I am going to Vegas tomorrow, and I'm pretty excited about it.  Vegas is a nice little escape spot, even for a sober gal like me. 

And my friend Shauna hit it right on the head -- my life peaked in that moment when Adam Lambert got put in the bottom 2 on American Idol.  Bottom 2!!!  Ah, it just doesn't get much better than that.

And get a load of what I'll be chewing on tomorrow night:

Those cute little piglets are threatening my cruise.

Why I'm Going on a Mexican Cruise No Matter What:

I fear no Swine Flu.

(and in the 3 remaining weeks it COULD dissipate, right?)

just in case you were wondering...

- my brother will hit his 11 month mark on his mission o' loveliness TOMORROW.
- my favorite show kings got cancelled already.
- i wish i knew how to maneuver my way around the graphic design world so i could make a swingin new banner for my blog.
- i'm moving in 2 weeks. time for this lamb to have her own room.
- i made a cheesecake yesterday. did you know cheesecake makes your arms jiggle?
- i'm freezing right now. why does every edifice in orange county think the world will implode if the air conditioning is not at a frosty roar?
- i got my gym pass reactivated. i know, that sentence right there sort of deserves its own blog post. why would i do such a thing? i've seen lots of people walk by me at work who are the picture of crumbling health. it's been very motivating. i also have been trying to cut down from 25 gallons of satan sauce a day to 1 can (maybe 2). lots of water besides. baby steps, people. baby steps.

peace out, y'all.

Do you want to know what you can do to make yourself feel AWESOME??

Ok. Go to a party on a Friday night, and then find out that a girl you babysat when she was 3 years old is also there as a guest. It's totally amazing.

I was going to go over say hi, hear about her Freshman year of college, but then I realized the last time we had a chat of such length and enthusiasm I was changing her diaper. Nice.

a new year's resolution of mine was to cook something new every week.  basically i've been the stinkiest resolution keeper of all time.  when i get off work early, though, i try to conjure up something.  thursdee was such a day.

maybe you've already made something like this, but it was being sampled at trader joe's, it was remarkably inexpensive, yet still fresh and summery.  i added the chicken apple sausage to appease the carnivore.  

summer pasta salad du jour

1 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes

balsamic vinaigrette dressing to taste

6 oz. pack wheat pasta (i used the little twisty ones)

3/4 cup crumbled feta

1/2 cup sliced black olives

4 links of broiled chicken apple sausage

2 cups chopped artichoke hearts

ta daaaa!

Done!

It seems only yesterday I was being monitored very closely while holding this little bundle right here.  This bundle was very small and helpless, you see, completely powerless over her older sister who was not used to the attention being split 3 ways.

Now the little bundle is graduating from BYU, and I couldn't be more proud of her.

Good job, Sar. I wish I could be there.  The Speech Pathology department will sing your praises forever and ever.

I'll help your kids write their papers if you cure my kids of the lisps and speech impediments they will almost certainly have.

Published. Twice.

Jeffrey M. Hayes, Esquire, new stud muffin at Payne & Fears LLP, has been published in The Journal of the Legal Profession.  His article, To Recuse or to Refuse: Self-Judging and the Reasonable Personal Problem, is quite a wonder, and I would know, because I helped edit it.  As a reward for my scrutinizing I was gifted with my own copy :).  I bet he'll watch a period piece with me too.  

I'm just pretty darn proud of him.

Costco: Where the Beautiful People Go

Apparently Costco doubles up as a modeling agency.

2 days ago I went to fuel up at Costco. When it was finally my turn I went to swipe my Costco card, and (gasp!) it was nowhere to be found! I dug around in my purse for it (the trouble with trying to be Mary Poppins is there's a LOT of crap to sift through in one's carpet bag), but didn't have much time before my lunch break was over, so I gave up rather quickly. Yesterday I didn't have to work, and so admittedly was half-hearted in my dolling up for the day. I met up with my Mumsy on her lunch break, and after she departed I went to the desk to get a free replacement card. The woman behind the counter said, "Ok sure, let's take your picture. I just need your driver's license." Then she got a REAL look at me, and gave me the head to rib cage. Then came a lip bite. Next tumbled out, "Oh...or...uh, I could issue a temporary card, and you could come in another day to take the picture...when you've...." "Got make up on?" "YES!"

????

Later in the day I was vacuuming my car and found the Costco card wedged in a cranny. I am kind of happy about that, though, because I look incredibly asian in my old Costco card and I always get a kick out of them doing the double take at the check out line, clearly thinking, "Hmmm, is she trying to pull a fast one on us? This can NOT be her." They don't do it every time, but I always get a chuckle when they do.

Coachizzle Part III

Let's see...where to begin, where to begin.

People Watching never ceases to entertain, most especially while you're at a concert. Coachella was no exception -- in fact, it set the bar, and somewhere out in Jupiter's orbit.  While there was the occasional Lacoste polo shirt + loafers + Suddenly Silver couple, I'd say the sweeping majority consisted of 21st Century Hippies. Guess what, though: you can't be a hippie and shop at Target.  I don't know where hippies are permitted to shop, but I'm pretty sure if the Hippie Council found out you'd swiped your hemp debit card at Target, you'd get excommunicated.  I saw the same dress (the fashion industry calls it a "Maxi" dress, Jeff calls it a "Pioneer" dress) about a bajillion times, and I have one, and bought it with the gift card from Shauna, so...there. The proof is in the pudding.  Wannabe 21st Century Hippies.  And they were all over the moon about the fact that they were at a festival that quacked and walked like a Woodstock.  And you know what Woodstock meant, it meant (or so I hear) lots and lots of P to the Ot.

Which brings me to my next item.  You don't "burn one down" anymore.  You "sesh."  If I had a nickel for every time I heard, "Ah, man, we gotta sesh!" I would be able to quit my job and be a full time groupie for The Killers.  Brando was just telling us the tale of being burned by a cigarette at Coachella 2008 when a "sesh-ing" group above/next to us surrendered a burning ash and guess where it landed.  All for the love of the music.  

And I'm prone to over-analyzing, but I'm just NOT going to think about the possible reasons why I was more hungry after the concert than I've ever been in my ENTIRE LIFE.  Why, oh why did Jeff and I down a bag of peanut covered pretzels, every crumb inside that big Fritos bag, and half a bag of trail mix after we found our car in the dusty parking lot?  "Dude, munchies.  Who wants some munchies?  Hey, where's my office?!  I totally lost it!"  Name the tv show and episode.

And now, some visuals:

Pretty.

When one has tired of his mannequin, he has tired of life and all that it has to offer.

This is my boyfriend Jeff, and he likes to party.

No, I wasn't extremely tickled about having a VIP Pass or anything.  Why?

My sister calls us "Jeredith."

Brando's hard core.

No words.  Not one.

Erica and Robert, we will so babysit for free.

Coachizzle Part II

I lied.  Coachizzle Part III will be societal observations, and Part II is video.  Why I am putting on these videos I know not, because I rarely watch blog videos.  I never seem to be in the right place to do it (ie I'm at work when I read the blog).  Further mystery stems from the fact that I am hardly a videographer.  Half way through I start bouncing around because I just get to feelin that rhythm so much.  And my viewers become sea sick.  BUT I post just in case, I suppose.  In this first video you'll see Brandon "Brando" Brown rockin out, and my boo, who is also busy with a video of his own.  And, of course, the men of the hour on stage. I just knew they were going to open with this song. Maybe I'm psychic...or maybe it was just a hit single they released.

Next video. Have you seen The Holiday? If you have, you'll know why I'm screaming like a maniac one line of lyrics. I did that for you, Elizabean. This song is just way too much fun. Sam and Sadie used to LOVE rocking out to this song with me and Elizabeth in their kitchen while making dinner; they'd request it all the time. It's unfortunate that now Sam's old enough to catch on to the...ahem...more mature lyrical content. And with that rosy introduction, I give you:

Coachizzle Part I

If you have not seen The Killers live, make haste! Put thy limbs to merriment and march ye to the Woodstock of the new year! Have you ever been to a concert where you felt sure they picked the set list based on your every wish? Brandon Flowers is a total hunk in 3-D, by the way. A reluctant distant second to my date, but still nice to look at. I think one of the best things about going to a concert is you see in what sort of a jig the performers engage themselves. There have been some good ones in years past. G-love sat on a bar stool and slapped his knees together as if to guard the beat, Paul McCartney bounced a little -- less vigorously than he did as a 20 year old heart throb, but this is to be expected for a 60-something year old heart throb. Chris Martin did a variety of "I'm standing on hot coals" hops, heel clicks, and "kneel-on-the-ground and sing to the dust bunnies"s. Anyway, last night I got to collect a few more jiggy jigs. The Killers have a fantastic stage presence and it's clear that while they are all feeling that music, it's not in a postured or obnoxious way. It makes you feel warm and fuzzy they get to do what they so clearly love, and make some piles of money at it. What a great show; my affections for them just chugged an energy drink.

M.I.A. thud wold democracy, I got mo recods than the KGB...

I'm not going to spend too much time talking about her performance because the memory of the fog horns that some IDIOT on her tour crew thought would be just BRILLIANT to blast every 5 SECONDS might bring back the headache that it gave me last night. Besides that major lapse in performance sanity, she was pretty good, very casual. She talked about her baby a bit, and said, "I just wont you to know, just because I went and did the Grammies, doesn't mayn I gone and so'd out." Oh phew, because evolving from fog horns would be bad, very bad for the integrity of her craft.

Now concludes Part I. Part II's publication date is at the mercy of Jeff, for he was the dominating photographer of the evening, and Part II's purpose is visual and societal observations of the wonder that is/was Coachella.

Peace, love, and second hand dope.

UK Elle

Today I was in Barnes & Noble on my lunch break, walkin around lookin around, picking up this, reading the last page of that, when I found myself in the periodicals.  I saw Jennifer Aniston giving all us shoppers a sultry glance by way of Elle magazine.  I wanted to see if she would mention in this article anything about the demise of her and John Mayer.  Not that I'll ever know John Mayer personally, and I can't help being annoyed with myself for even caring in the first place, but he seems like a world class rug burn to me.  I enjoy from time to time his music, I appreciate his abilities, but the love stops there.  I wanted to know where her love stopped, because I have an inquiring mind.  And I like to do mindless things for an hour of every day (if not many more).

Anyway, I started reading the article, and I was floored, yes, floored.  Instead of being this toady, kiss-up article written by a cool-kid table back scratcher (like every article in a fashion magazine seems to be), it was crisp, it was melodic, the sentence structure was here and there, it was fun to read.  In the most splendid, snappy way ever conceived, the person who wrote this article whipped up a piece about an ordinary person with a high profile job, and served it a flambé.  I kept thinking, "Ooooh that's the coolest way to say that!  WHY I didn't think of that first!!!"  as I often do when I'm reading things written by Oscar Wilde, David Sedaris, Louise Plummer, Ann Dee Knight, Annie Garlock Reynolds, and Ken Craig.

About the time my ears had started smoking for both thrill and envy, I turned over this magazine and saw that it was the British copy of Elle magazine.  3 pounds 50.  Of course. (!!!)

Bah, must the English beat us at ALL things artistic?

But anyway, it was another one of those, "you lazy git" moments.  If I ever had any talent in writing, I certainly haven't been doing anything to fluff and primp it for the last several months.  In so many ways and for some lame reason (I can't afford to have a shrink analyze why) I've stopped trying to better myself at something I do love to do.  I usually stop writing well when I start worrying so much about what other people will think of it.  Anyway, as Yoda might have said, "Wake up call I had," and I need to put writing back into my brain, and work on it in the miscellaneous areas of life, like this here bloggy blog.  

I bought the UK Elle, to remind me.  And it cost an arm and a leg, thankyouverymuch weakened dollar.

The End

Yes I know that's not Jennifer Aniston, but this is apparently last month's UK Elle, and this is a much more modest outfit, and Gwyneth Paltrow is my favorite actress.

oh the places you'll go

just a little day dreaming on this fine spring afternoon....

this saturday jeff and i (and perhaps a few others) are headed to coachella to see a spectacular line-up of musical people (PRAISES BE TO ROBERT AND ERICA!) and so y'all can look forward to some pictures of me in the indio sunshine, nice and sweaty.

i never imagined i'd go to coachella, this largely due to the fact that i'd never heard of it until a week or two ago, but there are some other hot spots i've had a hankering to visit for quite a while.

let's start with seattle.  my cousin margaret, oh what a dream.  she lives there with her husband o' love and munchkin  and nugget on the way, and i haven't seen her since august 2006.  maybe i'll run into dr. derek shephard while i'm there.

then there's texas.  some smallish branch off of dallas.  there resides heather, a darling friend/former roommate/2nd cousin, HER husband o'love, and her nugget on the way.  besides the pleasure of seeing heather, i've never been to texas, and have always been intrigued and somewhat amused by what i imagine it's like there.

and oh salt lake.  i've been there a billion times, but i haven't seen lani gates hock since october 3, 2006.  that was, incidentally, the night before i reported to the mtc.  i spent it at her wedding, and might i add, in the most lavish bridesmaid dress ever.  think belle in beauty and the beast, but cranberry red.  i could barely fit through the door frames for the poof.  it's not bad to dance at a wedding reception when you're a set apart sister missionary, is it?  when in rome! was my philosophy.  anyway, lani and her husband o' love and munchkin live there, and i need to see her.  STAT.

then i could hit 2 birds with an east coast stone.  i could see megan in DC, and maybe bop over to hershey to visit annie.  that one is so efficient it's almost wrong to ignore.

and then i reeeeally have been neglecting all my beloved associates in greece, italy, germany....

Photographs of my Life of Late:

Isn't my sister great?  I had such a lovely time in Vegas over Conference weekend, it was tragic to leave.  Not only is she gothic like me (ppffffft), but she's a super mom, funny as they come, and a great hostess.  She and Kris come up with some great stuff, too, as is evidenced by the next photo....

My nieces are so good at being heaven.

Gene pool peeps.  My mom's firm has box seats so we went to the Angels Game last week and later that night one of their pitchers was killed in a hit-and-run.  Horrible.

You know when your dear old friend opens the door to welcome you into her parents' home and you are so excited to see her you audibly squeal?  Maybe you heard me squeal...around 7:45 pm last Friday?  It was good to see Alyson, she's such a classic one.

Kris, you clean up nice.

Shauna's bday din din at one of my favorite restaurants, CPK.  Yes sir.

Yes I know what those look like, but let me tell you what they actually, in their truth, are.  They are Marshmallow Peeps smothered in melted Cadbury Mini Eggs.  Since church doesn't start until 1pm I had a load of time on my hands one morning and then blossomed what I thought was a stroke of genius.  Really it was the adversary trying to distract me from doing something spiritually profitable.  This attempt at gratifying gluttony crashed and burned big time... kinda like when Madonna married Sean Penn.  They're both horrible so they should have been happy together... but pre-nups were called into action.  And so it was with the marriage of 2 of the most quality candies there are.  For all the reasons they should be right, they were wrong, wrong, wrong.  Spat out, thrown out, done.

Now this is the meaning of life right here: Simon Cowell and frosting cookies. 

If only it were so....

D-land with Jeff...I probably would have been screaming or sticking out my tongue too but I was a bit preoccupied with my drink (Diet Coke) that was between my feet.  2 loops on this ride and it didn't even spill!  Thanks, physics, you're real helpful.

And that's that, folks!

I actually have some things to blog with more actual words,

but I'm too tired, and this will be quick and easy:

My boyfriend got a POSH new computer. Like, SO posh my eyes well up with techno tears. 

Did I mention I love Photobooth?

Apparently my nephew and Jeff have one thing in common: neither one really wants to smile in pictures these days.

Today

I'll just say I'm indescribably grateful for today, what was done for me long ago, and for the excessive number of blessings which are for some reason mine, mine, mine.  

I've listened to the talk Broken Things to Mend by Elder Holland (from April 2006 Conference) probably 134 times.  No, probably more.  Click the title and read it if you want, or don't, but I promise it's well worth the time.  One of my favorite parts about it is a poem he reads at the end.  To be honest I don't usually like religious poetry unless it comes from Wordsworth or Blake, but this one has won me over.  I can hear Elder Holland recite it in my head.  I love it ever so, and present it to you now:

The Carpenter of Nazareth 

by George Blair

In Nazareth, the narrow road, 

That tires the feet and steals the breath, 

Passes the place where once abode 

The Carpenter of Nazareth. 

And up and down the dusty way 

The village folk would often wend; 

And on the bench, beside Him, lay 

Their broken things for Him to mend. 

The maiden with the doll she broke, 

The woman with the broken chair, 

The man with broken plough, or yoke, 

Said, “Can you mend it, Carpenter?” 

And each received the thing he sought, 

In yoke, or plough, or chair, or doll; 

The broken thing which each had brought 

Returned again a perfect whole. 

So, up the hill the long years through, 

With heavy step and wistful eye, 

The burdened souls their way pursue, 

Uttering each the plaintive cry: 

“O Carpenter of Nazareth, 

This heart, that’s broken past repair, 

This life, that’s shattered nigh to death, 

Oh, can You mend them, Carpenter?” 

And by His kind and ready hand, 

His own sweet life is woven through 

Our broken lives, until they stand 

A New Creation—“all things new.” 

“The shattered [substance] of [the] heart, 

Desire, ambition, hope, and faith, 

Mould Thou into the perfect part, 

O, Carpenter of Nazareth!” 

all i want

i've been working a lot, which is good, no complaints. oh i just made myself a liar. my complaint is i have a DVR full of gilmore girls episodes, a fridge full of babybel cheese rounds, a cupboard full of wheat crackers, and no time.

tonight i get off work an hour early, so i think i have just enough time before going to the airport to pick up boyfriend to sit in my slippers, watch the episode where luke and lorelai have their first moment at liz's wedding, and eat more cheese than the delicate mechanics of my bod knows what to do with.

it's the simple things in life, is it not?

Have you ever

received a phone call from a fabulous friend and neighbor about 30 minutes before you were due to awaken, debated answering for a moment because you're keenly aware that coherent sentences are few and far between for the first 20 minutes of the morning, but answered it anyway?  And then she informs you that your car is being stared down by the parking patrol and you'd better come move it?  And all you needed to hear are the words "Parking Patrol" before you're kicked into high energy gear and you LEAP out of bed, in all your sleeping arranged attire, and sprint through your apartment, out the door, down the street...

And then when you get to your friend and neighbor (who's parked right in front of you) you find out The Fuzz threw you a bone and didn't ticket.  But you're standing there in your non-bright eyed and bushy tailed superior glory, getting the scoop from your fabulous friend and neighbor, and then some random man walking his little mini dogs in a striped sweater from The Cosby Show And Beyond, comes marching up and starts to throw in his 2 cents? "Oh yeah, you're definitely cuttin it close, there."  Then your fabulous friend and neighbor leaves for work and you start briskly walking, arms folded tight, back to your apartment, and Random Sweater Man decides to keep up the conversation, asking such lovely questions as, "So, you must live in that apartment right there with that beautiful dog!"  "Nope, I don't live there."  "Ah, so have you lived here long?"  "Do you often receive parking tickets?" and other such questions that make you fight the impulse to give him the stink eye?  And then you pick up the pace a little and turn into your apartment complex and he leaves you with some classic departing words, "Welp, have a good one, hope to see you soon!"

You guessed it, that was my start to my Friday.

In other news, Jeff's gone to squish his family, but Aly's going to be my arm candy tonight, because she's in TIZOOOOWN!  I feel good about that. 

this might just show how selfish my life is, but something has been really stressing me out, and if you read on, you'll find out what.

i'm going on a cruise in less than 6 weeks. i've never been on a cruise before, but what they tell me is we're going to glide along the mexican riviera, basking in the UVs for 7 days and 7 nights. the problem just comes in at the part where i'm in my bathing suit probably all day (again, what "they" tell me), for the duration of that time.  oh the exposure of it all.  gasp. wheeze. cough. choke. when we bought the tickets it was in a moment of, "shall we do it???? we have 2.4 seconds to decide!!!!! ok!!! yeah!!!!" and i think deep down i imagined may 17th would never come. it was just a moment when i could be spontaneous or safe, and i chose spontaneity (pat pat on the back) but then didn't have to do anything but pay some money.  the rest lay in a horizon too distant to contemplate.

if you read my blog you probably correctly assume it's so entitled because of a great affinity for turtlenecks that would be mine.  i have strong opinions about my garb, and the consistency lies in the covering up of my mortal casing. i think it just looks better. it feels better. i love tights, coats, sweaters, pants, closed toed shoes, etc. i love going to the beach, the pool, the JACUZI (oh how i love the jacuzi!) but after an hour or so I can't wait to be swaddled in some heavy duty clothing.  exposure = bad.  

don't think me ungrateful or unenthusiastic. TRUST me, i am thrilled about the cruise group, the passport stamp, the free room service, the time off work, the snuggle time, etc., i just keep coming back to the scantily cladiness of it all.  i have looked on line for bathing suits probably twice a day for the last month, stopped into any store i'm able.  bathing suit shopping has got to be the most demoralizing activity known to femme fatale humanity, and on so many miserable levels.  and after all this, i've only found 1 that seems to be suitable. i bought another but returned it because i felt sure it would change everything i stand for as a human being ;).  so i can't spend any more time looking for a bathing suit, because i finally realized i'm not even earnestly seeking.  i just want cruise attire to suddenly be my wide leg jeans and black and grey striped turtleneck.  holding out for a miracle? i decided instead i'm going to stock up on some of these beauties:

a cuter compromise i've never seen.

i'm asking you to do me a solid

and blog something!

this is a tuesday in which i am found without anything of interest to report. would you like to hear about what i had for lunch? see? nothin.

PLEASE, my fellow compatriots in blogging, throw me a bone and give me something to read/look at. my google reader is a-waaaaaiting....

Photo Shoot with Me and Miss Julia

some cute things i've beheld:

- niece and nephew drew pictures for me.  oh this is sweet, but can be stressful.  with the presentation of their fancy fingerwork they always ask me, "do you know who that one is?" and point to one of the many gender-neutral appearing figures.  "uh....julia?"  "no, that's ME!  and that's you right there!"  oh, of COURSE!  i always worry they'll be offended if i get it wrong, if it's not obvious to me that no, THAT stick figure with a bush of hair isn't a 4 month old baby girl, but a 6 year old boy!  but so far i've not pinched their egos.

- i was sitting next to nephew watching la conferencia, and i got up to use they ladies' room.  my nephew gasped and asked, "where are you going?  we were going to do that thing!"  i didn't have the foggiest what he was talking about.  then he winked at me and said, "you know, you were going to help me write that email???"  then i remembered, he wanted to write jeff a note.  

- my niece is currently singing to herself wearing a BYU cheerleader outfit over a long sleeved t-shirt and stretchy pants (it's cold in vegas still!), and marveling at her stickers.  

- i woke up to the smell of waffles.  elizabeth beckoned me upstairs to keep her company while she million-tasked.  the baby was crying so i scooped her up and we walked by one of the 3 tvs on which conference was streaming.  i paused to say to the weeping babe, "look, julia, that's president uchtdorf.  he's the most handsome general authority of the church."  julia stopped crying instantly and stared at the screen for a full 30 seconds before remembering she was hungry.  it's never too early in the morning to teach a small child.  

- sam gets seriously thrilled when president monson comes on screen.  

good weekend.

and i blogged all this during the hymn, so don't get all judgey mcjudger on me.

3 year old Niece's Bwessing on the food:

Heavenwy fazah, fank you fo dis day, fank you fo ah many bwessings, fank you....

pwease bwess we have a good famiwee, pwease bwess aunt mizzy wiw (will) get home safewy tomawow, pwease bwess sam won't gwab sings (things) fwom me, pwease bwess when we go to the san diego we wiw swim safewy, pwease bwess the food.......................................in the name of....

i'm a little confused on why she only wants to be able to swim safely while in san diego, where they are not known to even visit, but she's cute.  double cute.

my bags are mentally packed.

have you ever done that? shared a room with someone and when you got home for the night they were already asleep, so you couldn't pack for your trip the next day, but you planned out in your mind what you were going to stash in your bag in the morning?

well, i got myself a long weekend, and i decided i must visit far off adored ones.

jeff asked, "what are you going to do in vegas all weekend?"

my reply: "squish the baby."

i ask you, who wouldn't?

and i'll be smooshing these 2 as well....

i can hardly wait.

current obsessions

1. pepperjack cheese (just bring a mint for a few minutes after, because what good could spice + dairy possibly do for a person's breath?)

2. my winding wheel by ryan adams.

3. kings -- the new tv drama with a loose biblical foundation. right now it's very promising, i only wish i could have a word with the person who's doing the princess' hair.

4. jethro tull...oh wait, no, i am NOT obsessed with jethro tull. they just play his tunes at work ALL. THE. TIME. what oh what is a bungle in the jungle?

5. i'm back on david sedaris. short stories just work better for girls with short attention spans such as moi.

6. cds in the car. maybe that's not so much a current obsession, but i do think it's worthy of a mention. i think my life expectancy just sky rocketed since i stopped bringing my ipod and don't have it to fiddle through while driving on the freeway. i basically listen to the same songs over and over again until i overdose on them, anyway. then i cast them aside like an ugly kitten.

7. bah. is it insane to wear the turtlenecks i love as the weather turns warmer?

8. sweet potato fries. remember when there was a big to-do when dan quayle spelled that word with an "e"? ah, the good old days.

9. let's go back to ryan adams. i always had this dream, this little tiny dream of taking a rocker in his miserable, narcotics saturated state, cleaning him up -- pulling a mrs. robert downey jr. if you will. our artistic inclinations would enable us to mesh perfectly, and it'd be love. then i'd have loads of songs written for me, and maybe one of them would have a harmonica in it. ever since i heard everybody knows by ryan adams about 1 year ago, and then heard a mini-bio from harry and sarah and cam, i decided if ryan and i ever came face to face, we'd just be MFEO and my mission for us would be mutually transparent.

it is with much cringing that i announce to those who do not already know that he just married MANDY MOORE. you know, mandy moore, the bubble gum walk to remember cheese bomber who once crooned a la revealed midriff the lyrics, "i'm missin you like candy" (don't forget that candy is actually said "cannnday-ay-ayyyy"). gross. my little hero dream snatched up by someone that emerged in the 98 degrees era. sometimes bad things happen to good people.

10. and last but not least, you. ;)

piglet meets piglet

about a week ago a bundle of my friends returned from europe. whilst i was thrilled for them to partake of the toe-thrilling wonders, i have been worried i was at risk of letting my jealousy get the better of me. last friday we sat at the end of the table at shav's bday dinner peppered with euro travelers, and the stories of museums and famous thises and thats were in no short supply. i girded my loins, and came out triumphant over the impulse to buy a plane ticket i can't afford across that big atlantic.  they obviously had as much fun as i'd hoped, and their quality of life surely just went up a few knotches.  

then i remembered a residual benefit of the most darling people going on trips without you. they so kindly bring you 1, 2, 3, 4 bags of these little beauties:



thanks my dears. you have no idea how much i love me a percy pig.