Why Playoffs Why

It has been a few days since my last entry, and I am sorry to have gotten off rhythm, so to speak. A lot has been happening, particularly in my little sports world bubble, not to mention all my worry with the Swine Flu. That is probably for another day.

First, since it is fresh on my mind, I would like to address the significant increases in my stress and anxiety levels, courtesy of the Boston Celtics. I had two heart attacks in one week - ONE WEEK! Sunday, the Celtics caused me nothing but grief and dispair in their losing battle to the young yubs.

Can I just say this...I do not like Noah. I sports hate him. (pc tells me this is ok to say - maybe I've said this before - I don't care - I'm saying it again)

Anyway, between Sunday and last night? Are you kidding me? If I have to watch one more Celtics OT, I'm quitting the Celtics.

Did I mention that I am not even an NBA fan?!

What hurts the most is that I'll probably end up disappointed. I'll feel like I just got dumped when the Celtics eventually lose. I pray for a miracle every day in that KG and Powe will miraculously return. Although, you have to give it to the Celtics and their bench. They have kept fighting all along. Yes, making stupid mistakes, like Marbury's missed opp and Tony Allen's foul last night, but they keep working at it.

Why do I even care? One friend pointed out on FB that I'm not even from Boston!

Also, what a PHENOM Rondo has been. I'm going to make a t-shirt that says "I liked Rondo when Rondo wasn't cool" because I truly believe I am the OG fan. I made the first t-shirt, with iron on letters (yes, you can still find those), and I accidentally put on the D backwords so I had to cover each letter with puffy paint. Did that prevent me from showing it off and even telling Rondo himself the story in Grand Cayman? No. He rocks the party. Rondo Fitzgerald for a little boy's name...hmm???





In other news, the Bucs and the NFL Draft was exciting enough to pay attention and have a reaction. I did have the opportunity to meet our latest QB addition, Josh Freeman. I told Amy (my co-worker) I would pay her $1000 to propose to him during the meet and greet. I knew she would choke. (Thank God, secretly, I don't have $1000 to just throw out like candy.)


The draft and all the excitment surrounding the Bucs has kept me a busy bee! If anyone wants season tickets, we have a killer schedule....

GUEST BLOGGER: Neep Howley

One of my dearest lady friends in the world, and Maid of Honor in my wedding took it upon herself to re-write Shawn's vows for our wedding. I am thrilled to have her entry as a guest posting on this blog. Please read and enjoy what she had to say to my husband...

XP – It has been called to my attention your love for phrases, adages and the like. I have rewritten your vows for you to read to Mija. LOL My dearest Mija, Today is the first day of the rest of our lives. I look forward to being 3 sheets to the wind together as we begin our journey down life’s path. I want you to know that I am in for a penny, in for a pound in this relationship and no matter where life takes us, we will get the lay of the land together. No matter where I travel, as the crow flies we will always be close – absence makes the heart grow founder, you know. A house divided against itself cannot stand, my love, so I assure you I shall slay my demons. I have learned that my “Chickens” always come home to roost. I promise not to be the proverbial bee in your bonnet, but instead your knight in shining armor. No matter what comes our way, you and I will batten down the hatches of life and come out smelling like roses. When times get tough, bread always seems to fall butter side down but I will be there to pick up your toast and make it edible again. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, so take a chance on me baby! If I fail, I know I will end up in Davy Joneses Locker, so don’t worry melady. I am in this for the long haul…until we are long in the teeth, we will be together.

I love you for all you are, lock stock and barrel!

American Idol - getting down to it

I'm so fired up right now discussing American Idol. For the last however many seasons, you couldn't PAY me to watch this show, however, this year, I am completely and totally sucked in. It's justified, however, in that it is a genuine talent show, unlike many of these other loser reality shows. (thank you, pc - and yes - even he is sucked in)

My personal favorite is Alison. She's amazing. For 16, this girl is just a hard core rocker chick with an incredible voice and a sweet disposition, and I just adore her. However, we all know that Adam is going to win, so why put us through the next 6 weeks or so and just crown him the AI Prince '09?

Shawn said something funny last night, that Ryan Seacrest should be in the bottom 3. Of course, this generated hysterical laughter from yours truly. I said, "Don't let me forget to put that in the blog." So, here it is.

Neep and I are just discussing at how horribly they treat Lil'. As she pointed out "Lil' is the dopest name of all time." I have to agree. Lil' Fitzgerald...hmmm....

Anyway, why are the judges so mean to her?! She has an incredible voice, is a very sweet girl, she tries so hard. Her song choices and arrangements are not any worse than some of the others including Adam and Danny, IMO. Danny was a bit too Vegas for me, even though September is one of my all time favorite songs. My least favorite, Kris, managed to win me over, however, with his super-cool, acoustic rendition of "She Works Hard for the Money." I even voted for him, but HELLO?!?!? Is it just me? That is NOT a disco song!!! Just because it was sung by a famous Disco singer, does NOT make it disco! It debuted in 1983 for crying out loud!

I was also excited to hear Adam's rendition of "If I Can't Have You". GREAT song. Horrible rendition. I'm sorry, I didn't like it. There, I said it. Is it going to stop him from winning? No. I just thought the judges were way off on that one. Finally, I, personally, loved Matt's version of "Staying Alive". Tough song, I agree, but I thought he put a cool style into the performance. Guess, I might be the only one.

I told Shawn that I should be a judge, and he said "pm - you ARE judging." To which I replied, yes, but my talents are being wasted on this couch! The world should hear what I have to say!

Hence, the blog....tell your friends.

Triple Double Rondo

Go Celtics. What's with all the knee injuries, though? Depressing.

Last night, there was a promo on TNT to have a shot at playing one-on-one with D-Wade. Shawn apparently had a phenom game at the HIC, and has become the object of admiration from one of his hoops brothers. I promptly encouraged him, after hearing about his phenomenal athletic ability yesterday, to text the number and win a chance to go against D-Wade. He said "absolutely not." However, he did state that he would have a chance against Kobe (silent-e). Consider that a challenge, mister.

The schedule was in our favor last night with the Celtics playing at 7pm EST, ending close to 10pm, and giving us the opportunity to watch the best show EVER - 24. All I wanted to cry out was "Say it ain't so - Tony! Say it ain't so!" I sure was mubbed. I'm not looking forward to seeing what this blonde bimbo who persuaded him to join the dark side is all about (I'm convinced this is what happened). I would really like to see her and Olivia get into a violent cat fight resulting only in death. How's that for excitement...

I did make a comment that once 24 is over, the only shocking twist that remains would be the death of JB. (I can't really say it out loud) Shawn wasn't happy that I mentioned the potential ending of 24. I agree - I wish it would go on forever.

Disco night on Idol. I very much love Disco, and may even dress up for the occasion. I might also start a Twitter campaign to save Matt Giraud aka: T-Lake Junior. Yes, I realize some of you have pointed out that you thought his voice was too off-key last week. Again, I say to that, "You're entitled to your opinion, but your opinion is wrong!"

NBA: Neverending Basketball Association

I'll admit, I am completely clueless when it comes to the NBA. I have never followed the games, never really picked a team to root for, and I have never paid attention to playoff season...until Shawn.

I was just saying this past weekend how I am absolutely dreading the next two or so months because of the NBA playoffs. The Celtics are in it again this year, and defending their championship status will be a difficult one if KG is not in the game and Jesus Shuttlesworth decides to only score 4 points each game (Thank God for Rajon Rondo - all-star snub of the year 2009). Anyhow, for those of you who know Shawn, you know that this will be a few months of sleepless nights, potentially endless frustration, and a lot of hitting of the pillows. At least the hitting will get the dust off of them.

Anyway, after Saturday's Celtic defeat, we "fondly" relived the memories from last season's playoffs. To recap: the Celtics finally made a legit run for the title after 40 years or something like that, and all (that I knew) were hopeful they would eventually defeat the Lakers. Neep has a deep and unrequited love for her Lakers, so you can imagine that being caught in the middle of the Celtics-Lakers rivalry (aka: fiance-best friend) added more stress to the situation. Oh yes - lest we not forget - that my beloved pc also had a ruptured Achilles last season, as well. It was painful not only to a) have every Celtics game start at 10:30 pm EST every other night when I had to work, get up extra early, etc. b) again, suffer through the agony of any loss, but c) that Shawn had to watch from the couch, on drugs, and not be able to pace in frustration to release some of the anger/tension/energy he desperately needed to release during some of those games. Needless to say, last summer was a nightmare* for me, and I feel like it was just yesterday all this was happening.

Fortunately, all's well that ends well (sorry Neep), and we celebrated a Celtics championship victory in June, on the couch, with champagne, at 1:30 am on a Wednesday night (I think).

So - you can imagine that I shuddered a bit at the first Celtics loss of this playoff season this past Saturday, and, the way in which they lost. I mean, not a big fan (or, at all fan) of Noah (blahhhaggghhh) and Rose (ya ya, phenom, whatevs), thus, it was especially painful for me to hear updates. Which brings me to my next question: Why are the NBA Playoffs so terribly long and agonizing?! If any sport should go on forever the way the NBA does, it's the NCAA Men's Hoops Tournament. I think we can all agree...or...most can agree. I proceeded to ask Shawn last night, just how many stinkin' teams are in the playoffs? When he told me 16 out of 30, I nearly fell out of my chair. SERIOUSLY? How did I not know this, a, and b, you mean to tell me that over half the league gets to enter the playoffs?! At that point, I really felt sorry for Sabrina and her OKC Thunder. I mean, to only have to be slightly over half good? That's too bad, especially since Kevin Durant is phenom, IMO.

I couldn't believe it...16 teams out of 30. They start in April, end in June. I hear wives/girlfriends/baby momma's complain all the time about playoffs and sporting events and their men spending endless time in front of the TV (teevee) watching games, but none is so terribly lengthy and again, agonizing, as the NBA playoffs. I also have bad memories of the playoff season, but we won't go there.

At least tonight's game starts at 7pm EST. You know where to find me.

For more on the subject, please read the following by ESPN's Bill Simmons:
http://tinyurl.com/dz6cqa

Yeah...what he said...

*=potential exaggeration

Grammatical Errors Corrected

I type these things so quickly, my fingers can't keep up with my mind. I corrected previous posts below so that they actually make sense and to show that I am not a complete moron and can use spell check.

NFL Sched, Keith Morrison, AI, & Shawn's Job

So much to blog about, so little time.

The 2009 NFL Schedule was released yesterday. The Bucs have the 5th toughest schedule in the NFL this coming season, or something to that effect, according to tbo.com, and according to Albert Breer on Sporting News.com it is THE toughest. Home opener is with my beloved Cowboys coming to Ray Jay on Sept. 13th. What better birthday present can you get?

Though my emotions will once again be conflicted. On the one hand, of course I would love for the Cowboys to have the season they should have had 1,2,3 seasons ago and start the year off with a W. On the other hand, being in sales for the Bucs, well, an opening win against the Cowboys would look very promising for my bank account. Not to sound all fairweather, but even Jerry Jones would understand, it's business, not personal.

Two days ago, Shawn found out he has to work the NFL Draft with Drew Rosenhaus again this year, as he has had to do for the past couple years. Typically, Rosenhaus rents a cushy cabana at The Shore Club in Miami. I have not been able to participate in such lavish accommodations, and this year, not having to work the draft for the Bucs, I thought would be my chance. No such luck. This year's festivities occur in Pittsburgh, the armpit of America and Steelers' Nation. We have now dubbed Shawn the Pittsburgh Bureau Producer since he made at least 5 trips up there in the past 9 months...or something to that effect.

Anyway, we got onto a discussion about Twitter, Facebook, blogging, etc., and Shawn expressed his disdain for shelling out TMI. He said that the last thing he wants is to post a status about him working in Pittsburgh for the weekend and having 50 people respond "So cool!" and "Have fun!" and "You're lucky!" when in fact, he is not having any of those things. Rather, he's freezing his bum off, sitting in the press box or truck, and running around with his head cut off. The point being, many peeps think his job is all glamour, when it is a lot of hours of tiring work. I pointed out that "Right, it's not like you're calling the plays from the sidelines or something." He seemed to enjoy this answer and will proceed to use it. Anyhow, the main point being, he doesn't need everyone to know what he's doing at all times (like me), nor does he want the attention of people knowing (like me), nor does he want to take the time to keep up with all of that (like me). The man can barely check email, therefore, I don't blame him.

I have to briefly comment on American Idol last night, which, I can't believe not only am I watching this stupid show, but I'm actually voting, as well. I have a solution to the running out of time problem - CUT RYAN SEACREST'S POINTLESS BLABBERING AND UN-FUNNY JOKES! His presence, to me, is a complete waste of time, and more annoying than I can possibly describe. I don't want to hear just TWO judges comment, I demand to know what Simon thinks about EVERYONE. Maybe not so much Paula. I feel, as a viewer, that I am totally getting the short end of the stick, so to speak.*

While we're on the subject of Fox Television, if you watch 24 - OMG! Just when you think nothing else could possibly happen...BAM...right in the kisser. I won't spoil it if you haven't watched your TiVo/DVR, and if you haven't, really? Please get caught up with the rest of America before Jack Bauer comes to beat your arse. Anyway, Elisha Cuthbert as Jack's daughter returning to the show was a nice touch. She looked absolutely beautiful, which, it's rare for me to say about blondes, as I typically prefer brunettes. Anyway, I also had a random thought that she may be susceptible to "Alyssa Milano Syndrome", only with hockey players? I'm pretty sure I have a "girl crush" on her. Add her to the list of Vanessa Marcil, Gina Gershon, and Anne Hathaway.

Moving on to NBC, Shawn and I have an unhealthy obsession with Dateline & 48 Hours Mystery. We especially enjoy Dateline because of Keith Morrison. If you have not had the pleasure of experiencing this man's reporting, you are truly missing out. Here is a hilarious spoof of our Keith on SNL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULKC5auyGHQ

Have a lovely day!

You, too, can make a difference

I'm so happy today. Besides the fact that it's Friday, I met my good friend Lecia for lunch at our favorite place in Tampa, Lee Roy Selmon's. For those unfamiliar with Mr. Selmon, he was a Tampa Bay Buccaneer, and the first from this team inducted into the Hall of Fame. He is a legend and a staple in this community. Mr. Selmon owns a restaurant specializing in BBQ, being that his home state is Oklahoma. (http://www.leeroyselmons.com/)

Anyhow, because there is no decent Tex-Mex in the city of Tampa (by my standards), the next best thing, other than Chili's, is Lee Roy's. Lecia introduced me to this fabulous place, and every time we visit, I order the garden salad with their creamy homemade Ranch dressing (delish!) and the infamous BBQ pulled pork nachos. It is quite the delectable meal.

The last time we dined at Lee Roy's was for happy hour about 6 weeks ago. Lecia and I were so excited because we typically only go for lunch, and had made it a dream, if you will, to have happy hour there. We naturally ordered the nachos, and were immediately told by our server that they had "changed" the nachos.

Changed? What do you mean "changed"?

Basically, the server described to us that the nachos no longer consisted of a collapsing tower of freshly baked tortilla chips dripping with cheese and drizzled with the unbelievable pulled pork, and fresh okra and tomatoes, rather, the format had changed. They were now serving the nachos as separate chips and each chip had a healthy amount of the ingredients. Fine, we thought, can't be much of a difference, right?

Alas, we were wronged. The new format was certainly not as satisfying or appealing as the nacho mountain. Our nachos arrived cold, however, the chips were burned! As well, there was merely a dollop of pulled pork spread throughout 12 or so nacho chips - not nearly the amount of pork we were accustomed to with the old nachos. They were still good, but not out of this world, and we were truly disappointed.

I strongly believe in providing feedback, so the next day, I promptly visited the Lee Roy Selmon's website to inform the management or nobody of my experience via the web form. I merely suggested that the nachos were not up to par, and as a faithful nacho fan, I was thoroughly disappointed. I suggested that if they were going to serve in the new format, the nachos should arrive fresh, not burned, and with more pork than a teaspoon sized serving. I was very positive and complimentary, but I did feel they had a right to know a loyal customer was disappointed.

About 2 weeks later, the manager called to thank me for submitting the feedback. He said that nobody ever provides feedback, positive or negative, thus, he appreciated my efforts and my time in letting them become aware of my experience. He also said that my experience was unacceptable and proceeded to tell me that he would send me a dining certificate for a dinner and he insisted I introduce myself the next time I visited. I didn't even have to "pull the DCC card"! (As Amy would say, I never do this, but she always teases me that I should, and I'm like - who cares?!?!)

I never did receive the certificate, which is fine, no harm done. However, when I dined with Lecia today, and (somewhat reluctantly) ordered the pulled pork nachos, lo and behold, they had returned to the original format. You can make a difference!

Now, here are some real causes where you can truly make a difference...

Posted by my good friend, Jany Collaco - http://www.bhope2her.org/ - a site that brings awareness to the trials and tragedies faced by women and children daily in Africa. This site publishes real life photos and stories of the less fortunate which whom they serve. Please check it out and lend your support!

Posted by a few friends on Facebook - http://www.aspca.org/about-us/aspca-april/ - the ASPCA launched a campaign for the month of April to be designated as awareness month for the cruelty of animals. The theme is "Go orange for animals" in which supporters sport their most fashionable orange pieces in honor of animals. Being that I have two little kitties, I now better understand the cause and have developed a passion for preventing animal cruelty.

Recently, I read a memoir titled "The Butterfly Garden" by Chip St. Clair. This book recounted a horrifying tale of the violence and abuse this person experienced from childhood through adulthood. He was raised by convicted felons on the run, and the shocking tales of such abuse brought out emotions in me of sadness, frustration, and anger. http://stclairbutterflyfoundation.org/index.htm - The St. Clair Butterfly Foundation gives children who have endured comparatively frightening experiences the opportunities to overcome their abuse and grow through art, music, and other programs.

Have a safe and happy Easter - and please remember why we celebrate Easter in the first place!

Food Food Food

I think about it. I dream about it. I consume it every few hours. We're talking about food. I love food.

Really, though, I was going to mention this funny text I received yesterday on my iPhone. (Isn't it funny how iPhone users don't call it a phone, rather, refer to it by it's proper moniker?) I subscribe to "text tips," if you will, from Self.com. Self.com is a women's magazine focused on...well...self...mind, body, and spirit. Yesterday, I received one that said something to the effect of:

One study shows that participants who ate dark chocolate (before eating pizza) with at least 70% cacao consumed less pizza than those who did not have the chocolate. Make sure to have your dark chocolate before pizza!

I'm thinking to myself (and the other Self), "Self - if I'm trying to lose weight/be healthy/stay in shape, why the hell am I eating chocolate or pizza, let alone together in one sitting?!?!"

I am so easily amused. That text made me laugh. So, you mean to tell me that if I eat a bunch of dark chocolate before I eat pizza, I'll only eat 7 pieces as opposed to 8?

Also, today, a poll on TheNest.com (a site for married chicks) asked "What is your least favorite fast food restaurant?"

Is it sad that I can't name a single one, well, actually, I can only name one, and that is Subway. Ewww. I hate Subway! I remember in high school, when we had off campus lunch privileges our senior year, Julie used to make me go there with her! She always ordered the cold cut combo with creamy Italian dressing. I was forced to choose between the lukewarm meatball or the Subway club. Disgusting.com.

Anyway, I really cannot think of a fast food place I don't enjoy. Many of the girls stated Long John Silvers, KFC, Taco Bell. Speaking of Taco Bell, my beloved husband claims he's never eaten at Taco Hell. Seriously? Who has NEVER eaten at Taco Bell???? That's crazy talk if you ask me. Long John Silvers I loved as a kid. I used to enjoy ordering fish and fries in a little boat and would always ask for extra "crunchies" - the leftover fried dough pieces from the fried fish. Is that bad? KFC, I can't even talk about. Popcorn Chicken? Forget about it. I order the jumbo.

My fast food awards are as follows, and you can agree or disagree. A great man once said, "You're entitled to your opinion, but your opinion is wrong." (That man would be Shawn.)

Best Burger:
CA - In and Out
FL - Five Guys
TX - Jack in the Box

Worst Burger:
Anywhere - McDonald's

Best Fries:
A 3-way tie between Wendy's, Chick-Fil-A, Jack In the Box (curly or regular)

Worst Fries:
Five Guys

Best Chicken Tenders:
KFC

Best Shakes:
Jack In the Box & Frostee at Wendy's

Worst Shakes:
No such thing

Worst Chicken Tenders:
McDonald's

Best Chicken Sandwich:
Chick-Fil-A

Worst Chicken Sandwich:
McDonald's

Best Sandwiches:
Quizno's

Worst Sandwiches:
Yawbus

Best Mexican:
TACO CABANA!!! The black bean nachos are TDF.

Worst Mexican:
Pollo Loco

Best Breakfast:
Whataburger Breakfast Tacos

Worst Breakfast:
McDonald's Pancakes

Honorable Mention:
Arby's - Melts & Fries
Dairy Queen - Everything is good, especially the chicken finger basket & Blizzards
Sonic - Tater Tots!
Dunkin' Donuts - Coffee & Donuts

Bumper Sticker Rules & Editing

I had a wealth material from the weekend trip to Boston, none of which I recorded on any sort of device, therefore, my aging mind got the best of me and I have since forgotten everything I was going to write. What a nimrod! Regardless, if the material were that entertaining, I'm sure I would have remembered what to post.

We did have a lovely trip to Boston, and want to thank the Fitz's for throwing us a fabulous party. We also appreciate the entire family making the trek to see us and to Mal Barringer for the most delicious cake. I'm hoping Raegan will keep her promise and figure out how to ship the leftovers to me.

This morning I was driving to work, and the car in front of me caught my eye. The driver had proudly displayed a ginormous & colorful Ball State sticker on the rear window of his car. I'm all for people exhibiting school pride, but the sticker was on a beat up Geo Prizm. It made me chuckle for some reason. Nothing against the beat up Geo Prizm, I drive a beat up Nissan Sentra, but I'm thinking, if you are going to proudly display an obnoxious alma mater sticker on your car, shouldn't you be driving, like, a Maserati or something?

Allow me to clarify obnoxious...

There are subtle bumper stickers that simply state the school name, or maybe are a smaller size of a team logo, or the small color ribbons that represent something like breast cancer, and then there are the obnoxious stickers. You know the ones. They take up the entire rear window of the car, such as the obnoxious orange & blue Gator head, or the sticker where the little kid is peeing on something. I get that you're proud of your school/team/cause - you should be - but is it really necessary to find the biggest bumper sticker around and slap it on your car? Maybe it is...who am I to judge.

Anyway, I think it is a fun game to guess what the owners of such stickers are like. For example, a visitor in our condo building drives an SUV, and I see the car every day. I think it's a Forerunner. Anyhow, the sticker on the back is a Florida Gators sticker, but it's one of the girly stickers that has a fancy font and flowers surrounding the words - if that makes any sense. It looks like this, but is much bigger and takes up the entire rear window:

Continuing...there are a higher number of "young kids" than desired renting units in our building (which is an entirely different topic for another day), and so I naturally assumed this person is a young girl who visits her older, sugar daddy boyfriend or something. No problem - young kid - she likes the girly sticker and it's cute, so why not. Then, I finally see this person yesterday dressed in scrubs and she's about 47 years old. Again, made me chuckle.

I find this representation fascinating. I enjoy trying to guess what people are like by their bumper stickers, and more important, I enjoy a pleasant surprise! Just like when I see an old, crusty, beat up truck with a Pittsburgh Steelers sticker or something, and I think...naturally...a Steelers fan. (Heehee) Or, the person who has all of these "Support America" stickers literally covering their vehicle, and they are driving a Toyota. Not that you can't support America and drive a foreign car, but if you are all gung-ho and outward about it, then you should go American all the way, right? Another favorite example is from Cindi Burck-Alsobrook's observation in Jacksonville, FL. Seeing a woman with "Roar 87" on her custom license plate (because Roar 1-86 were taken?) representing the fact that she was a Jags cheerleader. Finally, we have my personal favorites, the "My kid made the A-B-C-D honor roll at Saddlewood Elementary School" or the "My kid barely made a B+ on his 3rd grade division test" stickers. Typically seen on mini-vans, these descriptive stickers provide something to read during a traffic jam. Again, all fun examples of the game.


To me, bumper stickers & general car decoration tell a lot about a person. Just like the ring tone you choose for your phone. I love the Dallas Cowboys and always had a Cowboys star on the back of my window. I thought about continuing the tradition on my Sentra. So, I look at my Sentra and think, no way am I putting that sticker on my car. I don't want to do the Cowboys or DCC like that. If I'm driving around Tampa with a Dallas Cowboys sticker on my car, then my car is a candy apple red Mercedes Kompressor convertible. Isn't it funny to observe the decisions people make?

Am I making any sense? Probably not. I just enjoy playing the bumper sticker game, and hey, maybe I taught you a new fun car game, too. It
is meant to be lighthearted, so please, do not be too critical of people...except for the lawyers in their sports cars displaying the obnoxious Harvard Law sticker who flashed his lights behind you on the highway while you were driving 85, and then blew past you giving you the finger like you were a grandma (no offense, grandma) in the left lane...you know what I'm talking about.

Moving on, I just read an article in Fox News that caught my eye. As someone who is trying to write more frequently and develop my skills, I had to laugh at the error in this reporter's post:

If you scroll down a bit to the LiLo-SamRo story, you see this: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,512967,00.html

"the 22-year-old was denied entry into the launch party for Charlotte Ronson's JCPenny line at Bar Marmont"

I don't think James Cash Penney would appreciate seeing that.

My Sweet Boy

I just wanted to post a picture of my sweet baby Biggio from this morning...

80's Night a Bust

So, I'm a little annoyed today. Last night, a few girls from work & Jenn attended what we thought might be a spectacular event at The Melting Pot (Simply Fondue if you're from Texas). The restaurant advertised 80's night last night, complete with a prize for the best dressed. Naturally, we were on it, and have been planning our outfits for weeks! (Sadly, everything I had on last night was directly from my closet that I wear on a regular basis including the jellies (they're cute - I get a lot of compliments on them) except for the very mini balloon (noollab) skirt - which I acutally used to wear out clubbing about 4 years ago - and the neon green fishnet socks.)

Anyway, what could be better than getting back to our roots and re-visiting the 80's and eating cheese & chocolate while having a few drinks with some good friends?

A lot of dollars more than I expected later, we decided the evening was a bust. First of all, we were the ONLY ones in the entire restaurant, except for the servers, who were dressed in 80's garb...and trust me when I say, we went all out. I don't know if you have ever been to The Melting Pot, but it's a dark place and the tables are basically private cubby-hole type pods a la 70's decor, if you will. Sure, they had music faintly playing in the background, but it wasn't even 80's music AND the volume was turned down so low and the other parties were so quiet, you could hear my stomach rumbling. We also had to show our server the email we received advertising the night in order to win the prize from the manager for dressing up since we were the ONLY ones who actually followed through. $10 off my next visit - oh no - couldn't use the coupon that night. Thanks for nothing, Gary.

Finally, eating at The Melting Pot requires work. You have to actually time your food cooking and concentrate on it so that you don't undercook and get salmonella, thus not allowing us to properly socialize over dinner. It was good, but it didn't satiate me, and I left contemplating a stop at Burger King for a Whopper with cheese. I didn't - calorie counting wouldn't allow it - oh - and I ran out of money because dinner was so expensive.

Sigh...so much for 80's night. I'm actually still mad and plan on writing an email giving them a piece of my mind. Maybe I'll get a gift certificate.

Tonight, Shawn & I are headed to Beantown...er...North Reading, Mass for a family "reception". The weather says 58 degrees and a 40% chance of rain, so the BBQ should work out well. Actually, we are very grateful to the Fitz's and the family for making the effort to come out and support us. We are very excited to see everyone since we didn't get to make the trip this past Christmas. Keeping our fingers crossed it won't rain after all.

One of the best parts of our trip is that we get to go to Chili's at the Tampa airport. This is my favorite part of traveling - going to Chili's on the way out of TIA. (I also enjoy the Bijoux Turner store where everything is $10.) They have the absolute best frozen margs and chips & queso, and I dare anyone to argue with me. (Chili's originated in TX, so it makes sense) Anyway, being at Chili's this evening before we board will melt The Melting Pot frustration. Hee!

Pictures of 80's night soon to follow. We are currently plotting where they can strike again.

Cilantro is for the birds!

Today, when I walked into the office, I had the most wonderful surprise. On my desk was a package from Cafe Press (http://www.cafepress.com/). I found this odd, since just two days ago, I was looking at their website for "I Love Liger" t-shirts (another story). I thought to myself, "Self - surely you didn't accidentally order anything did you?" Even if I had, I would not have addressed it to my office?

I looked at the package with a puzzled expression while my friend/niece, Amy, eagerly looked on. I stared at the address label only to see "Aheem" in the midst of my now married name. Could be only one of two people, and usually, they work in collaboration.

I opened the package to see what Heather (aka: neep) sent to me, since it was obviously her crafty doing. I burst out laughing hysterically...literally doubled over...and Amy was a bit "cornfused", to say the least.

Here is what I found:



Please read my previous post "Eat to Live or Live to Eat" if you have not done so already to fully understand this story.

What makes this funny, is that Heather thoroughly enjoys such pranks at work. They rarely occur, which makes them fabulous and surprising treats. Another time she pulled such a stunt was in California.

Do you remember those Time Life Books commercials? You know, the ones were a deep voice would say, (por ejemplo) "In a town, a black cat crosses a street. In another town, another black cat crosses a street. Coincidence? You be the judge...", and then they would advertise a Time Life Book about ESP or something? Remember? You have to be old enough...but these commercials were classic!

Here - I even found an example!


Anyway - Neep and I always make fun of those commercials. So, one day, I arrive at the office - I was working at e2k at the time, and I have a package. I open the package, and inside is...you guessed it...a Time Life Book on UFO's or something. I open it, and it appears to be an old library book from Houston. I'm thinking, "What the...???" I mean, I did live in Texas, but not Houston, but I DID meet pc in Houston...and...what kind of weird coincidence is this? I'm thinking - did I not return a library book and it has come back to haunt me?

A little spooked, I proceed to do some research, and email the company stamped inside the book. As it turns out, Miss Howley sent me the book, anonymously, and yes, freaked me out.

Maybe that was one of those "had to be there stories", either way, I'm having fun reliving it!

So, after all this, I have to tell you what I had for lunch. The other day, I bought a delicious looking salad with spring mix, blueberries, walnuts, raisins, apples, and I added chicken. I could not wait to dig into this salad today. I fixed it up before I got in the car to run an errand. Took a few bites, and then I almost threw up.

...the salad contained pieces of cilantro...

Karma - it always comes back!