2010 in (brief) review

It was a big year. I realize it isn't over yet, but you must understand how busy my life is now!

I'm still not sure I like it. :-/

Suffice it to say, I began the year at my old job gearing up for another busy season filled with long hours and longer days, workworkwork, and a new expectation of guiding a team. It was taxing, it was challenging, but it was a lot of learning I'm thankful I received.

Plus, I knew that at the end of it I was fixing my foot. No complaints there. I rode the tidal wave of work and it only stopped when I took vacation to visit the great state of Virginia prior to my surgery.

The nerves were there, as I'd never gone under the knife before, and as much as I tried to prepare myself for the lack of mental stimulation and the inability to move for weeks on end, I wasn't ready. I was melancholy and distracted and frustrated all rolled into one nearly inanimate object.

But it passed, as I expected it to. I started to walk again and wear a regular shoe. I could drive and relished the freedom. In fact, I need to recapture that feeling to remind myself while I'm sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic on my way home from work how much I disliked not being able to drive.

I visited my Grandmother and enjoyed every moment, truly realizing what a clever and funny woman she is. Then it was time for a new job, a new place, a new me.

Like the first day of class in the new semester, I was nervous and excited and curious. It didn't take long to realize I'd lucked out tremendously with the group of people I get to work with.

The months have now flown by and more in my life has changed as I've hosted parties, watched my sister-in-law's belly grow big and bulbous, seen my neice hit 10 (and the resulting attitude) and my nephew turn 3 (and go mental...random trust falls, anyone?) and grown as an individual.

My bucket list has grown, too. I have got to start scratching those items off!

With all these things combined, my quarter-century marked a good year and I'm looking forward to what's to come.

Cheers and here's to a New Year!

Numerous

The list has grown too long. The emails have expanded past page one. It's time to learn some new words.

Vilify - to speak ill of someone

• When the cheating husband and stealing wife met in court, they vilified one another in hopes of garnering more money from the other.

Affable - pleasantly easy to approach and to talk to

• The judge presiding over their case was an affable man and vehemently disliked their foul and inappropriate behavior.

Vituperation - sustained and bitter railing and condemnation

• After hours of the unhappy couples' vituperations, the judge banged his gavel and ordered, "Silence in the Courtroom!"

Anecdote - a short account of an incident or event of an amusing nature, usually biographical

• Years later, the now remarried and happy couple told anecdotes of their divorce proceedings and laughed merrily.

Four down, infinity to go...it will never end!

Listen!

I am a loyalist. I am stubborn. I am unbending.

eBooks, eReaders, Audiobooks were all pebbles in my shoe. Until recently.

Well, I'm still a bit anti-electronic books and still absolutely love the feel of a book in my hands and the sound of pages flipping.  But I have been introduced into the wonderful world of audio books. And I am not turning back.

Fantasy Football chat has been flying around the office since the season started and four of the ladies in our group were in the same league.  The IT guru on our team and I have a long-standing nerdy relationship up to this point where we've conversed about Ender's Game at length as well as really cool things you can do with Excel. He comes up to me one day and suggests I give the audio book, The Rookie by Scott Sigler, a chance. This was because he had been privy to many a conversation revolving around hurt Quarterbacks and ridiculous Defense/Special Teams and losing by just one point and if I had only started him instead of him I would have won! Round and round, and then repeat.

I was hesitant, due to my stubborn standing on physical vs. electronic books, but I took his suggestion and plugged in my mp3 player.

I was enthralled from day one. The story itself is interesting, combining the elements of football with a science fiction universe, and the author, who is the one reading it, wrote notable characters and a captivating storyline.  He reads very well, too. His pitch and intonation fluctuate in the right places and he does the voice changes between characters very well. I learned so much about football, I impressed myself!

I quickly followed up The Rookie with The Crypt, also by Sigler. I liked that one even more. I was mad when I realized I'd finished what was released thus far and that I would have to wait for him to complete the next part of the story. These two stories are available for free...yes, free...through his website.

He has recently released the sequel to The Rookie called The Starter...get it?...in physical book format, as well as eBook and audiobook, but has yet to be released for free. Soon, I hope...

Thank you, IT guru. He also introduced me to podiobooks.com where you can find free audio books by different authors in different genres.  You won't necessarily find tomorrow's best seller there, but you just never know!

I've recently started listening to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone read by Jim Dale and so far, I'm hooked. He does the voice changes and reads at a good pace and his actual voice is mesmerizing. There's just something about those English accents...

I'm a convert. I was steadfast through the heavy deluge of transitioning to electronic and audible literature...but I've caved ever so slightly with these newfound stories.

We'll see when I'll be willing to take on an eReader. We'll see...

Efforts Week Four

I'm back to the working world and temptation once again.

This week though, and going forward, I'm changing things a bit. Caffeine is not so bueno for the ladies I've recently been informed, and then read about. Therefore, I will be requesting decaf drip coffee from here on out. I really just like the warmth and the feel of a cup in my hands. I can live without the energy rush.

I hope.

That being said, I've kicked off my week to a great start with a Tall Sugar-Free Hazelnut Decaf Drip w/room. Add in my usual non-fat milk and cinnamon and I think I actually liked it more than my usual!

The cupcake truck is still on vacation, thank goodness, so I can resist easily one more week.

Combine all this with a skeleton crew at work and it makes the temptation to eat out and the influence and peer pressure to boot to dissipate.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas! Here comes the New Year!

Efforts Week Two and Week Three

I was on repeat for Week Two.

I limited myself to three Starbucks runs, having to back out on Friday with the crew, only drinking coffee.

I went out to eat twice, somewhat varying from the week prior.

But the cupcakes...those damn, delicious, delectable desserts. I had two free ones again. Must they have these clever questions revolving around Christmas? Of course, I'm going to play! Again, I may have surpassed my quota, but I did not spend a dime. Justification, I realize this. Don't judge me!

For Week Three, I really wanted to stick to the coupons. Yesterday, I used a free drink Starbucks coupon and splurged on a Grande Skinny French Vanilla Latte. Yes, not coffee...but yes, "free". I use the term "free" loosely as I earn the "free" drinks by buying drinks...and I get a "free" one every 15 purchases. So..."free". One coupon down...

This morning, the crew trekked over to Starbucks and I ordered my usual: Tall Sugar-Free Hazelnut Drip w/Room. I add in my non-fat milk and a dash of cinnamon and voila...good enough in a cup! Two coupons down...and the third is reserved for D and our quarterly coffee/book date on the 'morrow!

Here's the best part, ladies and gents, the Cupcake truck is on holiday! Therefore, despite my hankering and craving, I cannot fulfill my desire for those desserts. That coupon will stay well-protected in my little hand-made holder. Good! I'll be eating bad enough as it is over Christmas Eve Eve through Christmas Day!

This coupon thing really helps, though. Having something tangible to show you what you've done thus far during the week really makes you take notice of how much money you're spending and calories you're intaking.

Efforts Week One

Week one of my new efforts proved mostly successful.  It took by Day two to realize that I was going to need more than just two Starbucks coupons a week. I decided that reducing lunches out would be much more beneficial, both calorie-wise and dollars spent.

I made a third Starbucks coin and placed it in my handy-dandy handmade holder (picture to come) removing a Lunch square in the process.

However, all that to say, I did make my coffee quota by Friday...and only had coffee. No Espresso. Check!

I went out to eat once. Double check!

Damn you, Cupcake Truck, and your easy ways to win free cupcakes. They are currently running a giveaway a day (or were last week) and they would Tweet and FB post what the secret clue was for the day. One day was singing the first stanza of Jingle Bells and my days (shame on me) were what my true love gave to me on the seventh day (Seven Swans a-Swimmin') and what brought Frosty the Snowman to life (the Top Hat). I consumed two cupcakes, one passed my allowance. But...I didn't spend any money which is the second half of this quest I am on...save calories and save money.

All in all, I give myself a B for the week. Only one lunch out, two cupcakes (for free), and three cups of coffee (Tall Sugar-Free Hazelnut drip w/room; I add non-fat milk to it and a dash of cinnamon).

Let Week Two commence!

Efforts can be valiant and fruitful!

I'm embarking on an attempt to curb some very bad habits I've developed as of late.

I'm allotting myself 3 lunches out, 2 Starbucks cups of coffee and 1 cupcake a week. Wish me luck.

I've Gold star'd twice over and am currently sprinting towards a third. A Gold star means I've used my registered Starbucks card 30 times. It's sick, I know.

Also, I've gotten a calorie-filled cupcake up to three times in one week...and that just won't do for the woman striving to be a healthier version of her current self.

And to really clinch the change, I will only order coffee and no Espresso-laden concoctions. I tend to steer down the path of sugar and cream and all things nice when I order from that smorgasbord of dangerous deliciousness.

In all, I hope to begin the New Year already resolved to these changes and work to keep them as habits rather than challenges.

The Element of Surprise

Two years in the planning and we pulled off a great surprise party for my brother!

Step one: Pick a theme.
That was too easy...we are a family of 80's lovers and since he grew up in that era, the decision was made!

Step two: Gather your gear.
Thank you eBay, Target and HEB for supplying great paper plates and napkins of varying classic TV shows for our enjoyment.

Step three: Create a game.
For every surprise party thrown in our family there is always a game. Usually it involves personal memories of the person being celebrated and sometimes it's a Family Feud, or a Jeopardy, Name that Tune, etc. This time we created a BINGO game with memories of John. And for each one, he had to supply the story behind it. Enlightening...and fun!

Step four: Invite and party!
Done and done!

Sidenote: There is no wonder in my mind about global warming anymore what with how much hairspray was required to support the hairstyles of this decade. Ridiculous.

Who knew?

Who knew it had been so long since I last posted? I spent the few days after learning about Veteran's Day to prepare for my sister-in-law's baby shower, and it was a mighty success!

But a mighty undertaking. Baby G is ready for the world, at least when it comes to clothes and furniture and swings and blankets. I'm ready, too!

Post shower, I was kept busy at work with an assortment of administrative jobs to better prepare ourselves for next year's busy season. Of course, being the nerd I am, I loved it. Making lists, scratching things off, verifying that X compares properly to Y which links back to Z. I geeked out daily.

Then there was the work potluck lunch for our entire floor. I had never heard of such a thing when I was at my previous job. And it was glorious. Very nice spread of food and a great selection of desserts, plus some entertaining time spent with co-workers.

After that, I spent a day taking photos of my brother and his wife + belly and it ended up being so much fun! I was the quintessential photographer: skinny jeans, old Converse, Gandalf t-shirt, wavy hair and Aviator's. Watch out, world! We had a blast and the photographer voice just came spilling out of me. "Don't move! Hold it! Look at each other! Stop fake smiling, Yanni!", etc, etc. It came so naturally and it was hilarious. But the pictures turned out great (some of them, anyways) and I look forward to doing that again! Any takers? I like to practice!

Since one potluck just wasn't enough, to celebrate a friend's birthday she hosted a potluck lunch at her adorable house (with new wood floors, may I add) in Kingwood. I attempted, for the first time, to make a Broccoli Cheese Casserole. Eh, it was alright. I used wild rice, which I apparently am not a fan of, so I told myself to try again in the near future. The potluck was fun and active and we all watched the Texans pry defeat from the jaws of victory. Go Texans?

That weekend, Harry Potter had come out and I was excited to see it...though not with 10,000 other people. So I waited...and my opportunity presented itself Tuesday of this past week when I dragged a semi-reluctant friend with me.  The movie was alright. It moved at the pace of the book and I remembered how bored I had gotten reading it. Good job, movie, for being so much like the book, haha. An accomplishment not many can boast.

I figured with Thanksgiving two days away, my calendar would clear up. Not so, said the universe.

I went to a painting class on Wednesday night and it was truly fun. There were four new people in our group and they each enjoyed themselves. My painting turned out alright, as well. It definitely makes a difference when you drink wine vs. drinking coffee. Ha!

Hello, Thanksgiving! Where did you come from? I swear it was just Halloween...

I made my second attempt at a Broccoli Cheese casserole and this time met with much greater success. Stick to the Minute rice variety, it makes for a much tastier dish. The family came over and we enjoyed a very delicious spread of food. Minus my sister getting stung by a wasp two minutes into the meal, we had a great day. Seriously, what are the odds of that happening?

But today marks the second official day of the Christmas season and I am so excited! I hit a few Black Friday deals yesterday and knocked a few family members off the list. I always say each year that I'll start shopping earlier, but does it happen? Nope. It doesn't.

Maybe next year...

Veteran's Day

To all those who have served or are serving in uniform, thank you!

Veteran's Day was originally known as Armistice Day and it celebrated the armistice (ceasefire, military agreement) signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany that ended the war.  It took effect at 11 o'clock in the morning, the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of 1918.

After World War II, Armistice Day became Veteran's Day in the United States and Remembrance Day in countries of the British Commonwealth of Nations. 

In the UK, they have two minutes of silence to commemorate the roughly 20 million people who died in the war precisely at 11 o'clock.

Karma

Karma: I, too, am a fan of Carson Daly. (Hopefully more than just one person gets this reference...Rosa!)

Today has been a great day. Good deeds are being repaid in spades.

I don't know that I could ask for more...so I won't. And I will be on my best behavior all day!

Me fail English? That's unpossible!

Magnanimous - showing a noble or courageous spirit
--> The young girl returned the dropped wallet which the man considered a very magnanimous gesture.

Exuberant - joyously unrestrained and enthusiastic
--> I am exuberant about everything.

Obfuscate - confuse
--> The explanation that Timmy's mom gave him when he asked where babies came from only served to obfuscate the poor little boy.

Ballyhoo - excited commotion
--> The cupcake truck tended to cause quite the ballyhoo wherever it parked.

Temple Grandin

Dear Claire Danes,

That Emmy you just won for your portrayal of Temple Grandin was well deserved. Scratch that, it goes way beyond deserved. It is not often that an actor becomes the character they are portraying, and you did just that.

I was lost in your manner of speech, so very like hers, and in your eye movements, so very like an autistic woman would behave. I was impressed. I was enthralled. 

You were mesmerizing. Not to mention how incredible this woman's life actually was, and how that story in itself was captivating. I could have watched you, and her story, for another two hours. 

Signed, now an even bigger fan, 

Bex

Temple Grandin is an autistic woman who has worked tirelessly to improve slaughterhouses across America. She redesigned them and made the process incredibly humane. One of the most poignant lines in the movie was when Claire Danes said "Nature is cruel, but we don't have to be." 

This woman, Temple, is inspiring. Despite the limitations imposed on her from her Autism (which she has never let define her), she has become a leading scientist in Animal Husbandry and is a professor at Colorado State University.  She invented a squeeze box to help calm her down, as just one example.  She's incredibly brilliant and the autistic influence on her mind allows her to see the world in pictures and then she connects them.  This is her gift. Well, this is what she made into a gift. 

I don't know how closely the movie followed her real life and family, but if it was anywhere close then her mother is one of the most incredible people I've yet to learn of.  Her aunt, as well. So many mothers and fathers out there are left clueless and hopeless when they first find out their child has autism.  Imagine what this was like in the 50's when any behavior outside of what was considered normal was labeled insane and you were quickly and quietly shipped to the nearest Sanitarium. 

Temple's mother and aunt were relentless in their love and assistance and challenge.  When Temple finally allows her mother to touch her, hug her, in the movie, the tears spilled over. A mother, unable to hug or touch the child she loves so dearly? What heartbreak! And what unconditional love from day one.

Temple is a fascinating woman. Wikipedia her. There's honestly too much to put on here. And then watch Temple Grandin. Kudos, Claire! Brava! 

Rock the vote!

I hope you voted. Well, if it matters to you. If it doesn't, then ignore this post. :-)

I voted. Proudly.

Men and women have been in uniform all around the world fighting for our rights as free American citizens since we established ourselves as a country in 1776.

I may not have the courage to wield a gun on foreign soil, but I will do my part and take part in what has been fought for and given to me.

Election Day has been set as the "First Tuesday following the First Monday of November" which can happen as early as November 2nd, like this year, or as late as November 8th, like next year.

This year is Midterm Elections, meaning no Presidential candidate is on the ballot. Every two years the following are voted upon: House and Senate members. House members serve 2-year terms and thus are on the ballot every time, but Senate members serve 6-year terms, staggered so that at every election 1/3 of the Senate is up for grabs.

The most interesting thing I read about Election day was how it was decided upon to happen on a Tuesday.  As a farming society in the mid-1800's, Farmers needed at least one day to travel to the County Seat to vote.  Therefore, since Sunday was reserved for worship and Wednesday for market day, Tuesday was chosen.

Also, it looks like we are the only country in the world to hold elections on a Tuesday. Now, some states in the U.S. do recognize today as a Civic holiday so as to encourage voting, but there are only a handful.  Voter turnout is low, but as the years have progressed and people have taken greater advantage of early voting (and they've removed more and more restrictions concerning early voting), this has improved, which I think is wonderful!

I am proudly supporting my "I Voted" sticker and will do so all day. I hope you are, too, fellow Americans!

Birthoween!

Today my car turns 1 year old! Happy birthoween!

1 year ago today I was haggling over her price and making my way through my first big car purchase. It was exhilarating, and frightening, and thrilling all at once.

I drove off the lot that night knowing I was the first to do so (except for the person who drove my car from the port to the lot...doesn't count).

And then a few weeks later, headlines splashing across every network, "Toyota recalls millions". I'm sorry...what did you say? And my car is included in this???

I drove with such caution and fear...I never thought I'd feel safe again in my car. But I took it in and it took two seconds for the technician to say, "Not to worry, your car is a 2010...which means it was made in Japan, with the right part."

Well, sing hallelujah! That was trial and tribulation numero uno.

Then came the flat tire at 5 months old. What? The nail is just on the edge of the wall, right outside of the tread, so you can't patch it?

Awesome. Boom, new tire. Wow, Jack, you are really testing me here.

But in all, the months passed by with the miles quickly clicking higher and the oil change getting missed by only a few hundred miles...no big deal. She's been a good car, she's gotten me to my destinations with ease and her little creaks and squeaks are just part and parcel with ownership. I will always see flaws and hear noises and wonder, but so long as it's not shaking and rattling, I guess I can live with the superficial irritations.

And for her birthday? Well, I spat out some nasty words to a driver and 5 seconds later I got a rock in my windshield. Sorry, kid! Mama'll get it fixed all better. Promise!

Help, again!

Partway into a conversation with a compatriot at Starbucks, I glance up to see someone through the glass outside walking, as expected, to get in line behind me.

I know them.

And I don't like them much.

Do I say, "Hi!"? Do I wave and turn back?

The line is empty behind me, until it fills with their bodily presence.

"Well, hello, you! How are you?"
"I'm great, how are you? How's the new job?"
"Oh, it is fantastic. How's work going for you?"
"Same old, same old, haha." Polite laughter...and awkward silence. Do I say something more? Should I say, "It was great to run into you!" and turn back to my original companion?

Usually, that's what you should do. But I feel this ridiculous obligation to maintain a connection, however anemic it may be, and it rapidly deteriorates to quick glances away by the one I don't like and me standing there with a plastered grin upon my face.

I need to learn it isn't rude to forgo conversation past the initial courtesies awarded in any situation because it's a mutual dislike, truly. They want the conversation as little as I do.

I'll eventually learn to just wave, or stave off after pleasantries. Eventually.

It happened!

I called someone back whose phone call I had missed and she answered with an, "Hello, Rebecca!"

Yes! There are those in the working world that do see the futility (read: uselessness) and wasted time spent on pleasantries not needed considering the name is right in front of you on the telephone screen.

Hall. Er.

A horse, of course

I have officially lost my voice.

A very rare occurrence indeed. I can count on one hand the number of times I've been incapable of speech.

I find it incredibly humorous and will purposefully speak aloud just to hear the cracks and wobbles such as a 12-year old boy might have when asking his first date to dance.

Granted, it's still fairly irritating. Life becomes just a bit more difficult. Coffee orders get written down, emails are more prominent and whispering is imperative.

I, of the love of speech and song...I must whisper. I must resist the urge to speak. I cannot utter a lyric.

My heart hurts a little because of this. :-(

This, too, shall pass. This I know...but this I wish would happen faster!

Wolverine

I meant to post this on the actual day but...Happy Five Months to my new foot (on October 6th)!

As a gift, I took her for a jog...and she handled it well! Hooray. Celebrations all around.

I doubt I will ever regret having this surgery. Life is already so much better without wincing in pain every step I take.

Cheers and here's to Monday!

Thirteen Reasons Why

A few months back, a friend of mine suggested the book Th1teen R3asons Why and I soon thereafter placed it on my library queue.

It came in earlier this week and I made my trek (less frequent now, sad face) to my local library to pick it up.  I immediately sat down to read it as I was more than intrigued by the book flap. I am an incessant bookflap reader. I want to know what the book is about. Yes, usually I can then figure out what happens, who it happens to, and how it gets resolved...but it's the journey that's fun, people!

I was reluctant to go to sleep that first night and even more so to leave it for work yesterday. The book is captivating. It has drawn me in and has yet to release me. I need to know more. I can't figure it out. Granted, the subject of the story is outted as having committed suicide (no, I'm not giving anything away...read the book flap!) at the very onset of the book and she has created 13 tapes for the 13 reasons why. Get it?

I love finding great books that make me hesitate to put them down on my bedside table as I close my eyes to sleep...only to open them a moment later, switch on my light and crack open the book. The familiar rustle of pages flipping is soothing and exciting all at once.

I've made it through 2 tapes and the narrator (one of the 13 reasons why) isn't mentioned yet. Half the time is spent with him trying to determine what he could have done to be a reason for her suicide. It's eating him up inside.

I cannot wait to get home tonight and read more!

In fact, I've wanted nothing more than to read to where my Modern Family disc from Netflix has sat unwatched for two days. I also love when books beat television and it's been awhile since that was the case.

Amazon

However, I will say, if you cannot manage stories concerning suicide or situations that contribute to this type of scenario, this book is not for you. The girl is arresting, her disembodied voice flowing straight from the tapes into my head. The narrator is a sweet boy, confused and worried as to how he played a part in her death.

Do not Wikipedia this book...it lists all the reasons. I thankfully only glanced and saw the one I already knew. Phrew. Now, to make it through another workday to get back to my book!

Birthoween!

Happy birthday month to my car, Jack! Today, she told me it was 59* when I left for work.

She's really enjoying the great weather we've had since her birthday month started...except that it has made her exceptionally dirty (read: yellow).

I'll get her clean soon...one of these days.

Slow Monday

It was hard to get going this morning so I thought I'd wake me up with a little vocab lesson. I do love me some words! By the by, I nerdily signed up for Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day emails...yes, I love them that much.

Eighty-six (not just a number anymore) - to get rid of

• I realize this is slang but it is totally worth keeping around. Origins put it as a possible rhyming word for nix beginning in 1959. What a gas!
• Today was one of those days I had to eighty-six several outfits before deciding on what to wear.

Insouciance - lighthearted unconcern, nonchalance

• Mondays make it very difficult to maintain an insouciant attitude when no outfits look good, the drivers on the freeway are lousy, and the line for coffee stretches a mile long.

Coalesce - to grow together

• After starting my new job, I have slowly coalesced with the other members of my team as I have gotten to know them better.

Auspicious - attended by a good sign, good omens

• Despite the fact that it was Monday, the weather was an auspicious sign that perhaps it wouldn't be so terrible.

Cheers and here's to the start of another week!

My new project

My dad has been going through a cleaning out phase (much needed) and has stumbled across a great find he had forgotten about.

Cool, right? They are Post Office box doors from 1961! I am smitten and we (my family and myself) want to do something really creative with them.

Let's hear it, friends! What should happen to these beauties? We have 9 in total: 6 large ones (approx. 6in by 4in) and 3 small ones (approx. 4in by 2in). Each have unique numbers but all look the same.

Ideas thus far:
1) Bank. We already have one and can purchase the pre-sized boxes online and attach with the screws we have.
2) A wall mount showing one of each size with the city of origin (Golconda) burned above them into the wood.
3) Some sort of table with the doors as the face of the drawers.

My parents want to be able to give them away as gifts to us kids and the grandkids, so individual creations are best in the long run.

Aren't they fantastic? And so is getting the creative juices flowing!

Addictive

Last week I was busy.

I had lunches planned.

I had a date with Netflix...Reaper to be exact.

I painted.

I enjoyed a baseball game.

And I was exhausted. I, for the first time in a long time, truly needed the weekend to recuperate...but not because of work.

That is a beautiful statement.

I finally have the time to spend time...doing anything I please. Glorious freedom! No restricting chains with binding words of "We may be working on Saturday, but we won't know until Friday." None cutting off my circulation as I stumble into work at 7:30AM, barely seeing the rising sun, only to stumble back out again at midnight, waving to the moon.

I see the sun rise each morning and I see it sitting there waiting to be greeted as I leave. Such joy a ray of sunshine can provide, I don't even mind the traffic.

I think I'm becoming addicted to having a social life. And I like it.

Help!

Scene:
1 CISCO phone with caller ID
1 Me
1 Incoming phone call

* Phone rings to the tune of Star Wars' Imperial March *
Me: * Glances at the screen. *
Me: "Oh, hey, it's Andy!"
Me: * Picks up phone *
Me: * Professional voice: On * "IA, this is Becca."
Andy: "Hey, it's Andy."
Me: * Feigning surprise. Professional voice: Off * "Oh, hey, Andy! How are you?"

I feel ridiculous every time I do this.

I know who you are when I pick up.

I know who you are when I call.

Why can't we all just say, "Hello!"?

Fearless

Driving through my garage requires navigating a 5-tiered mess of people, oversized trucks with their backsides in the lane, confusing signs and the annoying squeal of tires as you round each corner despite how slow you're going.

To top it off, once you reach the top covered floor, Floor 5, where I choose to park in hopes of saving my car a few dings and scratches, you come upon a massive horde of pigeons. Sitting.

In the middle of the lane.

As if that wasn't eerie enough, I swear they followed me over to where I park.

But this morning, I happened to notice one guy milling about all on his own and he reminded me a bit of this guy:

Yeah, buddy. Coo...

And that made it all okay. Creepy birds no more...just the Good Feathers!

Vocab Stab

Let's continue our forward progress and continue to enhance our personal Merriam-Webster's, shall we?

Abysmal - immeasurably great, profound
1) I just learned I have been using this incorrectly because I always left it at..."That sounds abysmal!"...without a subject to better understand the abyss surrounding it and always using it negatively.
2) I have been living in abysmal ignorance!
3) It is not a naturally negative word, which I assumed it was. It basically just means an immeasurable (blank). Clear as mud.

Waylaid - to lie in wait for, attack from an ambush
1) This is a very fun word to use in conversation.
2) I was waylaid on my way to work by my strong desire for a cup of coffee from Starbucks. (Horrible habit, and terribly true.)

Stolid - expressing very little sensibility, unemotional
1) The wife irritated her husband by responding with stolid indifference to his lamentations revolving around his Fantasy Football Team results.

Lamentations - to mourn aloud
1) See above.

Cheers and happy Friday! Has anyone else felt the cool touch of autumn on the breeze these past few days? It's brief, it's a tease, but October's coming around...he'll be mine within a fortnight.

Word of the day

Aduldren - read 'adult children'; used to define a group of people

Defined by the following characteristics:
1) Working a full/part-time job
2) While living at home with your parents
3) And enjoying it

Laughable

Anyone else steadfastly agree that the most LOL inducing clips on America's Funniest Videos are the ones involving animals?

My family and I were watching AFV (it's what the cool kids call it) last night and we would chuckle occasionally here and there when the man riding the bike fell over, the car driving through the supposed shallow pond suddenly dove deep, and when the kid trying to blow apart the dandelion just decided to eat it instead. All funny, yes.

But it wasn't until they did the animal segment that all of us had stitches in our side and were guffawing voraciously.

Animals are just inherently funny, and they don't even know it! It's pure comic relief. It isn't someone staging the bat to the crotch, the ferret to the crotch, the dog to the bum, etc. It's a dog watching a cat watching a bird before all three attack. Then there's the squirrel scaring a trailer full of hillbillies. My favorite is the cats, though. I love frequenting this site because it will inevitably make me smile and, yes, LOL.

Next time you watch a funny clip or an episode of AFV, tell me you don't laugh just a little bit louder and longer when the animals arrive for their close-up.

Italian

Knowledge drop: Spaghetti Westerns are so named because they tended to be directed and produced by Italians.

The most well-known Spaghetti Western? The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

Hott

Hi October, I see you inching closer to me. I'm really very friendly; take my proffered hand and lean in for a kiss.

Grammatacize: Part Deux

There are so very many grammatical things to learn in this world, I figured it won't hurt to add some more knowledge to our brains on the matter.

That being said, check out the following:

When to use i.e. versus e.g. when writing (thanks oatmeal)

i.e. is an abbreviated latin phrase meaning "that is" and is subsequently used for clarification purposes. Synonyms are "in essence" or "in other words". Keep in mind the "in other words" phrase because that will head you in the proper direction once you've started your sentence.

• I wanted to go for a run in the park, i.e. people watch.

e.g. is used in place of "for example". This one's much easier.

• When I go to the park, I like to people watch to see what they are like, e.g. crazy, hyper, or funny.

How about their, there, and they're? You feel comfortable with those? A lot of people think they are, but tend to still slip once in awhile. I still hesitate at times...it's inevitable. But it's an easy fix.

• Their - posessive. It is theirs, they own it.


• There - location. It is over there.


• They're - a contraction for "they are".


• Example: They're (They are) over there (location) by their (possessive, they own it) car.

Clear as mud? Try the next group on for size.

I have never known when to use affect versus effect so let's learn together courtesy of my new friend:

Affect means "to influence" someone or something.

• The humidity in Houston often affects my hair and subsequently makes me irritable.


• In this sentence, I would normally have used effect...lesson learned, B!

Effect translates easiest to "a result" due to something or someone affecting you. See how I threw that in there (location) to distinguish?

• The effect of humidity on my hair is disastrous, e.g. by creating a halo effect, wavy hair, and an uncontainable frizz.

Learning

I deal very poorly with bad drivers.

I need to work on this.

They really can't hear me when I'm talking to them.

And it's probably not a good idea to make gestures guiding them to their destination, be that the next lane over, across the freeway, or h-e-double hockey sticks.

I'm learning.

If they are a dinosaur behind the wheel, e.g. Sharptooth who can't reach the steering wheel, Sarah who can't reach the pedal, or Longneck who isn't using what his name implies, I should really just let them be. Eventually, they'll leave my general vicinity and I won't have to deal with them again.

At least until I see them in traffic the next day...then the next...and suddenly realize they are my neighbor.

Lesson learned.

Nutty

Nuts for You!

Nut King: Walnut
Nut Queen: Almond
Nut Prince: Cashew
Nut Princess: Pecan
Nut Jester: Brazil

Want a healthy snack with a real crunch? Grab a handful of this Court. All are good for you by providing healthy fats and minerals essential to a happy self.

I personally like to make the following:
Cashews + Dried Cranberries + Pecans = Delicious trail mix. Add Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds and look out world.

Nuts are a great way to stave off hunger for a bit. True story: I was quite hungry at 10AM this morning. I ate a handful of the King I had brought from home and it was 11:30AM before I realized I wasn't hungry anymore.

But then that got me thinking about lunch and then I got hungry again.

Success in the distraction though! Mental hunger is far more powerful than physical. True story.

Grammatacize

Let's be honest, I get pretty confused sometimes when I'm writing and I come to an a/an situation. Or a who/whom, etc. I've been meaning to look this up for awhile, so here goes.

A versus An:

Use A prior to all words beginning with consonants save the soft 'h'...like thus.

• I'm a nerd because I find joy in utilizing words appropriately.
• At the very least, I'm an honest nerd.

Use An prior to all words beginning with vowels...like 'zis.

• I'm an all-encompassing nerd.

Who versus Whom:

Use Who when you are asking or referring to the subject of the sentence:

• Who is going to the party tonight?: Check!
• Proof: To answer this question would you say he or him? He! This will make sense soon...

Use Whom when you are asking or referring to the object of the sentence:

• For whom is this party being thrown?
• Proof: To answer this question, you would say him, right? Notice how him ends in M? So does whom. If to answer a question you would say him then that means you should use whom. Get it? I thought that was quite clever. Not my cleverness, sadly, but greatly appreciated all the same!

To versus Too:

The easiest way to distinguish these two are as follows:

• Too should be used in the following situations: when emphasizing something in excess (That was way too obvious.) or when wanting to add something (He is coming to the party, too.)
• My trick for remembering the latter (about adding) is that if too is appropriate then it can be replaced with as well (He is coming to the party, as well.).
• I hear your question: Why don't you just say as well all the time? Because, I answer, that's irrelevant.

Who's versus Whose:

Use Who's when you are wanting to use a contraction.

• Who's going to the party tonight? (Earlier I used "Who is" = contractualized!)
• Can be "Who is" or "Who has"

Use Whose when you are talking about possession.

• Do you know whose car this is that I just hit? - A phrase that keeps floating around my office. Dear garage gods, please let it not be my car.

This concludes our lesson today on some of the basics. I realize half my sentences are improperly structured, I'm sure, based on some obscure rule or another. However, when it comes to that much detail, I will be leaving it up to my copy editor as he/she tears apart my future best-selling novel.

Paleontology

Dear Ross,

Well done on your first time directing. Run, Fatboy, Run was a fantastic movie. Clever shots, good scenes, great acting direction and choice of actors. You also got a great Cinematographer and Director of Photography. You build your Cabinet well...let's see some more from you.

Happily your newest fan,

Bex

Zomg

I just discovered the best chocolate dessert ever.

And I do mean that statement in its entirety.

The Chocolate Cake from Zydeco's on San Jacinto (downtown Houston).

Buy it. Take it home. Put it in the fridge. Eat it the next day.

The pudding frosting has slowly melded into the cake making it the consistency of a Tres Leches.

Win...epic win.

Take the blue pill

Let me preface this blog post by stating: I love the creative mind of Tim Burton. He brought some of my favorite movies into the world (Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Beetlejuice) and doesn't seem content to stop now.

However, that being said, I was sorely disappointed with my viewing of Alice in Wonderland last night. Nearly heartbroken.

The story of Alice is incredibly skewed and odd and it's all no wonder seeing as the author was high on more than just life when he wrote it. I read the story and his other, Through the Looking Glass. Very mind-numbingly trippy, I must say.

I had heard that the movie was a letdown, was less than its potential, but it didn't stop me from wanting to see it. Some people just don't understand great things when they see them. I eagerly awaited my turn on Netflix as the status changed from Very Long Wait to Short Wait to, "Oh my gosh, it's in the mail!" I popped in the disc last night and settled in for what I desperately wished would be an amazing trip.

It wasn't.

1) It was visually very beautiful and stimulating. It was mostly shot green-screen with lots and lots of CGI characters and distorted features...interesting and complex, yes, but I wanted more than just that.

2) Alice (Mia Wasikowska) was entertaining but lacked in facial expressions.

3) Johnny Depp did a deliciously creepy Scottish accent, but it was hard to follow why he would suddenly speak with it and then revert to his lispy tenor. His madness was understated, except when he spoke in the accent and then he was just scary. I thought he did a brilliant job being weird...hence why I also loved him as Willy Wonka because he was fantastically off his rocker and gave the best sidelong looks and dark glances.

4) Anne Hathaway. Disaster. She flitted about with her hands and arms floating around her, up and down, up and down, and spoke with a twitter. Constantly. Never for a reason, never stopping, never ceasing. It was not relevant to the story at all. Which I was saddened by, because I usually like her in her roles. To a certain degree.

5) Scenes did not flow together well. The storyline jumped from place to place and person to person. Names of characters were suddenly known without ever having been introduced. It's almost as if this was a sequel and we should have already seen the first one prior to this.

Dearest Tim Burton,

I looked at your imdb.com listing and noted that you are working on two movies with potential: Maleficent and The Addams Family, though why you are working on the latter, when the 1991 version of this movie with Anjelica Huston and Christina Ricci is still a brilliant movie, doesn't make sense to me. Please redeem yourself from Alice.

I will say that the possible brilliance of Maleficent is currently limitless and will slowly unearth as the project progresses.

Devil

Why do buttons beg me to push them at inappropriate and highly consequential times?

Cars I want to own

Hello, Eleanor! Everything about her is just gorgeous.

Yes. That is what you think it is...ignore the psychotic man on the hood. I want to own the coolest car ever on TV. Maybe not ever...but close enough by my standards.

2007 Nissan Murano. No, I'm not a Longhorn, it's just a cool color.

Porsche Cayenne, any model will do.

Classic 1950's Ford pickup truck.

The original Batmobile from Batman Returns (1989).

And this very well might be the greatest altered and enhanced iconic car ever. Ever. The flux capacitor must be phenomenal to behold in action.

Bottle it

I just lit a candle, blowing out the match, watching as the delicious tendril of smoke wafted away from the tip. As I passed in its wake I smelled Christmas and campfires, cold days and mittens.

And I got very, very excited.

Vocabulary

Words we should be using in our conversations daily:

1. Taciturn – dour, stern, silent in expression and manner
a) Synonyms: reticent, uncommunicative
b) The elderly man was taciturn in his dealings with the supermarket clerk.


2. Modicum – a moderate or small amount
a) Synonyms: jot, crumb, scrap, smidgen
b) The taciturn man could not even have a modicum of fun while spending time with his grandchildren.


3. Recalcitrant – resisting authority or control, hard to deal with
a) Synonyms: resistant, rebellious, unruly
b) The recalcitrant teenager yelled for hours behind his locked bedroom door.


4. Subterfuge – a stratagem employed to evade a rule, escape a consequence, or hide something
a) Synonyms: deception, scheme, trick, dodge, ruse
b) The old man utilized subterfuge to thwart the paper route from missing his house.

My BFF B.F.

Dear Bryan Fuller,
You have created three shows that have all been cancelled prematurely. You would think that this would mean your shows are terrible, lacking in humor, drama, character development, or have terrible writing. But, forsooth, this is not the case! Your shows are brilliant, critically acclaimed, and unique.

Why, American viewing audiences, why must you be so cruel to what you don’t think you understand? Trust me, it’s easy to pick up. It’s clever and quick and beyond imaginative.

Thank you, Netflix, for being so amazing and recommending his third show to me, Wonderfalls. It’s pretty one-of-a-kind and ingenious and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it thus far.

Recommendations for the happy souls out there who appreciate originality and visually beautiful shows: Pushing Daisies, Dead Like Me, Wonderfalls.

Frito Bandito

Did you know the Frito was born and raised in the great state of Texas?

I was watching a show on the Food Network called "Kid in a Candy Store" because they were featuring The Chocolate Bar at the location near campus and the one I frequented quite often due to this fact. On the show they highlighted this chocolate based, salty pretzel and frito snack (Texas Frito Brittle). It looks delicious and I never knew they served it there...which translates to a visit soon.

But what drew my attention was when the owner, Gilbert, stated that Frito's were created in Texas.

I was stunned.

I have loved the Frito for a very long time and have never known (nor put the clues together) that it was a Texas created treat. +1 point for Tejas.


The original recipe was bought by Elmer Doolin when he couldn't get enough of the fritatas served with his lunch in San Antonio, Texas. This was in 1932! He subsequently started the Frito Corporation and began production on the product which included only three ingredients: whole corn, corn oil and salt.


They've gone through several mascots and of course the one that sticks is the one that infuriated the most people, the Frito Bandito, due to the image used.

What? What's wrong with that??











An excellent recipe incorporating the gloriousness of Fritos? Frito pie. You know it, you love it, don't deny it.

My personal chili recipe:
*Saute 1/2 sweet yellow onion, chopped, until it becomes nearly translucent,
*Add 3 cloves of garlic chopped, saute for 45seconds.
*Add turkey meat (preferably 93/7) and cook thoroughly.
*Once the meat is nearly cooked through, begin adding spices:
-->Chili Powder (approx. 1T. to begin)
-->Cumin (approx. 2tsp. to begin)
-->Garlic Salt (I love garlic) (approx. 1tsp. to begin)
-->Salt (palmful to begin)
*After you've incorporated these spices into the meat, add the following:
-->1 can of sweet corn (drained)
-->1 can of black beans (drained)
-->1 can Hunt's tomato sauce
-->1 can Hunt's tomato paste mixed with 1/2 can of water (it'll be easier to mix if you add the water first)
*Stir all this together and let simmer for 15 minutes over low heat to make sure the beans and corn are cooked and have begun to take on the flavors of the chili.
*Pull out a small spoon after the time has elapsed and taste. Add additional chili powder, cumin, garlic salt and salt as necessary. More chili powder and cumin = more kick. Cumin will give it a nice smoky flavor but can quickly go overboard and overpower the meal.

Enjoy! Plus, this freezes well in small, single-serving containers for lunches at work. Take it out of the freezer the night before and put it into the refrigerator for work the next day. Come lunchtime, it will be defrosted and just right to give you a great feeling of satisfaction, not only by filling you up but knowing that you saved a bit of money by making it yourself.

This just in...

Juanes will be added to Rock Band in all his Colombian glory.

This is going to be spectacular.

Jackie's gonna be a football star

Small town, America. Pop. 1890 Census
Traffic: 2 cars at a stoplight with too polite drivers

I had a great time. Truly, I did. Small doses of small town air are just what a doctor should order for everyone. Relaxing, refreshing, enjoyable, and the people? One of a kind.

Daily specials on the board outside. Right across from the Courthouse.

Be wary. Some places only take cash or check. I love the disconnection.

I had my fun, spent quality time with the past and made some memories to last my, and my Grandmother's, lifetime. Plus, I certainly found it amusing when I had a conversation with myself in fifty years, Jean.

Dear Jean, I hope I can be just as quick and clever, crass and sweet as you when I'm living the twilight of my life.

Bucket List

Do you have a bucket list? A list of things to do before you "kick the bucket"?

I do.

I sat down about 3 years ago and just started writing whatever came to my mind that I wanted to do in my life.

It definitely spanned a great distance from travelling to building to experiencing.

Have you ever stopped and thought about what you want to do so very badly and haven't yet taken the time to do? What is it? Something spectacular, I bet.

I want to create my own recipe, wear a dress of my own design, visit Ireland and all fifty states. I want to go to Dutch Harbor, write a novel, take an epic roadtrip.

And the nerd in me wants to buy a copy of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" in London.

It's exciting to read these as much as it is to think about actually doing them and what fun I'll have in the process.

It will be mine...oh yes, it will all be mine.

Quick

Since I don't consider this a sport nor do I enjoy watching it, I will spend little time on it.

NASCAR.

Bloomberg News

"I wanna be a race car passenger - just a guy who bugs the driver. 'Say man, can I turn on the radio? You should slow down. Why we gotta keep going in circles? Can I put my feet out the window? Man, you really like Tide.'" ~ Mitch Hedberg

Did you know where it all started? Bootlegging.

Yeah, running moonshine from the mountains. Men would use small, fast vehicles, re-engineered by themselves, to better evade the police.

It took about a decade after Prohibition for all the moonshine lovers to realize they could just race their cars for funzies since they were already superb in comparison to others on the road.

Thus, a culture's pastime was born.

Interesting about NASCAR is that it is still a family owned and operated business which translates to one of the richest families this side of the Mason-Dixon line. It's international, with headquarters located in Daytona Beach, Florida, and has been in operation since 1947.

I guess I will lend a bit more credit to their racing now since it's tied to such an interesting part of our history: Prohibition. Which in and of itself is pretty fascinating.

But I digress. I wash my hands of this non-sport that claims the South.

They drive in a circle. Honestly, people...a circle.

Larger than Yao

There's a rare phenomenon happening right this moment in Houston, Texas: the blooming of the Corpse Flower named Lois, which only makes me think of my Cajun Grandmother.

Regardless, check out some of the facts on this rare breed of flower:

1) It produces a smell unlike any other flower in the world, that of a rotting mammal. Yeah, dead human. Visit Lois when she blooms and you'll feel like a member of the CSI team when they discover the body of a dead hooker in a back alley off the strip. Be one with Grissom, or Morpheus, depending on your show loyalties.

2) Its true name is Amorphophallus titanum. Break that down into its Greek parts and you'll quickly figure out why a BBC broadcaster renamed it to 'titan arum' when spoken about on a documentary chronicling the blooming process. The sensors would have had a hard time covering that one up and the fines would have racked up like the jackpot on a Vegas slotmachine. Apparently Vegas is on my mind...

3) Circumference can reach 10ft. 10ft, I said!

4) Native to rainforests in Sumatria, Indonesia.

5) First U.S. flowerings: NY in 1937 and 1939

6) Carrion-eating beetles and Flesh Flies pollinate it, further enhancing its intoxicating smell.

7) The male and female flowers grow from the same stalk. Born together, bloom together (female first, male second), die together. The essence of true love.

8) After the flower blooms and dies within a short period of time (hours, days, very short) a single leaf grows in its place. It's almost as a Phoenix, rising from the ashes of its parents...incapable of aiding in Dumbledore's escape, though. This leaf can grow as high as 20ft. and 16ft. across.

9) Current record: Stuttgart, Germany with a bloom measuring 9ft.6in. high.

10) The two documented occurrences in Texas: a) 2004 at Stephen F. Austin State University (Go Jacks!) and b) today or tomorrow at the Museum of Natural Science in Houston, Texas!

And Becca's going to see her. I'm not a lover of flowers, just a lover of rarities.

Addendum: I did not go see Lois in person. The time slipped away and before I knew it she had wilted and looked too sad and dreary to visit. I thought I best let a dying elder be.

Doom

Never tell a darkly imaginative person the following:

1) There's been an accident.
2) I have bad news.

The person who the news is about will subsequently be flat as a pancake in the middle of the road, crushed beneath their car after having been strangled by a mass murderer. And I will see it all happen over, over and over again.

Doomsday imaginations tend to perform repetitive actions quite easily.

Porsche Cayenne

I find bad drivers to be a thorn in my side.

I find bad drivers in nice (and subsequently, undeserving) cars to be infinitely more painful.

That machine deserves better. Take your foot off the brake, utilize the phenomenal engine, let the steering wheel guide itself around a corner, they are meant to do that.

For the love of all overly practical, Toyota-owning, skilled drivers out there, please...please do these things.

Rediscovery, kinda like Columbus

I completely love my friend’s list of favorite things (D, you’re the cleverest) and I am tailoring it to show my favorite things rediscovered recently:

àThe melodious, raucous, upbeat and moving tunes of Flogging Molly. I have loved them since the first time I was introduced at the tender age of 15 while sitting in a new friend’s car filled with adolescents. The music was playing and I yelled to the driver (we were still parked, mind you, I would never work to distract a moving car),
“Who is this?” to which he told me,
“Flogging Molly!”

“What kind of music is this?”
“It’s an Irish punk-rock band.”

What is that??? I had no idea, I just knew I had found true bliss for my heart of musical hearts.

à The incredible world of Ender and Bean. I first read Ender’s Game a very long time ago. I honestly can’t remember when or who told me to or whether I just decided that, “Damnit, this book keeps staring at me on the library shelf, I’m taking it.” I’ve never once looked back. I’ve re-read the book at least 7 or 8 times, counting recently. Yes, I know, it ends the same every time. I still love reading its tragedy and humor and intelligence, because this book is its own character. It has come to be more than pages bound together. It is epic. Colossal. The book of books. The book I wish all other books would look to and ask, How do you do it? And take something away from it. I will say this, though. While Ender’s Game is the far superior book versus Ender’s Shadow, its parallel novel, the series that follows Shadow, and Bean, annihilates its competition in the rest of the Game series. Destroys completely and utterly. Without mercy.

à Piracy and pirates and all things “yo, ho, ho and bottle of rum.” Drink up, matey’s. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was really quite a fun movie despite the persistence of Orlando Bloom at destroying every scene he’s in. He doesn’t always succeed…but on occasion he does. Idiot boy. I hope he realizes how lucky he was to get cast in THE greatest film trilogy of all time – yes, I claim it defeats Star Wars, Indiana Jones, AND Back to the Future – the Lord of the Rings, but also in the wildly popular and oh, so fun to watch Pirates trilogy. For such a terrible actor, he sure gets some fabulous parts. And Keira Knightley should stop smiling. Thank you.

Terrible vs. passable, but always very pretty.

à Driving. Yes, driving. Even in 90* heat at 8AM where the sun is staring straight at me while I sit in stop-and-go traffic. I have rediscovered my love for driving. Let’s remember, Becca didn’t drive for about two months solid. And I’m no slouch to driving, seeing as I’ve been hauling my gear 50+ miles daily since I was a sophomore in college. And no, I do not care to move right now, thank you. I can crank up the music (mostly Flogging Molly right now, but Paramore and Vampire Weekend are in the queue) and feel the A/C chilling the frames of my glasses, causing them to quickly fog over when I open the door. It’s glorious. Such freedom. An “I can go anywhere” attitude with these four wheels beneath me and this V6 engine to power me. I’m in love with my car. I have no shame about it; I claim it just as I do my affinity for Star Wars and Lord of the Rings and endless reading and learning to knit (seriously) and going to bed by 10PM. Sometimes 9. Yeah…9.

Great television cut short

An Ode to Joss Whedon:

Well…not really an ode, seeing as I don’t know how to write one and never was much for poetry.

But I can definitely tout his glory.

I know he did Buffy and Angel and Dollhouse, a big huzzah for those also great shows but I want to talk about the brilliant but short-lived world of Firefly, it being the one that most interests me. The entire background of the world and the people was incomprehensibly smart. It’s set in the future, humans have reached outer space and found other worlds to inhabit, not unlike the colonies formed by Ender’s jeesh (Don’t know what I’m talking about? You either a) Don’t like science fiction writing or b) Have a poor memory and are utterly disgracing the beauty that is the Enderverse). But here’s the best kicker: the two superpowers who reigned on high at the end of a mostly unified Earth were America…and China. Not completely unfeasible, that.

Their language and the slang used were a combination of American English and Mandarin. So clever, so quick you can almost miss it when they curse. It’s tickling how fascinating it is to watch a scene of dialogue play out on the screen. He has them say, “Look at all that shiny,” instead of loot, or treasure or some other standard word. I need a synonym for clever because this man epitomizes it. To the core. Ingenious…or adroit. I like those.

Read this astute (hey, there’s another one) man’s biography and it will blow your mind how many celebrated television shows, movies and comics he’s touched through writing, directing, and acting.

Some people are just born for this. They are incredibly talented in a art form or a subject and they flourish in it and touch the world. The good ones always do either in massive ways, such as Harry Potter and Twilight (don't shoot the messenger...these stories have taken the world by storm), but also with underground followings that grow to be something much greater, like Broken Lizard and The Boondock Saints whose fans were so rabid and begged for so much more that the film industry acquiesced, bowed down, and gave the green light for Troy Duffy to give us another.

I tend to throw my lot in with both groups, but my true heart lies underground touting the brilliance of the unknown to the masses. One day they’ll learn and I’ll be there to relish another convert to the crew.

Clever

Betty White is glorious because she knows how to be cheeky without being vulgar.

Now, that's talent.

Australia

Funny how I was musing on a visit to Australia, it being my number two destination in mind after Ireland, when I decided to watch The Man From Snowy River. I had no idea it was set there until Tom Burlinson, i.e. Jim Craig the mountain boy, opened his mouth and started talking. Surprise!

G'day mate!

I didn't even realize Kirk Douglas was in it, nor that he played two parts, brothers. The cinematography was nice, the outback and the mountains are just gorgeous, and the horses are breathtaking. Especially the rogue ones, a brumby mob (a free-roaming feral horse in Australia).

I also did not know that it was released in 1982. I was negative 3! But this movie had the dubious honor of being one of the few movies my family owned that wasn't Disney. That's a big deal in this household. The other placeholders include Captain Ron and Grumpy Old Men and it's also funny sequel among very few others. If it's owned, it must be worthwhile. Hence why I love those movies and hold a special place in my heart for them, including The Man From Snowy River.

Plus, I was obsessed with horses until I was 11...or it's still ongoing. Irrelevant seeing as horses scare me half to death, as much as I love them.

Regardless, now I need to 1) own a horse and 2) ride it in the outback of Australia.

On another note, Tom Burlinson and Sigrid Thornton reprised their roles in the 1988 sequel, Return to Snowy River. Tom was/is a judge on Australia's Got Talent now. Supposedly he can sing, which gives him the right. And he became popular enough through his few movies and television series' to garner him a spot. Sigrid performs on stage and television in Australia.

Seeing these facts just makes me realize how large a world we live in that there are famous people in other countries that are completely unknown outside of their area. If a British star sat down next to me in a bar, I'd have no idea. But it doesn't seem that way with American stars. They cross the ocean's and are bombarded at airports and followed by local paparazzi. Fascinating what kind of power-hold the American movies have on the rest of the world and over people's livelihoods.

Definitely interesting. No wonder they go crying to Mama when they can never have any privacy from the world. Hello, you pursue the career knowing what comes with it. It isn't as if it's suddenly changed overnight or anything. Der.

Drivetime Musings

1) Accelerating suddenly after you've realized you're driving like an idiot does not change the fact that you were driving like an idiot.

2) Turn lanes are not a suggestion, nor are speed limit signs, stop signs, or gas pedals.

3) A yield sign is meant to be used for safety purposes; i.e. if there are no cars coming, you do not need to yield because there is nothing to yield to.

4) Try not to be the person that gets honked at.

Neutrality

I was watching an episode of The Tudors the other day and the Pope, played by Peter O'Toole, was shown walking through the chambers of the Vatican and the multi-colored garbed guards caught my attention.

I've seen them before, being Catholic and all, and have wondered before who they were.

I knew there was something unique about them and that they weren't Italian, but other than that I was drawing a blank. Here comes Wiki!

I would think they would cross themselves...but they salute the Pope?

The Swiss Guard, as they are known, are the only ones still in existence. They formally began protecting the Pope on January 22, 1506. Great day. The Swiss Guards had been a part of the Vatican protectorate since the late 1400's as mercenaries. Yeah, so neutral.

The Vatican and Switzerland maintained a connection as other groups were disbanded both in Switzerland and in the Vatican. The only ones left standing are there today, more ceremonial than anything. Kinda like the changing of the guards guys in London. Pomp and circumstance.

But early on they did perform their duties admirably, helping Pope Clement VII to escape the sacking of Rome for one.

The requirements to join the ranks of the guards are that he must be a single man, Catholic (shocker), and must have completed basic training in the Swiss military. Once they are accepted, which is no easy feat and a great honor, they are sworn in on May 6 each year, the anniversary of the Sacking of Rome.

The uniform is distinctly Renaissance in appearance and the colors represent two Pope's family colors, Pope Julius II (blue and yellow) and Pope Leo X (red).

While they were considered more ceremonial over the passing years, after the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II in 1981, training was stepped up and the guard was more formally recognized as a protectorate again, necessary to guard the Pope from harm.

There are loads of other little details and rumors, such as the possibility of becoming a guard is passed down from Father to Son and reminds me of A&M in this regard. Familial connections. I don't know if it's true or not, but there's just no telling.

On the note of The Tudors, I would highly recommend viewing it if you enjoy period pieces. The costumes are spectacular, the music is fun (I like RenFest, no shame), and of course the story is one that even us kids in America through our minimal European history lessons in class know all about. Henry VIII, six wives, two beheading's (though I always thought all his wives were beheaded), several affairs and intrigue, him taking over the Church, excommunication...on, and on, and on. Really fascinating stuff.

Unless you don't have the stomach for lots of sex scenes. Because there are quite a few. And if that's what gets you interested...then more power to you, I suppose.

Time

Yeah, so I have no idea where the past six weeks have gone. No clue. I realize I watched an excessive amount of television, did a bit of blogging, and spent an inordinate amount of time alone without talking but I can't believe I spent so much time doing that.

I'll be happy when my self-imposed prison sentence is over. While being at home and catching up on television is great I miss human interaction and working.

Yeah, working.

Kinda like back in the day how I got tired of summer vacation and was ready for classes to pick up again by July. I was that kid.

At least now I can look to get back to working with zero pain. I'm still blown away about how that's going to feel. And extremely excited.

Sidenote: this oil spill is out of control and now Britain is mad at us...well, smart guys, since you're so much better than we are, civilized and intelligent, shouldn't you have caught on how dirty your company was? Yeah, almost all engineers and oil companies were well aware of BP's lying, cheating ways. Not my fault...why should we pay the price? Just because this oil isn't reaching your shore, does it mean you should punish those it does?

Just saying.

I like the hay guy. Clever thoughts, possibly brilliant. Why scoff?

Monarchy

I made the mistake of wanting to know more about the English monarchy because of my newfound love for The Tudors.

Big mistake.

Go wiki it. It's a novel. And very convoluted.

Successions were broken with assassinations, bastard children, wars, treaties and mistresses. The monarchy changed hands scads of times. An English king lorded over Scotland and Ireland, sometimes France. There were marriages among cousins to preserve the line, the loss of the sanctity of marriage and a King so beleaguered with the requirements of the Catholic faith that he declared himself head of a new church.

An entirely new denomination. He was more than a bit crazy, methinks. Granted, I think he was 2nd cousins with his mother. Excuses, excuses, I know.

Still, it's fascinating to see the chain of succession, where it broke, who broke it and how, the bastard children recognized and ignored, and grandchildren usurping their elders.

Irrelevant of all of this, they have a pretty sweet accent. It's all curves and bends, smooth and lyrical. Nothing harsh about it. We sound much more like our Germanic ancestors with our American accents, all strict lines and right angles. Blurg.

Significance

What is the significance of moving the tassel on your graduation cap from the right to the left in high school? You watch the ceremony, they've all got them on, they walk the stage and quick slide it to the other side.

I remember doing it. I have no idea why though.

So I Wiki'd it. I'm of a curious nature, this we know. I don't want to gossip, I just want to know.

The graduation cap is also called a mortarboard, P.S. Reason? It looks like the tool used by bricklayers to carry the mortar. Interesting.

However, pertaining to the meaning behind transitioning from right to left with the tassel? Nada. Wikipedia has let me down. Which, sidenote, was part of the Valedictorian's speech on Friday for my cousin's graduation. We laughed. I say we...we being the nerds in the crowd.

The tassel is simply moved to represent the graduate becoming, well, a graduate. Nothing more. What a bummer. Maybe it's tied to some secret society thing. Yeah! That'd be cool. But of course they wouldn't share with the class why, so...back to square one.

Regardless, graduating high school is a huge accomplishment and a very big threshold to cross on the way to adulthood. It's fun to celebrate, it's a challenge to achieve, and a huge learning and growing experience throughout the process. Graduating is a release from your former self, leaving an institution that you began as a snot-nosed 13-year old kid who was (and possible still is) incredibly awkward for varying reasons.

It's nice to leave that behind. Once you go to college you can truly become the person you wish to be. Reestablish your identity, picking the most favorite parts of your personality and possibly others' as well. College and the few years after are some of the best times for personal growth and significant life changes.

I'm a quarter-century old with a long life yet to live and I'm still learning.

Oh, and here's to the end of an era: With my cousin graduated from my alma mater, he concludes the reign of family members that began in 1989. Same school.

Okay, there was a one year gap in 1993...but still!

21 years...I think we made a lasting mark. We had an FFA member, a Band President, soccer stars and football heroes, and a girl with the voice of an angel. We are all about diversity in this family.

Sorry, Clements, I doubt you'll end up with a family this big again walking through your halls making names for themselves in so many different ways. Sucks to be you!