I'm busy taking a licensing class this week where the instructor is fond of telling stories about insurance he tried to sell to self made men with stay at home wives and at least 4 kids who end up riding the bumper of a MAC truck down 99 and about how they used to live in a beautiful home at the top of a hill overlooking a valley but they ended up in a trailer park in the valley looking up at their former home on a hill. He also likes to talk about how he would track the wives down and they would have a good cry together and out of the rear window of his car he could see the women mouthing the words "what will I do now?" It sounds horribly depressing, but it's actually really funny how many times he can mention riding the bumper of a MAC truck down 99. I've proposed a drinking game but I'm not sure if anyone in the class has the guts to do it with me. Also I could probably lose the license I'm trying to get.

Look how beautiful! What was I thinking, I didn't order a single white lily

Inspired by this Loobylu entry

sometimes this website can be a bit namby pamby, saccharine, and revolting

Life is pretty good:

1. I get to go out on a real date tonight and eat sushi

2. There is a giant baby kitty asleep on my desk at work

3. I have plans to be crafty this weekend

4. My abs are sore from the gym

5. Kim has signed us up to receive fresh organic produce from Farm Fresh to You

6. It poured last night and now the sun just came out

I am getting very energized about gardening, due in part to this beautiful page about getting ready for a beautiful Spring now:

You just gotta start now - during January or February. Starting your garden in Spring (April- May) does not a spectacular garden make. Starting your garden in Spring means long hours spent pulling out weeds run rampant. . .If you love to grow your plants from seed, sow them now. Most Spring blooming annuals like to germinate during the cool weather – around 50 to 60 degrees. They are called hardy annuals and love to grow when its cool and bloom before the temperatures reach the high 70’s. Sow your seeds no later than mid February and they’ll bloom in April to early May.

I bet this is not what you were hoping for when you wished I would post some pictures already. This is my front yard and, yes, my neighbors hate me. Please note all the ugly-ass shrubbery, some of it dead. The black plastic has been removed (I was trying to kill the mutant crabgrass and the other piece blew off in a storm) and some very hard working gentlemen have mostly removed the mutant grass from the area. I have a clean slate to fill with a big hippy garden party, pretty cool huh?

Did you know Monday was the most depressing day of the year? The point of the article seems to be that now is a good time to book a vacation. Hmmm. . .

I'm not into having too much white but I like this idea to paint ugly bookshelves a color similar to, but not the same as, the wall they will stand in front of. I have some ugly bookshelves that I tried to stain but the results were not impressive, perhaps I will try this.

Weekend update: I did quilt one top, but was foiled on the second. More prep/laundry is needed. It felt really good to just hang out and be crafty. I bet you'd like to see a picture someday, huh?

Favorite thing that has happenned so far today:

My friend Sandra sent me an electronic 2005 David Hasselhoff calendar. All of the pictures are so awesome! I can't decide whether I like the January picture of David swinging on a tire swing in a sleeveless shirt or the April picture of him wearing black bikini underwear with a black leather biker jacket better. My favorite is probably July when David is shown holding two adorable puppies up to his ruggedly handsome face. Thanks Sandra!

It is time for me to undergo a crafty renaissance! I will commence this weekend by machine quilting two (2!) tops that have been waiting patiently for months and rewarding myself with milkshakes. That doesn't sound too ambitious, does it?

Today my godson, who is two, called and told me he got a new 101 Dalmations video. I told him that I missed seeing him since I was sick and that I couldn't wait to come over later in the week. He replied in the sweetest voice "I love you . . . Suckers!"

Everything on my grocery list today starts with the same sound:

cereal
salsa
salad
satsumas

Fascinating. I've been in bed or at work every minute of the last week, I officially have no life.

If you are going to stand on my roof using a chainsaw without my permission, I don't think 7:30 a.m. is an appropriate time to get started. that's all I'm saying

I have been so sick with the flu. I've been spending all of my time in bed watching the entire first season of the only television show on DVD I'm allowed to check out with my free rentals membership: The L Word (yes I'm that cheap). Um Hello, naked lesbians having sex everywhere. How come I haven't heard about anyone watching this? Anyway, now I have the biggest crush on Shane and I hate Jenny more than anything (if she says "eviscerate" one more time!). Also the really mean girl from Popular guest stars and she loves Shane too.

p.s. this show really demonstrated to me how skinny tv stars have to be. In their clothes they look like normal slender women, but when they're naked their little ribs are about to poke out of their bodies. Cheeseburgers ladies! Also, I guess lesbians never wear bras?

I love my OB/GYN! It's a really good feeling to actually look forward to a pelvic exam. So if you are a girl, have Kaiser, and live in the Sacramento area check out Dr. McCue.

Since I keep telling people about this I thought I'd put it up. An excerpt from Alton Brown's blog entry from July 18, 2004 about Supersize Me. (he doesn't have permalinks so you have to scroll if you want to read the whole thing)

Feed yourselves. Feed your loved ones. And for God’s sake feed your children. Don’t trust anyone else to do it…not anyone. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t go out to dinner every now and then…that is after all one of the great joys of life…but it isn’t life itself and that’s what I’m talking about. Is MacDonalds food bad for you? What do you think? Does that mean you shouldn’t eat it? No, it just means you shouldn’t live on it or anything else made by someone you wouldn’t hug.

I love this since nourishment/feeding myself is such a concern for me. And in a move of extreme hypocrisy I will now go and buy McDonald's french fries from a McDonald's actually located inside a Walmart.

I think it is difficult for a man to sound more awkward than when doing a high-pitched laugh.

I just happenned to stumble across the project page for an insanely gorgeous finished Rogue. Um, wow. Did I mention that I have a half finished Rogue sitting in a basket on a very high shelf. It's January, maybe the time has finally come.

There is a fierce storm here for the weekend so I'll be spending my time on the following deliciously hip activities:

cleaning the shower

making crockpot food

hosting book club

sitting in front of a fire making s'mores

drinking tea

making out

What a wonderful idea: the makeout radio station!

This is the perfect January hibernation activity: "dim the lights, kindle a fire, pop open the bubbly, turn on this station, and let nature take its course." I can just hear Simon purring now.

link via Largehearted Boy

Best of 2004 List: My Life

Funnest Crafty Thing I Did: t-shirt alterations

Best Pina Coladas with Whipped Cream: provided by Kim

Best Hair Stylist/Life Coach: Kabra Moss

Best Cat: tie between Simon for eyeliner and fuzziness and Sabine for getting her groove back

Most Rewarding House Thing I did: kitchen linoleum

Best Kisser: Thadeus Dietzen

Best Level 11 Dragon with Technicolor Dream Cape: Thadeus Dietzen

Suckiest House Thing I did: tie between back patio tile and the whole plumbing situation

Funnest Person to Go Downtown and Pick Up Girls with: Chris Fallis

Best Life lifestyle change: started going to the gym regularly and quit smoking

Most Overused Blog Format: List


I'm a planner and 2005 is my year, I marked it on the calendar and everything!

Aren't you glad the holidays are over? It's amazing how my equilibrium straightens right out when it's over. Time to get down to the delightful business of hibernation:

1. fires in the fireplace

2. videos galore

3. hot hot tea with milk and sugar

4. s'mores for dinner

5. clean laundry