Explorer

I have spent my evening all but ignoring my kind, kind boyfriend, and exploring other blogs. I am quite new to this whole culture and am blown away by how many people are blogging out there! I have added some decidedly good reads to my BlogRoll. This should expand as I find more time and interesting people.

I have also discovered that some blogs are very very good- and some are so bad. They're... so not good. I am just going to keep practicing-- so that I do not fall into this unsatisfactory second category...

UPDATE: reading this entry today (May 1)-- I feel bad about saying negative things about other blogs... I should have said it in another way. Some blogs inspire me- some do not. As far as them being bad or good- who am I to say?

Top 5

I was just cruising around and found a site that shows Top 5s. It got me thinking about some of my Top 5s. Everyone has them- or they should if they don't. Here are some of mine:

Top 5 favorite foods:
1- Peanut Butter
2- Cheesecake
3- Green Olives
4- Jalapenos
5- Baked beans

Top 5 favorite -- now wait--

Could my favorite foods go LESS together? I guess you could throw a peanut butter cheesecake together, but after that... random. And Jesse wants to know-- why no pizza? (He is, as I write, shouting out things that he can't BELIEVE aren't on my list.)

Anyway....

Top 5 favorite movies:
1- Matrix (the first)
2- Legends of the Fall (Brad Pitt)
3- The Princess Bride (as you wish)
4- Good Will Hunting (Jesse is not impressed)
5- Sneakers (used to have a thing for Bob Redford)

And one more- Top 5 worst ways to wake up:
1- Finger up nose (someone else's-- finger or nose)
2- Bull horn
3- Fart in face (Jesse has a lot of influence tonight)
4- You're puking
5- It's Monday morning at 7:59 and you have 60 seconds to get to work...

Here comes the bride

Check out this guy. He is selling his ex-wife's wedding dress on Ebay and is pulling in all sorts of traffic.

That's one way to make a buck... or 15,000 of em.

Squeaky...

Have you ever met one of those compulsive showerers? They get up, they shower. They work out, they shower. They get some love, they shower. They get ready for bed, they shower. ARE YOU CLEAN YET???

I don't get it. I mean... I like to shower. It feels great during, after... yay for cleanliness. But, ya know what? I don't shower every day- every 36 hours is good for me and my hair. I don't need it to wake up, go to sleep or clean my non-working-out body.

I know some of these shower-ridden people. My brother is one. One of my exes was neurotic about showers. THAT was an interesting (and short) union. They say they feel nasty and dirty and just need to rinse off... I say they are wasting water and time.

Truth is- showering is kinda annoying. My thick hair has finally dried from the last shower, and I get to start over. Nice. I have been accused of taking very long showers. The annoyance might stem from here-- because I am working in there. I don't dilly dally around and stand in the spray for long luxurious moments. I'm soapin, and washin, and shavin... how do you people get done so sooon??

The pressure...

Hey, thanks for the referral mikey.

You and Joelle were my first blog reads- I was inspired! Gary pushed me to start.

I feel like I've won something.

Old school

OK- I have never even seen an Atari game system. I have definitely heard of it, know it came before Nintendo, and I guess I used to play PacMan at the bowling alley in grade school. I think that's the closest I have come.

Reading USA Weekend this morning, I came across this site that will hook you up to all the old school games. "Tetris, Asteroid, Snake, PacMan...The old standbys appear in their original low-tech form-- the games still have the same rules, sound effects, and basic control keys, too."

I think I'll start with....PacMan I guess. Any other suggestions?

What's your favorite old school game?

Comfort pie

This is the first weekend in four that I have been able to relax. No little sister Prom, no Easter, no weddings in distant lands, nothing. I had all 48 hours of weekend to catch up on stuff- and I did. But why do I still feel anxious?

I just tried to log onto my work email- so at least I could clean up my Inbox for the morning... it would not cooperate! I am the girl that likes to keep <50 messages at the end of each day-- I left around 250 on Friday. That was the kinda day/week I had.

On the up side, Jesse just let me have the last piece of dutch apple pie.

Thanks Rach

I got this dolphin massager from my friend Rachel when we were in Australia two years ago. Except mine's purple.

It is honestly the best feeling doo-dad average-joe massagey thing that I have ever felt. Buy one today!

Friend to rub dolphin on back not included.

Hey- it did...

I was pretty crabby last night... things always look so much better in the morning.

Especially coffee.

The sun'll come out...

Work has sucked this week. Reaaally sucked. I don't know why, but they have just PILED work on me recently. It's really annoying when I am just trying to stay afloat and the people on either side of me are socializing all day.

It's really annoying when you have to train the boss's son and he has absolutely no interest in learning or doing a remotely good job.

And it's really annoying when everything is going wrong with your projects-- but not because of anything YOU'VE done wrong-- it's consistently other people fucking up. Niiiiice.

It's not always like this. I mess up too. This week has just been bad.

But then, at the end of the day, when all I can do is shrug, and all of my coworkers are being funny (from the delirium) I remember that I do like my job. The people are great-- (mostly) smart, witty, and fun to be around. Tomorrow should be better.

Mr Tree and Me

I often say that my boyfriend, Jesse, will never turn his head to gawk at another girl-- but if a big, mature walnut tree comes into view-- he suddenly becomes a double-taking, neck craning and not interested in anything but gawking-- boyfriend.

"Haaaay! Are you staring at that Burr Oak???"

And that's another thing. I've never had a problem with trees. I like them as much as the next person- but since I've been dating Forest Man, I have developed a knack for identifying trees- almost any tree. Big, small, with leaves, without. I am a freakin expert.

We were on a walk over a month ago, and found these little acorns by a stream. They were sprouting. I have never seen an acorn sprout- and unbelievably- neither had Jesse. We put some in our pockets, zoomed to the store to buy some pots and dirt, and planted them. We now have *8* little oak trees growing in my apartment! Since I can barely take care of myself, I am very proud to say that they are growing like weeds. I feel like a proud parent.

OK- this is pathetic. But we have named them. Hey! I don't have kids, or pets, or even another plant in my place. Lay off. But we DO have: Red Wood, Tinker, Oscar, Apricot, Bert, Peanut, Gorgon (Gorgy) and Gumball.

Patience pleez

I am currently switching my commenting engine. Don't be confused! Just leave a comment wherever you'd like- I will figure it out.

Subjects I could blog about:

1. The Wedding. I could write about how I met him, and him, and him. Or how I had a lotta food/cake/booze. Or how I met a nice girl named Enid.

2. After the wedding. How we went to a bar named 'Sneakers' and then had a conversation with a hostile cop and then how Jesse got a ticket for driving down the wrong side of the highway.

3. Pulled over #2. How I was pulled over driving home the next day going nine over. Nine?

4. Arbor Day. I could write about how Jesse, his dad and I planted 30 trees yesterday. White oak, swamp white oak, red oak, walnut, white pine- you get the gist. Holes Jaz dug: 1. Jesse: 29.

5. OH- and how it was overcast, with 50-60 mi/hr winds, and I got a BAD fuckin sunburn. I'm a pansy- but the tops of my hands are lobster-like! Not comfy or pretty. I am a wuss.

That's all I got. Today was nothing to write about. Just tried to get through it so I could relax. I want to relax. I want to do nothing. I'm going to bed.

2004: Wedding #1

I am at the age where it seems everyone is getting married. Last year I went to a cabillion weddings. The fun and expensive gift giving is starting early this year! We're going to this guy's wedding today.

He was Jesse's roommate at Iowa. I haven't met him, but I'm bankin on there being a LOTTA food/cake/booze tonight.

Interesting details to come, I'm sure...

Ah ha! I was right.

Smarties DO have a flavor for each color!

Try the quiz if you can stand all the yellow. How did you do?

Spoiler

I went to my little sister's track meet last night in Pella. She is a speedy little thing. Side benefit to the trip: Pella is a very Dutch town that has the BEST bakery. I stopped in and picked up some dutch letters (yummy almondy flaky pastry). The only thing: why are all dutch letters in the shape of an 'S'? How about a nice 'J'???

Since I was at the track meet, being such a good sista, I missed all my shows. My boss said she'd record Survivor- and my friend Kristin would record Apprentice. This morning I avoided all news sources other than NPR. No TV. No morning radio shows. Could I make it to the end of the day without hearing anything???

Nope.

I still have Survivor as a mystery- we'll see how long it lasts...

Taxes... reformed view

I have always been a good strong Democrat... not afraid of taxing stuff... I figured, hey! Taxes pay for some pretty great things! Roads, police, schools... I say RAISE the taxes! (Always a sure way to rile any republican within earshot.)

Since 2003 was the first year I have ever worked full time- not claimed by my Mom- it was the first time I have ever had to worry about filing. I have been 'exempt' every other year. So you can imagine I was pretty pumped when I heard from my friends that had gone to get their taxes done-- 'I got a refund of $1400!' exclaimed Kristin. 'I got $900 back!' Samantha cried. Gosh! What will I do with all my fatty cash??!

Sidenote:
One of my major rules in life-- when looking forward to something, always expect less than you want. The boss just declared bonuses for all? I expect 5 bucks. Looking forward to seeing Hellboy? Expect it to be shit. THEN- when it's NOT? Not disapointed!

I temporarily forgot this rule.

Expect huge refund?? Almost OWE. Owe? Fortunately, the lady doing my taxes found a few places to help me out- I ended up getting a few dollars back....

So I say- taxes are a good thing- they pay for 'civilization'. But do I have to pay so many?

Celebrity sighting

Ok- so I just started my blog on MONDAY-- that was 2 days ago. So I am pretty okay with the fact that my friend Gary is the only one who visits/comments.

Imagine my delight and surprise when the notorious mikey pays a visit and even leaves me a comment!

I've only been reading his blog for, like, 42 years.

24

Last night, I was possibly the most popular girl in the world. It was all I could do to saturate my friend's and family's needs to wish me the best ever! Thanks guys. You like me. You REALLY LIKE me!

I got to spend the evening with Jesse and my friends Tully and Joey. TGIFriday's hands out free champagne if it's your birthday- so Tully and I had some drinky drinks while we gossiped. We also fended off scolding looks from Joey for gossiping. Don't waste your time, Joe.

The best thing about not drinking is that when you DO- wow. Those two glasses really make you laugh! And slur if you're lucky.

Jilted

So yesterday was Easter. Easter is my favorite holiday- easily. It might be because my birthday always falls around it, but it's also because the church is so alive, spring weather is SO welcome, and there's even candy! Yeeee...... canndieee.

This year was not unlike any other year. The trees and flowers were budding, the church was packed, and there was a great promise of a mounding Easter basket at my mom's house.

Imagine the horror when she has ONE basket waiting for me. AND Jesse. One basket for me and the biggest eater I've ever met.

It's good to see I've really captured the reason for the season.

ok, go...

it's offcially my birthday. of course everyone knows this, because i have been advertising it for weeks- months even...

Soooo.... here i am!!! And here is my blog.