty of the last example, but for the most part, i try my best to be a very conscientious driver.

two days ago, i was seriously cut off (meaning, if i hadn't SLAMMED on my brakes, i would have been in an accident) by not one, not two, but three drivers. this happened in a span of about twenty minutes. if i hadn't been paying attention, i could have really been hurt.

why do people feel the need to just "come on over" when there is just enough space for one car between mine and the car in front of me?

why do people have to slow down to look at a truck with a flat tire that has stopped way off to the side of the expressway?

why don't people in the greater orlando area wave "thanks" when someone is kind enough to let them out... sometimes, even holding up a few cars behind them just to be nice?

these are questions that i ponder as i drive on my crazy daily commute to and from various assignments. but the stupidity that i normally witness doesn't necessarily have to happen when their cars are in motion. oh no! today, i saw one of the scariest and most dangerous acts of stupidity ever, while i was at the 7-eleven on Kirkman road.

i had stopped on my way to work to fill up my car with some much needed gas, and had to go inside to pay. (ok, so i could have paid outside, but i needed some caffeine and bought a mt. dew) after making it through the ridiculously long line, i finally was only one person away from making my purchases. unfortunately, the gentleman who was next in line didn't speak any English (big frickin' surprise) and could not pronounce the number fourteen correctly. this began a rather long dialogue between him and the poor clerk behind the counter.

Clerk: "Which number sir?"

Man: "Fortee"

Clerk: "Excuse me, did you say forty?"

Man: "Fortee"

Clerk: "I'm sorry sir, I can't understand you. Do you mean fourteen as in 1-4 or forty as in 4-0?"

Man: "Fortee"

holy schnoli! can someone please interpret? i was beginning to think that murphy's law was in full force as i watched person after person checking out in the line next to me. finally, i could wait no longer and jumped into the "express" line.

after i had made my purchases i went outside to fill up my tank. as i stood there, watching the gasoline meter click away the numbers, i noticed my non-english speaking friend had finally paid and was now standing in the next row over. he and his counterpart were filling up multiple portable containers with gasoline. not so bad, right? THEY WERE STILL IN THE TRUNK OF THEIR CAR!!! i was absolutely horrified. of course, they were not using a funnel and the gasoline was spilling everywhere! now, you don't need to know English to be able to read a picture diagram. you can't tell me that in all of their years of driving that they have never seen a sticker like this on the fuel pump!

could it BE any more clear?

as if it couldn't get any worse, the guy realized that they were having a hard time reaching the fuel nozzel to the container, so he started up his car to move it closer! seeing that i had just finished with my own fill up, i wanted to get out of there before they blew us all up, but never being able to keep my mouth shut, i had to try to let them know that what they were doing was dangerous.

Christy: "Excuse me, that is very dangerous. You shouldn't be doing that in the trunk of the car."

Man: "Excuseme?"

Christy: "What you are doing is dan-ger-ous!" (now adding gestures)

Man: "Excuseme?"

Christy: (Thinking to herself... what is the Spanish word for "caution"? Despacio? Cuidado? Why didn't I pay attention in the four years of Espanol that I took in school???)

anyway, i didn't even try to say anything else. i just got the heck out of there as fast as my little Volvo could carry me.

well, i know that they didn't blow themselves up. atleast, not at THAT 7-eleven, since it was still standing when i was driving home from work. i just hope that, in the future, they don't accidentally kill an innocent person because of their stupidity.

if you are reading this, and can see yourself as one of those people i was describing in the beginning of this post, (rubber-necker, excessive braker, cell phone talker... well maybe not the last one) please do us all a favor and change your ways. we all want to arrive at our destinations as safely and swiftly as possible. not to mention, with our blood pressure at an acceptable rate too!

piano

2005-06-27T11:46:00.000-04:00

i love to play the piano.

i grew up having a baby grand piano that i could bang on and eventually learned to play. my parents enrolled me in piano lessons when i was young, and even with a mean old hag for a teacher, my love for this instrument grew. i remember how this teacher would get on my case for looking at my hands as i played. one time, she decided that she was going to teach me a lesson on how to not look at my hands, but instead to concentrate on the notes printed on the music in front of me. she took the piano lid and held it down just above my fingers so that i couldn't see them. i began to cry, only to be met with disapproving looks and words about not being a "baby" from this woman. i was so afraid of her dropping it on my hands. she wouldn't have known, nor would she listen when i tried to explain how my older brother would sometimes slam my own piano lid on my fingers when he wanted to be especially mean. what an awful memory. (and paul, if you should read this, i was more hurt by the teacher's unkind words than by your actions.)

anyway, this caused me to quit taking lessons, only to take them up years later from a wonderfully sweet woman named Mrs. Kirby. she was awesome. she used to laugh at me for playing everything as fast as i could. whenever i was going to learn a new piece, i would ask her to play it through for me one time first. i would listen intently trying to memorize the melody. i didn't really want to learn that actual notes on the music, instead i wanted to sound it out for myself. she soon caught on to my antics! however, she never chastised me for not practicing, or was disappointed when i picked enya over mozart. she was always gracious and kind. she was the best piano teacher that i could have asked for.

i eventually quit taking lessons around my freshman year of high school. i was becoming involved in percussion and was singing a lot at school, which didn't leave time for me to continue with private lessons. years passed until i saw Mrs. Kirby again. i had gotten married and didn't even own a piano at my new home. i always wondered what she was doing, if she had continued teaching or not. one day, i decided to drive to her house on the chance that she might be there. i wanted her to hear me play all of the songs that i had learned (without actual sheet music, by the way) since being a student of hers. she was so happy to see me, and quietly listened as i played. i knew that when i left, i would probably never see her again. i haven't.

since that day, my desire to play has continued to grow. a few years ago i received, as a gift from my dear aunt genie, an upright piano. it has a beautiful black matte finish to it and sounds great. i left it in ohio when i moved to florida and have missed it often since.

i sometimes dream about playing the piano. i try to remember the songs and how they sound when i play it. i always look forward to going back home to ohio, so that i can sit for as long as i like, at my mother-in-law's shiny black piano. sometimes i feel like crying because i miss playing so badly.

last week, i was searching on ebay (as i often do)for an inexpensive piano in the orlando area. i found one. we will see on wednesday if i get it. i already have a list of songs that i will learn as soon as it is in my home. i am so excited, that even the thought of being able to play soon makes me want to spin around in circles and squeal!

well, i guess that is all for now. i am on my way to meet one of my favorite people for lunch. have a blessed day everyone!

(listening to "Late" by Ben Folds)

my dad

2005-06-19T12:14:00.000-04:00

i look forward to this day every year.

i love my dad.

he makes me laugh and some of the best memories of my life he has been a part of.

i know that he won't be around forever, so that is why i try to make the most of all of the time that i have with him.

i love calling him just so that we can laugh our butts off reminiscing about funny things that have happened in the past.

i love it when we can look at each other and know exactly what the other person is thinking.

sometimes, we even say the same thing at the exact same moment or say, "i was just going to say that!"

we both love halloween and going to haunted houses together. my dad introduced me to horror movies (maybe a little too early, but oh well.)

dad and i can have entire conversations that consist of us calling each other a "butt".

i know that if i am ever in trouble that i can call him and he will come to help me no matter what time or where i am.

he is one of my closest friends.

i love spending time just with him so that we can be as "whacked out" as we want without getting in trouble!

i know that i am one of the luckiest girls in the world to have a dad like i do. he cares for me, supports me, and loves me just the way that i am. he is how God intended fathers to be.

happy father's day, dad.

mix it up

2005-06-19T11:23:00.000-04:00

i must give a shout out to my friend Michael for sending me this awesome site. most of you probably won't like the music (danny, alisa and kristen, you all probably will).

http://www.partyben.com/downloads/

anyway, i needed to share. i love it. especially because i heard "Rock the Casbah" by The Clash at the 7 - elev the other day and i was the only person dancing and singing to it in the store.

e n j o y !

(listening to "Somebody Told Me" Clash/Killers)

change

2005-06-18T12:07:00.000-04:00

i am still new at the whole "blogger" thing and decided to make some changes today. i really didn't care for the old layout, so i decided to change it. you will also notice that i have added links to my friend's blogs as well as pictures on flickr. i should be adding my favorite links soon.

so today is saturday and i am not working. hooray. i might go and see a movie later with my husband and our friend. i really want to see "Cinderella Man" because I hear that it is good. we'll see. other than that i am just staying at home today cleaning and doing odds and ends things. i am feeling very blah, even though miss polly is sweetly napping on my lap as i type this.

anyway, i think that i am going to eat lunch now. maybe that will help me to perk up.

(listening to "Laura" by the Scissor Sisters)

2005-06-17T18:21:00.000-04:00

the social

a new beginning

2005-06-17T18:00:00.000-04:00

here it is. a brand new start. i can't promise that i will be the best about updating, but i will try. it may only be once a week. that will have to be good enough. my friend tells me that it doesn't need to be profound, and that it can be about anything that i want. so that is what you are going to get.

warning! my grammar is lousy, so i am excusing myself now.

anyway, today i slept in late. i was off of work and went to see Tilly and the Wall at the Social downtown with Michael and Stephanie (see above picture). it was great. you should check them out. no percussion, only tap-dancing. pretty cool.

then i went out with my friend, sheryl, from church. we went antiquing and then went for coffee. i don't drink coffee. i prefer hot chocolate.

well, that's it, i guess.

enjoy today,
crit

(listening to "Blacking Out The Friction" by Death Cab for Cutie)