Posts
1. Running
2. Yoga
3. Church choir
4. My homegroup
5. Writing
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
It's time for...
The annual Sundry End-Of-The-Year Questionnaire.
1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before? Let my son drive my car. Voted someone for president who wasn't a white male.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Last year I started an exercise routine (running) which I stuck with for about five or six months. I plan to start again come January.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? No.
4. Did anyone close to you die? No.
5. What countries did you visit? None.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? Hope.
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Week of July 4 - beach vacation with three 15-year-old boys. Nov. 4 - Presidential election.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? After 15 years of marriage, I finally bought Big Daddy a gift that he didn't return.
9. What was your biggest failure? Not keeping up with my writing. Not going to BlogHer. AGAIN.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? My body rebelled a bit against the running thing. But nothing major.
11. What was the best thing you bought? Shoes. Everything from the Channel slingbacks to the half-price Jimmy Choos to the specialty running shoes. I am good at the Shoes.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Big Daddy's nephew. [Please keep praying. I'm especially worried since I heard this morning that Israel is preparing ground strikes against Hamas.]
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Governors who keep breaking the law.
14. Where did most of your money go? In my gas tank, unfortunately.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? The presidential election.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008? "Stronger" by Kanye West.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Sadder
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter. Or maybe about the same.
c) richer or poorer? About the same.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Running. Singing. Writing.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Working.
20. How did you spend Christmas? At home.
21. Did you fall in love in 2008? YES. With Facebook & finding old friends.
22. What was your favorite TV program? House is still tops with me.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? That governor from Alaska.
24. What was the best book you read? The entire Sarah Vowell library.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery? Radiohead. MGMT.
26. What did you want and get? A democrat moving into the White House.
27. What did you want and not get? A new camera.
28. What was your favorite film of this year? As far as love-it-so-much-I-could-watch-it-over-and-over: Once, Iron Man. Also enjoyed: La Vie en Rose, August Rush, Juno, Lars & The Real Girl, Boy A, The Diving Bell & The Butterfly. [Yes, I KNOW most of those movies came out in 2007. I hardly ever go to the theater and almost always watch movies on DVD. So I'm a year or so behind.]
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 42 & I don't think I did anything special. Went to work. Celebrated a new president. Ate chocolate cake for breakfast.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Going to BlogHer. Finally getting to meet Carmen in person.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? First half: Factory Girl. Last half: Mad Men.
32. What kept you sane? Time alone. Or IDK, maybe that made things worse.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? President-Elect Obama.
34. What political issue stirred you the most? The economy.
35. Who did you miss? Tim Russert, especially during the election coverage.
36. Who was the best new person you met? I'm gonna have to go with HARRY.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. Don't travel with four testosterone-packed males and expect to have a relaxing beach vacation.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"You can't always get what you want.
You can't always get what you want.
You can't always get what you want.
But if you try sometimes, you just might find
You get what you need."
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
Looking Back
Might as well get a head start on the 2008 retrospective...via MTTSM
1. Was 2008 good for you? I can't complain, but sometimes I still do...life's been good to me so far...*
2. What was your favorite moment of the year? Meeting Harry Connick Jr.
3. What was your worst moment of the year? Losing my job because of a misunderstanding.**
4. Where were you when 2008 began? I do not remember. Probably asleep.
5. Who were you with? If I was asleep, I was probably alone. If I managed to make it to midnight, I would've been with my family.
6. Where will you be when 2008 ends? Probably asleep.***
7. Did you keep your new years resolution of 2008? For about six months, which is pretty good, really.
8. Do you have a new years resolution for 2009? Yes. To last nine months this time.
9. Did you fall in love in 2008? YES!
10. If yes, with who? John Hamm and James McAvoy
11. Are you still in love? ehh.
12. Did you breakup with anyone in 2008? Yes.
13. Did you make any new friends in 2008? There are several people at my new job that I really like.
14. Who are your favorite new friends? Lori's husband John is one person I've gotten to know better this year. He's pretty cool. I guess. In that well-read-intellectual-misunderstood-musician-Southern-Gothic-turned-California-liberal kind of way. ****
15. What was your favorite month of 2008? Had to be July
16. Why this month? Vacay, baybee.
17. Did you travel outside of the US (or your home country) in 2008? I wish.
18. How many different places did you travel to in 2008? Not that many - Florida, San Francisco, Nashvegas (although that doesn't really count as travel, does it?)
19. Did you miss anybody in the past year? My dad. My friends that I don't see nearly enough.
20. What was your favorite movie that you saw in 2008? Iron Man.
21. What was your favorite song from 2008? Bruce Springsteen's "Radio Nowhere" makes me want to quit my job and become a rock star.
22. How many concerts or plays did you see in 2008? HARRY CONNICK JR!!!!
23. Did you have a favorite concert in 2008? HARRY CONNICK JR!!!!!1!!
24. What was your favorite book in 2008? Sarah Vowell's "The Wordy Shipmates"
25. How many people did you sleep with in 2008? Just the one.
26. Did you do anything you are ashamed of this year? Sold out.
27. What was the biggest lie you told in 2008? "I don't mind giving up my freelance writing to take a corporate position with benefits!"
28. Did you treat somebody badly in 2008? Who me?
29. Did somebody treat you badly in 2008? Oh let me pull out my list...
30. What was your proudest moment of 2008? When I got to be a professional blogger for a while.
31. What was your most embarrassing moment of 2008? John was telling this story about a rapper named David Banner who was speaking at this high school down in Miss'ippi, and he says to this gym full of teenagers: "I got a hundred bucks to the first one who can tell me the the second ingredient in crack cocaine!" and some kid yells out "Baking soda!" and he gives the kid a hundred-dollar bill, and as John's telling the story, I go, "Wait...what's the first ingredient?" Because I'm a moron.*****
32. If you could go back to any moment of 2008 and change something, what would it be? I would've negotiated for more vacation time at my new job.
33. Where did you work in 2008? Let's just say that it's going to be a complicated tax return this year...
34. Favorite TV shows(s) of 2008? House. Rachel Maddow. Mad Men.
35. Favorite Band(s) of 2008? Radiohead
36. Favorite Food in 2008? Cream of Wheat.******
37. Favorite Drink in 2008? Starbucks.
38. Favorite Place in 2008? The beach in Destin.
39. Favorite person(s) to be with in 2008? Myself.
40. Favorite person(s) to talk to in 2008? There are so many friends that I don't talk to near enough, so when I hear from Penelope or Alayna or Beth or Mary or Ansley or any number of others it's always a special treat.
41. Favorite trip in 2008? Florida beach vacation. Always.
42. Favorite stores in 2008? There was that one fateful Neiman Marcus trip in San Francisco.
43. Hardest thing you had to go through in 2008? Losing my job. AGAIN.*******
44. Most exciting moment(s) in 2008? The presidential election.
45. Funniest moment(s) in 2008? Oh man, remember when the economy completely fell apart? And all those people lost their homes? And their jobs? And our president shit all over the Constitution? HILARIOUS!!!********
* - Me and Joe Walsh, apparently.
** - That I am legally bound to never, ever write about on the internet.
*** - And you damn kids get off my lawn.
**** - Just don't let him start talking about FAULKNER.
***** - I'm sure there are more embarrassing moments than that, but as I can't recall falling down in public or saying something inappropriate about someone when I didn't realize they were within earshot or flubbing my lines onstage, I'm sticking with the crack cocaine story.
****** - It's the ultimate comfort food.
******* - And fates? If you're listening? It would be really GREAT to break that trend in '09.
******** - Sorry.
1. Was 2008 good for you? I can't complain, but sometimes I still do...life's been good to me so far...*
2. What was your favorite moment of the year? Meeting Harry Connick Jr.
3. What was your worst moment of the year? Losing my job because of a misunderstanding.**
4. Where were you when 2008 began? I do not remember. Probably asleep.
5. Who were you with? If I was asleep, I was probably alone. If I managed to make it to midnight, I would've been with my family.
6. Where will you be when 2008 ends? Probably asleep.***
7. Did you keep your new years resolution of 2008? For about six months, which is pretty good, really.
8. Do you have a new years resolution for 2009? Yes. To last nine months this time.
9. Did you fall in love in 2008? YES!
10. If yes, with who? John Hamm and James McAvoy
11. Are you still in love? ehh.
12. Did you breakup with anyone in 2008? Yes.
13. Did you make any new friends in 2008? There are several people at my new job that I really like.
14. Who are your favorite new friends? Lori's husband John is one person I've gotten to know better this year. He's pretty cool. I guess. In that well-read-intellectual-misunderstood-musician-Southern-Gothic-turned-California-liberal kind of way. ****
15. What was your favorite month of 2008? Had to be July
16. Why this month? Vacay, baybee.
17. Did you travel outside of the US (or your home country) in 2008? I wish.
18. How many different places did you travel to in 2008? Not that many - Florida, San Francisco, Nashvegas (although that doesn't really count as travel, does it?)
19. Did you miss anybody in the past year? My dad. My friends that I don't see nearly enough.
20. What was your favorite movie that you saw in 2008? Iron Man.
21. What was your favorite song from 2008? Bruce Springsteen's "Radio Nowhere" makes me want to quit my job and become a rock star.
22. How many concerts or plays did you see in 2008? HARRY CONNICK JR!!!!
23. Did you have a favorite concert in 2008? HARRY CONNICK JR!!!!!1!!
24. What was your favorite book in 2008? Sarah Vowell's "The Wordy Shipmates"
25. How many people did you sleep with in 2008? Just the one.
26. Did you do anything you are ashamed of this year? Sold out.
27. What was the biggest lie you told in 2008? "I don't mind giving up my freelance writing to take a corporate position with benefits!"
28. Did you treat somebody badly in 2008? Who me?
29. Did somebody treat you badly in 2008? Oh let me pull out my list...
30. What was your proudest moment of 2008? When I got to be a professional blogger for a while.
31. What was your most embarrassing moment of 2008? John was telling this story about a rapper named David Banner who was speaking at this high school down in Miss'ippi, and he says to this gym full of teenagers: "I got a hundred bucks to the first one who can tell me the the second ingredient in crack cocaine!" and some kid yells out "Baking soda!" and he gives the kid a hundred-dollar bill, and as John's telling the story, I go, "Wait...what's the first ingredient?" Because I'm a moron.*****
32. If you could go back to any moment of 2008 and change something, what would it be? I would've negotiated for more vacation time at my new job.
33. Where did you work in 2008? Let's just say that it's going to be a complicated tax return this year...
34. Favorite TV shows(s) of 2008? House. Rachel Maddow. Mad Men.
35. Favorite Band(s) of 2008? Radiohead
36. Favorite Food in 2008? Cream of Wheat.******
37. Favorite Drink in 2008? Starbucks.
38. Favorite Place in 2008? The beach in Destin.
39. Favorite person(s) to be with in 2008? Myself.
40. Favorite person(s) to talk to in 2008? There are so many friends that I don't talk to near enough, so when I hear from Penelope or Alayna or Beth or Mary or Ansley or any number of others it's always a special treat.
41. Favorite trip in 2008? Florida beach vacation. Always.
42. Favorite stores in 2008? There was that one fateful Neiman Marcus trip in San Francisco.
43. Hardest thing you had to go through in 2008? Losing my job. AGAIN.*******
44. Most exciting moment(s) in 2008? The presidential election.
45. Funniest moment(s) in 2008? Oh man, remember when the economy completely fell apart? And all those people lost their homes? And their jobs? And our president shit all over the Constitution? HILARIOUS!!!********
* - Me and Joe Walsh, apparently.
** - That I am legally bound to never, ever write about on the internet.
*** - And you damn kids get off my lawn.
**** - Just don't let him start talking about FAULKNER.
***** - I'm sure there are more embarrassing moments than that, but as I can't recall falling down in public or saying something inappropriate about someone when I didn't realize they were within earshot or flubbing my lines onstage, I'm sticking with the crack cocaine story.
****** - It's the ultimate comfort food.
******* - And fates? If you're listening? It would be really GREAT to break that trend in '09.
******** - Sorry.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Merry Christmas to All
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...but all we're getting is RAIN. So I'm sending this Christmas card to all of you with wishes for a sparkling holiday season and happy, healthy new year.(This is not my house. I don't know whose house it is. I stole it from Linda's web site, because it's such a perfect holiday card photo. And because apparently they're hogging all the snow for themselves out in Seattle. But I'm pretty sure it's not her house either.)
Sunday, December 21, 2008
What to Watch
Reminder: Sunday Night Football tonight will be a showdown for the NFC #1 playoff seed between the NY Giants and the Carolina Panthers, or, if you're from my part of the country, the Ole Miss QB vs. the University of Memphis running back. DeAngelo Williams is possibly the best thing (possibly the ONLY thing...well, except maybe for Isaac Bruce. And that kicker that went to the Patriots.) to ever come out of Tiger football and we could not be prouder!! So don't forget to watch.
Meanwhile, watch this...
Meanwhile, watch this...
Monday, December 15, 2008
What a Night!
This morning I crossed something off my bucket list. And I even have proof:
The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville is a National Historic Landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places. Orignally built as a church, it was once the home to the Grand Ole Opry, and iS referred to as "The Mother Church of the Opry." In 1994 it was completely restored and refurbished and it's really an amazing venue for live performance. Not just because of the history of the place, but because it's so tiny you're practically sitting on the stage. We were in the third row of the balcony, and I'd say we were...maybe 30 yards from the stage. (IDK if it was 30 yards, but I'm judging based on the length of a football field, and we were no where near that far. Not even half that far. So I'm going with 30 yards.) Close enough to see every facial expression. It was practically a spiritual experience.
Harry's on tour with his full swing band for his new holiday album "What a Night," so he started out with several Christmas songs. Then the entire middle section was ass-kicking New Orleans jazz. It was mind-blowingly orgasmic. Like, it made me so homesick and yet it made my spirit soar. He played Bourbon Street Parade, Didn't He Ramble, Jambalaya On the Bayou (which I've never heard without an accordian, BTW) and Basin Street Blues. After more Christmas music, he closed out with Come by Me - same thing he closed with when I saw him on the river - which is one of my favorites. Then he came back out and did Mardi Gras in New Orleans for an encore. And he DANCED! Like he was in a Mardi Gras parade! It was seriously awesome!
He was so easy-going and funny and entertaining. He had this amazing trombone player from NOLA named Lucien with him, and they goofed around and danced and laughed. In between songs he talked about the Saints losing Thursday night to the Bears (the same night he was actually playing a show in Chicago, and people were yelling out the score from the audience), he imitated the way his pre-teen daughters talk to him, he talked about American Idol ("That show's been on since like the 50s I think.") and why he couldn't get some bar-b-que in his dressing room.
I'm grateful to be able to mark off meeting him on my list, but mostly I just want to add another item: "Go on tour with Harry." Because he just seems to have so damn much fun.
The meet-and-greet was quick and actually seemed kinda painful for him. They held it off to one side of the auditorium. It didn't take too long to clear everyone else out and shortly he came out, having changed into jeans, a t-shirt and a Saints cap. There were probably 20 people or so with passes waiting there to meet him. He seemed like he really wanted to get through the line as quickly as possible and just get the fuck on his bus. Which I understand because after the high-energy show we just saw, he must've been exhausted. Plus, it was Nashville. Most of the people in line to meet him weren't fans, per se. Most of them were music industry people. That's gotta be a pain in his ass.
All in all, I'd say that Harry's new Christmas album is very aptly named, because WHAT A NIGHT!!
In the photo: Me, my one true love and soulmate Harry, my friend Beth, who was kind enough to ride all the way to Nashville & back with me for the low, low price of getting to meet Harry.
The concert was AMAZING. I saw Harry during the Come By Me tour, which must've been almost 10 years ago, at the ampitheater on the Mississippi River here in Memphis. And that was a great concert too - he talked about how it felt like home to him to be playing on the River - but I'd say that he's gotten to be a lot more fun in the past decade. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville is a National Historic Landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places. Orignally built as a church, it was once the home to the Grand Ole Opry, and iS referred to as "The Mother Church of the Opry." In 1994 it was completely restored and refurbished and it's really an amazing venue for live performance. Not just because of the history of the place, but because it's so tiny you're practically sitting on the stage. We were in the third row of the balcony, and I'd say we were...maybe 30 yards from the stage. (IDK if it was 30 yards, but I'm judging based on the length of a football field, and we were no where near that far. Not even half that far. So I'm going with 30 yards.) Close enough to see every facial expression. It was practically a spiritual experience.
Harry's on tour with his full swing band for his new holiday album "What a Night," so he started out with several Christmas songs. Then the entire middle section was ass-kicking New Orleans jazz. It was mind-blowingly orgasmic. Like, it made me so homesick and yet it made my spirit soar. He played Bourbon Street Parade, Didn't He Ramble, Jambalaya On the Bayou (which I've never heard without an accordian, BTW) and Basin Street Blues. After more Christmas music, he closed out with Come by Me - same thing he closed with when I saw him on the river - which is one of my favorites. Then he came back out and did Mardi Gras in New Orleans for an encore. And he DANCED! Like he was in a Mardi Gras parade! It was seriously awesome!
He was so easy-going and funny and entertaining. He had this amazing trombone player from NOLA named Lucien with him, and they goofed around and danced and laughed. In between songs he talked about the Saints losing Thursday night to the Bears (the same night he was actually playing a show in Chicago, and people were yelling out the score from the audience), he imitated the way his pre-teen daughters talk to him, he talked about American Idol ("That show's been on since like the 50s I think.") and why he couldn't get some bar-b-que in his dressing room.
I'm grateful to be able to mark off meeting him on my list, but mostly I just want to add another item: "Go on tour with Harry." Because he just seems to have so damn much fun.
The meet-and-greet was quick and actually seemed kinda painful for him. They held it off to one side of the auditorium. It didn't take too long to clear everyone else out and shortly he came out, having changed into jeans, a t-shirt and a Saints cap. There were probably 20 people or so with passes waiting there to meet him. He seemed like he really wanted to get through the line as quickly as possible and just get the fuck on his bus. Which I understand because after the high-energy show we just saw, he must've been exhausted. Plus, it was Nashville. Most of the people in line to meet him weren't fans, per se. Most of them were music industry people. That's gotta be a pain in his ass.
All in all, I'd say that Harry's new Christmas album is very aptly named, because WHAT A NIGHT!!
Friday, December 12, 2008
In the 80s, I once noticed that Elle McPherson had funny-looking knees.
Ladies, I know it's impossible to live up to the feminine ideal that the media sets forth for us. What with them airbrushing even the likes of Jessica Alba to make her smaller, because she was probably like, a *gasp* size 2 in the "before" photo. So we take our consolation where we can. Me? I take solace in noting that Jennifer Anniston has old-lady feet:
(If the photo is too small, go here.)
(If the photo is too small, go here.)
Thursday, December 11, 2008
An Open Letter to Britney Spears
Dear Britney,
Honey, I'm glad you're finally getting your shit together. And wearing panties again. But I have something I need to explain to you. THIS:
Honey, I'm glad you're finally getting your shit together. And wearing panties again. But I have something I need to explain to you. THIS:
Is not re-inventing yourself. This is the same old stripper look you've been sporting for years now. Don't get me wrong, it's better than the bat-shit-crazy look you had going there for a while, but still. Not a re-invention.
A "re-invention" is what Christina did when she gave up the drrrty look and for the '40s glam look. A "re-invention" is what Madonna did every time she put out a new album in the 90s. A "re-invention" is what Rosie did when she gave up her talk show. Oh wait, that last one's not really a good example.
So keep moving forward with your career. Keep recording new music. I won't buy it, but plenty of people will. Get enough sleep and take care of those little boys. You're doing a good job, really. Just think about maybe re-inventing yourself into something we haven't seen a million times already.
Best of Luck,
Kalisa
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
"Complete the Sentence"
via MTTSM. Feel free to play along in the comments.
Today I: wore jeans under my dress to work because fuck that dress code! It was COLD outside!
Tomorrow I will: go to dinner with some crazy fun people from work who are in town.
I'm looking forward to: HARRY CONNICK JR. ON SUNDAY!!!1!!
I could pass on: going to work on Monday.
Newest song I like: [IDK any 'new' songs. Sorry.]
Last show I saw: ['Show'? Like 'Live performance'? I honestly can't remember. Ask me Monday.]
Something aggravating: slow drivers in the left lane of the expressway chatting away on their cell phone
One thing you may not know about me: I don't eat the ends off long foods i.e. french fries, hot dogs, burritos. Just the middles.
I can still: Play "You Light Up My Life" on the piano.
Gift I'd want if money was no object: a Senate seat.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Best. Christmas. Present. EVAH.
I have a wonderful idea for the people on your holiday list who are impossible to buy for: Give them something from their "bucket list."
It's actually not my idea; it really belongs to my fabulous husband who, even though he could've bought me shoes or clothes or books or any number of other things that I love, he bought me something from my list. I KNOW!! How amazing is that??
Can you guess what it is?
TWO TICKETS TO SEE HARRY CONNICK JR AT THE RYMAN AUDITORIUM IN NASHVILLE WITH VIP MEET-AND-GREET BACKSTAGE PASSES!!
It's this Sunday night. Who wants to go with me?
It's actually not my idea; it really belongs to my fabulous husband who, even though he could've bought me shoes or clothes or books or any number of other things that I love, he bought me something from my list. I KNOW!! How amazing is that??
Can you guess what it is?
TWO TICKETS TO SEE HARRY CONNICK JR AT THE RYMAN AUDITORIUM IN NASHVILLE WITH VIP MEET-AND-GREET BACKSTAGE PASSES!!
It's this Sunday night. Who wants to go with me?
Monday, December 8, 2008
The only titles I can think of for this post include gross bodily fluids
You would THINK with all the obsessive hand-washing I do, that a virus would have a hard damn time making its way under the protective covering of my skin. But alas, my luck, it has run out.
I woke up Sunday morning sick. Sick sick sick. I am fighting it with pretty much everything I can get my hands on, including:
Nyquil
Dayquil
Green tea with honey
Mucinex
Emergen-C
Zicam
Ester-C
Chicken noodle soup
Ginger ale
I'm knocking back the fluids, and I have no appetite, so I'm pretty much on a liquid diet at this point. I'm hoping that means I can drop 5 pounds over the duration of this illness.
I woke up Sunday morning sick. Sick sick sick. I am fighting it with pretty much everything I can get my hands on, including:
Nyquil
Dayquil
Green tea with honey
Mucinex
Emergen-C
Zicam
Ester-C
Chicken noodle soup
Ginger ale
I'm knocking back the fluids, and I have no appetite, so I'm pretty much on a liquid diet at this point. I'm hoping that means I can drop 5 pounds over the duration of this illness.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
'Tis the season...to think about how I shall improve myself in 2009.
Last January, I started a running program after an entire lifetime of avoiding all physical exercise. Like, as a child, I read books and played with Barbies. I never participated in sports or anything that required any physical exertion. In school, I stuck with the music route and left the sports up to the...sportier.
I did one of those Couch-to-5K programs, that maps out for you alternate walking & running amounts each week, building up your endurance until eventually you can (in theory) run 3 miles.
(Personally, I never got to the 3-mi mark. Since I couldn't get passed about a 15-minute mile [I know, I suck], I just stuck with running two miles, 3x a week.)
I was highly motivated to start this exercise program. I got up at 5 a.m. to run in the cold and the dark before work. I'm not sure where the motivation came from, except that I sincerely wanted to FEEL BETTER. I wanted to have more energy and I wanted to be able to walk up a flight of stairs without sucking air, and I wanted my stress level to be lower.
The exercise program worked really well to all those ends. Plus the bonus that I was starting to look pretty hot in my clothes again. I didn't actually lose any weight, which was kind of weird but since my clothes were fitting so much better and my entire torso was indeed SMALLER, I didn't question it.
Then I lost my job and my schedule allowed me to run in the middle of the morning if I wanted to. And that was pretty great.
We went on vacation to the beach, and I took my shoes and thought, "Maybe I'll get up early in the mornings and go running on the beach." I did not. I did, however, go run on the treadmill in the hotel gym the day we got there. I discovered that I don't actually run at a very steady pace, because I had a hard time staying on that damn treadmill.
Then two barriers came up that served to sabotage my running program: It got really hot in the summertime and I started a new job.
I blame the Memphis heat for initially sidelining my running last summer. It was suggested that perhaps I should get up early and run before it gets too hot. Last summer, there was a complicated hair issue that I don't want to try to explain, but suffice it to say that I was washing my hair at night, so running early in the morning - which would still leave me sweaty and in need of a shower - wasn't really an option.
This year, since my hair is different, I can now wash my hair in the morning, after I run. I know that sounds like I have my priorities all screwed up, but a girl's gotta have her hair done.
The other barrier was the job I started in July. The job that prevents me from getting home before 7 p.m. Ever. Not just occasionally. So I get home and I'm so TIRED and it's so LATE. The same job that prevents me from going to yoga class - which I desperately need to get back into for my back - because I can't leave the office in time.
The irony is, the new job causes me to need the stress reduction of exercise now more than ever.
Of course, among all this, I haven't changed my eating habits from when I was running. So now I can no longer fit in any of my clothes. So I am officially at an impasse. It is time to take some kind of action.
I'll wait until January again, and then I'm going to start running again early in the morning before work. The trouble is, I don't know whether I should start over again with a mapped out program like I had before, that will work me back up into shape, or if I should just go out and run for as long as I can and then walk for a while and maybe try to run again.
If any of you have any experience with this, please leave me your suggestions in the comments.
I did one of those Couch-to-5K programs, that maps out for you alternate walking & running amounts each week, building up your endurance until eventually you can (in theory) run 3 miles.
(Personally, I never got to the 3-mi mark. Since I couldn't get passed about a 15-minute mile [I know, I suck], I just stuck with running two miles, 3x a week.)
I was highly motivated to start this exercise program. I got up at 5 a.m. to run in the cold and the dark before work. I'm not sure where the motivation came from, except that I sincerely wanted to FEEL BETTER. I wanted to have more energy and I wanted to be able to walk up a flight of stairs without sucking air, and I wanted my stress level to be lower.
The exercise program worked really well to all those ends. Plus the bonus that I was starting to look pretty hot in my clothes again. I didn't actually lose any weight, which was kind of weird but since my clothes were fitting so much better and my entire torso was indeed SMALLER, I didn't question it.
Then I lost my job and my schedule allowed me to run in the middle of the morning if I wanted to. And that was pretty great.
We went on vacation to the beach, and I took my shoes and thought, "Maybe I'll get up early in the mornings and go running on the beach." I did not. I did, however, go run on the treadmill in the hotel gym the day we got there. I discovered that I don't actually run at a very steady pace, because I had a hard time staying on that damn treadmill.
Then two barriers came up that served to sabotage my running program: It got really hot in the summertime and I started a new job.
I blame the Memphis heat for initially sidelining my running last summer. It was suggested that perhaps I should get up early and run before it gets too hot. Last summer, there was a complicated hair issue that I don't want to try to explain, but suffice it to say that I was washing my hair at night, so running early in the morning - which would still leave me sweaty and in need of a shower - wasn't really an option.
This year, since my hair is different, I can now wash my hair in the morning, after I run. I know that sounds like I have my priorities all screwed up, but a girl's gotta have her hair done.
The other barrier was the job I started in July. The job that prevents me from getting home before 7 p.m. Ever. Not just occasionally. So I get home and I'm so TIRED and it's so LATE. The same job that prevents me from going to yoga class - which I desperately need to get back into for my back - because I can't leave the office in time.
The irony is, the new job causes me to need the stress reduction of exercise now more than ever.
Of course, among all this, I haven't changed my eating habits from when I was running. So now I can no longer fit in any of my clothes. So I am officially at an impasse. It is time to take some kind of action.
I'll wait until January again, and then I'm going to start running again early in the morning before work. The trouble is, I don't know whether I should start over again with a mapped out program like I had before, that will work me back up into shape, or if I should just go out and run for as long as I can and then walk for a while and maybe try to run again.
If any of you have any experience with this, please leave me your suggestions in the comments.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Don't eat that! It's for the company!!
We've lived in this house for what? 8 years? And tonight, we're entertaining someone other than family for the first time.
I've been up getting ready since 7:30.
(You know, so I could clean up before the housekeepers get here.)
It's just a casual get-together, really, of all the folks in my department at work and their spouses. About 16 people I guess. I'm making a big pot of chili and everyone's bringing other stuff. In addition to what HAD to be done (i.e., make the chili), I've:
I've been up getting ready since 7:30.
(You know, so I could clean up before the housekeepers get here.)
It's just a casual get-together, really, of all the folks in my department at work and their spouses. About 16 people I guess. I'm making a big pot of chili and everyone's bringing other stuff. In addition to what HAD to be done (i.e., make the chili), I've:
Put up the Christmas tree.
Had the carpets cleaned.
Created a playlist of 43 fun and funky holiday tunes.
Baked cookies and made candy pretzels for gift boxes for everyone.
Threw away five years worth of dusty magazines.
Bought all new magazines to refill the rack.
Washed the kitchen rugs.
Created two very long lists of things for Elijah & Big Daddy to complete.
Had the carpets cleaned.
Created a playlist of 43 fun and funky holiday tunes.
Baked cookies and made candy pretzels for gift boxes for everyone.
Threw away five years worth of dusty magazines.
Bought all new magazines to refill the rack.
Washed the kitchen rugs.
Created two very long lists of things for Elijah & Big Daddy to complete.
UPDATE 11:43 PM
Everything was wonderful! Here's the holiday playlist:
Everything was wonderful! Here's the holiday playlist:
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/ We Three Kings (Barenaked Ladies & Sarah McLachlin)
Santa Baby (Eartha Kitt)
Winter Wonderland (Eurythmics)
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) U2
Carol of the Bells (Manheim Steamroller)
Let it Snow (Michael Bluble)
The Christmas Song (Vince Guaraldi Trio)
Sleigh Ride (Ella Fitzgerald)
Christmas Canon (Trans-Siberian Orchestra)
Angels We Have Heard on High (Reliant K)
The First Noel (Josh Groban & Faith Hill)
This Christmas (Chris Brown)
Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies (Harry Connick Jr)
Feels Like Christmas (Al Green)
All That I Want (The Weepies)
Gabriel’s Message (Sting)
What Child is This (Alison Krauss)
Frosty the Snowman (Cocteau Twins)
Carol of the Bells (The Bird and The Bee)
Little Drummer Boy (The Dandy Warhols)
I’ll Be Home for Christmas (Jordin Sparks)
Mr. Heatmiser (Big Bad Voodoo Daddy)
Last Christmas (Jimmy Eat World)
O Holy Night (DeNetria Champ)
Happy Xmas (War is Over) (John Lennon)
Father Christmas (The Kinks)
Let it Snow (The Brian Setzer Orchestra)
Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree (Mary J. Blige & Sheryl Crow)
It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas (Harry Connick Jr)
Angels We Have Heard on High (Josh Groban & Brian McKnight)
Handel’s Messiah (Reliant K)
Boogie Woogie Santa Claus (The Brian Setzer Orchestra)
Merry Christmas Baby (Aaron Neville)
Santa Claus is Back in Town (My Morning Jacket)
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year (Martha Wainwright)
Holly Jolly Christmas (The Format)
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Local H)
I Believe in Father Christmas (
Santa Baby (Everclear)
Silver Bells (Reliant K)
‘Zat You Santa Claus (Louis Armstrong)
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Christmases of Our Youth
This morning, my classical music station (WKNO, who I love like my own child; sincerely, if I did not have an heir I would leave everything I own to this NPR radio station) played a little Christmas piece that was like one of those walks down memory lane where everything becomes more and more in-focus the further down the lane you amble.
[On another note, I worked til 10:30 last night. So I am stupid tired today. As perhaps you noticed by that firstparagraph sentence.]
The piece was Robert Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus — which, let's face it, it doesn't get any better than Robert Shaw, as much as the Mormons like to think they have a corner on the choral music market — from The Many Moods of Christmas. It was a medley of Good Christian Men Rejoice/ Silent Night/ Patapan/ O Come, All Ye Faithful. The recapture of my long-term memory went like this:
First Movement
Chorus: "Good Christian Men Rejoy-oy-oyce, with heart and soul and voy-oy-oyce..."
Me: (hums a little)
Chorus: "Give ye heed to what we say..."
Me: "News! News! - oh hey, I know this carol- Jesus Christ is born today! Ox and ass before him lay.."
Musical Interlude into Second Movement
Me: "This...sounds...wait, did I sing this in high school?"
Chorus/ Sopranos and Altos: "Si-i-lent night! Ho-oh-ly night!"
Me: "Yeah...wait I think I remember this arrangement actually..."
As Second Movement Wraps up
Me: "If another carol starts after this one, then we definitely sang this in high school."
Orchestra: (begins instrumental "Patapan")
Me: "Oh yeah...I remember now. The Gulf Coast Christmas Sing at the Biloxi Coliseum. My junior year. We sang this."
Chorus: "Willie, take your little drum; With your whistle, Robin, come! When we hear the fife and drum"
Me: "Tu-ra-lu-ra-lu, Pat-a-pat-a-pan! When we hear the fife and drum, Christmas should be frolicsome..."
Fouth Movement takes me by surprise, as I'd forgotten there would be one more
Chorus/ Tenors and Basses: "Adeste Fideles, laeti triumphantes, Venite, venite in Bethlehem!"
Me: "OMG, remember how Bill Thomas used to blast out this part because he was so proud of himself for knowing all the words to O Come All Ye Faithful in Latin??? Ahh, good times..."
What's your favorite holiday song?
[On another note, I worked til 10:30 last night. So I am stupid tired today. As perhaps you noticed by that first
The piece was Robert Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus — which, let's face it, it doesn't get any better than Robert Shaw, as much as the Mormons like to think they have a corner on the choral music market — from The Many Moods of Christmas. It was a medley of Good Christian Men Rejoice/ Silent Night/ Patapan/ O Come, All Ye Faithful. The recapture of my long-term memory went like this:
First Movement
Chorus: "Good Christian Men Rejoy-oy-oyce, with heart and soul and voy-oy-oyce..."
Me: (hums a little)
Chorus: "Give ye heed to what we say..."
Me: "News! News! - oh hey, I know this carol- Jesus Christ is born today! Ox and ass before him lay.."
Musical Interlude into Second Movement
Me: "This...sounds...wait, did I sing this in high school?"
Chorus/ Sopranos and Altos: "Si-i-lent night! Ho-oh-ly night!"
Me: "Yeah...wait I think I remember this arrangement actually..."
As Second Movement Wraps up
Me: "If another carol starts after this one, then we definitely sang this in high school."
Orchestra: (begins instrumental "Patapan")
Me: "Oh yeah...I remember now. The Gulf Coast Christmas Sing at the Biloxi Coliseum. My junior year. We sang this."
Chorus: "Willie, take your little drum; With your whistle, Robin, come! When we hear the fife and drum"
Me: "Tu-ra-lu-ra-lu, Pat-a-pat-a-pan! When we hear the fife and drum, Christmas should be frolicsome..."
Fouth Movement takes me by surprise, as I'd forgotten there would be one more
Chorus/ Tenors and Basses: "Adeste Fideles, laeti triumphantes, Venite, venite in Bethlehem!"
Me: "OMG, remember how Bill Thomas used to blast out this part because he was so proud of himself for knowing all the words to O Come All Ye Faithful in Latin??? Ahh, good times..."
What's your favorite holiday song?
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
So Posh
Say what you want about Posh, this outfit totally rocks the casbah:
(As a side note, did you see that silly girl asking the internets to help her find where she could get this bag, because it was so cute and would match her luggage perfectly? Silly, silly girl.)
(That's an Hermès Kelly bag, which people pay up to $50K for and wait years and years on waiting lists.)
(Posh probably didn't have to wait.)
Shopping for a Man
The men in our lives are so hard to shop for - am I right, ladies? Especially my man, who has returned pretty near every gift I've ever gotten him. I should just give up but every year I try anew to find something he will use and appreciate.
If you have a man in your life who is hard to buy for, allow me these suggestions.
Mario Batali Pizza Peel
I'm not entirely sure what this is? I'm thinking that you use it to remove a pizza from the oven? Which, if that's the case, every man needs one of these. I have no idea how the boys in my house have lived without one.
Rockin' Dad Steak Branding Iron Gift Set
There are high-end places where you can get your man's name or initials made into a brand that he can use to - literally - brand his steaks. Which is cheaper than a dude ranch vacation, I guess, but every bit as manly. If you can't afford a personalized one, you can get him this one, which says simply, "DAD."
Minnesota Vikings 4-piece BBQ Tools Set
Because if there's anyone outside grilling in December, it's those nutty Minnesotans.
Inflatable Moose Head
I didn't say they were GOOD ideas. Next.
Tailgate Golf Game
Again, not sure, but I think this is for those annoying people who are always "practicing" their golf swing? Which means it's the perfect gift for every boss I've ever had.
Tiki Head Tissue Box Cover
Hilarious, right? Well you and I might not think so, but the everlasting 12-year-olds in your life will totally think it's great.
Call of Duty 4
What makes Call of Duty 4 better than Call of Duty 3, 2 or 1? Beats me. But I can guarantee you that my boys will be playing this nonstop come January. If they're not already.
All gifts available at Target.com.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Monday, Cyber Monday
I'm not actually shopping online today. I think I've bought my two gifts already - one each for Big Daddy & Elijah. So that's done.
Coming back to work today was a bit of a...chore? Hassle? Let-down? First, I drove Big Daddy's truck to work so he could take my car to the dealer and get the headlight replaced. And I left my parking pass for the garage in my car. Of course! Neither did I have any cash to pay for the parking. So all that was nearly enough to make me turn around and go home and get back under the covers.
(I tried to call Big Daddy to bitch about not having my parking and MY PHONE WOULDN'T WORK. Which also explains why I had nary a single promotional email this morning from all the places I've ever online-shopped.)
Also, I started taking Prilosec OTC this weekend because uggh with the stomach acid. Enough already. So I started the 14-day treatment and I think it's really making me feel nauseous. Which I'm not entirely sure is better than the acid indigestion. Yet another reason to want to curl up in bed.
Then there's the matter of the whole end-of-a-four-day-weekend thing. Which is never good for the morale. Boo.
But it is December folks, and time to consider your holiday shopping list. I will try to help out by posting some ideas here as I come across them. Here's my first one:
Coming back to work today was a bit of a...chore? Hassle? Let-down? First, I drove Big Daddy's truck to work so he could take my car to the dealer and get the headlight replaced. And I left my parking pass for the garage in my car. Of course! Neither did I have any cash to pay for the parking. So all that was nearly enough to make me turn around and go home and get back under the covers.
(I tried to call Big Daddy to bitch about not having my parking and MY PHONE WOULDN'T WORK. Which also explains why I had nary a single promotional email this morning from all the places I've ever online-shopped.)
Also, I started taking Prilosec OTC this weekend because uggh with the stomach acid. Enough already. So I started the 14-day treatment and I think it's really making me feel nauseous. Which I'm not entirely sure is better than the acid indigestion. Yet another reason to want to curl up in bed.
Then there's the matter of the whole end-of-a-four-day-weekend thing. Which is never good for the morale. Boo.
But it is December folks, and time to consider your holiday shopping list. I will try to help out by posting some ideas here as I come across them. Here's my first one:
Food Chain Friends
They're friends! That eat each other! Have fun explaining that one to your 5-year-old niece. Then maybe later you can send her out in the yard to watch your cat kill the birdies. (Available at FAO Schwarz)
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