Beware the Moxiesaurus!

One Month Post-Op

2011-09-05T17:59:00.003-06:00

As of today, it's been one month from my surgery. I finally cleared the infection (after three rounds of antibiotics!) and can breathe pretty regularly through my nose. I haven't been waking up with sinus headaches like I used to either. So far, I'm very happy with how I've been healing and feeling. I've got some pictures now too!

For just a refresh, here was my side profile before:

Now here it is without the hump. The tip is still a bit swollen and will take a few months to a year to settle down fully into its permanent position.

I love it, cute and not too "done."

Here's a full on shot, just to see the full effect. Not terribly different, although you can sort of see the small scar just under my nose from the incision. Please ignore my hair and no makeup, we weren't going anywhere today, so I didn't do anything with myself other than shower :)

In Which I Admit To Plastic Surgery

2011-08-11T14:18:00.003-06:00

Many of you may know this already, but last Friday, I had septoplasty/rhinoplasty/overall sinus roto-rootering. Or as my doctor put it, "Anything that can be done to a nose, you had." I have never once breathed correctly in my life, so this spring I finally went to an ENT to see what could be done. I had a CAT scan of my head done and saw that my nasal passages were narrower than humanly possible and that I had a deviated septum. I also had allergy testing, where I learned that my body hates grass, weeds, sage and some trees. Basically the whole season of foliage was created to irritate my nose. For my seasonal allergies, I was put on a saline rinse, Flonase and sesame seed oil spray for dryness. When that wasn't cutting it, I added Allegra. Still having problems, I asked for what a permanent solution might entail and agreed to pay him money to do obscene things to my nasal structures.

So how am I doing almost a week later? I couldn't have asked for a better Halloween mask, that's for sure. Surgery was uneventful since I was asleep the whole time (thank god!) That evening was pretty rough, with trying to recover from the anesthesia and eating for the first time in nearly 24 hrs. I was up nearly every hour having to switch out the bandage under my nose. Saturday and Sunday were by far the most uncomfortable. At the peak of swelling, my eyelids were so purple and heavy I could barely keep them open. I also had a lot of congestion that made my ears pop every time I swallowed. But sleeping has gotten better, though Aaron has taken to sleeping on the futon in the loft because my breathing is still haggard. The swelling went down, but I'm still very colorful and have horridly bloodshot eyes.

I had my follow up appointment today, where the doctor removed the splints in my nose that were holding the septum in place. There are still some sponges up in my sinuses that he didn't feel comfortable taking out just yet. He also sucked out some enormous blood clots and now my ears are clear. The outside bandages were removed and I was able to see my nose without its hump for the first time ever! It's still a bit puffy and will be settling down a bit more, but I'm already very happy with how it looks. I'm supposed to still wear the outside splint at night and when I'm relaxing at home, just so it doesn't get bumped.

I'll post before and after pictures once the swelling and color has faded. Because, trust me, you don't want to see me right now. So far, I'm really happy I finally did this for myself and hope that it solves many of my breathing and sinus issues. Also, the week off where I'm not allowed to do anything but watch tv, read and sleep isn't half bad :)

Monday Music

2011-05-02T20:39:00.003-06:00

Here are some great videos to start your week off right. The Beastie Boys have a new album coming out and this is the first single, Make Some Noise. With this video, the fun is seeing how many celebrity guest stars you can recognize.

Panic! At The Disco just released the second single from what I find to be one of the best albums in a long, long time. This song also happens to be my favorite on it!

Latest Tracks

2011-04-06T22:22:00.003-06:00

Panic! At The Disco came out with Vices & Virtues a few weeks ago and it has been playing multiple times per day on my ipod. It is THAT good. Seriously, if you even remotely liked their first album, get this one immediately. Here's the video for The Ballad of Mona Lisa:

Panic! at the Disco - Music - More Music Videos

Also, Yellowcard has come back together and released When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes. It's very good listening for driving with the sunroof open. The second single is "Hang You Up."

Yellowcard - Music - More Music Videos

Coyotes in B Major

2011-03-15T21:58:00.001-06:00

New Punchline video!

You're The Metaphors I Can't Create To Comprehend This Curse That I Call Love

2011-03-12T14:45:00.004-07:00

Last but not least, Motion City Soundtrack!

Phew, I did it! Between Aaron and I, we have a few more. Eventually, I'd love to have a quilt made with all of them.

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You've Got To Trust Your Instinct And Let Go Of Regret

2011-03-11T08:06:00.003-07:00

Happy 311 day! It's going to be beautiful weather here today, so you can bet I'll be blasting some "Soundsystem" on my way home with the sunroof wide open.

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Let's Sail Away, Find Our Own Country

2011-03-10T08:59:00.004-07:00

Nothing too exciting today, but I'll be damned if I fail to do the whole week. Tis The Starting Line, fun and pop-punk as they come.

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Seeing all these has made me realize how badly I need a haircut...

I Hear The Music When I Look At You

2011-03-09T09:28:00.004-07:00

Today's shirt is also fitting in that the space shuttle Discovery is landing today. MAE is now The Band I've Seen The Most Live! Unfortunately, the last show we went to was their farewell tour :(

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Well I Guess This Is Growing Up

2011-03-08T08:31:00.004-07:00

I deviated from the black shirts for today. BLINK! I didn't see them live until the reunion tour back in 2009 and it was AWESOME!

And since winter is attempting one last gasp, I've got Aaron's Switchfoot hoodie on over this.

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Kid Without A Clue, Making Up The Rules As I Go Along

2011-03-07T08:34:00.003-07:00

In honor of 3/7, I've got my Punchline shirt on today. They have an album (a truly great one at that) called "37 Everywhere," thus making 3/7 Punchline Day!

The back even has a jersey style "37" on the back. I do have to be honest, I haven't seen Punchline live, but that's because they haven't made out west in forever. Hear that Steve & Chris? Come to Colorado sometime, will ya?

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How Do You Afford Your Rock n' Roll Lifestyle?

2011-03-06T16:41:00.004-07:00

Me, myself and I have declared this week Band T-shirt Week! I realized Punchline day was tomorrow, 311 day was Friday, and I have more than enough band t-shirts to wear for the week. Yes, Aaron rolled his eyes at this, but he just doesn't know how to have fun sometimes :)

I am starting off the week with Tonic. The back says "If this be your tonic, then drink deeply." Saw them live way back in high school at the Fox Theater in Boulder.

Please excuse the sad hair day, we only left the house to go to the Home Show in town, so I didn't put too much effort into styling it.

Test of Cuteness

2011-03-03T11:34:00.002-07:00

This is a trial run of something I'm planning for next week. Enjoy the pups! Oh, and Moxie would like you know, she'd never do harm to a rodent, they're just so captivating!

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For My Geeky Valentine

2011-02-14T08:30:00.001-07:00

This is for the man who is willing to spend a night at home playing board games with me. Happy Valentine's Day Aaron!

Tokyo Rose - Less Than Four
I'm trying hard not to say what I really feel
I wouldn't dare to
Don't want to scare you
The truth is I'm still afraid to say three words
So I sit tight-lipped
Let me try to spell it out

Not sure that I've got enough letters to express what I'm trying to say to you
I'm holding out for the triple word score
But I'm sure that nothing could be better than me and you
So baby for now it's less than four

If I counted all the twenty-five cent words
I could use to woo you I'd be bankrupt and at a loss for words
If I only could work up the nerve to be honest and courageous
I wouldn't have to spell it out

Not sure that I've got enough letters to express what I'm trying to say to you
I'm holding out for the triple word score
But I'm sure that nothing could be better than me and you
So baby for now it's less than four

Your smile I do attest
I'd be hard-pressed to dare protest
Your wiles I must confess
Albeit reluctantly they get the best of me

Not sure that I've got enough letters to express what I'm trying to say to you
I'm holding out for the triple word score
But I'm sure that nothing could be better than me and you
So baby for now it's less than four

Pay It Forward 2011

2011-01-08T12:29:00.004-07:00

I saw this over at Reading Allowed and loved the idea. I was lucky enough to make into her top 3 and now I'm passing it along!

Pay it forward 2011:
I promise to send something handmade
to the first 3 people who leave a comment here.
To be eligible, you must also post this in your blog,
offering the same thing to 3 other people.
The rules are that it must be handmade by you
and it must be sent to your 3 people *sometime* in 2011.

2010 In Music

2010-12-31T16:30:00.001-07:00

I was actually pretty happy with what came out this year. Last year was almost a total waste with regards to good music, so it was great to have a few of my favorite bands put out albums this year. Aaron and I also made it to more concerts this year than usual. We were able to see Brand New, The Swell Season, Switchfoot and Mae (on their final tour). We also went to the Conan O'Brien tour, which was hilariously fantastic!

My top 5 releases of 2010:

Motion City Soundtrack - My Dinosaur Life
This album brings me all the way back to their first one, I Am the Movie. Catchy as hell and Justin's hair is epic as always.
"Her Words Destroyed My Planet"

Punchline - Delightfully Pleased
These guys went through some line up changes, but the newest album is upbeat and makes me so damn happy! Check out Roller Coaster Smoke and see if you can figure out what the song's about.
"Seventy"

Alkaline Trio - This Addiction
This album makes up for the last one being sub par. Classic Alkaline Trio.
"This Addiction"

Jimmy Eat World - Invented
I'd love to see these guys live soon. My favorite off the album is "Littlething."
"My Best Theory"

Mae - (e)vening
It makes me sad that this is their last album, but it's worth it. The band completely reunited for this one and dare I say it has that magic of Destination:Beautiful.
"I Just Needed You to Know"

Albums I'm looking forward to in 2011: Blink-182, Cake, New Found Glory, Panic at the Disco,Death Cab for Cutie, and Bayside. Aaron is also excited about the new Aquabats and Me First and the Gimmes Gimmes coming out.

To end things like I did last year, here's a video montage of 2010's Billboard hits. Too much Ke$ha, but still fun.

Life in 2010

2010-12-31T12:41:00.030-07:00

I know, lazy blogger, right? But I'm going to make up for it today, with this year in review of our lives and an epic music post coming up. 2010 was great in that there weren't any major life changes or problems (knock on wood, I still have 6 hrs left for something to happen.)

January - We got this little bugger:

And the next few months were consumed with house-training, obedience classes and watching my puffy little girl grow big.

February - Scout went to Estes Park for the first time.

And learned that she loved tennis balls. Please excuse Aaron's sneeze at the end.

March - Somebody managed to graduate from obedience school, albeit at the bottom of her class.

And with all the snow that didn't go away, we watched a lot of this:

April - We were able to hit up Arizona to visit some friends and swung by Las Vegas too.

May - We made it on a few hikes.

I also switched jobs, from being responsible for junk mail to government public health statistics. I am happier everyday at this job and it feels incredibly rewarding. Also, the commute across the city instead of down to Longmont ain't half bad!

June - What a beautiful start to summer! I started a garden again and we had tons of our plants blooming.

We also made a quick trip to the IKEA in Salt Lake City to buy furniture.

July - Scout loved hitting up the pond at the dog park. Moxie barely dipped her toes. At least it made for only one stinky wet dog on the ride home.

August - This was the biggest concert month, with Swell Season and Switchfoot having fantastic shows.

I also started reaping the rewards of the garden.

My brother finally got a break from his Navy training to come out and we had a really nice time visiting. Made it to a Rockies game too.

September - We made a quick trip over to Grand Junction to see my sister, her fiance and our grandparents.

We attended Aaron's grandmother's 88th birthday party, an event that is significant in Japanese culture. I learned how to can and made homemade plum jelly and spaghetti sauce (okay, Aaron made the sauce, but I did the packing and canning...) Also made it to a Broncos game and big surprise, it was one they lost :(

October - Not really a whole lot this month. We did go see Mae's final tour, but the pictures from my phone are terrible. So instead, here's something I found funny in Oct.

November - HAWAII!!! This vacation was everything we needed.

December - I participated in the craft sale at work and actually made some money!

There were multitudes of Christmas festivities, from decorating gingerbread houses to embarrassing the dogs.

And look how big my puffy bear was at the end of the year! Sigh, where does the time go?

We're looking forward to more trips and house projects in 2011!

Take a Look, It's in a Book

2010-10-09T19:50:00.002-06:00

I was super lucky this week and got my Christmas present early, mainly so I could use it on our upcoming trip to Hawaii. I am now the proud owner of a Barnes & Noble Nook, so now I can read on the beach while sunning! And I can take a ton of books around with me everywhere! Now that I’ve played with it for a few days, I’m totally sold. There are so many free books available on the bn.com website, including classics, some good murder mysteries and Outlander #1.

Reasons I chose a Nook over the Kindle:

- Uses epub files, so I can find more free books and texts online (epubbooks.com, googlebooks, etc). Pretty easy to load my own documents to read, including pdfs. This is especially nice now that I work in public health and read many scientific papers.

- Because of the epub files, it has compatibility with library ebook loans. This was the biggest selling point, as I borrow from the library constantly. I’m pretty sure my late fees pay for at least one librarian’s monthly salary.

- Expandable memory. Very simple to pop in an SD card.

- Android operating system. This is the bomb diggity! I already love my android phone.

- Lending system. I can lend out certain titles to friends for two weeks. They don’t have to have a Nook, they can just have the free Nook app on their phone or pc!

- Replaceable battery. I can get another one from bn.com and change it myself without sending the unit in.

- Better design look in my opinion. I like sleek and uncluttered. Which goes along with…

- No external keyboard. I’m a klutz and would probably be accidentally pushing buttons all the time.

Just to be fair, things the Kindle still has an advantage over Nook:

- Slightly lighter

- Can read doc and html files, but it's pretty easy to turn doc files into pdf, so maybe this is moot.

- Slightly longer battery life due to no touchscreen

- Some say page turning is faster, I haven’t notice the Nook being too slow.

All in all, I'm incredibly happy with my new toy. For anyone else who is an avid book reader, I definitely recommend it!

Math Make Brain Hurt

2010-08-15T15:14:00.001-06:00

This is absolutely the truth.
From PHDcomics.com

Why Couldn't This Have Been My Wedding Photo?

2010-07-28T17:53:00.001-06:00

Seriously, where do I sign up for exchanging vows next to the raptors?

see more Wedinator

Product of the Generation

2010-07-02T18:02:00.000-06:00

Were you born sometime in the 80s? Then let me introduce you to I'm Remembering! You can join me in nodding and saying "Yes! I loved this!" For example, who can forget TGIF television? And that entity which was Cody, dude!

Our Insanity

2010-06-29T19:22:00.005-06:00

This weekend, Aaron and I embarked upon an epic adventure. We fell in love with the IKEA in AZ back in April and found some furniture we really liked. Not being super patient people, we didn't want to wait for the new one in Denver to be finished. The plan was to fly into Salt Lake City Friday night, get up early Sat morning, pick up a U-haul truck and spend the day shopping. Our flight out was delayed two and half hours thanks the the micro bursts around the airport. We made it into SLC and stayed at the Radisson Hotel near the airport (which is incredibly nice for the price, $65 for the night!) The next morning, getting the truck proved to be more difficult that thought, as the truck wasn't at the place where I reserved it. The is par for the course for U-Haul, but we had let the cab go already. They wouldn't consider bringing the truck over to where we were or help us get to the other location. Had to call the cab company again and spend another $25, have cabs always been so expensive?

Regardless, everything afterward went smoothly.

We bought furniture, lots and lots of furniture.

A new dining set:

New dressers (Aaron has a matching one)

We also got two sitting chairs for my office and the bedroom, which I'll post pics of once they're put together. The drive back over I-80 was horribly boring, especially since we decided to do it all in one day. Upside was finding an amazing restaurant in Rawlins, WY, which we had almost given up on. If you happen to be wandering that area, try Aspen House Restaurant.

Also, here's a silly picture of Scout, just because! She's cleaning out the puppy chow.

My Monday Music Confession

2010-06-28T20:58:00.002-06:00

I cannot for the life of me get this song out of my head. I've listened to it 3 times already today. This man is crazy, but he hit on something here.

This Land is Your Land

2010-06-21T20:30:00.000-06:00

I've been looking at a lot of maps for work and it recently hit me how differently laid out the East side of the United States is from the West. Just look how the counties are laid out. It's like the pilgrims, revolutionaries, and founding fathers were OCD about getting everyone into nice arranged counties. But by the time we owned the land in the West, they gave up and let counties be created willy nilly. So we ended up with some counties out here being larger than some states are back East (I'm looking at you Rhode Island and New Jersey).

(You can click on this to get a bigger version.)

It's so hard to realize that we're not nearly as densely populated either. I go to Denver or Boulder and think about how crowded it is, but they've got nothing on NYC, Philadelphia or Boston. This is even more evident when you look at a map of the US at night.

Crazy, huh? We're so empty comparatively speaking!

Where's My Beret and Megaphone?

2010-06-20T19:43:00.003-06:00

I really think I missed my true calling. Being a statistician is fun and all, but part of me will always wish I had gone into directing music videos.

Seriously.

No really, I'm not kidding.

My interest started back when my parents bought a video camera to record our school performances. It more often was used to record my sister lip syncing to Matchbox 20 or a documentary of our cat's adventures in the front yard. Then I took a directing class in undergrad to fulfill my Theater minor and was told by the teacher that he would have put me right into the directing program if they hadn't cut it the year before. And my four year stint at the record store cemented my love of mixing music with visuals.

I hate that music videos are no longer a majority of the programming on MTV or VH1 (who am I kidding, it's not even the minority). I used to TiVo Nocturnal State to watch during normal hours, but that even got cut last month. So I have to go online to watch them. And critique them to no end, cause that's the best part!

I'm really in awe of some music videos and how well they translate the feel of a song. See Brand New's "Jesus" for an awesome example.

Others, however, are so craptastic, I have to call them out on it. Lately, Katy Perry's "California Gurls" has been playing all over the radio and I had to watch the video (quit laughing, it's so horribly catchy...), because I had all these preconceived notions of what it should look like. To my utter shock, the video is terrible! It's so cliche, but rollerblading along a boardwalk would have been ten times better. What does Snoop Dogg playing Candyland have to do with California?

If Miss Perry would like to fix this atrocity, I'll be available to help out. First thing we'll be getting rid of is the blue wig.

"You are a sad, strange little man, and you have my pity"

2010-06-19T22:18:00.003-06:00

Please go visit Simon at Four of Them to read Pre-Thoughts on Toy Story 3: A Rant. I am so ridiculously excited for this movie and can't wait. My family didn't go to many movies growing up, but they made sure we were in the theater for the first one. I was in high school when the second one came out and didn't miss it. I know kids today will love it too, but it's amazing to have something from my childhood come back to relevance so strongly.

Basic Cable Boys

2010-06-02T22:38:00.002-06:00

This is from Conan O'Brien's show in NY. We got to see him in Denver last month and had a blast, but I can only imagine the fun that went on at this show!

Whooooo are yoooouu? Who who, who who?

2010-05-20T22:02:00.002-06:00

Even though my commute is much shorter these days, I still have plenty of time to listen to the morning radio stations. On one this morning, they were discussing women changing their last names when getting married. This came about because one of the hosts will be on The Marriage Ref tonight with her husband regarding this issue. The show had her husband explaining why he was upset she still hadn’t changed her last name after 4 years and it basically boiled down to “It’s tradition and she should do it.” Very few things get me in an uproar, but this is one of them. Why in this day in age are we still thinking that women have to change their name?

The “tradition” that is so often referred to came about back when women were property of men. When the woman married, proprietorship changed hands from her father to the new husband, hence the maiden to married last name. Times have changed, women can vote and work and yet some still expect a woman to take her husband’s name immediately upon marriage.

Some points that were brought up this morning were good ones, I’ll admit to that. One was that if the parents have different last names and decide to have children, it can make it hard for the whole family. I know this first hand. Those of you who know me, know that my mother did not change her last name when she married my dad. Thus, my siblings and I had hyphenated last names, Mom’sLastName-Dad’sLastName. Not only was that long enough as it was, but my mom’s last name is a ridiculously long German name that no one on Earth can pronounce correctly unless you’re part of my family. So growing up, I was that kid whose name substitute teachers fumbled with at attendance. And most of the time, I went by my dad’s shorter last name, purely for brevity. Also, official school forms had to be redone many time because people would fill them out automatically assuming we all had the same last name. Or others just thought my parents weren’t married. This, frankly, wasn’t that big of an issue because I grew up in Boulder, land of the Hippies. I did like the attention that was brought on by having such a unique name, but nonetheless, there are some challenges to having parents with different last names.

However, there were some opinions on the show that just angered me. We also got a lot of mail at the house that was addressed to Dad Mom’sLastName, but luckily it didn’t upset him since it was usually just junk mail. The morning show host’s husband did mention being called Mr. Wife’sLastName on occasion, but that it bothered him terribly. If it’s so annoying to be Mr. Wife’sLastName, why is it any better for her to be Mrs. Husband’sLastName? I don’t understand why the woman is expected to just roll over and accept a whole new identity because it’s not normal for a man to do likewise. I would think that if a guy was stuck with something like Smith or Jones, they’d be happy to switch over to their wife’s last name. Someone called in and said “If you really loved your husband, you would do this for him.” Umm, I’m pretty sure she proved that by marrying him.

Here’s where I’m like M. Night Shamalayan and throw in the twist (or where you call me a hypocrite). I took Aaron’s last name when we got married. *GASP* Even though I got to a point where I was proud of having a name like no one else, it still got rather tiresome filling it out on documents. So when I was looking at my options and saw keeping my 13 letter maiden name or changing it to only 8 letters, it wasn’t too hard of a choice. And my first name is still very unique (see above: HippyLand) so I still get “Ohh, what an interesting name!” If we do decide to have children, there won’t be the confusion that I grew up with. Finally, Aaron’s family is a semi-traditional Japanese one, so I knew it was important to him. But my main point is that I had a choice! I’d like to think Aaron would love me just as much if I still had my maiden name. Wouldn’t you Aaron? (please say yes, don’t make me look stupid now…)

It’s refreshing to see some women not falling victim to the idea that changing names is just something they have to do. I have plenty of friends, who did decide to change, but they moved their maiden name into the middle. That way, they still hold onto that previous identity. I would have done that except the Social Security office computer might have exploded from entering 5 long names at once! I’ve also heard of the husband and wife creating a new family name out of both their names and I love this idea. Why not add a new surname into the world? A woman should be allowed to choose what she wants to do with her name and not be judged one way or another for it. Isn’t that right, Ms. Phoebe PrincessConsuelaBananaHammock?

A Word of Traffic Advice

2010-05-11T21:32:00.001-06:00

A New Beginning

2010-05-10T07:47:00.002-06:00

I'm starting a new adventure today! Last Friday was my last day commuting down the interstate to a job where I was responsible for filling people's mailboxes with junk mail. Today, I actually work in the same town I live in and do something for the public good. I'm really looking forward to this change and am excited for what the future brings!

Music to My Ears

2010-05-05T09:58:00.003-06:00

I was tagged by Meaghan of Wild Celtic and highly encourage you to check out her blog. I love her thoughts on movies, entertainment and life. When one of her recent posts was about music, I couldn't resist playing along!

1. Open up your iTunes, music player, spin the CD, whatever, hit shuffle and tell us what is the first song to play...

Runaway by Mae

2. Name your top 5 favorite bands/musicians of all time

Brand New, Fall Out Boy, Mae, Eve 6, Unwritten Law ( I wrote about them all here!)

3. What was your first CD to own? (8 track, Record, CD, MP3 for the newbies)

This is slightly embarrassing, but it was the Men in Black soundtrack.

4. Of all the bands/artists in your cd/record collection, which one do you own the most albums by?

Just mine, has to be 311 and Blink-182. If I also count Aaron's, we add in Alkaline Trio, Social D and Cake.

5. What was the last song you listened to?

Tangled Up by New Found Glory

6. What song would you say sums you up?

Aside by The Weakerthans I could listen to this song over and over and over and over (I think you get it)

7. What’s your favorite local band or band that originated from your hometown?

Five Iron Frenzy

8. What's the greatest concert you've ever been to?

Oof, tough one. Probably seeing Incubus at the Budweiser Events Center, such a more intimate show than I was used to with them. And Mae at the Aggie. Also, my first Warped Tour. I know I couldn't limit it to one...

9. What musician would you like to hang out with for a day?

Jesse Lacey from Brand New. I'd love to get into his head.

10. What was the greatest decade for music?

I think I'm too young to answer that one :)

11. What is your favorite movie soundtrack?

Hands down, Garden State.

12. What’s the most awful CD/record/etc. you’ve ever bought?

You remember Chumbawumba? Of course you do! I'm sure I'm not the only one who owned that crap.

13. What's your favorite band t-shirt or poster?

I love my Punchline 37 jersey and Blink-182 poster from the First Date video:

14. Rolling Stones or The Beatles??

Beatles if I'm forced to.

15. What is the one song you would most like played at your funeral? Your birthday? While on a romantic date?

Hmm, for my funeral I'd picked Jesus by Brand New. I'd have to go with a classic, Happy Birthday by New Kids on the Block for my birthday. My friends and I would get this played on the loudspeaker at school for each of our birthdays, even when we were in high school. Cheesy, but hilarious! And for a romantic date, I'll say Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton.

I'm going to tag Amy, Teresa, Erin, Angie and Keri. Enjoy!

Unplugging - One Week Later

2010-03-27T13:55:00.002-06:00

I made it. Last Saturday, I was able to go the entire 24 hours without looking at my phone, checking email or even watching TV. The only thing technology related I did was go watch Alice in Wonderland with Aaron (we had already planned on it, so I didn't want to tell him no!) It was nice and sort of set me up for the week in stepping away from the computer more than usual.

Unplugging

2010-03-19T08:24:00.002-06:00

I think the Universe is trying to tell me something. Maybe that I spend way too much time in front of the computer or with my phone in front of my face. Amy over at Good Karma wrote this a little over a week ago, then I open up my email to find this in my inbox today. I think this best sums it up:

“There’s clearly a social problem when we’re interacting more with digital interfaces than our fellow human beings. Rich, engaging conversations are harder to come by than they were a few years ago.”
- Dan Rollman, President of URDB.org

So I've decided to take tomorrow off from technology. I'll answer my phone if family is calling, but that's it. It's also going to be the perfect day for it, as we've got a spring storm coming down here in the Rockies. I'll check back in on Monday to let you all know how I've done. If anyone else decides to participate, I'd love to hear how it worked for you too!

Why the Internet Will Fail (from 1995)

2010-02-28T16:53:00.003-07:00

Ah, how naive we were back then.

Why the Internet Will Fail (from 1995)

It really is amazing how things have changed in just my lifetime. I remember getting to play on computers for the first time back in elementary school and thinking Oregon Trail and Cactus Factory were the best. Then we were introduced to THE INTERNET in middle school where I took a whole class on how to use email and we used Pine, you remember Pine? You could send a message to your friend across the room that said "Hi, it's Kallie. I can see you. Ha ha ha!" (Ironically enough, these conversations still occur on Facebook.) High school became the place for looking up resources for school reports online, no more stuffy library texts. Later, I took a whole college class online, where I never even met the teacher! I now own a smart phone that can access the interweb from any place I want. And if the internet had failed, I would have never met Aaron. Impressive to say the least and I'm glad this writer got it wrong.

For fun, check out what I remember to be the first real website I visited. It's still up! Kill Barney!

The New Addition

2010-02-03T22:18:00.005-07:00

Life has been crazy lately and it's all thanks to this little girl!

We added Scout to our family a few weeks ago. She doing wonderfully and has already become fast friends with Moxie.

We like to call her panda-pig since she looks like a panda and snorts/grunts/whines like a pig.

We're really looking forward to getting out and having fun with the two pups this summer!

What the Hell is Wrong with You?

2010-01-29T14:16:00.002-07:00

A very interesting read:

Why Are You So Terribly Disappointing?

Blame It On the Pop

2009-12-31T13:19:00.003-07:00

Very fun video of this year's top music. Features a little too much Black Eyed Peas, but worth the viewing!

Tis the Season!

2009-12-25T20:56:00.001-07:00

Merry Christmas everyone! Moxie's keeping warm in her new snuggie courtesy of Aunt Kim.

This message has been sent using the picture and Video service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, Quicktime@ 6.5 or higher is required.

What's in Your Stocking?

2009-12-16T19:00:00.004-07:00

For Reading Allowed, it's an ornament! Please email me your address at moxiesaurus@gmail.com for delivery. Congrats!

P.S. 1 through 3 was based on the three separate entries, even though there were four comments... just wanted to clarify that it was totally even :)

Disney & Eastwood Together at Last

2009-12-16T18:53:00.002-07:00

I found this online. Really interesting mashup if you've seen both movies.

Rules Smules

2009-12-14T09:41:00.001-07:00

Might be good to add a deadline...

Entries for the ornament are due by Wednesday the 16th at noon. Best of luck!

Monkeying Around

2009-12-13T21:18:00.005-07:00

Here are some pictures of the ornament from my giveaway last month. Doesn't this little guy look like he's having a blast? He just needs a nice patch of snow. Hmm, don't think there's any shortage of that around here!

Because tis the season and I'm feeling so festive, I'd like to do one more ornament. It won't be customized like the last, but I can guarantee holiday goodness! Just leave a comment with your favorite holiday movie to enter. Mine is a little indie film called Mixed Nuts, starring Steve Martin, Rita Wilson and the wonderful Madeline Kahn.

My Crafts of Late

2009-12-02T22:32:00.008-07:00

Teresa's ornament is finished and on its way to her, but I won't post any pictures of it just yet. Don't want to ruin the surprise! In the mean time, I wanted to show off other things I've been working on.

These are initial wall hangings for my friend's three kiddos. Their son is fan of pirates, so he got a fun ocean scene, complete with treasure chest (and yes, those are mini gold coins!)

The treasure chest came out pretty good, considering it's only about a 1/2 inch wide.

Their oldest girl loves all things buggy, so a butterfly, bee and lady bug grace hers.

I like to think the bee came out the best, but this picture unfortunately shows off my hack painting job...

The youngest of the clan already had giraffes in her room, so I added to the zoo!

Do you like Mr. Zebra's rockin' mohawk?

Also, I have made ornaments for the two older kids in the past, so the youngest got one this year. It's a cute little giraffe of course!

What Came First, the Music or the Misery?

2009-12-01T20:10:00.000-07:00

A Frog, A Pig, A Bear and A Whatever

2009-11-24T21:46:00.004-07:00

Have I ever professed my undying love of Jim Henson and all things Muppet on here? No? Ok, let me start by sharing something I stumbled upon tonight.

After watching that, please spend as much time as necessary watching all the other videos on the Muppet Studios channel. You will NOT be disappointed!

Nothing Gold Can Stay... Or Can It?

2009-11-13T09:04:00.004-07:00

Here’s to us fools that have no meaning…

This is a really interesting post by Mike Flanagan, who admits to being even 7 years younger than me, but manages to adequately sum up popular music today. There's hardly anything I will buy now. Back in the early 2000's, I worked at a mall music store and would easily come home with new CDs at least twice a week. Now, I'm lucky if I find something good once a month.

While I must admit my love for Fall Out Boy and All Time Low, New Found Glory will always hold a special place in my heart.

We Have A Winner!

2009-11-06T12:19:00.002-07:00

Comment #2 was from Teresa! Congratulations! Please email me your address at moxiesaurus@gmail.com and I will let you know when I have finished and sent out your ornament. Thank you to everyone for playing and stayed tuned. I had fun with this and might have another giveaway in December!

Don't Miss Out!

2009-11-05T13:58:00.002-07:00

Tomorrow at noon I'll draw a name for the ornament. Leave a comment on http://bit.ly/Ns9Qx if you'd like to be in the running!

Spending Time in the Bay Area

2009-11-04T20:36:00.007-07:00

Last week, Aaron and I spent a few days hanging out in San Francisco. It was the perfect fall vacation with gorgeous weather, fantastic food and a much needed break from work.

We flew out in the first big storm of the season

And arrived to find nothing but sunshine!

We took the ferry out to Alcatraz one morning.

Ate some delicious seafood at the Ferry building.

The hotel was close to Chinatown, so we spent a lot of time wandering around there.

More food :)

Went to the California Academy of Sciences, which is the museum, aquarium and planetarium in one. Very cool. I know, I'm a nerd...

Stopped by the Japanese Tea Garden.

A sunset on the bay!

We did the hike up Lombard Street.

And on the last day we headed up to Coit Tower.

Where we ate:
Cafe de la Presse - Great place for a quick lunch, just south of Chinatown. I had a very tasty galette, which is the French version of a personal pizza.
Kokkari - Amazing Greek food near the Financial district. Aaron had their signature lamb chops and I had the grilled rabbit.
Ferry Plaza Seafood - We ate here after doing the Alcatraz tour. The outside tables have a nice view of the piers and the shrimp quesadilla is delicious.
R&G Lounge - True Chinese food. We didn't get the most popular dish, a flash fried whole crab, but our beef clay pots meals were still excellent.
Mel's Drive-In - Good diner food that sticks to your ribs and doesn't leave you hungry. Nothing better than a breakfast of waffles and bacon!
Scoma's - By far the fanciest meal we had. My dinner was the lemon-white wine sea scallops and Aaron had fresh Alaskan halibut. So so so good.
Cafe Divine - This was a quick lunch before heading to the airport to go home. We loved their breakfast sandwiches.

Now we just have to figure out how soon we can go back!

My First Giveaway!

2009-11-03T09:24:00.003-07:00

Who doesn't enjoy getting things for free? Ever since I was little, I have been entering contests and signing up for free samples. I think a big part of it is receiving fun stuff in the mail. Some really good sites I've found for getting free samples are:

Free Samples Blog

Free Snatcher

Sweet Free Stuff

Last week I won a gift card from Katie at thinkPINK. Her blog is about raising her daughter as environmentally friendly as she can, but she also talks about her cats and life as a Colorado transplant. Even though I don't have kids, I like reading her posts and it doesn't hurt that her little girl is adorable!

I thought it would be fun to have a giveaway on here too, sort of a pay it forward deal. I don't have too many readers, but that just increases your odds of winning!

What you can win - A holiday ornament, handmade by me! These are some I've made in the past for friends and family.

How to enter - Leave a comment below with any the following information: favorite part of the holiday season (activity, food, object, etc.), favorite animal, and favorite color. On Friday, Nov 6th, I'll pick one comment at random as the winner. Good luck!

On Replay

2009-10-22T17:38:00.001-06:00

The song "Fireflies" by Owl City has been in my head for the last week and I love it!

Owl City - New Music - More Music Videos

I'm Glad I Don't Live in Louisiana

2009-10-19T09:02:00.001-06:00

Interracial Couple Denied Marriage License By Louisiana Justice Of The Peace

Why I Don't Shop At Walmart

2009-09-15T20:38:00.003-06:00

People of Walmart

If you haven't seen this site before, you must take a look. There are so many gems posted, I couldn't possibly find a favorite. Until this:

Dinosaurs! On a creepy van! That's purple! It just doesn't get any better. It's like Christmas came early.

Do You Like Fishsticks?

2009-09-15T20:36:00.004-06:00

If you watched South Park at all this last season, you'll find this as hilarious as I did. Seriously, my coworkers had to make sure I was still breathing, I was laughing so hard.

Slight Changes

2009-09-11T11:10:00.006-06:00

I've been wanting to do something a little more interesting with this blog for a while. I like reviewing things I've seen, heard and experienced. There are already reviews of albums, movies and vacations, so I added an index at the top of the blog that will take you directly to all things musical, movie, televised and travel. The video tab just compiles all the videos I've posted. Eventually I'd like to add CD and movie release dates, as well as local shows coming up. Just my way of keeping up with my love of entertainment.

I won't promise that I'll be posting everyday, but my hope is to do so at least once a week. If anyone who reads this has anything they'd like to see related to these topics, please let me know. I'll always welcome suggestions. Don't worry though, I'll still write about my doofy dog and my observations of stupid drivers!

What A Summer!

2009-08-31T20:06:00.013-06:00

Seriously, how is it the end of August already? This summer went way too quickly methinks. We've certainly been up to a lot.

- For my birthday, Aaron, a few coworkers and I went to Walking With Dinosaurs show at the Pepsi Center. It was AWESOME! Seeing as that will be as close as I ever get to seeing live dinosaurs, I loved it. Me and all the 5 year olds!

- The family hit up a Rockies game where we beat the Cubs.

- Aaron and I painted a few rooms in the house. We finally have some color!

- For our first anniversary (wow, it's really been a whole year!), we went on a road trip up to South Dakota and Wyoming. Saw Mt. Rushmore and Devils Tower and have decided the drive from Gillette down to Saratoga is the MOST BORING DRIVE EVER!

Next weekend, we're heading to the Blink 182/Weezer show down in Denver. I'm excited since I've never seen either band live!

The Ever Impressive Devils Tower

2009-08-22T14:57:00.004-06:00

Hello from the big stone faces!

2009-08-21T17:08:00.004-06:00

Hanging Out @ the Ballpark!

2009-08-09T15:01:00.003-06:00

I've Got Troubled Thoughts...

2009-08-06T21:52:00.004-06:00

The video for "What A Catch, Donnie" finally premiered this week. I was anxiously awaiting to see what Fall Out Boy would do for the video, as it's my favorite song on the latest album. Take a look for yourself:

Fall Out Boy - What A Catch, Donnie from clandestine on Vimeo.

Hmm, maybe not the most artistic music video, but not terrible. I like that it wasn't the Pete Wentz show the whole time, like other ones have been. I give it ♪♪♪ for effort.

Something I Enjoyed This Week

2009-07-07T21:58:00.002-06:00

Jeff Goldblum pays tribute to Jeff Goldblum:

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Jeff Goldblum Will Be Missed

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Jeff Goldblum

Name Dropping At Its Finest

2009-06-24T21:39:00.003-06:00

Rappers loooovvvveee to talk about all the crap they eat, drink and smoke, and I wonder how the companies feel about that. Granted, some of the alcohol companies pay money to get featured, but there have to be others not so impressed with being associated with certain entertainers (I'm looking at you, Lil Wayne, with your bottle of NyQuil).

And now there are two official songs hyping parties at the Holiday Inn. A few years back, there was the Chingy/Snoop Dogg jam "Holidae Inn" and now Pitbull has "Hotel Room Service" all over the airwaves. I won't even link to its lyrics, they're so raunchy.

Poor Holiday Inn. Some of their hotels are pretty decent. But after hearing lyrics about drug and alcohol-fueled orgies happening there, I don't think I can ever stay at one again without wondering if that happened to be the party room the previous night. It send shivers up my spine just thinking about it. They don't deserve that type of reputation. Motel 8 does.

I'm A Gardener!

2009-06-13T16:47:00.004-06:00

Well, sort of. I have a bunch of containers next to my back patio with random veggies and herbs. But they're doing beautifully and I haven't killed them yet! Today I was watering them and noticed this little guy:

This means I might get to enjoy the fruits of my labor, even if I only get one tomato to grow!

Pure Hilarity!

2009-05-20T20:37:00.004-06:00

Will Ferrell hosted the season finale of SNL last week and I was not disappointed. There was even a new Celebrity Jeopardy, which is by far my favorite skit. This one was so good, I was shrieking while laughing and the dog thought I was having a seizure. If you haven't seen it, here it is:

I'm really excited for Land of the Lost this summer too (Matt Lauer can suck it!)

My Thoughts on Popular Music as of Late

2009-05-12T21:48:00.003-06:00

Good music I have heard recently:

"Know Your Enemy" by Green Day - Really looking forward to this album.

Green Day - New Music - More Music Videos

"Sometime Around Midnight" by Airborne Toxic Event - Good album overall, a bit refreshing to everything else out right now.

The Airborne Toxic Event - New Music - More Music Videos

"Black Heart Inertia" by Incubus - I just noticed this one online today. Brandon looks so clean cut again! I really hope they make it to Red Rocks this summer.

Incubus - New Music - More Music Videos

Crap that has been produced and played lately:
I want to preface this section by saying yes, I listen to the local rap/hip-hop station. Don't judge. It keeps me awake on my commute. Some of the stuff on there is okay, the following are NOT!

"Poker Face" by Lady Gaga - This song sounds almost exactly like her first single. She's the Nickelback of dance music. Her lyrics are stupid:

I won't tell you that I love you
Kiss or hug you
Cause I'm bluffin' with my muffin
I'm not lying
I'm just stunnin'
With my love-glue-gunning

The worst part? It's so damn catchy, you'll find yourself humming along to it.

"Day N' Nite" by Kid Cudi - There's just something about his rapping/singing that bothers me. Like he's not really trying.

Maybe an Asteroid Didn't Kill the Dinosaurs

2009-04-28T08:58:00.002-06:00

I found this article today and thought it was interesting. I don't believe we can entirely discount the asteroid as part of the cause for all the dinosaur species being wiped out, but Gerta Keller and Thierry Addate bring up some interesting points. It is possible that the impact caused some initial die-outs, but it took longer for other dinosaurs to die as the climate and environment changed. I could see something like that taking up to 30,000 years.

Meow Meow Meow Meow

2009-04-20T12:20:00.001-06:00

I'm terrible, I know, I can't even keep up on a weekly post. But I have my reasons, really I do! Work got really busy and then an early spring cold hit me the end of last week, so I haven't been too coherent. So in lieu of something thoughtful and profound, here's a video of cats.

Traveling Through the South and Midwest

2009-04-08T21:48:00.000-06:00

Now that we've made it out of the depths of winter, I thought I'd write a little about what we've been up to.

Back in March, we took a long weekend drive down to Santa Fe for Aaron's birthday. It was his first time down there and my first time back in a few years. We ended up at a very nice hotel, the Old Santa Fe Inn. It was only three blocks from the plaza and Aaron's favorite part was the breakfast burrito bar every morning. It was great to wander around all the museums (which are free Friday evenings from 5-8pm!) and eat fantastic food. I loved seeing all the galleries and art around the town.

We snuck into the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi to look around. Turns out the Friday night Mass was starting so we had to rush out! But it was beautiful inside and worth it.

We spent one of the days up in Taos, originally to see the Pueblo, but it was still closed for the season. On the way up, we stopped to take in a view of the Rio Grande Gorge. Can you see why Georgia O'Keefe fell in love with this area?

Just this last weekend, I headed out to the Midwest to visit a friend from grad school. I was very surprised at Des Moines lack of skyscrapers, these were all I could find.

At the Science Museum, I got to pretend to be on the Channel 13 Weather Team.

This is M showing off the foam arch we built.

We also got some yoga and climbing in, which I haven't done in forever. And yes, just to prove there is climbing in IA:

I woke up to a snow storm the day I was flying back home. It kept me sitting on the tarmac an extra 45 minutes, but it sure was serene earlier.

The best part of the trip? (Aside from hanging out with M, thanks for being such an awesome hostess!) I got to snuggle with these three gentlemen a ton.

They're doing artistic stair poses, can't you tell?

WTF Wednesday

2009-04-08T21:36:00.002-06:00

If your company was having a basketball contest and all employees were outside at the court, W(hy)TF would you think it's okay to take your smoke break RIGHT THEN? Next to ALL of your coworkers? Couldn't wait 5 min til it was done and everyone went back in?

5 Reasons Why I Love My Furry (Or Feathered) Best Friends

2009-04-07T21:25:00.002-06:00

At work, we are starting a fundraiser for the local humane society. It just so happens to be the same one that Miss Moxie came from too! I'm helping out because I cannot say no to fuzzy little creatures and this cause is near and dear to my heart. I got to thinking and realized there's never been a point in my life where I haven't had a pet of some kind. I grew up in the suburbs with chickens and goats in the backyard (much to the chagrin of the H.O.A.) and cats and dogs inside. I even had a menagerie of guinea pigs, a rabbit, a parakeet and fish in my apartment throughout college.

There are plenty of reasons why I love animals even more than some humans, but I think the best ones are:

1) They are always happy to see you when you get home. Whether they are ready to play or they just want you to fill the food bowl, your presence is awaited.

2) When you are having a down and out day, they will be more than willing to snuggle up and listen to you vent. Or if you have a parakeet, he's happy to tell you all about his day right back.

3) They are good at protecting the home. Either your dog will ward off intruders with a ferocious bark or the cat will trip them on their way in, it's a pretty inexpensive alarm system.

4) Responsibility. You will never sleep in until noon, because you'll be assaulted with cat breath in your face or the highest pitched squealing that doesn't even seem like it could come out of that little rodent. Hmm, maybe this isn't the best pro to owning animals...

5) Soft, velvety puppy ears. Seriously, is there anything better in life than this?

What are your favorite things about your pets?

WTF Wednesday?

2009-04-01T20:18:00.004-06:00

I've never been really good at blogging on a regular basis, so I thought of an idea that might help. Every Wednesday, I'm going to present to you something that made me go "WTF mate?" This first one is really what inspired it. Once you see it, you'll understand it.

I TiVo the music videos on VH1 in the middle of the night (since that's the only time they'll actually play music). I like to watch them to see what video producers are making and secretly wish that was my career. This video started in rotation last week and when Aaron and I played it, we just stared in disbelief. It really makes no sense whatsoever. It's by Peter Bjorn and John, called "Nothing to Worry About."

Peter Bjorn and John - New Music - More Music Videos

I only hope you won't be haunted with nightmares of Asian Elvis's now.

These Friends Are, New Friends Are Golden

2009-03-31T09:44:00.004-06:00

Take a look at these gals, they look like super fun people to hang out with, right? THEY ARE!

And I'm lucky enough that I get to go see M, the one in the middle, this weekend. We are gearing up for a girl's weekend of yoga, rock climbing and much needed catching up. M pulled me out of my shell first semester in Grad School and I am so glad she did because I ended up making one of my best friends. (Oh, and A on the left there is pretty damn cool too, but she still lives in the same state as me.)

So hopefully I'll have some pictures to post once I get back. Aaron and I went to Santa Fe a week ago and I still haven't done anything with those pictures. For now, you can imagine us eating great Mexican food and strolling about the plaza.

Just Another Reason to Like Neil Patrick Harris

2009-03-25T14:11:00.004-06:00

I have no idea why I was thinking about this the other day, maybe it had something to do with watching the beginning of Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. But if you're roughly my age (mid-twenties), there was a show so ahead of its time.

It was Doogie Howser, M.D. Ignore the whole child prodigy doctor bit and think about the ending of each episode. Doogie sat down at his computer each evening and composed his thoughts. I doubt they were "published" per se, but doesn't that make him the original blogger? And that was back in 1989! Those producers were on to something, but I bet they never imagined that within 15 years or so, millions would sit down to do the same on a regular basis. And some would even make money off it. I'd say they have Doogie to thank!

A Carefree Saturday

2009-01-31T16:34:00.006-07:00

We took Moxie to the neighborhood park today to enjoy some of the warm weather. She got to play a little frisbee and I snapped some pics of her skillz.

This one's my favorite, she almost looks like a ballet dancer.

Ahh, what a day!

Hmm, not quite right

2009-01-30T19:32:00.001-07:00

For those who read my blog in Google Reader, it looks like the first three videos didn't show up. There should be five total, so if you want to watch them all, you can just open up the blog page separately. Sorry for that!

I'm Your Next American Idol

2009-01-30T09:21:00.010-07:00

I've been spending a lot of my commute the last few days listening to my Ipod. I realized it makes for such a better drive. And there are some songs, that no matter how I'm feeling, bring out the karaoke lounge singer in me. So I've got a present just for you. I want to share my Top 5 Sing Along in the Car songs. If you happen to pass a crazy looking girl, rocking out in her Honda, it's because one of these songs is playing:

5) Fall Out Boy - America's Suitehearts
This is off their newest album, which is starting to grow on me. The video's a little creepy, but listen to the lyrics and it makes sense.

4) New Found Glory - My Friends Over You
Classic NFG, "I'm a dude, sorry I effed this up, but rather than worry about it, I'm going to go play video games with my boys."

3) Cobra Starship - Send My Love to the Dancefloor, I'll See You in Hell...
These guys crack me up and they don't take themselves seriously. And I kinda wish I could dance like Gabe Saporta.

2) The Format - The First Single (Cause A Scene)
It's too bad these guys aren't together anymore, because their first album, Interventions and Lullabies was amazing. They don't have an official video, but I tried to find the best combination of live video and sound for this one.

1) Jimmy Eat World - Here it Goes
This song makes me so happy every time I hear it. No official video again, but pretty decent live one. I dare you not to even move your head while listening, you just can't!

Spring, Please Come Back Soon!

2009-01-19T19:14:00.004-07:00

I'd like to think this little guy was hanging around because it's just going to get warmer from here on out. I can dream, can't I?

Splitting My Ears

2009-01-19T10:09:00.000-07:00

I DESPISE Katy Perry! Anyone who thinks she has an ounce of talent must have marshmallows for brains.

"I Just Want to Be a Part of This"

2009-01-04T16:53:00.003-07:00

Last month, Aaron and I hung out with two couples who we are friends with. We found out that the wives are both pregnant, due within a month of each other. After that night, I kept feeling something tugging on me. A small voice inside me wondering when I was going to think of having kids. This wasn't the first time I felt this in the last few months. We were at another friend's house a few months back celebrating her daughter's 1st birthday and the tugging was there too. I chalk it up to my damn biological clock saying "Hey there, you're 25 and married now. How's about repopulating the Earth now?" (The thud you just heard was Aaron fainting. Hang on, I need to revive him and reassure him I'm not pregnant.)

The truth: I don't like being around kids. Seriously, I don't know how to play with them, talk to them, hold them, etc. They make me so uncomfortable. On New Year's Day, Aaron spent the afternoon playing football out in his uncle's yard with his cousins' kids. I stood off to the side and moved out of the way when any child came within 5 feet of me. I just don't know how to be with them! Sure I can admit a kid is cute, but to actually be in the same room... So why in the world was I feeling so jealous of our expecting friends?

Here came the epiphany! It's not because I want a kid myself. It's because the minute a woman becomes pregnant, she gets to join the Mommy Group. They can discuss all sorts of things that I'm not privy to, being without child. At that dinner, our friends sat there and talked about birthing options, ultrasounds, growth rates and what not. I ended up visiting with all the guys at the table, since I had nothing to add to their conversation. And it killed me because I couldn't be a part of it.

I think we all have an innate sense of wanting to belong, to be a part of a group. Unless you're the kind of guy who lives out in the woods in a cabin and sends mail bombs to people, then you're just messed up. Since quite a few of my friends have kids or are having them, I'm no longer on the same life level as them and it truly feels lonely. I know that when I got married, I joined the "Married Ladies" group. However, I have tried my hardest not to make that all of who I am, especially when I hang out with my single friends. Although now I'm seeing there's something different when you move from Married to Mother than when you're just Single to Married.

I'm at a point in my life where even more friends are going to start having kids. This feeling of being left out will probably only get harder from here, since Aaron and I aren't even sure we want kids. I could very easily wake up at 30 and be the only one I know not dealing with diapers, spit up and constant crying.

Hmm, now that I'm reading that last sentence, it doesn't sound too bad. At that point, maybe you're all going to be jealous of me! :)

Vacation Day 7

2008-12-19T12:29:00.002-07:00

Being lazy with the sea lions and seals at SeaWorld. Now it's time to leave this wonderfully warm place and head back to the arctic that is home.

Vacation Day 6

2008-12-18T22:10:00.002-07:00

The Tree of Life in Animal Kingdom... very plasticky up close.

Vacation Day 5

2008-12-17T16:41:00.003-07:00

The Muppet fountain at Disney Hollywood Studios.

Vacation Day 4

2008-12-16T11:29:00.003-07:00

Aaron will not be coming home, as he became shark bait at Universal Studios.

Vacation Day 3

2008-12-15T17:21:00.002-07:00

"I'm a manatee."
"Whatever, sea pig."
Seen at Epcot.

Vacation Day 2

2008-12-14T09:27:00.002-07:00

Hanging out in St. Augustine, which is the oldest city the US. Also starting to believe it has the most antique stores per capita.

Vacation Day 1

2008-12-13T13:21:00.003-07:00

Geeking out at Kennedy Space Center. Seeing all this reminds me why the US is such a badass.

Name That Tune

2008-12-08T17:28:00.003-07:00

I'm sitting here on hold with a technical support query and listening to the awful hold music. I'm wondering why the tune sounds familiar, until it finally hits me. I've been listening to the elevator music rendition of R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly" for the past half hour. Please rip my ear off now.

Someone's Feeling Festive!

2008-11-28T18:42:00.002-07:00

Now that Thanksgiving's over, Moxie can finally break out the Christmas decorations. She's been looking forward to this day all year, can't you tell?

P.S.

2008-11-20T21:33:00.004-07:00

While watching South Park from last night, I saw the trailer for the new Star Trek movie coming out next spring. I will not proclaim to be a trekkie, but who can say no to Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg and John Cho? Not me! Definitely looking forward to it!

The Captain CrazyPants Award Goes To...

2008-11-20T21:11:00.004-07:00

GARY BUSEY!

I'm sure none of you are surprised. In fact, if you happen to sometimes watch Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, you know exactly why I'm saying this. I always knew Mr. Busey was a little off and Joel McHale on the The Soup certainly takes his cracks at him, but I found myself watching VH1 tonight and witnessed the complete insanity. The man walks around uttering nonsense, randomly attacks his costars, talks about his brush with the afterlife and, yet, I couldn't stop watching. It was such a trainwreck.

I usually don't watch reality tv, but I got sucked into this one. Oh yeah, that and The Pick Up Artist, also on the Channel That Used To Play Music Videos But It Doesn't Make Them Enough Money So Now They Show Crap. Don't ask me why, I apparently enjoy the sensation of wanting to stab my eyes repeatedly.

On the Shelf

2008-11-13T09:05:00.001-07:00

I've been tagged by Erin! The challenge is this:

Go to your nearest bookshelf. On the top shelf (or highest shelf with books) what book is fifth from the right and why did you love it? Now go to the bottom shelf (or lowest shelf with books). Tell us about the fifth book from the left. Then tag five of your blog buddies - link please! - to do the same. Be sure to link to the person who tagged you too.

Top, Fifth from Right - The Stand by Stephen King
I read this book only a year ago, but had attempted to watch the movie with friends back in undergrad. We got three hours in and were exhausted. I'm glad I came back to the book, because it is fantastic! As an avid fan of medical thrillers, this is the best of the best. King seamlessly moves from how the characters deal with the Superflu to interacting with the other survivors. There's also a very supernatural side to the story. And part of the book is set in Boulder, what's not to love? Very well told story and worth the length.

Bottom, Fifth from Left - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
I waited to read this series until a month before the seventh book came out. I was being stubborn and kept ignoring everyone who told me I'd love them. I'm doing the same boycott right now of the Twilight series, so we'll see how long that lasts. Once I got started on Mr. Potter, I couldn't stop. I haven't reread them since, so I kind of forgot what happens in each one specifically, but I do remember this one brought in new characters as well as greater depth to everyone than previously seen in the earlier books. I liked how the tone of the books seemed to mature as the characters themselves did. I wouldn't say Rowling is one of my favorite authors because I'd like to see what else she can do first.

I'm going to tag Marisa, Merix, and Jess. Everybody else who's blog I read has already been tagged!

"This is your victory"

2008-11-05T09:55:00.003-07:00

"Hello, Chicago.

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.

It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.

We are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It's the answer that led those who've been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment change has come to America.

A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Sen. McCain.

Sen. McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he's fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader.

I congratulate him; I congratulate Gov. Palin for all that they've achieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation's next first lady Michelle Obama.

Sasha and Malia I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the new White House.

And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother's watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight. I know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you've given me. I am grateful to them.

And to my campaign manager, David Plouffe, the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best -- the best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America.

To my chief strategist David Axelrod who's been a partner with me every step of the way.

To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to the cause.

It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.

It drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers, and from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by the people, and for the people has not perished from the Earth.

This is your victory.

And I know you didn't do this just to win an election. And I know you didn't do it for me.

You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime -- two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.

Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.

There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after the children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage or pay their doctors' bills or save enough for their child's college education.

There's new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.

I promise you, we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can't solve every problem.

But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it's been done in America for 221 years -- block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night.

This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.

It can't happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.

Let us remember that, if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers.

In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let's resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.

Let's remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House, a party founded on the values of self-reliance and individual liberty and national unity.

Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.

As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.

And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces, to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.

To those -- to those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright: Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.

That's the true genius of America: that America can change. Our union can be perfected. What we've already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight's about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons -- because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America -- the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination.

And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.

Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.
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This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.

Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America. "

Just beautiful. And I will give credit to Sen. John McCain for his concession speech last night. It was incredibly thoughtful and respectful. What a wonderful day to be an American.

Commuter Thoughts

2008-10-29T21:38:00.001-06:00

Dear Woman in the Red Explorer this morning:

I know driving along the interstate every day, twice a day can become very tedious. And small little accidents on the side of the road don't make it any easier. However, I'm truly baffled by you thinking that your destination was so much more important that the rest of ours. I can't begin to comprehend why you thought it was okay to start driving 45 mph on the right shoulder! We were all slowed down, but at least it was moving. You very well could have caused an even bigger crash. The best part was when you finally got back into line, only to be two cars ahead of me! Was it really worth it?

The Gal in the Little Civic that could have been creamed

P.S. Yes, that was me flipping you off as I got off at my exit. You totally deserved it.

Totally Diggin'

2008-10-29T21:35:00.004-06:00

These guys right now:

Their new album is "Just Say Yes" and it is awesome.

Make Sure Not to Burn the Plasti-Goop!

2008-10-25T23:24:00.004-06:00

Look what I found at Toys R Us! This brings back memories, oh boy it does! One year for Christmas, both my sister and my brother asked for the Creepy Crawler set. Come Christmas morning, there was only one under the tree, with my sister's name on it. My brother had gotten Shark Attack. But he was so upset that he had not also gotten Creepy Crawlers. We heard about it for days and days. He eventually got over it and we all had a lot of fun making rubbery bugs and human organs with the set. I just can't believe they're still around.

Through the years

2008-10-23T21:49:00.003-06:00

Everyone and their mother have had this on their blogs lately. I'm somewhat of a lemming, so here's my version!

20 Years Ago (1988):
1) I was 5 years old and already had a little sis and bro.
2) I watched a lot of Sesame Street
3) I was called a witch by another girl in kindergarten.
4) I loved dinosaurs.

10 Years Ago (1998):
1) I moved from Boulder to Milliken, twas a shock to the system.
2) I got my first real boyfriend.
3) I was getting into punk rock.
4) My favorite movie was The X-Files.

5 Years Ago (2003):
1) I had a friend get shipped off to Iraq.
2) I was going to concerts on a pretty regular basis and buying at least 2 CDs a week.
3) I lived with my sister while we were both in school. Turned out to be a blast.
4) I got my Stegosaurus tattoo.

3 Years Ago (2005):
1) I started graduate school and finally left working in retail.
2) I was teaching undergrads the beauty of statistics.
3) I got into rock climbing.
4) I had one of the greatest group of friends!

1 Year Ago (2007):
1) I finished graduate school and got me one of those "real" jobs.
2) I bought my beautiful Civic.
3) I went to Las Vegas and NYC.
4) I got engaged on Christmas Eve.

So Far this Year:
1) Decided to build a house.
2) Got married.
3) Moved into said house.
4) Had a mini nervous breakdown during 1, 2, & 3.

Yesterday:
1) I worked.
2) I got angry at the morons who I commute with.
3) I made Nutter Butter Ghosts.
4) I hung out with one of my bestest friends ever.

Today:
1) I worked.
2) I ate tons of Halloween goodies at work.
3) I went for a good run and didn't pass out.
4) I went out to eat with my sis and her bf.

In the next year:
1) I hope to not be commuting so much.
2) Finally get to go on my honeymoon!
3) Make it out to the East Coast to see friends.
3) Enjoy where I'm at in life.

Enough With the Insanity!

2008-10-21T09:43:00.003-06:00

My brain has apparently had its fill of election crap. Last night I dreamed that I snuck into John McCain's house and found out he was planning on taking out Cindy with tree pesticides. He comes home, so I'm hiding in on of the rooms with a bottle of Windex, ready to spray him (cause, don't you know, that'll stop him). I wait for him to come down the hallway and right as I turn the corner to face him, I woke up gasping for breath. I haven't woken myself up from a dream since I was in 2nd grade.

For Your Viewing Pleasure

2008-10-16T19:48:00.004-06:00

I happened upon Ilana Yahav's work awhile back, but was watching it again this evening. There is something so peaceful about it, makes me instantly relaxed. There are many more of her videos out in cyberspace, just head on over to YouTube and search "sand art." The one above and "Love 2008" are my favorites so far. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Tales of pet sitting

2008-09-29T10:36:00.004-06:00

I should not be allowed to have fish in my care. This is painfully obvious to those that know me well, but an unsuspecting coworker left me in charge of her small tank while she was gone for a family emergency. And the trials of this tank have entertained my cube neighbors since.

I'll start off by saying this, I'm not good at cleaning algae. This is the primary reason Aaron takes care of our tank at home. I make sure the fish eat just fine, but I tend to ignore the green form of life abounding along the sides, bottom, covering the plants and on the fish. Back when I had my own tank, the algae got so bad you couldn't see the fish inside. When a friend came over for the first time to my apartment, she saw the setup and asked, "How many fish do you have?" "Four," I replied. She lifted up the lid, hesitated, "Um, no, you've got three and a floater..." Oops.

Fast forward to now, I've had my coworker's tank in my cube since the beginning of August. When I received temporary ownership of this tank, it contained two guppies and a snail. A good month went by with everything going swimmingly (albeit green). Then one of the guppies died. This was right around my "Let's Take Care of Two Major Life Events Within One Week" phase, so I didn't replace it right away. As the tank got dirtier (although at this point I did clean the sides so I could see in, you know, just to make sure no one else died), I thought of something brilliant! Why not get an algae eater to replace the guppy? Then it'll make up for the little guy dying and start cleaning the tank! So I don't have to! See the amazing thought process?

But I didn't get a new fish right then even, I waited until this last weekend right before the coworker was due back. Rushing over to PetCo on my lunch break, I found a nice sized plecostomus and considered even getting another guppy. Till I saw the guppy tanks, with a good three dozen dead guppies in each. Umm, thanks, think I'll pass on that. Seriously PetCo, you can't even clean out the lifeless ones? I got Mr. Pleco back to my cube and spent the afternoon slowly introducing him into the tank. I even threw in an algae wafer for him, in case he didn't want to try the smorgasbord that lay before him. And I left Friday evening feeling pretty good about my effort.

I come in this morning and see the remaining guppy hiding out in the plants. Bizarre since he's usually racing around. And I can't find the pleco. And the snail's not moving at all. CRAP! (note: when I first typed that expletive, I wrote it as CARP! Ironic, eh?) I notice that there's definitely less algae on the ground and now I'm thinking the little guy ate so much algae he exploded. If you saw this tank, you would know that's entirely possible.

Putting in a few flakes brought the guppy out from hiding. A half an hour later, after poking the snail with a straw, the pleco suddenly emerged from wherever he was hiding and has spent the rest of today chilling on one section of the glass. I think he's taking a break from the eating, cause he's got to keep up his figure and all. And thank goodness, another half hour after that, the snail got up and started moving around! I now have the sneaking suspicion that the snail and the pleco had a raging party this weekend and were both nursing hangovers when I got in today. So everyone's alive and well. Except that the water stinks like fish poo from the algae wafer that Mr. Pleco did not find satisfactory. Seriously, for the sake of everyone involved, take this thing out of my cube now!

For Those Who Watched the Debate Last Night

2008-09-27T15:47:00.002-06:00

A hilarious recap of the evening's proceedings can be found at We Play When We're Bored.

LOOK AT MY PENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN.