Recently: A Suzy Photo Essay

Laura came to visit a couple of weeks ago, just as the ol' Dell took a final pooper, so I wasn't able to post some of the fun that she, PTT and I had. So without further ado:

PTT gets nervous when I refer to him as Chris, so we made his Yahtzee score sheet officially PTT.

Here we are, taking a quick break from an intense Yahtzee game. See that ring on my finger? That is a gift from PTT; a Drive Shaft ring, now one of my prized possessions.

This is me and PTT enjoying our beer frame beers (because we rocked that frame).

This is Laura, without a beer frame beer (because she really fucked that frame up*)

*To be fair, I would later have to buy a beer frame as well. After Laura had to buy a second beer frame. HA!

Mad About Mad Men

I can't even begin to tell you how much I enjoyed Mad Men last summer. It is about an advertising agency in the 1960's, but that is just skimming the surface. I think it showed a lot about a certain time in history. It is a cool-looking show. And all the smoking will either make you want a cigarette or make you sick (sometimes both at the same time). 

The reason I bring it up now is because season one is out on DVD and season two starts at the end of the month. And the best thing? It's on AMC, not HBO or Showtime or any of those crazy pay extra channels. 

So, all you Netflixers out there, put it in your queue and catch up before season 2 starts. I dare you not to fall a little for lead character Don Draper, no matter how much of a self-absorbed asshole he can be. 

Happy "Mad Men"ing all!

Back in the Saddle

I am back online at home. Hooray! I am now the proud owner of a little, white Apple notebook. It's pretty slick. I have forgotten what it was like to have a computer that started up quickly and didn't have to have it's Ethernet chord jimmy-rigged to even be online. As with everything I do, I'll take a picture and post it soon!

One of the reasons I chose the Mac was that as a student I get an educational discount, but I am freaking out a little because becoming a student is hard. My paperwork hasn't been fully processed yet (their words) so I can't register for classes like they told me I should. I also can't get my student loans (which I need). I have also made all the necessary arrangements to move; given notice at my current apartment, found a new apartment, hired movers. About the only thing I haven't done is given two-weeks notice at work. This may be a good thing. I might need my job.

I am freaking out a little. I am convinced something is going to go wrong and everything is going to fall through. I am going to call someone tomorrow. I don't want to nag these people, but I also want to make sure I am not moving and changing my life for nothing. 

At least it's a four day work week. Hooray.

What Brings People to My Small Corner of the World

"the office" "wonderkins" mean

This search led to Some of This Might Not Be True

Happy Birthday George Orwell

Did you know George Orwell was actually born Eric Blair? He was concerned that his parents wouldn't like what he wrote and came up with a pseudonym. Interesting, eh?

My Swedish Furniture Name...

...courtesy of Ikea.

What's yours?

RIP Modem

My computer’s modem decided it had just been working too hard. It was probably really tired of being rigged up to work when it should been put to pasture long ago. So it took its final stand.

Hence, I have no internet at home for the time being. Which really only means that I won’t be able to post pictures of my awesome weekend. There was a picture of the mac and cheese I made. The caprese salad. A sad Laura after having bought her first ever beer frame. A happy PTT and I with our free beer frame beers. Yahtzee. Just, you know, your run-of-the-mill fun times.

Maybe I’ll remember to post them when I get a new computer.

Have a great week ya’ll.

Best Thing I've Heard Today

I would totally stay here. I would go back to San Francisco just to do so.

What's My Tarot Card, You Ask

You Are The Wheel of Fortune

You represent the cycles of life, death, and rebirth. You embrace change, the the ups and downs of life. Fate is something you accept, even when you could possibly change things. Big things tend to happen to you more than other people. Your fortune: Something huge is about to happen in your life, and you have little control over it. You must accept your destiny, but luckily it is good fortune that has come your way. Big things and big changes are about to come your way. And while things will be intense for a while, they will be followed by a period of rest.

What Tarot Card Are You?

Happy Father's Day

My dad had hip replacement surgery on Monday, so today won't be too festive for him. He's doing really, really well. All my family had as an example of replacement surgery was my mother and apparently she was BAD example.

Anyhoo, I thought I would share some pictures of my dad like I did my mom on Mother's Day.

This is obviously when I was a baby. Just a few days old. The seventies were a strange-looking time.

This was in 1999. Amazing what 22 years can do.

Hope ya'll are spending your day with your dads. If not, I hope you are spending a day with a dad.

Summer Goals Revised

Well, I had a long list of summer goals, but some have had to be crossed out because of current situations. One goal that remains is watching the first three seasons of Lost. I am currently only about half way through season one, but... I think I missed some episodes, because some of them seem so new. I have no memories of them at all. I don't know. Maybe I didn't pay close enough attention because I didn't realize I had to pay such close attention yet.

These first episodes are amazing though. The scene in Locke's first flashback, where he realizes he can walk, is unbelievable.

I can see why they killed off Boone and Shannon first. They were definitely two useless characters.

Another thing I noticed: they refered to each other as, "the others." You know, two characters would have a conversation and they referred to the other survivors, the group as a collective, as the others. It wouldn't seem strange to us at first, but it now that there is a whole other term to "the others" in Lostland now, it seems...like something to note.

But maybe Lost has got me thinking too hard about everything.

Have a good weekend y'all.

Celebrity Thumbs Up of the Week

Big week, big thumbs up.

Lost Meets Harry Potter...Literally

Funny:

They're Little, Not Midgets. Otherwise I Wouldn't Like Them.

NPR has recently started a feature where they dissect famous characters in pop culture and yesterday they discussed Jo March from Little Women.

I loved Little Women as a kid. I loved it so much that I still consider it one of my favorite books, so it was fun to hear about old generations and new generations that love it as much as I do. I agree with the story that everyone wants to be Jo. She’s the independent, free-thinker who doesn’t let anyone make her decisions for her (although I hated it when she rejected Laurie, I thought it was sadder than when Beth dies). I think it is funny that young readers, while still admiring Jo, find her a little too perfect to try to be like. I’m not sure if that means young women have a good, realistic head on their shoulders or they’re too lazy to try to live their lives without strings attached.

I always thought I was a little about of each of the “little women.” In some ways I was the goody two-shoes, like Meg. In some ways I was the sensitive, wise Beth. In some ways, I was the vain, silly Amy. And in some ways I was independent like Jo. I still am. I think most girls and women are.

Actually, just the other day the episode of Friends, where Joey and Rachel switch books, was on. She reads The Shining and he reads Little Women. He thinks that Jo is a man and Laurie is a woman, but he also is sad when he finds out Beth dies.

I should go back and reread it.

THUMBS FLIPPIN UP!

New Mexico State University, here I come!

In the Kitchen with Suzy

Speaking of summer goals, I have also dedicated myself to trying one new recipe a week. Here are two weeks worth of endeavors.


This is goat cheese and asparagus pasta. I forgot an ingredient in the sauce so, while it was good, it wasn't saucy. So I may have to try this again.


This is a portobello burger. This was flipping awesome. I cooked the mushrooms in balsamic vinigerette.

Oh and FYI to all the Dexter fans. The second season comes out on DVD in August. Save it on your Netflix lists now.

I have a fairly large list of goals I would like to accomplish this summer.

• Make a compost
• Study for the GRE
• Create an online portfolio
• Work on application essays for various grad schools
• Start yoga again (see post below)
• Try a new recipe every week
• Rid myself of all extraneous junk I don't need in my life

In addition to everything I listed above, I have also decided to undertake watching the first three seasons of Lost. I feel like a refresher course is important at this stage of the series. Lost is really upping the stakes. I might take notes. I might map out all the connections to the characters (as Laura and I once discussed). I might buy a whiteboard to make it appear more like the serious endeavor it is. It should be interesting.

I can't even really imagine a Lost without Ben Linus anymore.

Wish me luck everyone.

Namaste...with a Bullet?

India's army is employing yoga to create a "deadlier fighting force." You know, I understand; people meditate and practice yoga to calm their minds. Killers need to be calm too. We don't want bullets flying all over the place.

American troops from the US 25th Infantry Division have already started practicing yoga.

I should start up yoga again. Goal 912 for the summer.

Namaste y'all.

Potpourri Post

Happy Birthday Heimlich Maneauver! 30 years ago this month, Henry Heimlich published information on this life-saving proceduare in the journal, Emergency Medicine. Way to save some lives! Thumbs up Dr. Heimlich. I have neither given the Heimlich Maneauver, nor received it and I hope to never have to, but I feel better knowing the option is out there.

I learned over the weekend that Sigmund Freud committed assisted suicide. Although this happened in 1939, it was news to me! The way he died was news to me, not that he is dead. I did know that. Anyhoo, tired of the pain of his oral cancer, he asked a friend to administer a slow overdose of morphine to him.

My niece graduated from high school last night. Graduates tossed beach balls around and in grand tradition, officials confiscated them. The audience booed the officials along with the graduates.

Seth Rogan and James Franco smoked weed on the Mtv Movie Awards last night. It was SHOCKING!

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was fun, fun and fun.

Hope everyone had a good weekend.

Final Thoughts on a Final Lost for a Loooong Time

I think, if anything, the finale of Lost left me with one main question:

What the flip happened to Jeremy Bentham, aka, JOHN LOCKE?

But I’ll get back to that.

• Other observations:
• Walt looks so weird as an adult.
• Sawyer still looks hot when he’s wet.
• I hope Michael is really gone now.
• I hope Jin might still be alive somehow.
• I really hate that Hurley is crazy. I just feel that he should find some peace. I hope the next two years brings him that.
• I still don’t like coiffed Sayid. Mess up the hair, brother!
• Penny and Desmond’s reunion: a tear comes to my eye just thinking about it.
• I think I like the tough-as-nails, take-no-shit Sun.

Jeremy Bentham?

First of all, why couldn’t they just call him Locke off the island? How did he get off the island? When did he become the kind of man that is a danger to people (i.e. Hurley wanting to stay in the institution because he was afraid)? Is what he saying true? Are the people still on the island being tortured? Who is there to do it? The never-aging eyeliner guy, Richard Alpert?

And why are the six lying to protect those left-behind? Did they learn something that we don’t know yet? Did I miss something? I thought Jack made up the lie to cover the fact that a ship exploded and an island disappeared (which happened before I am assuming…remember the end of season two…when they took Jack, Sawyer and Kate).

Did you all flip out just a little when they showed who was in the coffin? I think I moved my head thinking I might be able to look over the lid to find out faster.

Tell me what you think people!

Song of Summer

EW's PopWatch begs the question, what is the song of summer 2008?

Does it mean I am old if I have never heard these songs?

Thumbs Up of the Week

It occured to me that I had not featured a woman in the thumbs up of the week segment. So I give you Cammie D.



In other news, I am sure I don't have to remind anyone, but tomorrow is the Lost finale. The last Lost for a long time. I'm already sad...but am also brimming with anticipation.

In the Kitchen

Since it was a three day weekend, Suzy got busy in the kitchen.


First it was some halibut steaks:








And then it was Greek Pasta Salad:

Off to see Indiana Jones. I will be back with a detailed review.

Well, probably not.

Hope you all had a great, looooong weekend.

Summer Fun

Pictures of the aftermath of our first watergun fight of year. I was left completely soaked. Little boys have no mercy. I will have an awesome high-powered one before I face them again.

This History of Thumbs Up

I was excited to find this article today. I am glad it's used for more positive communication now.

Have a good long weekend y'all.

I LOVE Jim's New Look

Oh holy Hell. That's hot.

Made of Honor? Made of Crap!

Here is a picture of one of the worst movies I've seen in a while :



I like to document it all, good and bad, for my faithful readers.

The Office...In Japan

Friday Roundup

Usually on Friday, I discuss Lost. But I am finding it increasinly difficult to write down my thoughts on Lost. There is just too much going on.

So this morning I want to discuss The Office. I liked the set up for next year. Angela is such a hussy. LOVED that Phyllis found them in the last scene. That should make for some interesting office interaction.

I also think that Jan and Michael raising a child together sounds scary and funny. But mostly scary. I fear for that child.

I hate Pam and Jim together because they’ve turned into the two most boring characters on that show. Boring, boring, boring. And the physical transformation of Pam now that she and Jim are together? Please! I hate it when movies and television shows resort to that. It’s so cliched.

And I almost hate Toby as much as I hate Pam and Jim. I used to really like Toby, but his crush on Pam is SOOOOO CREEPY now. I hope he is gone for forever.

I hope they continue to focus on the other office people next season as much as they did this season. They make me laugh. Except Kelly. They should totally write her off the show.

Anyhoo, off the Cincinnati to go to Trader Joe’s...and see Laura. Also, everyone keep Murph in your thoughts today. Her surgery is today.

Have a good weekend y’all.

Happy Birthday Stephen Colbert

It has been quite a month so far for Stephen Colbert. First of all, today is his birthday. Last week he was given a Webby for Person of the Year. And now, the biggest honor of all, he is the featured celebrity thumbs up:


Way to go Stephen! Thumbs up to you!

Fun Times

This typing game is the best ever. You race people typing wonderful pop culture phrases from movies or lyrics from songs. If any of you wanted, we could get together and race each other.

Check it out and you will be as addicted as I am.

Love Your Mothers Y'All

Actually, I know you all love your mothers, but today you should give them an extra squeeze. I thought I would celebrate my mum today and share a few pictures.

I like this picture because she's outside gardening. I am probably close by bothering her. She looks kind of shocked. She stopped having her picture taken a couple of years later. You might see a few of her now, but they are as rare as unicorns.

Here's my mom and dad with the panchos my dad brought back from Mexico. Note the Orphan Annie doll in the foreground...it was mine.

Here is her graduation picture, her favorite picture. She looks very glamorous.

Happy Mother's Day Mom. And to all the other mothers out there!

I Tagged My Blog

A Real Adventure

Have you heard about these guys? 48 states in 120 days. They stop for gas and to pee. They don’t even stop for food...they packed food for the trip. They don’t stop to sightsee. They don’t stop...period...unless they need gas or have to go to the bathroom.

It sounds like a pretty fun adventure, but I kind of wonder if they are getting a little sick of each other, miss cooked food, or are getting tired of listening to music. They have a laptop, maybe they can watch a movie or something. I bet they’ll be glad when the trip is over and they can take a shower, a leisurely shit, and eat a really awesome meal.

Makes me want to take a road trip.

Celebrity Thumbs Up

I thought, since Rob Lowe and his wife have been in the news so much lately, I would feature them with their thumbs up.

They are actually probably giving thumbs down to their former nannies.

The Worst Places for Your Health

I came across this article yesterday and it has already changed my day-to-day habits. One of the grossest parts of the article was about where you keep your toothbrush. I, like many people, keep my toothbrush in a cup by the sink...where it has been sprayed by toilet water my whole life.

When you flush a toilet, the spray can travel upwards of 6 feet. So even if you think that your sink is far from the toilet, you’re still not safe. The best solution is to keep your toothbrush in a cabinet or shut the lid of your toilet before flushing.

I’ve already got a new toothbrush and have been shutting the lid to my toilet ever since.
Another intesting tip was to not put your purse on the kitchen counters. I am totally guilty of this; but think about what your purse touches throughout the day. You put it on the ground, in a grocery cart, it brushes up against numerous unsavory things. And then people put it on the counter and let it silently gross up the counter.

Have a good, clean weekend, y’all.

Trip Out on This

A few weeks ago I came across this site. I thought it was kind of interesting, but of course all the artwork is hippy, trippy stuff. I thought it would be kind of cool to come across a Picasso or a Gaugin, HA or even a photograph by Georgia O'Keefe. I wonder if the different artwork equates to different potencies.

Anyhoo, as I was saying, I came across that site a couple of weeks ago and then today I read this:

Father of LSD Dies.

I never took any of the artsy-looking acid, although once it was black. I personally liked mushrooms better; being all natural there was no brain damage involved.

Ahh, to be young and carefree...

Interview Post Show

I think the interview went well. I feel good about it, but one can never really tell. I'll just keep my fingers crossed that I get a second interview. I urge you all to do the same.

I took a class at the gym tonight. It's called "Ball Busters;" everything is done with an exercise ball. It's HARD. I think it's harder because it looks as though it would be easy. I am already starting to hurt. Tomorrow should be a joy.

Good night, all. Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite.

Road TRIP!!!

I found this article interesting and thought I would share, especially after I wrote about grocery shopping organically, or how I don't grocery shop organically.

The high price of going organic

I am off to Cincinnati today for a job interview tomorrow...and a quick visit with Laura. Wish me luck.

We Now Return to Regularly Scheduled Programming...

...obsessing about Lost.

Wow! Last night's episode ROCKED. I know I've said it before, but I love Ben. He is so complex. I thought he was complete and utter evil (and I was fine with that and loved him anyway), but he is capable of grief (BTW: Poor Alex....I just didn't see that coming...honestly). He does, however, use his grief to help get Sayid do start killing people for him, but it is a real emotion...however he chooses to use it to his advantage.

I am beyond excited that we are going to make another visit to Jacob. He and his cabin give me the creeps. The kind of creeps I like to have. And I am also interested to see how the threesome of Locke, Ben and Hurley is going to work out. It seems like an odd group. Ben and Locke give Hurley the creeps, but I don't think it's the kind of creeps Hurley likes to have.

Some other Suzy observations:

• I wish they had killed Claire then and there. She is annoying and some time last season she decided to act very badly. And not only did they not kill her, she was barely hurt...after her house EXPLODED! As Laura would say, WTF?

• Sawyer has definitely made the biggest changes as a character on that show. He wants to rescue people. He appears to care about people. (Although if I was Hurley I'd be all like, "I'm a man Sawyer, I can take care of myself, you don't need to defend my honor."). It's not that I don't like this new Sawyer, it makes me feel uneasy about his future.

• How did Ben conjure the smoke monster? Again, what is the smoke monster?

• How did Ben get to the Sahara? It appears as though he fell out of the sky...this seems to support this idea of time travel.

• Who in the hell is Charles Widmore? Is he a descendant of Jacob? Has he been on the island before and is like Jack and needs to get back? And who will win the ultimate daughter-death showdown? Evil (Ben) or Love (Penny and Desmond)?

• Best line of the night: When Ben says, "Excuse me James." So nonchalant and polite, as though people weren't storming the house, as if Ben hadn't just summoned the smoke monster to woop some ass.

I LOVE Ben!

Thank God it Was Just the Trainer

and not Will Ferrell.

Celebrity Thumbs Up

I end my trilogy of Harry Potter stars thumbs up with none other than...Harry Potter.



He's a double fister when it comes to the thumbs. Did you hear he's going to be naked on Broadway in the fall? He's not so little anymore...or maybe he is. Guess we'll find out this fall.

Happy Birthday William Shakespeare

Well, maybe Happy Birthday Billy Shakes. This date is apparently just an educated guesstimate.

Happy Earth Day

Use one less paper towel, unplug a rarely used appliance, run a little less water. Do something small to show the earth you care.

Or sit in the dark tonight anxously awaiting the return of Lost on Thursday.

Suzy in the Kitchen

I would love to take credit for how delicious the food I cook is, but unfortunately I can't. I follow recipes to a "T," so I guess you can call me a good reader.

I really wish I could take credit for how fucking awesome this creamy, peanuty, hummus was, because it was that fucking awesome. It is going to be something I make all the time. I may have to invest in a larger food processor, but it is worth it, because it is that fucking awesome.

As always, if you want a recipe let me know.

EARTHQUAKE!!!!!

Around 5:30 this morning I woke up and thought, "That's weird, it feels as though my bed is shaking." But as soon as I had that thought, the shaking stopped. I figured I just imagined it in one of those, not quite awake/not quite sleeping moments.

When I eventually got out of bed and turned on the news, I learned I did not imagine it at all. There was a 5.3 earthquake in Evansville, IN, 350 miles away. It was felt as far as Chicago and Cincinnati (did you feel it Laura?).

What a crazy way to start a Friday.

Happy Weekending Ya'll!

Shopping...Organically?

I made a brief sojourn in Trader Joe's in Ann Arbor over the weekend. It was cool...and crazy. I was just there to peruse and most people were there to get their groceries, so I am not sure if my strolling was helpful to those people. I did buy some groceries. The only grocery I have eaten from Trader Joe's yet was the sweet potato chips, which were delicious by the way.

We had to drive past Whole Foods to get to Trader Joe's. Seeing the Whole Foods reminded me of this secret I saw on Post Secret a couple of weeks ago:

I am into a lot of things, but I am not that into eating organically. I am not against it, I just don't feel the need to eat everything organically, neither does my wallet.

Ironically, I bought organic bananas last night. Not because they were organic, but because they were ripe and the regular bananas were not. And I shit you not, they didn't taste as good as a regular banana. I mean, it could've been that certain banana. I will know further after eating another banana.

Celebrity Thumbs Up of the Week

Last week CTUOTW featured the lovely Ralph Fiennes who plays the evil Voldemort.

Today, I give you Alan Rickman who plays meannie Severus Snape.

Current Obsessions

1. Panera's Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich: Considering I don't even even like most veggies, this is an amazing feat for me. I've eaten it like three times this week. I might go broke if this obsession doesn't end soon.

2. "Jolene" by Dolly Parton: I love Dolly Parton for a number of reason on any given day. But recently I've loved Dolly all because of her song about a bitch named Jolene.

I am going to celebrate these obsessions with a decorated thumbs up and my ongoing obsession; a vodka gimlet.


Have a good weekend y'all.

We're Not the Only People Confused by Lost

Can't Wait

I can't wait to see The Fall. Not just because it stars the new, young Clive Owen, but because it kind of feels like Pan's Labrynth and I thought Pan's Labrynth was FANTASTICAL.

Here's the trailer in case you are interested.

Celebrity Thumbs Up of the Week

Ralph Fiennes...quite literally the man of many of my dreams.

Suzy in the Kitchen

About a month ago I made some shrimp and penne (it was supposed to be shrimp and orzo, but I couldn't find orzo at the store I went to and I was too lazy to go to another store). This was super delicious. Ask Ashley, she partook in the feast and contributed a German Chocolate Cake.



More recently (this weekend) I made baked artichokes. They were also really delicious.



If you are interested in any of the recipes, just let me know.

April is National Poetry Month

You can sign up to receive a daily poem for the month of April here.

"Sir Stitches McGuiri" the Clown

That's my clown name. What's yours?

Thumbs Up Part II

Thumbs Up Part I

My Blog's Mixtape

Germs and Other Messes

Did you know that the proper amount of time to scrub your hands equates to the time it takes to sing "Row Your Boat" three times? I have been washing my hands and singing this song a lot. Especially in an office where people can't be bothered to cover their mouths when they cough. I've also been drinking a lot of Echinacia tea...just for good measure.

Apparently, people who keep healthy day-to-day habits are better at fighting off illness. You know, people who exercise, stay hydrated, get plentyof sleep, don't smoke, etc. This bodes well for me, as I do the first three in the list almost daily. I still smoke a little, but really only when I drink, which isn't very often anymore either. I actually kind of miss drinking. Maybe it is the smoking I miss...no, I think it is the drinking. I think about a drink almost every night, but then I think of the empty calories and blah, blah, blah, and I think I better not drink...at least until the weekend.

Back to germs, though...I normally always disinfect the cardio machines before I use them AND after. I've seen some NASTY people get off machines and not clean them off, so I try to be pretty obsessive about the disinfectant. Yesterday though, I forgot. I had been on the treadmill for about, two minutes when I remembered. I immediately got off, disinfected the machine, washed my hands and got back on.

I don't think I am a germophobe or OCD. I just think that at this time of year, it is way better to be safe than sorry.

Wouldn't it be ironic if tomorrow I was sick?

Harry Potter and Other Etc's

Did you guys hear that the last Harry Potter book is going to be split into two movies? Some people don't like that idea, but I think it's great. It totally extends the Harry Potter magic a little longer. It also means that they are probably going to be very, very true to the book. Get ready for some hot Ron/Hermione action.

I joined a little weight loss program at my gym and last night was the end-celebration party. I won a gift certificate to the spa, so now I can get a massage. I am going to get a really long one too. It was a fun party as well. It was intersting to see everyone in real clothes, smelling nice.

It seems as though spring is moving quickly all of a sudden, although it isn't officially spring yet. Maybe Easter being so early makes it feel that way.

I am still waiting for word from NMSU. Each day I get a little more nervous, constantly looking at my phone, checking my email and regular mail. I think I am too nervous to call and find out anything. I hope I find out soon. My heart might beat out of my chest and then I wouldn't be able to go even if I did get in.

I've Got Some Tiny Problems

My clothes are dirty. I do laundry, but apparently if I don't CLOSELY inspect my clothes at the end of the day, I put away dirty clothes and then I pull them out to wear at a later date and wear dirty clothes. I don't know if I've always done this and just started noticing or if I've just started doing this. Needless to say, I am trying to make sure all dirty clothes get laundered before going back into the closet.

I am also tired. Every morning when I wake up (to the actual alarm, usually I am up a little before, but wait for the alarm to go off), I feel as though I could use another few hours of sleep. I move slowly, my eyes are droopy. As soon as I wake up I think, I am going to go to bed early tonight, but I am not tired enough to go to bed early. Spring Forward, this week you are my worst enemy.

I Sweat!

I know that technically sweating doesn't really measure how hard you work when you exercise, but I really don't understand how people can leave a kickboxing class looking as fresh as a daisy. I truly believe that if you don't sweat during that class, you can't be working very hard. I leave that class TOTALLY gross. Gross, gross, gross.

Gross.

I think I might go take advantage of $1 scoops at Baskin Robbins.

You Can't Wear Shoes Without Feet

I went to the New Balance store today to get some new tennis shoes. It was way past due; it had been about 11 months since I had last gotten a pair and the balls of my feet were starting to hurt after working out for about an hour.

The New Balance store analyzes how you stand and walk to figure out which shoe is best for you. This sounds good and in theory it is (I was told I have wide feet, which I know, and that I walk heavily on the outside of my feet). I love my new shoes, they feel great. But it was weird. They measured my feet (they are sized 7 1/2, I could've told him that) and they actually put the shoes on. He didn't really loosen the laces up and each time it felt as though I had to shove my feet in them. He said, "You don't have to force it."

He asked me what kind of socks I wore. I was like, "Champion, Columbia." I guess he meant if they were made of cotton. I don't really know if my socks are cotton. I think they are. It was a question I had never been asked before. It seems personal when someone asks you about your socks. I don't know, maybe I am weird.

I don't mind the analysis, but I think I prefer that they let me tell them what size I am and that they leave the boxes of shoes for me to try on at my leisure.

What A Saturday

It was windy. It was cold. It snowed. Not as much as Laura down Cincinnati. Laura is completely covered with snow. That is not a snowman, that is actually Laura covered in snow. Haha, I crack myself up.

But the weather kind of ruined the evening, well, not ruined, but postponed the evening. You see, I was going to make an orzo with shrimp dish (although now it is a penne and shrimp dish as I could not find any whole wheat orzo or any regular orzo) and Ashley was going to come over and have some. But I called her and said we could do it tomorrow if she didn't want to venture out in the weather and she called me back and said she would come tomorrow.

I am going to try my darndest not to forget to change my clocks tonight. Spring forward is so hard. I always feel that lost hour for a couple of weeks.

Enjoy the rest of your Saturday.

So...

I was just watching E! News (whatev...I'm a whore for celeb gossip) and they had a segment about some guy who runs a website trying to get people to vote for the bad singers on American Idol. They showed him at the computer and on his desk was a large bottle of lotion on it. I will leave it to your imagination as to what he does with the lotion at the computer, but I personally wouldn't want to type on that keyboard.

In other not so news, it is freezing rain and hailing, but I still made it to kickboxing. Later it is supposed to snow 2-4 inches. I HATE you winter.

What's Cooking in Suzy's Kitchen - Part II

Been a busy bee in the kitchen.

Unstuffed Cabbage Casserole

Broccoli Soup

I've gone gourmet.

I'm Going Deep

So, yeah, last night's Lost. I was kind of confused by it, probably more so than any other episode.At first I wasn't. I was like, well, Desmond does see the future. Desmond did kind of go back in time when he was blown from the hatch a few seasons ago, so for him to be flipping out, it wasn't that surprising to me. But then Faraday said was a side effect and then the same thing was happening to this Minkowski fellow. Will it happen to anyone else? Is Desmond ok for now? Will he freak out again? Will Desmond being Faraday's constant come back into play? Just more questions that need to be answered.

Speaking of Faraday, I liked him until the episode last night. I thought he was quirky little guy. But he was annoying the crap out of me in 1996.

How does Penny know about the island? I have a theory. I think her dad is way into this Hanso/Dharma thing. Notice how he was paying a boatload of pounds for a book about the Black Rock being sold by someone named Hanso (by the way, all of those familiar Lost terms were flying so fast in that auction scene that I wished I had Tivo so I could replay it) and I think that Penny's dad knowingly sent Desmond on that trip to land on that island. Maybe he even sees the future. I mean, he hated Desmond before, why was he being so nice to him in the bathroom? I think Penny's dad is dead and his last dying breath was to say something about the island to Penny. (I just decided to make Penny's dad dead. The inside of my brain must look like Faraday's notebook. ) But wasn't Desmond and Penny's overlapping declaration of love, sweet? And, last time I saw Desmond clean cut, I liked the dirty, shaggy Desmond better. But last night, I really dug clean cut Desmond.

Anyway, now that they are on the freighter, I am anxiously waiting to see Michael show up and say, "I am Ben's man on the boat. I opened the door to the sick bay. I am your friend on the boat."

And PS. I can't believe Sayid handed over the gun. Is this foreshadowing of the thinking with the heart that Ben alluded to? Or what Is foreshadowing after the fact? Evidence maybe? I don't know anymore.

Another Monday

Ah, the Oscars are done for the year and it wasn't a bad Oscars at all. George Clooney didn't win. Cate Blanchet didn't win. No one old won. And the best song was a song from Once, which was a really great movie and if you haven't seen it you should. It will make you feel good.

Ashley and I went to that tiny Italian place on Main St. in BG and it was a truly craptastic dinner. I tried to be positive about it, but I eventually had to give up. The service started out well, but then started to suck. I thought the food was gross. And the lighting in the place was weird. It was really weird. It didn't have many lights on, but the few that were on must have had 600 watt bulbs in them.

Then we went to Becketts, and I was the indecisive one. I couldn't think of a thing I wanted to drink. So I finally settled on a Heineken Light, because it was on special and I basically just had to make a decision. So the bartender uncaps the bottle, puts it in front of me and then immediately lifts it back up and starts bringing it to his face and I honestly thought he was going to take a sip. I so thought that, that I literally said, "Are you going to drink my beer?" But he just smelled it, threw it away, opened another one, smelled it and threw it away and then told me I should pick something else to drink. So I did and I hated it. And I only drank half of it. And then I waited for Ashley to finish her drink and asked if we could go. I felt really old and pathetic. Thankfully Ashley was a good sport.

Then we went to Marble Slab Creamery and I ate too much ice cream and it too was kind of gross. The world was against my taste buds that night.

But don't feel sad for me, I made up for it yesterday. Everything I ate yesterday was delicious.

I Always Thought Gargamel Deserved an Oscar

Did you all know that the Smurfs are 50 years old? I would’ve never guessed that. I LOVED the Smurfs as a kid. It was my favorite Saturday morning cartoon. I have distinct memories of laying on the couch watching the Smurfs. The memories are so distinct, that if I closed my eyes, I could almost transport myself to those moments. Ah, memories. I bet if I tried to watch the Smurfs now, they would drive me crazy, but who knows. Maybe I will test that theory when the Smurfs3-D movie comes out next year.

So the Oscars are this weekend, and as most of you readers know, I love me some Oscars. This year, however, I am not really into the nominees. But I will tell you who I think I will win and who I want to win. Because I know everyone is chomping at the bit to know.

Best Picture: I think No Country for Old Men will win and it should. It rocked and it is a Coen Brother movie. And with the exception of that movie about killing the old black lady, and the one with George Clooney (barf) and Catherine Zeta Jones, the Coen Brothers can do no wrong. Come on, The Big Lebowski? Fargo? Raising Arizona? So awesome.

Best Actor: I think Daniel Day Lewis is supposed to win. I haven’t seen his movie (There Will Be Blood), so I don’t know if he deserves it. As long as George Clooney doesn’t win, I am a happy camper. I would like Viggo Mortinsen to win. 1. Because he’s Aragorn from Lord of the Rings. 2. Because he has the same birthday as me. 3. Because I liked Eastern Promises. And 4. Because he shows his penis in Eastern Promises. I respect any many who lets it all hang out.

Best Actress: This tough. I think Julie Christie is going to win for playing an old lady with Alzheimers who goes into a home, forgets about her husband and falls in love with someone else. It was a sad movie, but a good sad movie. I also saw the movie about French singer Edith Piaf and the woman who played her looks completely different. It was also a sad movie. And I liked Juno. I don’t know who I want.

Best Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem will and should win for No Country for Old Men. Not just because I liked that movie, but also because he was totally psycho in it. Like, the kind of psycho that jumps off the screen and makes your skin crawl.

Best Supporting Actress: I have no real choices of who I want to win, so let me tell you who I don’t want to win. I don’t want Cate Blanchet to win. I am tired of the Cate Blanchet bandwagon. I am jumping off. Actually, I was never really on it; I mean, I think she’s a good actress, but she was never my favorite. And I don’t want Rudy Dee to win. I don’t think old people should get awards just because they are old. Call me an ageist or whatever, but I don’t think because someone is closer to death than someone else means they gave a
better performance.

Anyway, there you go. My Oscar analysis.

What's Cooking in Suzy's Kitchen

I thought I would share some of my recent culinary endeavors. If you would like recipes, please let me know.

Three-Bean Salad: It was cold and beany and pretty tasty. But I'll be honest, I don't know if I am going to make it again.

Sweet and Spicy Pork Chips: These were GOOD. Delicious, fast and most of the ingrediants are ingrediants you would already have.

Crustless Quiche: This was way more delicious than I imagined.

Bon Appetite!

Oh Lost, You Sneaky Little Show

Last night I texted Robin that it’s as if everyone on Lost has swapped personalities. Sayid is working for Ben. Hurley is tricking his friends. Sawyer is sensitive. Desmond wasn’t calling anyone brother. It was as if we were on a paralel Lost universe. Apparently one where people actually get to leave.

I always forget how much I like Sayid until I see a Sayid episode (or when he is killing people with his thigh). He is actually a lovely man. He was all concerned with giving Naomi a proper burial and what not. But then he might find her name on this mysterious list later and be all like, "Whew, one less I have to kill." And by the way, what happened to his lady, Nadia? Wasn’t he trying to get back to her?

A few comments:

> I thought that picture of Ben they showed last week looked like it wasn’t taken on the island. Sneaky guy, huh?

> I do not like Sayid’s hair straight and coiffed. It looks way better curly.

> I wonder what that guy in the beginning knew about the crash. He totally freaked when he found out Sayid was a survivor. But then Sayid did what Sayid does and we’ll never know that guy’s deal.

> I am kind of getting tired of the whole, "Oceanic Six" nickname.

> I wonder who else is going to be able to see Jacob’s Cabin? I want to see more. It creeps me out in a fun way.

I can’t wait for next week.

Dirty Dishes

I apparently have a subconscious issue with dishes. If you remember, over the weekend I had a dream that I did dishes that seemed so real that when I woke up, I was kind of pissed that I still had to do dishes.

Last night I dreamt that I had done a bunch of dishes, but then I put a dirty dish in the sink and the mess from that dish got onto ALL the clean dishes and I had re-wash them all. This time I was happy to wake up and realize I didn't have to wash any dishes.

What is my deal? I don't hate dishes. I find it an inconvience, but I do them. Sometimes I don't even mind.

Are the dishes in my dream a metaphor for something else in my life?

As my friend Laura say, "WTF? What the Fuck?"

Happy Lost Day! Oh, and I guess Happy Valentines Day too. But most importantly, Happy Lost Day.

Now I Can Get Back to What's Really Important

The Writer's Strike is over! Hooray! Hazah!

In anywhere from four to six weeks, we will be seeing new episodes of our favorite shows.

Welcome back Michael Scott and everyone from the Office. And to you to McDreamy. I've missed you Jack Doneghy and Liz Lemon.

It also means we'll get more episodes of Lost. And the Oscars! I love me some Oscars!

This almost makes up for all of the snow and wind chill and snow and wind chill. Almost.

Hazah!

Dreaming About Awake

The weirdest thing happened.

I decided to take a nap. A real nap. I went back to bed and everything. I always nap really hard when I go to bed. Anyhoo, I had woken up and made a peanut butter sandwich and washed the dishes.

But I hadn't woken up, I had dreamt all of it. It seemed so real, that when I did wake up, I was kind of annoyed it actually hadn't happened. I was hungry and I still had to do dishes. And then when I actually did do all of those things, it felt like deja vu.

Weird, huh?

A List of Things I Currently LOOOVE

Vodka gimlets - I recently read a book where the main character drank many of these. So I tried and I like.

Bones – I love my own bones, but I am actually talking about the tv show. I don't know when it is on. I have been watching it through Netflix.

Netflix – Ok, I've always loved Netflix, but I love it even more right now for bringing me Bones.

Cabbage Rolls – They are so delicious. And I don't really like cabbage, but you stuff them with delicousness and slather them in tomato sauce and they are like eating gold.

Kickboxing – Right now the class I am taking is doing a lot of routines where I can throw elbows and pretend to knife people. I get immense satisfaction from throwing my elbows and pretending to knife people. I give it my all.

Cadbury Eggs – Valentine's Day isn't until next week, but Easter candy is out now. I don't mind. I love Cadbury Eggs. They have like, 1 billion calories in each one, but I don't care, because I can throw my elbows and pretend to knife people in kickboxing class.

Bed – I love going to bed. I love reading in bed before I go to sleep. I love going back to bed to take naps on the weekend.

All the Young Folks by Peter Bjorn and John – My newest favorite song. Go to my MySpace page to take a listen. I have decided that I like any song with clapping and whistling.

Reading – I am really into reading right now. I've always liked to read, but I've seriously read like, six books since the beginning of the year. Granted they are not all giant novels, some of them have been novellas and plays, but that's still a lot of reading.

And of course, last but not least, Lost – I hear there might be an end to the Writer's Strike very soon. If that's true, let's cross our fingers that maybe Lost can crank out a few more episodes for this season. In the meantime, watch it tonight.

GRRR!

As most of you know, I hate my job. It is just a way to keep me off the streets, good food in my belly, good movies in the mail, and a nice facility in which to exercise.

I hate my job for numerous reasons, but defiinitely one of the top five reasons I hate my job are the ridulous people I am forced to interact with. Apparently the new trend with these people is to wonder why I am not married. Every single person here thinks I should date an older man. One guy told me I should find a sugar daddy.

My questions is: how did my personal life become their business?

I never really talk much about my personal life at work because I don't care enough about these people to let them know about it. And to be honest, I don't want to know about their personal lives either, because people tend to give too much information.

I could have a rockin boyfriend. I could have nine rockin boyfriends. Maybe I like to have homeless men fuck me with their toes. Unless I tell them about it, why should they care.

Anyway, it's embarrasing. I am embarrased writing about it. Some people make me want to be a hermit.

But they'd probably still be wondering why I don't have a hermit husband.

The Biggest Sporting Event of the Year

You probably think I am talking about the Super Bowl, but I am talking about Puppy Bowl!

Maybe I should've said the CUTEST sporting event of the year.

I think I am hearing the world give a collective, "AWWWWW."

Holy Hurly Moly (SPOILERS)

Wow, Hurley has not fared well.

Six? Ok, so we know of three now. Who are the other three?

I did love seeing Charlie again. He's hotter as a possible non-entity. Can I just say I cried every time someone told someone else he was dead.

And I know Sawyer went through some shit at the end of last season, but he's become REALLY sensitive.

And who didn't love the, "If it's ok with you Jack, I would like to go with Locke" comment? I love Ben Linus! Like I love lamp.

I cannot wait for tomorrow when the Internet will be in high buzz about Lost. I cannot wait for next week!

Get Lost...Again

I just read that last year's season finale of Lost will be on tonight at 9 pm (ET) before this year's season premier tomorrow night. I just thought I would mention it in case anyone needed a refresher.

Oh and of course, I will be writing all about Lost on Friday and when I say all about it, I mean, ALL ABOUT IT. So if you haven't watched it, and are still planning to, don't come to my blog until after you've seen it.

I can't even tell you how excited I am about it. But I can tell you that I've heard this first episode is a Hurley episode and it is supposed to include flashbacks AND flashforwards.

I had goosebumps just writing flashforward.

Happy Losting Y'All!

Post Weekend (AKA Monday) Tidbits

I have a co-worker (well, he works out of the Atlanta office, so while he is technically a co-worker, I don't really work with him) who spells my name wrong. No one else in this office spells my name wrong. Actually, no one I make contact with in a business capacity spells my name wrong. Just this one guy. I am starting to get REALLY annoyed by it. I really want to be like, "By the way, Dave, I spell my name MegHan." But then I think, well, this isn't the first time someone has spelled my name wrong, but Jiminy Crickets, I think as someone I work with, he should know how to spell my name correctly.

This weekend while I was in Cincinnati, we tried to go to dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. A piece of advice; don't try to go to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory, unless you want to pretend you are 70 years old and want to do an early bird special. We were told there was a two hour wait and that we should come back after 45 minutes just to get a beeper. I had been craving cheesecake for, quite literally, months, and did not get any. It was a disappointment, but the only one of the weekend, so that's good.

I'm already tired of Monday. I'm already tired of Tuesday.

Remembering an Actor I Didn't Hate

So were you all as shocked as I was to here about Heath Ledger's death? (To clarify this, I was really shocked). It's sad. I liked Heath Ledger. I didn't love him. I always liked him in 10 Things I Hate About You and felt bad that he had to star opposite Julia Stiles, who sucks. I really liked him A Knights Tale. He made me cry like, three times in Brokeback Mountain, especially at the end...I was blubbering like a baby at the end. I've seen the preview for the new Batman movie, and Ledger looks totally freaky as the Joker.

People say he was a drug addict, they say he had pneumonia, they say he had a sleeping problem and accidentally took too many sleeping pills.

All I know is that he had a baby with Jen Lindley on Dawson's Creek. So that's really sad.

Oh yeah, he was in Casanova too. That was a pretty fun movie.

Anyway, if you get a chance watch a Heath Ledger movie.

Two Incredibly Stupid Conversations I've Heard In the Past 24 Hours

1. At a Holiday Melt Down meeting at my gym.The faciliator is talking about how cooking vegetables in the microwave isn't very healthy, that people should try to steam their vegetables.
Question #1: What about the bags of vegetables that are made to be steamed in the microwave?Faciliator: I think it's better to not cook them in the microwave.
Question #2: What about putting water in a dish with the vegetables in the microwave?Facilitator: I still don't think it's as healthy.
Question #3 (and I sweat I am not making this one up)" What if I cook them in a dish in the microwave?
Facilitator (with a subtle sigh of frustration): I don't know.

2. Last night it snowed and this is what one reporter had to say about it on the news this morning:
It snowed, it is covering the ground, which means, it is covering your car if you parked outside. You will need to clean off your car. Don't forget to do that before you drive this morning.

Socks

So earlier I was thinking about writing a blog about this pair of navy blue socks I have that never really look blue unless I am wearing black, but then I thought, what a dumb fucking blog post. Do I want people to know how lame my life really is that the only interesting thing I can write about is how hard it is to distinguish a navy blue sock from a black sock?

But then I actually looked at my socks and I realized that I am wearing one navy blue sock and one black sock. And it is pretty obvious. It also means that I wore a navy blue sock and a black sock earlier this week.

At that point, I had to write the blog, I don't even really care how lame my life sounds.

10 to 20 Degrees Below 0.

That will be the temperature on Saturday. I think I literally might shrivel up and die.

I just wanted to let you know in case you never hear from me again.

What I Could...And DO Write About

Bleh. That’s how I feel.

I really have nothing to write about because my life is boring, boring, boring.

I could write about the weather because it is supposed to be cold and colder in the next week or so. The high over the weekend is supposed to be 15 degrees. This, of course, adds to my boring life because I don’t really like to leave my warm home to do anything. I think living here could be considered masochistic, because spending any amount of time longer than a few minutes outside is torturous. I think we should make the terrorists live outside in Ohio with a kerosene or gas heater, because a heater only keeps someone 20% warmer than they would be without a heater, and really, that isn’t very much at all.

Have you guys heard of Banksy, the graffiti artist from England. I find him fascinating because no one knows who he is. He puts all of these videos on his website, but it never shows his face. I hope he stays incognito for as long as he can. It adds to his mystique. I also find him facsinating because I have studied visual rhetoric. I mean, we could all go nuts discussing something like this:



But I feel to bleh to start the conversation.

Monday Morning Tidbits

When I woke up this morning I felt as though I had slept for months. I seriously felt as though I had slept through winter because it is 57 degrees right now. It is supposed to be a record high of 62 degrees by the end of the day. Insanity, I say.

So I went and saw that movie Juno. It's about a teenage girl who gets pregnant and decides to give her baby to Jennifer Garner and Michael Bluth. It was a pretty good movie; some funny dialogue, some very moving moments. But I am not going bananas about it like some people..

But I will tell you what, or actually, who I am going bananas for: Michael Cera, aka George Michael Bluth (yes, both Bluth men were in the movie). You see, I always loved Michael Cera on Arrested Development. George Michael was one of my top three favorite characters. And then over the summer I saw Superbad and I loved Michael Cera even more.

But Juno has pushed me over the edge for Michael Cera. He was the sweetest thing about Juno. His puppy dog eyes warm my heart.

Other than that, it was a pretty uneventful weekend. Ran some errands, went to the gym, etc. Yesterday was Liam's second birthday party. The kid loves trains. He says the word trains, but it sounds like, "TWAAAIIINS." And then last night I had a dream that I saw a jogger run in front of a train and it took off his hand. It's weird that it was just his hand. And he was bleeding blue. Anyhoo, this is just further evidence that jogging is dangerous. Please, if you love your hands, don't run for health benefits.

I Got a Sausage on My Back

It is currently 13 degrees. If your keeping track, that is considered cold. Early next week it is going to be in the 50's. Then it will go back down to the 20's. Weather is so weird. I will probably get sick. But I guess that's next week's problem. Today I am healthy.

I keep thinking I would like to try be vegetarian.. Vegetables look so good, and I love nice, cooked, soft vegetables. I've thought, maybe if I eat lighter, I'll feel lighter. But then I think about how much I like sausage. Sausage is so good. In my opinion it is a superior breakfast meat to bacon. But I don't mind bacon either.

I also really like a great cheeseburger every once in a while. I also really like a nicely cooked steak.

So, I don't think I can really become a vegetarian. But I think I will eat more vegetables. And hummus. I currently really like hummus. And maybe some rice.

And maybe some sausage right on top like a cherry.