Owww! oh! oh no! Oh my...

Hope everyone had a most wonderful Chrimpus holiday! Yes? and Me? well, um, I had planned on sharing a Chrimpus post before now, and had also hoped to make the rounds before the 25th, wishing fellow bloggers the best... but what? Well, those size 7 boys jammers I had mentioned earlier? and my honey-man's secret present I needed to finish? The night of the 22nd, I spent hours sewing on 'em and it is now very clear to me that my early 20s are long gone = I can no longer use my sewing machine sitting on the floor.

The morning of the 23rd, I threw my back out. Yup, it was juhhst lovely. the initial pain? I had to crawl into the front room on my forearms and knees, ever soooo so SLOWLY, like a slug, in search of my cell phone. As I went, Otis and Owen were absolutely befuddled and they crept along beside me, around me, beneath me, in circles around me, wondering what the hell was up with this new posture I was sporting. I couldn't help but laugh at the situation though, eye-level with the kitties.

So basically the day was shot before it began. Instead of wrapping up some online stuff and some last minute gifts before packing the car and hitting the road for L.A., I laid flat on my back in bed, occasionally groaning a bit. Luckily, thanks to loads of rest, lots of ibuprofen, the dilegent alternating of applied heat and ice, and lots of loving advice and encouragement and coaching from my family in Iowa, I eventually made an uncomfortable drive to L.A. the next day, arriving in time for Christmas Eve - minus the rich "Market Street Grill" clam chowder or the marbled cheesecake or almondine honey veggies or any of the other items I'd planned on preparing for that evening.

Granted, this whole back thing brought most of my Christmas Eve and Day plans to a screeching halt... HOWEVER, this was my first Chrimpus in L.A. with both my honey-man and the angel-boy O ~ and that's the BEST! Frequently finding myself veclempted throughout the weekend, I've had a really good one despite the bad back! It's been a love-loaded holiday ANNNND I totally plan to share details and pics later, but right now, this sitting at the compooter is beginning to aggravate my back ~ Yeah, I'm not quite entirely okay just yet. Fingers crossed that I'll be able to ski the slopes of Keystone, CO next week - puhleeeze!?! Puhleeze let me be able to ski! puhleeze?
Wish me luck! AND HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Planning to post, Really I am

I gots stuff tah say about Chrimpus, I do! I'm planning on it, but I need to first go sew some flannel jammies for a size 7 in 'boys' and I also desperately need to finish my SECRET *shhh* surprise gift I'm making for my honey-man. Don't tell!

Blurb for Today

A study conducted by UCLA's Department of Psychiatry has revealed that the kind of face a woman finds attractive on a man can differ depending on where she is in her menstrual cycle.

For example: If she is ovulating, she is attracted to men with rugged and masculine features.

However, if she is menstruating, or menopausal, she tends to be more attracted to a man with scissors lodged in his temple and tape over his mouth while he is set on fire.

No further studies are expected.

Red, Jeweled Fruits

This post is basically about how I had my first pomegranate in over 18 years ~ it was a big little moment for me. Yes, sounds TOTALLY lame -I know- but what I'm sayin' is so-so-so true. First of all, I wore a red shirt in honor of the occasion - why is that significant? Well, for the fact that I could vaguely recall how messy pomegranates are... In fact, if I remember right, my mum would give me a small bowl and hand me a pomegranate she had split open to start me off, and then she'd send me OUTSIDE, but only if I was already wearing either red or dark clothing. SIDENOTE: I wore a lot of red as a kid and still wear a lot of reds -never, ever became a fan of 'pink' until my mid-twenties- although indigo blue has always been my favorite color ~ which brings us to Another SIDENOTE: Always in error, my mother frequently cited red as my favorite color.
Anyhow, a colleague at work had literally given me a 5-gallon bucket of pomegranates from his own pomegranate tree-?/bush-? [I guess I could check that one online, but I'm too lazy to do it right now.] Over a couple weeks' time, I gave the pomegranates away to friends at work and total strangers, alike = People would come into my office to ask me a question and I'd reply, "Want a pomegranate?" No one would ever take more than one, but I managed to give away all but four. I took those 4 pomegranates home over 2 weeks ago (yes, they keep a really, really long time in the fridge). Yup, stashed in my crisper, I ignored their existence for at least 2 whole weeks. Last Saturday, as I removed them from the crisper to make room for new fruits and veggies, I set the uneaten pomegranates out on the floor (???) as if I was planning to throw them out - and I was, but instead of tossing them out, I left the kitchen to go busy myself with something else. I came and went from the kitchen several more times that morning, ignoring the pomegranates. Finally, I asked myself, "Geesh, what's up with the pomegranates and this most obvious passive, avoidant behavior?" And the answer hit me - it grabbed my heart and lodged itself in my throat = it was too painful. I couldn't even remember how to eat them. I wanted my mum to start one for me. I wanted her to hand me one, ready for me to open.
Immediately, having realized the psychological drama surrounding these poor, neglected pomegranates that lay on my kitchen floor outside the pantry door, I went to my bedroom to change into a red shirt (picture taken later that day).
It took me over 20 minutes to rediscover just how to open and gut these babies - and the mess? I was giggling like a total goomba, tearing up at the same time and giggling some more, pleased as punch about the delightful mess I was making. I was amazed -and still am- at how much I felt like a little kid, like I did nearly 19 years ago; running out the back door at top speed, to plop down in the cool grass with my pomegranate in hand, singing ABBA's "Waterloo" at the top of my lungs.
P.S. Now that I know/remember how to eat 'em and I do happen to be much older now, I don't believe my next pomegranate will require I wear red for the occasion.

Guilty Confession

I really love the holiday gift-package-packing dancers in the Kohl's commercials showing on TV right now. You may need Adobe's Macromedia's Flash Player (link here for free install).

Blog Cookie Exchange

Susie's a clevah girl and came up with this nifty blogging cookie exchange idea of sorts... Sharing online yer Christmas recipes, special holiday traditions, apparel and gifts. I'm late in the day to be doing this, but I'm doin' it!
RECIPES: This recipe, amongst a gazillion others (Chocolate Cherry Bars, Peanut Butter Blossoms, Candy Cane Cookies, Carmels, Turtles, Ginger Molasses cookies, Russian Teacakes, Mint-topped Brownies, Pumpkin Choc Chip Muffins, Ginger Lemon Muffins, Cranberry Bread, Frosted Gingerbread, Sugar Cookies, etc. etc. etc), has been a part of my Christmas baking/cooking repertoire for years - except the last few, going out of town each year. Anywhooo, my mum's family LOVES this "Philadelphia Fudge" recipe. NOTES: Continued on the back of the recipe card is written, "slice when set." Another thing, we always keep this stuff in the freezer - soooo yummy - it will melt in your mouth! Also, I sift the powdered sugar before adding it to either the cream cheese (c.c. should be at room temperature!) or melted chocolate because it makes good for mixing smoother fudge. As for "chopped nuts," use your own fave ~ I prefer either pecans or walnuts, myself.

Special TRADITIONS: Although customary for most, the Christmas Stocking has always been one of my favorite traditions... "Santa" personally stuffs mine (Santa is code for my honey-man, of course) and not until Christmas morning do I get to see with what lil' goodies it's been filled - one music CD is always requisite and milk chocolate. I. LOVE. STUFFING. STOCKINGS. Christmas Stockings. LOVE IT! And this year!?!? This will be my first time to stuff the Christmas Stocking of a child ~ my honey-man's sweet angel boy-O! I consider this opportunity an honor, most seriously. Not unlike last Easter -playing the Easter Bunny for the first time- I'm terrified that I'll disappoint. For this Christmas as Santa, however, unlike my first try at the Easter Bunny role, I solemnly swear that I will NOT overdo the chocolate/candy this time = this is my promise. P.S. My mummy made this Chrimpus stocking for me sometime before 1985, when we lived in SLC.




APPAREL: Okay, I don't really own any Christmas- themed apparel... I have a few snowflake- themed turtlenecks (5 of 'em) that I wear throughout the holiday season, but Christmas specific? No. Instead, I have pins, decorative Christmassy clothing pins. Each coat I may wear during the winter holiday season has a Chrimpus pin ~ and here's a sampling of them. I do not know where I got this lil' personal tradition; no one in my family does this but me. I just decided to do it, and as I acquired more and more pins (each and every one has been a gift from someone), it's become possible to "decorate" every winter coat I own. This decision to wear Christmas pins is kinda like the independent decision I made on my own at age 7 to cover my mouth when I yawn - no one explicitly ever told me or by habitual example taught me to cover my mouth when I yawn; I just decided to do it. I remember watching my mother -a very pretty woman- yawning ever so casually at the kitchen table one morning. That moment in my memory is crystalline - the way the mind works is a total mystery to me. Anyhow, it was then and there in that moment of time that I decided I would always, whenever possible, cover my mouth with my hand when I yawn cuz yawning with your mouth wide open? face all stretched and contorted? = it's totally unattractive. But I digress...

GIFTS: Nope, no can do-do ~ Sorry, but I cannot reveal my secrets!
Christmas is coming people! DUH-ER!

I Bring you "Total Kitty Cuteness" aka my lil' Mister Owen

Amy, the Funnie Laydee

Go to this website (link HERE) and check out Amy's comedy routine - her Twelve Days of Christmas bit (hardly a mere bit) is absolutely hilarious!

It Helps that I Love Yogi

Tomorrow morning, I'll be mailing off ALLL of my pink lids to Yoplait for their "Save Lids to Save Lives" campaign.
This pile represents A LOT of yogurt!

Happily, I licked each one clean!

"Moderate Risk"

Good news this morning ~ Although still considered positive for pre-cancerous cervical cells - a condition now known to me as "dysplaysia" - my biopsy results came back as "moderate risk," versus low or severe. I was, of course, hoping for "low", but either way, whether my results had been found to be low risk or moderate, I now have to see the doc every 3 months for follow-up testing for the next year to monitor my status. I was told my condition may go away altogether on its own, but if not, and my tests continue to test out as positive/moderate, the next step will be to have the top layer of my cervix surgically shaved off - ?!? Naah, it's not as alarming as it may sound, and although I would have to undergo anesthesia, it's just an outpatient surgery, and it would in no way affect my ability to have children down the road someday. At this point, my doc assures me there is very little chance to none that I will ever go so far as to develop cervical cancer, as we'll be watching me like a hawk from here on out. THANKS FOR ALL THE WELL WISHES!

Hot Damn!

Isn't the expression "Hot damn" supposed to be used much like "wowzers?" An expression used when one is stunned by something before them? or impressed?
Is it to be used in the affirmative or negative?
I dunno - nevermind all that - all I do know is that it's hot cocoa time here in Vegas, baby! Meaning, it's officially COLD here!!! Last night I could see my breath and my nosey hairs stuck to the inner lining of my nose when I inhaled! Sure, it's not freezing-my-butt-off-in-Minnesota cold, but it's purty damn cold for my pansy bum.

Has anyone ever heard anyone use the expression "Cold damn?" - is there such a thing?

Tah Dah! ~ Recipe for "Cranberry Fluff Fruit Salad"

Thanksgiving last year, while we were visiting my parents in Iowa for the holiday, my honey-man discovered for the first time the scrumptious, fruity, tangy yumminess that is Cranberry Fluff. He also met my parents for the first time. And it was also the first time since 1994 that I had brought a significant other home to Iowa to meet the parents!

Anyhow, once my honey-man had experienced the delicious culinary delight that is Cranberry Fluff, he typed up the recipe and emailed it to me before we returned to Vegas to make sure I'd have it for the future.

My own personal notes have been added in either smaller or larger type.

2 cups ground, fresh cranberries - a food processor is a must or all you'll have is a mess!
3 cups tiny marshmallows
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups diced, unpared (meaning keep the skin) tart apples (I use one Granny Smith, and one crisp red apple of some kind, usually "honey-crisp" apples)
or 2 large cans chunk pineapple (or some of each, I would suppose?)
NOTE: MY FAMILY HAS NEVER USED THE PINEAPPLE!
1/2 cup seedless green grapes - we cut 'em in halves
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup either heavy cream or regular whipping cream, whipped - Oops, I'm so sorry (not really), guess I was wrong... No Cool Whip = Definitely not up to Mormon fruit salad standards!

Combine ground cranberries, marshmallows and sugar. Do not overmix or the marshmellows will fall apart. Cover and chill overnight. The following day, gently add the apples, pineapple (only if you believe you absolutely must!!!), grapes, walnuts, and the salt, and then gently fold in the whipped whipping cream. Chill for at least a half hour before serving. Put in a serving bowl or individual lettuce cups. Trim with clusters of fresh green grapes if desired.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings (unless I'm there!) and ENJOY!

Hooray for the Cranberry Fluff!

This first pic (at least I think it will be shown first?) shows my "most favoritest" (as my honey-man's angel boy-O would say) spot to be found in my parents' home = "the kitchen nook." Although I spent only one full H.S. year in the house they now live in, I have always enjoyed sitting at this table, eating my morning cereal in the morning light that comes in from those windows.


The 2nd shot, I took just because I thought it was so funny - "Prize of Iowa" butter?!? I also think my family believes I'm nuts... "You're taking a picture of the butter" - spoken more so as a statement, stupified, rather than voiced as a question to clarify one's confusion.

3rd, the most coveted Cranberry Fluff (my recipe link HERE). I begged - more like insisted - that we make a double batch of this stuff. Do you know how much Cranberry Fluff that makes? Not enough. I LOVE it and it was ALLLL gone by Saturday!?! NOTE: No Jello product of any kind is to be included in its ingredients; thus, although it does include mini-marshmallows and Cool Whip, it does not meet full Mormon salad standards.


The next pic - what do you think it is - ??? The first time my father saw it, he immediately likened its appearance to that of a giant-scale training bra. My father simply likes to call things as they are... Honestly, it's a picture of the middle school I went to when we first moved to Iowa in '87. Lovely, eh? My father has said he believes the structural engineers and architechs who designed and ultimately built the school first got together and drew up the building plans to mimic breasts, just to see and test out whether or not the school district would approve or deny the concept. Cedar Rapids has another middle school building built the very same way... EVERYONE thinks of them as the boobie schools. And those who don't, just won't admit it.

Red was our Turkey Day's theme color ~ a lovely lil' red rose arrangement made by my step-mum. Martha Stewart should look out, I'm tellin' ya.



The Viagra ~this is NOT a close-up shot, but rather, a picture of a mighty large paperweight that can be found on my father's desk in his home office, given to him by his best-friend, Don, for my father's 50th birthday. Is that not hysterical? Tell me, is it not?

And Grant Wood's American Gothic came to town - see the article for details in pic itself = enough said.



One evening, the setting sun looked as though it were a little ball of fire just hanging around, out in the back woods behind my parents' home... the picture doesn't do the moment justice. I knew it wouldn't, but I had to at least try.



And the last pic -but not least- my parents' nifty, quite purty, pre-lit Chrimpus tree! Easy as 1-2-3!

Oink Oink!

Soon to come - some Turkey Day pics...

Gobble Gobble!

HAPPY TURKEY DAY EVERYBODY! - except the turkeys... I'm gunna go now and have me some Cranberry "Fluff" salad - mmmm...

MMMWAH! Big Kisses!

A Memory Sparked by Mihow

In 1987 at the age of 12, from a vending machine I bought myself a package of Ding-Dongs. This was not a common childhood practice for me then and remains a HUGE rarity today - I've never liked to purchase/consume plastic wrapped confections that have an expiration date/shelf life more than 1 week away from the time of purchase. Back to my story... with Ding-Dongs in hand, I then realized, "I can't possibly eat even one bite of these without some cold milk!" So I bought myself a carton of milk from a neighboring vending machine. Note: Up until this point, I loved milk. Soooo, Ding-Dongs in one hand, cold milk carton in the other, I took a big, big bite of Ding-Dong and then a big swig of milk to discover, to my ABSOLUTE HORROR, the milk was CHUNKY!?!? Out from my mouth I spewed partially chewed Ding-Dong and CHUNKY milk, everywhere! EVERYWHERE. The milk carton was dropped and its chunky contents spread across the tile flooring for everyone to see and smell the milk gone horribly sour. I then laughed so hard I made myself sick - those who were with me at the time it happened still mention the incident today.

For the record: Never again have I bought a carton of milk or a container of milk of any kind, shape or size from a vending machine of any kind ever since.

SPF ~ Past, Present & Future

Okay, I said Sunday, but it's Monday...

This one has been really hard for me - everything I've thought of is either ridiculously trite or way toooo serious. Last night over dinner, I told my honey-man (a sweet, most tolerant supporter of my blogging) that I was having a really hard time with this past week's SPF... Initially, it was just a matter of me not being able to make up my mind as to what would be appropriate, but as of last Thursday, it's been difficult to keep anything in the proper perspective.
Earlier today I was told that I've tested positive for the presence of pre-cancerous cells found in/on my cervix. Not at all as bad as it could have been -"pre" is certainly better than "malignant"- but it was not at all what I wanted to hear. A few weeks ago I went in for my annual OBGYN visit and a rather plump polyp about the size of half my pinkie finger was found and removed on the spot. I was told that tests would be done in the following week and I wouldn't hear from the office unless something was wrong. This past Thursday while at work, I received a call and as I was told, "This is so-n-so from Dr. ______'s office. Your results from your last visit were abnormal [pap results vs. the polyp was not distinguished at the time of the call] and we need to have you come in next week if possible for a whatever-she-called-it biopsy series." My stomach immediately flew up in my throat and all I could think was "oh shit." Last Friday, my then present condition could only be described as "calmly floating along, yet slightly preoccupied." Why get upset when I don't really know what's going on? Right?
Considering my mother's health history, my own health has always been a subject of concern for my family, both immediate and extended. Turns out the polyp that was removed was found to be benign - very happy news. The additional biopsy samples collected today should provide more conclusive information as to whether or not whatever else that was found is considered "low-risk" or "high-risk," but I won't know until my follow up two weeks from now. Sure, the chances that I've got something seriously wrong/high-risk are low, but chances are chances and in my life's experience, things don't always work out how we'd like them too. This reality has apparently sunk in for me, despite all my efforts to not get upset or jump to any conclusions I really don't know or yet have... I had a dream the other night that I had to have a hysterectomy. Just a dream, but a disturbing one at that. My past, my present and my future all just seem fuzzy right now. I'm preoccupied is all - everything seems to be a bit on hold until I know more.

Stuff Portrait Friday - gunna wait 'til Sunday

I am drowning in class papers and the like - I really want to participate in this latest SPF, but it'll hafta wait until tomorrow...unless you'd want to see my old toothbrush, now a fish filter cleaner (my past), my current toothbrush (my present) and one yet to be used, in its packaging still (my future). No? Then hopefullly I can post something else tomorrow.

Self-Portrait Day!

These absolutely crazy shades belong to my friend, Daly (pronounced like "Dolly" - NOT "Daily" - she came to the U.S. from Thailand when she was 5 yrs old). Daly looks great in 'em, but I think that I only look like a bug to be squashed!!! I couldn't look at myself in the visor mirror without losin' it - gotta admit, looks pretty funny, eh?

Some Random Thoughts on Thai Food

I made a curry dish over the weekend - and I gotta ask, if it can stain a white, hard nylon mixing spoon a bright DAYGLOW yellow and my fingers too for days to come, what does it do to my digestive track?

And has there always been broccoli in Thailand for the making of Pad See Ewe? when did Thailand acquire broccoli?

If my eyes are watering and my forehead and the back of my neck are perspiring profusely, and my sinuses are flowing like a river, how can the dish I'm eating be considered, "oh so very mild, Miss" - ?!?

It's hard to imagine peanut fields in Thailand.

How many times must I insist, "No. I DO too want Pad Tai!"

What the hell is a Mungbean?

Did you know traditional Thai food is not to be eaten with chopsticks?

Stuff Portrait Friday

Once again, according to Kristine - this Friday's theme, "Show Me the Money."

#1 The Last Thing I Bought for Myself: Dryer Sheets - no joke. Fabric softness has always been considered a luxury item for me. We're talking about a girl who NEVER bought this kind of stuff, including liquid fabric softener (heaven's no!) until only last year... Off to college in '93, before my parents happily left me to my new prison cell, I mean my new apartment-style dorm in Rexburg, ID (suddenly itching as I recall the day), my step-mum was so kind as to start me off with the proper, needed away-from-home products: Shampoo, Conditioner, a couple bars of Dial soap, a bottle of Laundry Detergent, a can of Spray Starch for ironing (to this day, I STILL have this very same can of starch, as I refuse to even buy clothing that requires ironing), and one box of dryer sheets, among other things. That box of dryer sheets kicked around with me as I moved from place to place over the following 5 years. Yes, it took me 5 years to use one box of dryer sheets, reserving the said product for only static-prone dryer loads. See, I had been told (and it's true) that fabric softeners wear out yer threads. People, I'm the kind of person who has and still wears clothes from high school, with a couple exceptions. Plus, I'm a total cheap skate and have in the past refused to PAY for a product that will only help me wear out my own clothes... BUHT I discovered the yummy delight of SOFT BEDSHEETS, fragranced with Vanilla Lavendar no less, thanks to my old roomie, Seorin. I love the stuff now, although I must confess, the bath towels I've had since I had been married (circa 1997) are now starting to show their age, thanks to a year's worth of avid liquid fabric softener use. Honestly, I'm trying to now curb my use of liquid fabric softener. Yes, NO need to tell me, thanks = I'm a total nerd and I know it (as Hall & Oates blares in the background while I type).
#2 The Last Thing Someone Bought Me: My most considerate, sweetest and most adorable honey of a honey-man found this book and bought me my own copy. His faith in me and the support he gives me is enough to make a woman feel she can conquer the world, I tell ya - although paying my bills and establishing a college fund and a nice retirement plan is really enough for me. Regardless, there are things I do well and he knows it and won't let me forget it and I love him for it. Thanks baby! I can't wait for a good holiday break, so I can read this!
Also, I must mention my parents were recently here in LV for a little visit and the spoiling was ridiculous. From Shu Uemura mascara (oh my gosh, it's amazing stuff) to tickets for Hall and Oates. Most importantly though, it was great to see them and spend time with them both. Big hugs!

# 3 My wallet, of sorts: Not the typical leather or nylon product, eh? I saw this in a Sky Mall catalog when flying home from a San Francisco trip, just before going on a trip to New York. I got home, got online and ordered one as a pre-NY gift for myself. I love metal etching and thought it'd be nice and compact, see? And I love metal etchings - did I mention this already? I really hate purses (although you'd never know judging byhow many I do have - most were gifts...
NOTE to Friends & Family: No more purses, PUHLEEZE!

Self-Portrait Day

First, Last and couple Currents

FIRSTS

First best friend: Dylan - I was 3 years old? I totally remember him, but have no recollection of his last name - not sure if I ever knew it. That's one of the things I'd ask my mum if she were here still.
First Car: 1987 Oldsmobile, Delta 88 - an automatic, beige/tan, 4-door with one big front seat (no bucket seats) - my friends called it the "Fudmobile." It had a great stereo, four wheels and it ran = good enough for me.
First kiss: Heck, does kissing tag in preschool count? First real kiss: Jason Williams, although I shoved him about 10 feet away from me when he tried to stick his tongue down my throat. At the time, it was a major 'YUCK.'
First makeout: Andy Neal - naughty, naughty
First big trip: Age 6, Disneyland! Sea World & The San Diego Zoo
First flight: Um, not sure... sometime before I was 8 years old, I think. Another thing my mum would know.
First time skiing/snowboarding: Age 8
First concert: My first official concert was some raggae group in 1981? Another thing my mum would know.
First Alcoholic Drink: I was at a Peter, Paul and Mary concert in Park City, UT. During an intermission, my aunt Sarah (less than 2 yrs my senior) and I approached this groovin' guy w/ a big, fat humungous fro, who was standing behind a table laden with lil' white paper Dixie cups. He chuckled and shook his head casually as we each took a cup of what we thought was water - it was white wine. Post gulp, I think the spray I then choked and spewed forth was comparable to the breadth of a fine-mist lawn sprinkler... We both ran, sprinting toward a water fountain to spit and rinse, spit and rinse and repeat.
First ticket violation: Driving 75 mph in a 55 zone, on my way to my aunt Brenda's for a french toast breakfast (la-la-la-love french toast) before leaving town for a white-H20 rafting trip on the Snake River in Jackson Hole, WY.
First job: I had a regular babysitting job, watching Jordan, Taylor and Landon, off of Laird Ave. in SLC, UT - I was 10 years old. I wish I could remember my hourly rate. And today, I can't imagine letting a 10 year old babysit even ONE child w/o adult supervision.
First date: Technically, it was my father on my 16th birthday - now wait, don't get all weird on me. I wasn't allowed to date until I turned 16 - while my family was organizing a surprise party back at the house, my father took me out for pizza and a movie, Edward Scissorhands.

LASTS

Last car ride: What kind of "ride" are we talkin about here - ? I drove home from dinner with my honey-man before he hit the road back to L.A.
Last kiss: my honey-man
Last time you cried: Yesterday, when I made myself sit through 5 whole minutes of Jerry Springer.
Last movie watched: Yojimbo by Kira Kurosawa (sp?!?)
Last food you ate: a yogurt - peach.
Last love: Last? meaning "ex" - ? No comment.
Last temptation: mah honey-man, while standing in the Starbucks line with he and my father
Last item bought: gasoline
Last annoyance: The discovery that my cell phone was inexplicably dead this morning, after charging it just yesterday
Last time wanting to die: oh, hell - what kind of question is this?
Last alcoholic drink: a mohito at Spago's with the parents and my honey-man, last Sunday night
Last concert: Daryl Hall & John Oates ~ woo-hoo!
Last phone call: my honey-man letting me know he just got on the south Glendale #2-hwy
Last friend you added on MYSPACE: I refuse to participate.

CURRENTS

Current Best Friend(s): I have wonderful friends and I can't really name any one over another - I won't do it.
Current Car: mah new Matrix
Current love: romantic? hmmm...I'll have to think about that one (juhsst kidding baby!)
Current drink: Tension Tammer by Celestial Seasonings
Current activity: Right now or lately? running around like a crazy person and writing papers
Current annoyance: Daylight Savings - winter hours suck! it shouldn't be dark already when I get off at work at 5pm!?! It's depressing.
Current mood: Can "tired" be considered a mood?

"Your Kiss is on My List"

This is the lid to my sour cream container - the first time I bought "Daisy" brand sour cream, it was on sale. I now continue buying the Daisy brand so I can read the lid.
The bowl in the background happens to be Doc Ern's Daddy's Chili recipe - we (me and mah honey-man) so, so, so love it.

This is my substitute for once again failing to participate in Stuff Portrait Friday ~ I've got my parents in town this week - between work and classes at night and meeting up with them after class, getting home around midnight or later? I just haven't had time this week for SPD or SPF (or much homework either = uh-oh). I'll play for sure next week though.
Tomorrow night I'm going to go see Daryl Hall & John Oates - I have no shame in this whatsoever. Since my father confirmed he had scored us tickets, "Your Kiss is on My List" has been happily playing in my head, interspersed with "Maneater" (one word, not two) and "Rich Girl." I can't wait!
Have a good weekend! toodles!

Oatie? oh Ooohhen?

As I've mentioned earlier, I was in LA over the past weekend for 4.5 days, and I don't believe I mentioned this, but I had brought the boys with me ~ Otis & Owen. One day, coming home from an outing back to my honey-man's place, I walked up to one of my honey-man's open windows and called for the boys...


Otis came out from beneath a table, stretching and yawning and perked up at the sight of me peering in at him from the window - he quickly trotted over, his soft, fuzzy belly fat swinging gently beneath him from side to side, meowing urgently - "Hey, what are you doing out there! are you okay? !" Owen then dropped "from the sky," where he had been up in the angel boy-O's loftbed, apparently napping. The mewwing in unison that then ensued was just so damn cute, I about melted - so, I ran off from the window so I could go inside and cuddle and maul the two fuzzy babies. In the first pic, I think when they saw me whip out the camera, they knew I was useless to them, so they turned their attention to my honey-man instead.

Happy Halloween!

Had a wonderful, wonderful weekend in the City of Angels with my honey-man and his sweet angel boy-O... just stinks that we had to head back to Sin City before Halloween night, but we both had work today and I have class tonight- yes, class on Halloween night - !?! If you're wondering how I can complain, as if everything should stop just because of Halloween night, well YEAH! I've been spoiled you see. Nevada-state employees are given time off each year for "Nevada Day," which usually falls on Halloween, coincidentally. Right. This year, our Nevada Day was granted last Friday, the 28th - trust me, I'm not the only one bitchin' about this.

To make matters worse, I had to interview two applicants today for a vacancy in my office, so I couldn't do the usual Halloween make-up display either - Well, I could have, but I didn't want potential employees to feel immediately apprehensive about working for me before they're ever even offered the job. I thought I'd paint-up after my interviews were final, but my Popa-sahn is in town and we have dinner plans with him tonight after class at Mon Ami Gabi (yummmm). Yes, technically, I am a grown adult, BUHT I'm pouting nonetheless - dammit, darned adult responsibilities! it's HALLOWEEN!?! At what other time of the year do I ever have a perfectly legitimate excuse to paint my face and act like a goon all day long?
Tell me.

Otherwise, HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Click on the punkies image for a larger view ~

How About a Tasty Lil' Turd?

Click on images for a larger view (if you dare):

Yup, I made it all by myself = Kitty Litter Cake. Thanks MRTL ~ Unfortunately, it looked so real (and I didn't even use a real litter box) and soooo unappetizing, we couldn't make ourselves eat it. Yeah, although it was really quite yummy, psychologically, we just couldn't handle it. My friend Daly tried making one of her own, and served her cake at a party over the past weekend...

Kiss my Flames!

Thanks to the most awesome CircusKelli, check out mah new wheels!
I'm a bad ass now, baby ~ hoo-wah! (<--think Al Pacino there)

(imagine fits of giggling when I first opened the attachment she had sent me)

?#%*!?@! Blogger

I have tried allllll throughout the day to post/share a most kick ass "item" given to me by the lovely CircusKelli ~ I cannot yet reveal the nature of the item, other than to say, it's "hot" = flamin' hot! Dammit, Blogger! whass wrong wit'chew, Bitch?

Okay, CORRECTION: My honey-man has been working on www.annejelynn.com and had had my blog on some FTP server, which wasn't ready for me to try posting...it was just so easy to blame it all on Blogger.

Blogger-my dear - I apologize for my earlier tantrum, even if you're a bitch (really, how can I complain? Blogger is free!!?!)

Stuff Portrait Friday!

AGAIN, according to Kristine ~

#1 A Tacky Vacation Photo: Alrighty~ at the time this photo was taken -maybe 2003- I was already living in the great, big City of Sin, but it was a visit/vacation for my mum's family at the time. This is an automated photo taken at the very beginning of the "Big Shot" ride at the top of the Stratosphere. I cannot count how many times I have ridden this ride! I absolutely love it. The Maliboomer (sp?) at Disneyland's California Park does NOT compare. Big Shot totally rocks. See the two freaked out fellas in the center? These clowns are my two most shameless, most extroverted, very loudest cousins, Kyle (left) and Emmett (right). I have placed their faces online without any worry whatsoever that either of them would be the least bit perturbed because, well, they're utterly shameless and the both of them love attention. The smiley face guy was a friend of Emmett's and I don't know him well enough to plaster his "OMG" face online for all to see.


#2 Something My Honey-man's Angel Boy-O made for me: This lil' drawing has been on my fridge door for nearly a year now. I have a few other drawings from the angel boy-O, but this one is my favorite because I'm the green figure holding the yellow one's hand - and the yellow one is supposed to be him. Now ain't that sweet?


#3 My Hairbrushes: My honey-man very recently made a comment that I use quite a big hairbrush. Have you seen my hair? Unfortunately, I probably don't use this brush or the various combs/piks as much as I should.