there is a disturbance in the Force.

here, in Mostly Smoggy Southern California, we are currently experiencing a phenomena that has, quite literally, set the populous on its ear.

it's been raining.

rain, i realize is no big thing. heck, in the Land of My Peoples (aka Oregon), it's a common occurrence.
here, not so much.

it's been raining off and on for the last three days. and, while just one day of rain is frustrating, have it rain for that many days and you can watch my fellow citizens slowly be driven insane.

Southern Californians have no idea how to deal with rain...or any weather for that matter. as a society that lives in our cars on the freeway, when it does rain, the experts tell us to slow down.

it.doesn't.work.

people here do one of two things as they drive in the rain: they freak out and s-l-o-w w-a-a-a-a-y d-o-w-n, or freak out and drive like maniacs.

wait. we drive like maniacs anyway.

while the rain makes my Husband depressed, it makes me feel all giddy inside. i would be perfectly happy watching it rain for hours.

just not from the inside of my car.

speaking of us driving like maniacs...when the Husband and i were commute dating (he lived in San Diego County, about an hour and a half from where i lived), before i discovered the glory & wonder that was the train, i drove.

and i could tell you, without even seeing a sign, what county i was in just by the way folks were driving. in San Diego, if you wanted to change lanes, the attitude was "cool, dude. just go for it, save the whales, heal the bay and stay cool." by the time i would hit the O.C., it was "duuuude. do you really have to change lanes? OK, then - be cool."

in L.A., it was "dude. change lanes and i will bust a cap in yer ass."

driving here is fun. pack (heat) accordingly.


in unemployment news...
a couple of weeks ago, the Husband had his 4th interview with a company in the O.C.
they sent a Dear John letter, stating that they've decided to not fill the position, due to the recent economic downturn.

really? recent? where HAVE you been?

but he does have another interview with a company in Chatsworth on Tuesday. the rumor is that they really, really like him; i just hope they really, really hire him.

Chatsworth, by the way, is about 45 minutes from us. not a fun drive.

especially when it rains.

s-s-s-s-s-s-s-smokin' the second act.

well, as if the Santa Barbara fires weren't bad enough, now we've got a fire up in Sylmar, about 50 miles from us.

this time, we're getting some serious ash and even heavier smokey smell.

AND it's hot...89 right now, so you can't even have windows open, otherwise you'll die of smoke inhalation.

oh, lucky, lucky us.

meanwhile...

the Husband is off for the weekend; he's going with my friend's kid's Boy Scout troup on an overnight trip to the USS Midway down in San Diego.

lucky him. not only is San Diego the best.damn.city. in California, but it's usually about 15-20 degrees cooler than it is up here.

and no smoke.

who's the smart one now?

bleah.

it snuck up without warning, smacking down all in its wake.

it's Monday.

and while it's a great day to be alive, birds are singing, sun is shining (or it will be, right now it's still pitch black) etc, etc, there's just nothing good to be said about Monday.

no, i haven't had my daily ration of diet coke, but i will, grasshopper, i will. and soon.

but it's still Monday. and Mondays always suck.

best of luck getting through today, kids.

goin' Hollywood.

my No. Cal. friends were down this past weekend...apparently he needed a Disneyland fix and while they were down, we made plans to hit Paramount Studios in L.A.

the only studio we've ever toured was Universal. my friends have toured Universal, Warner Bros and now Paramount.

the tour was different than Universal in that at Universal, you get about 100 people in a tram and while you see actual working sets, there is a lot that's already set up for tours. Paramount & Warner is smaller and there's nothing already set up. if you see something filming, good on you. no huge King Kong audioanamatronic...no set up of props.

a small group was nice..easier to ask questions. our tour guide stopped a lot, showed us some sets from upcoming Nickelodeon shows, saw the area where Lucille Ball had her home on set set up...landscaped to be like her personal home. we saw them filming Dirty Sexy Money, feeling sorry for the extras, dressed for a New York Fall/Winter in a Southern California unseasonably warm fall.

oh, and the Hollywood sign.

every time i see the logo, i think of the Brady Bunch.

filming Dirty Sexy Money = hurry up and wait. we watched 'em set up the scene, wait, bring the cars in, wait, wait, wait...then we left.

the famous gate. i didn't realize it was so famous, but our guide said it's the most photographed studio opening ever.

who knew?

in other news...

the birthday party went well...the birthday girl does NOT look one, she looks older and THAT can cause a problem for mommy & daddy when she gets older.

i can't post any photos, momma never said i could, and i didn't ask because i was totally busy. the Birthday Girl, however, is just getting her walking legs and has a full head of curly hair..and looks exactly like her grandma..daddy's momma.

the park they had the party at was amazing...Irvine Regional was part of the Irvine Ranch at one point...the Irvine family owned over 100,000 acres of land in the O.C., which makes up about 1/4 of the county.

daaaaaang.

the park has pony rides, a train, pedal boats AND a zoo. in the winter, the train ride takes you to see Santa.

i'm all over that.

the only downside from the weekend was all that great outdoors wreaked havoc on my allergies...and i paid for it yesterday, feeling miserable and stuffy.

ah-choo, y'all.

the nose...knows.

at one time, it was 'what's that in your nose?'
now - it's 'hey - what happened to your nose?'

i have a divot in my nose. and there's no way anyone is gonna stick one back in it.

last week - sometime during the night, i pulled a blanket over my head.
i'm very good at that.

somehow, someway...my head stayed left, while the blanket went right...around the nose stud and pulled it right out.

did i feel it? yep. did it hurt? nope. it did wake me up enough to feel up my own nose, but my sleep-addled brain said heck yeah, your Symbol of Rebellion is still there.

the mirror the next morning told the true story. it was gone. with only memories left behind.

so it's the end of an era. i'm not getting it re-pierced. i did it, i had fun with it, but its time has passed.

and it didn't even hurt.

Saturday mornings rock.

a bowl of Honeycomb.
the Osmonds cartoons on DVD.
doing some scrapbooking for a friend.

that's what i call a good day.



off to take photos at a baby shower. that should be interesting.

it is well with my soul.

if you've hung out with me...either in real life or here...for an length of time, you'll know that early Sunday mornings here are my A-#1-Blue Ribbon-Gold Medal-Academy Award Winning favorite time of all.

add the rain to it, and well...i might as well be on drugs.
the good kind, not the icky ones that make everyone looks like zombies have had their way with 'em.

it's such a wonderful time of day. and add some rain to that equation and well...i'm happiern a pig in slop.

eww.

let's just say it's cool.

oh - and let's add my new Sunday morning obsession. an Oldies station here plays 'American Top 40' reruns from the 70s early Sunday. give me the occasional Donny, DeFrancos or even Shaft (shut yor mouth!), well...how could it get better?

we've had a lot of rain in the last few weeks. which, although is totally needed, also blows, because we've also had fires. and whether or not you're smarter than a 5th grader, it doesn't take much to know that without grass or trees to hold the dirt, rain turns dirt to mud.

and mud, like all other inhabitents on this earth, must obey the laws of gravity.

so if the fires don't getcha, the mud might bloody well will.

add to that the fun of a freaking tornado watch in Long Beach last week, and well...it's no wonder the rest of the nation looks at us Southern Californians as a crazy family member.

we complain because there's smog. we complain when the rain comes. we complain when we get no rain. we wait for the Big One as patiently as a grandmother rocking a child.

but dude. when the rain does come, we lose our freaking minds.

it's kinda funny to watch.

yesterday, though...Husband and i were out when we cast our eyes north. we do have mountains here, and since it rained here, most of the smog has been blown away. so we have a perfect view of the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains.

with snow on top.

dang it. it was beautiful. and a total novelty for us. being urbanites AND Southern Californians, we don't see much snow. and again, we lose our freaking minds.

last April, we were up in Reno. it snowed. not a light dusting but a couple of feets worth (and please do not email or comment on my poor English. it's early and i'm not a morning person, with or without caffeine and so the laws of proper English usage do not apply. pfffffttttttt.).

my sister in law was trying have me committed. i was running outside with the camera trying to take a picture of it snowing. something she's seen during the many years she's lived up there.
meantime, there's this geek trying to get a photo of it.

and no, i didn't get a good picture of it.

so back to yesterday. we were both admiring the mountains, wondering if Kristie was up to her butt in snow up in Hesperia when i said:

"dang it. i didn't bring my camera. i could get a good shot with my telephoto lens."

"want me to go home so you can get it?"

"naaaah. what would i do with it? if i posted it on the blog, half of the nation would be saying 'big whoop. happens here all the time.' "

...and the Oscar goes to...

an apropos title, considering the Writers Guild of America, West will probably go on strike @ midnight tonight.

soaps and late night talk shows are in trouble. this, however, could be my big break.

riiiiiight.

back to the Oscar thing. i always hated it, when the people that hand out the Oscars (i'm not sure i want to type out the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences) changed the line ''and the winner is...''

because everyone's a winner when you get nominated for an Oscar?

because ''it's such an honor to just be nominated?"

come on. someone's gotta win, someone's gotta lose. that's life.

and every bloody one of 'em would rather be a winner. fake gracious smiles and all.

hey, i know i would.

but i'm a long, long way off from having any nominations. at least for an Oscar. so - i put off picking someone to be my Honorary 2500th Visitor, for many reasons, none of which will interest you.

unless you want to hear about how the Husband hogged, er, used the laptop a lot yesterday, doing his homework.

and today, well, i was busy. finishing up Christmas gifts for my work group. a goody tin for the candy hogs @ work. photos will follow, no worries.

so. the winner of my Honorary 2500th Visitor is...

hey - did i mention i did some Christmas shopping already? a few Christmas presents for the kiddos in my life. craft stuff for our trip to Reno. oh, and paper towels.

because when you go to BigLots to get paper towels, you might as well do some Christmas shopping.

sorry. back to the subject at hand.

my Honorary 2500th Visitor is...

i am so ready for our trip to Reno. cannot wait to see everyone - and with a little luck, cousin Marlen might make a trip out from Ireland. and how cool is that? we'll be making paper chains for the Christmas tree, playing I Spy and i'll even be learning how to play War.

ooops. did it again. sorry. that was mean.

here's the Husband, overjoyed to be holding my Christmas goody pail.

hey! that doesn't look like candy to me, buster.

can you read that? don't worry, i can't either.

but Jacqui - you won! yes, you're a winner!!! you already know how to get me, so let me know what color paper and email me a photo if you want to include that.

thanks again to y'all for reading - whether you comment or not.

peace out.

what DO the common folk do?

i do not *heart* L.A. not driving in it, anyway. driving into, through or out of downtown L.A., well, i can only liken it to surgery without anesthesia.

but occasionally, things happen - the stars align, blah, blah, blah, that makes it allllllll worth while.

ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Staples Center. and yes, the Husband did give me a 'ohfortheloveofgodandallthatisholy' look as i stopped in the parking lot to snap this.he SO forgets that 1) i am a picture taking freak, 2) i scrap, for heaven's sake and 3) of COURSE i'm posting this on the blog.

boys. go figure.we got to the parking area directly across from the Staples Center - where parking is $20. yep - t-w-e-n-t-y bucks. we pulled in, and Husband showed our ticket to the parking attendant who said, 'this isn't a parking pass, this is your ticket, sir.'

'no problem,' he said, only it was a problem, since we didn't GET a parking pass. 'can you tell us where we do need to go, or how much parking is here?'

after a short pause, the attendant handed us a parking pass. 'park anywhere you'd like. enjoy the game, folks.'

freaking sweet! parking just got free, too!

oh, and did i mention skybox patrons have their own exclusive entrance?!

i love L.A.

we headed up to the third floor - which by this time was looking more like a really nice hotel than an arena.

welcome to our skybox. please scan your ticket for admission to the box.

yep. this is the skybox. and me without my wide angle lens. but across from these couches, is this table with veggies. there are plasma screen TVs on either side of the room, and these bar seats like above.

below those are more seats. AND a mini tv above the seats.

holy freaking cow. this SO rocks.

the box is stocked with plenty of sodas, water, a bottle of wine and some beer. we had hot dogs, with or without chili, chips, pretzels and tortilla chips. oh, and wings and veggies.

oh, and did i mention the dessert cart that came by with a selection of red velvet cake (see, Melissa? we ARE cultured!) s'mores brownies, caramel apples, skittles, brownies, and dang i can't remember what else. we took a variety selection for the rest of the room.

we had about 12 people in the room and we were all comfortable. one of the most amazing things for me was, when i left to use the ladies room, i walked into a sparkling clean, EMPTY restroom. no lines reaching down the hall. seriously. i cannot remember ever not waiting in line at a restroom at any event, much less a sporting event.

heck. even when we went to Billy Joel years ago, i hit up the mens room. i couldn't stand it any longer. i'm sure i pissed off some people.

pun intended.

long story short - we both had a great time. the Kings lost (imagine that!), but i think the only one who cared was the guy and his wife wearing their matching, autographed Kings jerseys.

the rest of us were happy drinking free beer, eating free hot dogs and relishing (we were, anyway) in our free parking and our moment in the sun.

living like celebrities. or hot shots.

i love this town.

i'm in the middle of a cultural wasteland.

living here in Mostly Smoggy So. Cal. is great.

no really.

granted, we have smog. drive-by shootings. gang wars. earthquakes. but really, the fun never stops here.

ev-er.

granted, i don't know anything else. i've lived here my entire life and have had one major move, and THAT was getting MARRIED.

but living here in So. Cal., you would think there would be always something to do.
and you'd be right.
but again, how often does a 45 year old broad want to go clubbing?

let's face it - most entertainment, is geared to the young.

damn 'em all.

actually, even when i was **ahem** young, i never did go clubbing.

i.was.a.nerd. don't fall over from the shock.

i've always been, well - different. as a kid, i was the youngest on my block. so, being the youngest, i had the coolest toys.
so when the other kids would come to "play" with me, they actually came to play with my toys.

i can still remember being dressed down by Auntie Kay because i had left my "guests" in the rumpus room playing with my toys, while i was back in my room playing with my Barbies.
"they're here to play with you, now don't be rude."

so, after about age 5, most all the kids either grew up, or moved away. going to a private school didn't help much, either; my few friends didn't live close enough for us to have play dates. thankfully, i was blessed with a great imagination as a kid. i actually enjoyed playing by myself.

fast forward about 40 years. i still enjoy my "me" time. but then...

where was i going with this?
oh yeah. cultural wasteland, blah, blah, blah.

the other day, i thought about getting a new book from the bookstore.

then i realized that there isn't a bookstore near me. what - no one reads?

apparently not.
within a mile radius of my casa i have the following:
2 McDonalds * an amusement park* a water park * a WalMart * mall * too many hotels/motels * numerous nail shops * two laundromats * three gas stations * three supermarkets * a used car lot * two car washes * three liquor stores * a park * a senior center * too many other fast food establishments to mention * an INS office * three banks * two taco shops * a movie theater

nowhere in that list do you see a bookstore.

the closest ones are a few miles away. i have no problem driving there, it's their location i take issue with. one is in a mall that recently got revamped. the mall is now a hot spot, surrounded by a Cheesecake Factory and a Kohls.
there's.no.place.to.park.

the other one is close to my work. going there on a weekend blows for the same reason...parking is shared by a movie theater and other restaurants. no place to go.

the last one is...you got it...sharing parking with a theater and restaurants.

seeing a trend here? apparently literacy is only rated by its proximity to food and movies.

hmmmmm - i think i'm in the mood for a movie. based on the novel. that i have no convenient way to buy.

field trip.

so - what do you do when you have a day off, and you don't want to listen to the downstairs neighbor's girlfriend get drunk...at 9:30 in the freaking morning?

why, you take a field trip. to Downtown Disney. for begniets. (no coffee, i'd stopped @ Starbucks for a Pumpkin Spice Frappacino beforehand. yum-o)

oh, and you take pictures like a flipping tourist.

and that's fun, kids!

does everyone have a buddy? i assume all permission slips have been turned in, so, let's go.

yes, the faboo Rainforest Cafe with mediocre food. but the interior is really cool and it's a fun place to take kids. as long as you can keep 'em away from the gift shop. eee-yikes.one of the many fountains all over the place. this once has a water cannon that went off, shooting water high in the air. the kids were loving it, while the moms were freaking because, heaven help us, the kids were getting wet. come on, lady...it's 9:30 am and it's already 80 degrees. that's wrong.

one of the hanging baskets...the closest thing i have to fall colors.

this is the Uva bar, right outside my favorite restaurant here...Catal. and it's wrong that this bar was closed this early in the a.m.
i am SO kidding.

Catal...a lovely place to dine...only problem is, because it IS in Downtown Disney, you feel weird being all dressed up, with the people sitting next to you in shorts & tennies. not that there's anything wrong with that...just weird.

the "side entrance" to the Grand Californian Hotel. gah! i want to stay here sooooo bad. not that the rooms are all that, but because of the landscaping and the theaming and...sigh. i promise, once Thanksgiving rolls 'round, i will come back and take photos of the inside of this hotel. then you'll get what i mean. **sigh**

another shot of part of the hotel. some of the rooms overlook the Downtown Disney thoroughfare, which i would SO be all over. talk about people watching. years ago, my best friend and his wife were down and stayed there; their room looked towards California Adventure park. in this park they have a giant Ferris wheel, that was lit and the lights rotated in patterns. we were out on the balcony watching the lights (it would've been incredibly romantic except that i saw him once in his chonies back in 2000. it killed any feelings i had for him other than as a friend. one i hope i never have to see in his underwear again. ever.) when it occurred to us that we really were rednecks...we were distracted by shiny objects.

longest story ever, wasn't it? let's move on.

waterfalls and fountains a-plenty. just not a good place to be if the sound of water makes you wanna pee. believe me, the Power of Suggestion is strong in this one, and i know the location of every freaking bathroom in Downtown Disney.

and my last photo...exclusively for Melissa. our Most Holy Place. not open, unfortunately.

i intended to take more...i wanted to show you the word "California" in front of California Adventure..at fall, they make the 'a's into candy corn. my favorite babies - candy freaking corn. my problem? at the end of Downtown Disney is the security checkpoint before you buy tickets and go through the main entrances for both parks. the line was ridiculous and sorry, but not even for you, Gentle Reader, was i about to brave those lines.

maybe next time.

so. that ends my tour of one of my favorite places on earth. i'm almost wishing i still had my Disneyland annual pass to go inside...just to take you on another field trip.

but then i remember how much moolah they want for those babies and the feeling passes.

next stop - it's up to you! any suggestions for another photoblog field trip?

it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.

it only took forever, but here's a minute guide to the faboo life of...me.

oh, and the Husband, too.

for those that either a) forgot or b) don't care or c) didn't know, we live in Mostly Smoggy So.Cal., right in the middle of the grove of smogberry trees.

i've lived in So. Cal all my life. and, in my 45 years on this planet have moved three times. only three. i have no idea why.

oh yeah. i got married. silly little thing.

sorry it's dark. silly me decided to take a photo after our most recent rainstorm and at dusk. what was i thinking? anyway, this is our bedroom windows...the smaller is the crap, er...craft room/office. i can stare out that window to a breathtaking vista of the parking area. and occasionally the young hooligans throwing rocks at our satellite dish.

nice, huh?

that's our bedroom to the left of the smaller window. yep, where all the "magic" happens.

the view from our bedroom window. it can be impressive especially on a day like this, with clouds coming in from the ocean.

sunsets are pretty impressive sometimes 'round here.

this is the view from the stairs leading to our apartment. i love this tree and hate it when they prune it down to nothing.

five days a week, i give a goodly portion of my day to Idearc in Los Alamitos. it's only about 15-20 minutes from here. i've been doing this for the last 20 years. what i do miss, is that when i lived at home, i drove east to work and got to see some spectacular sunrises. now, all i see is what's in my rear view mirror...and i can't do that AND drive. well, safely.
it's weird and amazing all at the same time, being at the same place for so long. my company has gone through three reincarnations. and all i hope is that it stays around long enough for me to retire, which, of course, will be later rather than sooner.

this is the back end of our building. my department takes up half of the back of it. my desk is right at the back set of windows. right across the parking lot from us is a junior high, so it makes for good stare time, when school is in session and they're having PE.

man, i'm glad i'm not in school any more. at least school where i have to have PE.

my desk is right next to the printer, in front of the window. yes, that is the printer in the foreground. it really is a good location because with all the work i do with reports, it's handy to be so close. and yes, i print them out. even though a former supervisor gets mad at me for not using an electronic version, i need to make notes. therefore (according to her) i am a baby tree killer, as well as a destroyer of rain forests.

and, once again, my desk. a cornucopia of junk...but it's junk that makes me happy. and takes my mind off the fact that the air conditioner is blowing straight down on me, freezing my assorted body parts off.

i like my current job.

i really like my life. parts aren't optimum, but who's is?

it's my life. welcome to it.

fun things to do on a vacation day.

• cleaning house. why yes, i DID hit my head this morning. how did you know?
• grocery shopping (i do love grocery shopping. it's a sickness).
• getting dishes washed.
• talking to my sister in law AND my niece in one fun filled, animal impression (courtesy of the four year old) conversation.
• baking banana bread. i love that it's cool enough to have the oven on.
• renting Blades of Glory. dumb. sometimes funny, but mostly dumb.
• thinking of napping. yum, yum, yum.
• watching CSI season three on DVD.
• looking again at the airline tickets for Thanksgiving in Reno.
• having the Niece ask when you're coming to see her, and, after telling her it's in November, hearing her gasp of delight as she says, "Mommy!! she's coming in November!"

and some not-so-fun things to do on a vacation day:

• sneeze so hard your ear pops.
• putting freshly washed dishes away.
• realizing after you've gone grocery shopping that you FORGOT MUSHROOMS. THAT WERE ON YOUR GROCERY LIST. THAT YOU READ WHILE HAVING YOUR TRIFOCALS ON. apparently i need a brain scan.
• realize that your vacation day is almost over and tomorrow is back to reality. uggh.
• my ear aches now. dagnabbit.

and one final thought...

as i left today for the grocery store, the plumbers were visiting the complex, replacing a toilet. they had to move their truck so i could get out. and this is what i saw stenciled on the back of their truck -

"Your S**t is our Bread and Butter."

ya gotta admit, it's catchy. you just can't make this crap up.

pun fully intended.

my happy place.

what is it the mattress merchants are always saying? that we spend a third of our lives in bed.

sleeping, if we're lucky.

at any rate, for those of us who work outside the home, i gotta think we spend that much time at least at our offices.

oy.

so let's see...8 hours a day, five days a week, 52 weeks a year, minus time for vacation and illness, carry the four and divide by the square root of 12, and you get...

ah fergettit. i suck at math anyway.

so i figure, if i'm spending that much time there, i so need to have things that are important to me and things that make me feel better about the crappy days i'm having lately.

so come with me to the home-away-from-home-happy-place.

ah, happy snaps. where would we be without 'em? and that lovely old fashioned photo of a woman with a glass of vino? that would be a greeting card. the caption?? ''if drinks aren't involved, neither am i.''
just one more reason why my mom thinks...oh, never mind.

see that? that rock that looks like candy corn? that's because it's a stone that looks like candy corn. my favorite candy of all time. my dear friend picked that up for me on her last vacation. and yes, that's Secret Squirrel right above it with Magella Gorilla. next to him is Marvin the Martian (are you seeing a trend here?) and next to that is one of my favorite toys. don't remember what they were called, but they all had roller skates. i would take my cousin's discarded Hot Wheel tracks, put 'em together, then roll 'em down the hill. just to see how often i could make 'em crash and burn.

and yes, that is the Oscar Mayer Hot Wheel Weinermobile. the photo is the Husband on our wedding day being smooched by my bridesmaids. next to that, one of my two favorite quotes: 'talk doesn't cook rice.' my other favorite work quote? 'out of confusion comes kaos. out of kaos comes anarchy and fear. then comes lunch.'

amen that.
moving on our little tour....

so...are you a good witch, or a bad witch? honey, if you have to ask the question...and right behind Glinda's hat? that would be Garth Brooks autograph. yep. i met him backstage at the Tonight Show. yep, yep, yep, yep. i'm a big shot...hobnobbing with celebrities.

the last stop on our little tour is this clipboard. one of my favorite pictures of the Husband nabbing a runaway niece at Seal Beach pier. and yes, that IS a spinal column keychain next to it. one of my work friends gave that to me when i came back from back surgery. dang thing still makes me laugh, but generally grosses everyone else out. heck, i even marked the problem disc with a Sharpie. well, i think we all know i'm not right.

well, that concludes the self-guided tour. thanks for coming by and please deposit your headsets in the basket on your way out. oh, and if you're interested, the gift shop is just to the left of the exit...right next to the ATM machine.

convenient, huh?

cure for mojo loss found!

yes, that's what i'd be writing if i had discovered one.

which i haven't.

sorry to be such a tease.

but! i do have a cure for the blues...it's this:

and this:

and a little of this:

sorry it's blurry. but it's the soundtrack for Hairspray, and two Michael Buble cds.

i SO love that song 'Everything.' love-love-love it. more than even fresh baked cookies or Birthday Cake Remix from Coldstone Creamery.

and a little happy injection would be a good...no, a great thing.

in other news...

i was visiting bloggerland today, as i try to every day, when April's post for today caught my eye. not only because of what she said, but where she linked to.

i agree. i couldn't have said or written it better. it's exactly how i'm feeling.

and the weekend is right around the corner. rejoice and be happy. i've got a date with Michael.

celebrate A/C, c'mon!

holy freaking crap.

it is stinking hotttttttttttttt.

unusually hot for mostly smoggy so. cal.

and i would celebrate the A/C, except that we don't have it.

well, we do, but the main cooling vent bounces off a wall. therefore, it ain't worth it. not to mention the fact that it's at least a 20+ year old unit and well...

most 20 year olds are hot and this one is no exception. except it runs hot.

too hot to laugh at my own weak joke.

so....i have two (count 'em) fans running in the living room, and eventually i'll move the one osculating fan back into the bedroom (both bedrooms cool off really nicely. this living room however... well, we're calling it Satan's Veranda.).

last night, we tripped on over to the P's for a little BBQ action. a quick stop @ Costco for some beef and since we were there, hey! let's check on our glasses!

the Husband had one of his sets there. mine are still being worked on.
after all, any doof off the street can make single vision lenses, but trifocals? that takes skill.

so he now has a super cool new pair of square framed brown glasses. think tortose shell. and he sits next to me, in the middle of a bevy of fans, doing homework for ground school.

ground school?
yep. he's going to try and get his flying license. which would be cool; his dad had one. his brother has one. he wants to take me flying.

hell, as long as the dang thing has A/C, baby, you can hijack me to Cuba for all i care.

back to the BBQ.

my parents live in Long Beach and while their house is super small, they have a HUGE backyard. and usually, a killer breeze, which makes it the place to be.
add to that, my mom bought a 'dog pool,' which really is nothing more than a really small wading pool for really small kids, to dip her heated toesies in, and...not to shabby.

unfortunately, the Husband is now the King of the Grill, so no cooling tooties for him. and by the time he realized my step-pop had moved the BBQ so that the smoke and heat would hit him in the face every.dang.time. he opened the lid, well...

let's just say he was hating life. but he does flame broil a killer steak.

after dinner, he sat with us, feet in pond like some communal pedicure.

in other news...

we were off to BigLots today for some school supplies for the Husband, when...my eye was caught by a wipe off message board and a cork board. instantly, the spirit of Donna Downey possessed me, and i knew i had to have 'em...to alter. it's a sickness, i tells ya.

my sister in law, Maureen, can sew. i can only take crap and try to make nicer crap.
pictures later. if my camera doesn't melt.

just one more day of the heat. tomorrow it's supposed to cool down to 91 (from 101 today). and i know for places like Arizona and Texas, that would be a balmy spring day.

but we're babies here in California. anything over 82 sends us hyperventilating.

and rushing for our bottled designer water. oh, and A/C. if you have it.

peace out.

point of pride..which has nothing to do with anything below.

imagine that.
the girl i told you about yesterday?
she's not talking to me.
bwa.
i'm so upset.

and we still don't know if there's gonna be a potluck. oh well. i have a feeling that if she does create a potluck, it won't be open to the entire department.

because she's a little snit that way. i can tell you more stories about run-ins we've had in the past, but eh. what's the point?

answer me this: how can it be i can walk into Costco, and walk out 20 minutes later, $135 poorer, and carrying a box with fillet mignon (don't ask - i don't know why i bought it, either), the Simpsons season 10 on DVD, pineapple (yum!) a four pack of creme brulee (yum! squared) and a Dumbo the elephant sized bag of peanuts. salted. in shell.

oh yes, and some Costco brand Zantac and Maalox tabs.

what has happened to me? when did i get old? i'm not kidding myself. i know i'm 45. i don't think i'm 35. but sneaking up on me, like a greedy cat at a birdbath, is age.

and it sucks.

i've never had a good tummy. i've always had problems and was told at 13 that i had a 'pre-ulceric' condition. at 13.

damn. sounds like a good candidate for therapy, nes pas?

for most of my 20s and into my 30s, my best friend was Maalox tabs. at one point, i was downing at least four a day.
then i had my gallbladder removed and suddenly life was great! woo hoo! spicy foods are back on!

now, dangnabbit, either my gallbladder has grown back, or i've got heartburn.

i notice it if i eat at our cafeteria @ work. now, let's talk about a simple solution: don't freaking eat at work. but, that would be too easy. and i'm too bloody lazy.

also in my defense, i had an easier time when i didn't share the apartment with the Husband in the a.m. that night shift was easier. not necessarily on our relationship, but for SelfishGirl, who had a killer routine down in the a.m.

so, i realize how retarded it sounds: it's easier to make a quick fix than to establish a long-term solution.

feel free to slap me on the wrist. just not if i'm holding a Zantac, OK?

with more fun of getting old...i somehow slept wrong on my neck and it hurts. now, just a few years ago, all i needed to do was to suck down some Alleve and by the end of the day, i would be good to do some killer head-banging and neck-popping.

because i AM such the head banging, electric boogalooing gal.

however...tomorrow, as my Scarlett O'Hara would say, is another day.
and i am still suffering.

so on the way to Costco, i stopped at a nail salon i've frequented and asked if they did neck and shoulder massages.

they do. i did. 20 minutes worth for 20 greenbacks. and.worth.every.penny. it's better, much better if i don't turn my head this wa....ouch.

getting old isn't for wimps.
however, i am the queen of the wimps.

long live the queen - just not that long.

around the world. in only 10 minutes.

wow.
judging by your comments here, i say i have a strong following for my Run to the White House.

heck, and i didn't even have to soak you for $1500 a plate for blahsville chicken.

man am i stupid.

sorry to disappoint, but i'm fairly confident i won't be running for office any time soon. i can't even handle office politics without getting maddern a wet hen. and to deal with professional politicians?

hold me.
back, that is.

speaking of office fun...can someone tell me what the %^&*!@#! is wrong with me?
i have volunteered myself again. for another party planning.
while i am also planning a potluck for my workgroup.

i must have dame bramage.

the Big Boss' birthday is next week. her secretary...er, administrative assistant, and yes, this is the same one who wanted to peel my arm, came to me in a panic (panicking is something she's really, really good at) because earlier this week she sent an email to the Boss' management team about the birthday and only a few of us have responded.

so apparently, i'm the mean one who can get money out of people. or break their arms.

oh, and i'm organizing the munchie day.

and creating a 'poodle album.'

damn. she's gooooooood.

oh, but there won't be a poodle album. (the boss has a full size black poodle she absolutely loves. but Roxana, her assistant, like another friend of mine, beats things to death. seriously to the point where you would learn to hate it, because she's taken all the fun out of it.

'sides, there ain't no such thing as a poodle album.

so - i'm going with a 12'' clipboard, some totally cool teal paper from Lil' Davis and some blue/green ribbon.
niiiiice.
one of my old bosses there (hmmm. i just realized i have worked for every.dang.supervisor. there except for one...) who ROCKS in Photoshop and i will take pictures of everyone in the team holding a letter that will spell birthday. we'll take a picture of the boss' dog and digitally put a sign on her neck reading happy. then put it all together so it looks seamless.

ain't technology bitchin?

so, i'm collecting cash for a Nordstrom gift card and a cake, then we're all going out to a little local restaurant for lunch on her birthday.
this restaurant is right off a main thoroughfare in Los Alamitos (where i work). but they have tables in their back yard with a little waterfall and pond that you would think you were, well - someplace else.

oh, and did i mention the hot apple fritters they serve? constantly? they have a server who i swear their only job is to walk with a basket full of 'em.

sorry. i've drooled so much thinking about them that i've soaked the keyboard.

so you see - there's no way i can run for office. i'm too busy planning parties.

but i guarantee you this: if i do run and win, not only will i keep my campaign promises.
i'll plan one hell of a party for myself.

PSAs a-plenty.

just some things i found while tripping 'long the 'net.

August 9th is Blizzard Miracle day. go to Dairy Queen and buy a Blizzard. or two. or more. buy 'em and give 'em away. every single penny of the proceeds goes to the Children's' Miracle Network. here for more info.

more ideas for boxes for Chad, or any other brave solder away from the people they love.

• travel shampoos
• deodorant
• toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, floss
• foot powder
• lip balm
• lotion
• razor blades
• magazines
• playing cards (like UNO)
• crossword puzzle books
• AA batteries
• note pads & pens
• bug spray (w/ over 20% DEET, but not 100%)
• sunblock
• moist towelettes (baby wipes - i say get the ones for sensitive skin, in case some have a sensitivity to the scents
• paperback books
• rice krispy treats
• twizzlers
• hard candy
• granola bars
• tuna packs
• beef jerky
• cup-a-noodles/cup-a-soup
• cookies
• dried fruit

and, if you live in the southern part of Mostly Smoggy So. Cal, Ever After scrapbook stores is also collecting items and will ship for you...you can even donate cash to buy items and help contribute to shipping. email me if you want more info on that.

in other news...

my boss was back today after being out for two days ill. he says he still feels like crap. he did go to the doctor where they took blood, vampires that they are. of course, Dr. Random Thoughts has a diagnosis: TAKE A FREAKING LUNCH BREAK.

no, he never takes a lunch. no, he doesn't even eat at his desk. he will, however, eat a bag of chips and some cookies and call it food.

wrong. wrong. wrong.

now granted, i will admit that with my plus-size ass, i have rarely missed meals. but, after living with Diabetic Mom and Diabetic Boy, i do know this: regular meals = level blood sugar. level blood sugar = happy body. no crankiness (hey! maybe that's my problem!) and no exhaustion - energy to burn. karmas level. the moon in the 7th house, Jupiter aligns with Mars. blah, blah, blah.

so - we'll see what happens. i was accused (lovingly, i'm sure) of being a nagging mom. well if i can't have my own to nag, by george i'll nag someone else's kids. (nooooooo, Linda...i'm not talking about Allie....nooooooo)

for my last PSA - here it is: i have laundry to fold.

please help. give generously.

such sneaky little schmucks.

yes, Gentle Reader, the Eeeee-vil Forces that are out there are finding new and sneakier ways to get spam in my e/mail.

from, let's say, 123postcard.com. "a school-mate sent you a greeting!"
or "a greeting card from a relative!"

well, hell - how did you know they were either a school mate or a relative?

you don't. you sneaky schmuck. don't tease me.

i got caught only once in the last few weeks since they've been flooding my e/box. not because it had a name of someone i knew, but because i thought it was for real. AND it said americangreetings.com. thankfully, nothing happened to our system.

but some i've been getting have attachments...oh boy. THAT'S computer fun for your repair guy!

i asked the Husband if he had gotten any. he didn't know. and he doesn't know because he doesn't check his e/mail, no, it's because he has over a thousand unopened emails in his box.

yep. thousand. 1,000.

if i don't know, i don't open, he says. well, i don't open either, but hey, i at least mark it as spam and delete it!

once, a few months back, i thought i would be the Good Wife and clean up his in box.
good grief. watching a film on the mating habits of the common housefly would've been more stimulation.

pun intended.

i gave up after about 30 minutes. at that point i figured that if, at 47, he doesn't want to clean out his in box, then i don't need to be his "mommy" and do it for him.

'sides, i'm kinda hoping he gets a greeting from a class-mate. or a relative. either way, i'm good.