I Thought Yes, and Then I Thought, NO NO NO

Last night I came home from the grocery store and I was in my parking lot and I had my big Columbia jacket on, and my big ugly boots that keep my feet really warm on and it was really quiet and the snow made the air look like it was glowing and I thought, this is why people like winter; even right in the middle of it, it can be really pretty.

Then I woke up and it had snowed an additional inch and I had to hurry and get ready so I could clean off my car and the news traffic guy said it was really messy on the roads and the weather guy said that we could get another inch to two inches more of snow today and I thought, this is why I hate winter; it just makes life that much harder.

I wish it was spring already.

And this might not make any sense to anyone but Norman, but I think that Nathan Petrelli is Claire's father. It looked like his hairy arm and watch holding the phone on the scene from next week.

Over and out.

Sunday

I am currently living in a winter wonderland. It's nice when I don't have to go out anywhere. Although I did make it to the gym and to the grocery store to buy some lettuce. But before you say, wow, how dedicated this woman is, you should know I also bought a bottle of wine that I am currently really enjoying.

I also made it out to a yoga class. It was really awesome to have a full length class. Yoga's nice because you can practice it on your own, but having someone to tell you what poses to do, and correcting you if you do something wrong can make for a better workout. I am proud to say that I was not necessarily corrected, but helped to go deeper, which can be quite painful. But as John Couger Mellancamp has said, "It hurts so good." It was an interesting class because I went with a girl I work with and we found out about it from the chairman of the board at work. So we were downward dogging it with our 67 year old co-worker/kind-of boss. It is nice to know that if I want to take a yoga class, I can just go up the street and pay a few bucks to do it.

I am just enjoying my Sunday. Looking forward to some weekend trips...one to Laura's in a couple of weeks, and one to Norman's in OK in about six weeks. I hope time goes by fast.

Now...back to wine and cigarettes.

Hey Y'all, It's Wednesday

I know, I know, I have not written in a while. I apologize. Winter makes me lazier than usual. Most of my time is spent staying warm and I am sure stories of me huddling under a blanket for hours at a time would be really exciting for you.

I have been going to my new gym. I am not an official member yet. I have been taking advantage of my trial pass. But I will be an official member on Thursday…hurrah! I have even found a guy to subtly stare at longingly. He goes in around the same time I do. He has a little bald spot.

I also think I may have found a cheap yoga studio. I am going to go and try out a class on Sunday.

You know what I just realized? That it costs a lot of money to lose weight. It seems as though it would cost more money to gain weight, but there is the cost to join a gym or buy exercise equipment, healthier food costs more, if someone has never worked out, they have to buy workout clothes and then they have to buy clothes when they start losing weight. I think I went into the wrong business.

One last tidbit to tide you all over: I went and saw Dreamgirls. It was good. And I bet that girl from American Idol is glad she lost. She is either proof that American Idol was a good idea for a television show because it gets anyone good exposure or it really sucks because people don't need to win it get an Oscar nomination.

And FYI, Jim from The Office had a tiny part in it. He has had a tiny part in a lot of movies I have seen recently. He had a tiny part in For Your Consideration. Then he had a tiny part in The Holiday. When is he going to have a BIG part in a movie? Because I like Jim. He's sexy in Dreamgirls too, because he is kind of dirty and scruffy…just they way I like 'em.

Friday Eve

I know that it is only January and that we've really only had about five days of cold weather, but I am ready for winter to be over. And I am sure all of those who are covered in ice would agree.

Here's an update on the new gym situation: while I am still in the middle of my trial membership, I am pretty sure I am going to join. It's so nice and quiet. And there are some hot guys to look at. And, the other day, I got on a machine that had a television and I was able to watch Ellen. It was awesome.

Hey, did you guys know it was Girl Scout Cookie time? I am dying to get some. I like the chocolate peanut butter ones best. Now I just have to find a Girl Scout and get some. They don't really go door to door anymore. This is definitely the one time of year that I kind of wish Jack or Logan was a girl. Girl Scout cookies are so much better than Boy Scout popcorn.

Good Funny Weekend Stuff

I've always thought that Jake Gyllenhaal was kind of cute, but the clip below proves that he is also very, very funny.

Go, Jake Go!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmG2gBAcN-8&eurl

I Want to Get Wireless to Let Down My Firewall on Purpose...ok, Not Really, but...

I had a moment this morning; I started listening to a story on NPR on my way to work and I had to stay in my car and listen to the end before I went inside. And I am so glad I did. It stayed with me all day. I felt so bad for David...and Anna ended up sounding like a total bitch.

I am including the link to the story. Give it a listen and tell me what you think. Would you have responded to David's email?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6809099

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

I Am Thinking of Making a Big Change in My Life

As many of you know, I go to Lifestyles, an all women's gym. I started going there in grad school because it had an awesome deal for students. It's also one of those gyms that once you sign in, you get sucked in because it gets cheaper and cheaper.

But cheaper doesn't mean better.

I am starting to hate Lifestyles. The one close to my house moved and now I have to drive at least 15 minutes to get to the two closest to my house. Second, it's always packed. At one Saturday morning class, I counted 46 people. Third, the people who work there aren't really that nice; and I mean both the people who work the counter and the people who teach the class. And once, I saw an instructor take a break in class to put a new piece of gum in her mouth. That's disgusting…no one wants to hear gum chewing through a microphone. Fourth, the hours suck. It's only open a few hours during the weekend, and it closes early on Friday. I personally wouldn't mind going to the gym on a Friday night. And finally, although the idea of a women's gym sounds great, you know how women can be. There are actual cliques at my gym and if you are an odd person out like me, you stand very alone.

So, a girl I work with is an instructor at another gym. It is coed, and it is considerably more expensive, but it is 3 minutes from my house. And it has a wide variety of classes, a juice bar, a spa and the machines that you can put your headphones into and watch television. The girl I work I with says that there is never more than 25 people in a class and that it's never so busy that you can't get on a machine. And I don't know what their hours are, but if they are open even a little more than Lifestyles, I would consider this a plus.

So, I am going to try a class at the new gym on Saturday and I can get a seven day trial pass and then, well, I might make the switch. What do you all think? Am I being crazy?

What a Day, What a Day

Hey, have any of you ever burned a hard-boiled egg? I did. I fell asleep when I was boiling some eggs and an hour and half later there was not a lot of water left in the pot. And they tasted just as you would imagine...burnt.

So, I have a mild case of the flu. I should be back to good shape by tomorrow. I actually feel much better now. I felt very bad yesterday and I went and bought a thermometer to take my temperature and now I am obsessed with taking my temperature. I've taken it a half a dozen times today...and it is always a little different. It's fascinating.

And finally, it is winter here in Ohio. It is really cold and the flakes are swirling in the air. It is winter...until Thursday...when it goes back to the upper 40's. Anyhoo, cold weather always makes me want ice cream. Perhaps I shall get some.

The Stories That Passed in Front of My Eyes Today

This was the first Sunday in a long time that I was able to kind of lay around and watch tv. I didn't have to hurry up and get ready and go somewhere in the morning. It was nice. But I ended up watching a lot of Lifetime movies.

The first one was about a divorcee who fell in love with her supervisor, who was a woman. Finding out you're a lesbian at the most inopportune time makes for really compelling television.

I took a break from Lifetime to go and jump on the Borat train. That is a really funny movie. Disgusting and so, so wrong on so many levels, but really funny, nonetheless. See it. And then tell me if you saw the fat guy's penis. Even though I saw his balls, I never saw the penis.

Then I came back, armed with a Subway turkey and bacon sandwich with extra banana peppers (my new food obsession) and watched a heartwarming Lifetime movie about a woman who autistic twins and because she never gave up on them, they became an awesome musician and a really fast cross-country runner.

Then I ended my Lifetime streak with the very powerful, She's Too Young. This was about 14 year old girls giving blow jobs and getting syphilis. It reminded me of my own high school experience...just kidding. But seriously, if I ever have kids, I am going to make sure they are the biggest dorks. No one wants to suck a dork's dick or have a dork suck their dick. Pretty much dork and dick don't really belong in the same sentence except for fun adult alliteration.

And that was my Sunday. Now I am just hanging out waiting to go to bed.

Where My Head Has Been

It seems like it has been a long time since I have written here, but it hasn't really. There is something strange about the recovery after a holiday. It feels like I am recovering from a major event or something. And then I never really seem recovered until halfway through January because I have my dad's birthday and now Liam's birthday and then it always seems as though a friend is getting married or having a baby. So I go from buying gifts for Christmas to buying gifts right away for random things.

But the good thing is that I got a raise so I can afford all of these extra things I have to buy.

I got my haircut and I really like it. I actually went out and bought a straightener so my hair can look like how it did when I left the salon. It is the first time in long time that I have an actual hair style. The woman who cut my hair was very enthusiastic about the cut and said that when my hair grows out long (which I am trying to do), it will be beautiful. I really liked her. I would've only just liked her, but she asked me if I was just out of high school, so now I really like her.

I had a really fun New Year. Pretty low key, but lots of laughing and drinking and drinking. I had like, three shots that night. But I don't think they really count because they were fruity, girly shots and I like tough, manly shots. However, after I did the first two, back to back, I was a little more lightheaded than I had been. So maybe girly shots are just as good as manly shots.

I don't know…I might have to test that theory further at a later date.

Ahh, a new year already

On the eve of the eve of New Years Eve, I think not about the past year, but about the year ahead. I don't really make resolutions, because as most of us know, they fail. Besides, if I really want to do something, I do it. I don't f*** around, ya know? But I do have secret hopes and wishes for the new year, which I am not sharing because they are SECRET hopes and wishes.

I'll be interested to see what my life will be like a year from now; if there will be anything majorly different or anything. This year is very, very similar to last year. But the year before last, I was still in grad school. So what I am trying to say now, is who knows.

So I am taking down my Christmas tree today. It is always so sad, I mean, I have all this great stuff and I only get to see it for one month out of the year. But a whiskey and tonic and some Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins is making it a little easier to bear.

Anyhoo, I wish you all the happiest of New Years. And I can't wait to see you all in 2007.

Holiday Photo Essay

A few pictures of cookie making.

My Christmas tree.

Logan cutting out cookies

Jack giving his cookie a matching smile

Master cookie makers.

Logan meticulously dropping one sprinkle on his cookie.

My broken heart.

Jack vacuuming up the mess he made.

The finished products.

Quelle heureurs!

I found out the other day that when I was a little girl, I was a freak. Apparently I couldn't see correctly. I knew that I was farsighted and that I had to wear glasses starting when I was 6, but I also couldn't put lines together. My mom and brother couldn't remember what it was called or all the details, but they did remember that they had to build me a special desk.

A SPECIAL DESK!

This time the word, "special" does not have a positive connotation.

After a year I didn't need the farsighted glasses anymore or the desk.

Isn't it weird that I wouldn't remember that?

My friend Patti sent me a Christmas gift. One is a wine stopper and the other (which the tag on it actually said it was from Ringo) is a stuffed chihauhua wearing a pancho and a sombrero and when you press his paw, he sings "Feliz Navidad" and dances. It is hysterical. My nephews are going to freak out!

I love Alec Baldwin and I Think He Might Love Me Back

Check it out:

http://30rock.nbc.com/receiver.php?key=CB4F5C2B00F21885226E510AF60A7D84

(I just want to say that I was trying to post it without the big, long link, but blogger apparently sucks)

December Surprises

When I was in New Mexico in August, I joined a wine club and I thought I was supposed to get my first shipment in September. Well, I was wrong, I get it in December, which is this month. So I've got New Mexican wine. Finally. Yay.

Man, this weather is crazy. It is so warm. The other day I accidentally went out in my winter jacket and I got really sweaty. And of course, with warm weather predicted for the next few weeks, when I give my nephews their snowball makers for Christmas, they won't really be excited at all since there will be no snow to try them out with. But I think I would rather take the milder weather than the excited Christmas looks on my nephews faces. "Yes, I know this present kind of sucks right at this very moment, but I don't have to warm my car up in the morning. Deal with it, life just gets harder."

Speaking of nephews, Norman requested some new pictures of Liam. So here you go.

The kid definitely loves to eat.

I love, love, love this picture. I think he looks hilarious when he is mad. You just can't take him seriously.

I will have picture of the other ones making cookies soon.

Saturday with the Boys

Today was great fun. It was only slightly messy. There was only one instance of almost tears, and one instance of big fake tears. And we made a shit load of Christmas cookies. We made some Christmas trees, and stars and bells and angels and ghosts and roosters and lips and umbrellas and roosters and even a barn or two.

I even got (and this almost made me tear up), "This is one of the best days of our lives."

Oh, sometimes children are wonderful.

And on a side note, I have never seen the movie Mean Girls sober. And tonight is turning into no difference.

Yay beer and laundry.

I just made a total elf of myself

http://www.elfyourself.com/?userid=29fbc97a7718d3c66136369_20061206

UPDATE...

After you check that out, make sure to look through these. I am not sure which one is my favorite...they are all priceless in my eyes.

Blah, blah, and ahhh

I have a belt and it has holes going all the way around it. Sounds awesome, right? Like I can make it as small as I want? Well, after a certain point the holes aren't big enough to use. What's the point in this belt? It went from awesome to not so awesome in just a few seconds.

I am almost done with Christmas shopping. I just have to get my niece and my nephew something. Liam is so small I keep forgetting about him. I also have to get my mom a few more things (I do my dad's shopping for her). I'll be happy when the shopping is done. But then comes my least favorite part of Christmas presents…wrapping. It's boring, and I am not very good at it. But I do have some cool wrapping paper. But just the thought using it on presents makes me bored and sad. Maybe I'll have a few drinks while I do it. Maybe if I get drunk enough, they will look better.

Yesterday I felt as though I might've been coming down with something, but today I feel ok. I mean, I am not going as far as to say I feel great, because that would be jinxing something I know, but I feel ok. Well enough to go workout tonight. I have to stay healthy because this weekend me boys (Logan and Jack) are coming over to make Christmas cookies. I will mostly need to stay well to keep my strength up. For two little people, they take up a lot of energy and usually drive me to drink.

Miss Clean, Miss Clean

Wow, I just cleaned my home. It took me two hours to dust, sweep and vacuum. And clean out my microwave. And clean out my fridge (I had a lot of outdated food). And do a load of laundry. And iron. And take out lots of trash.

I'm tired.

Snow is kind of flurrying.

I still want to get my Christmas cards started and I still have to go to Borders and get some Christmas presents. Not a real hardship...going to my favorite store, but if you read two lines up...I'm tired.


I hope you all had a good weekend.

If you do not hear from Witnesssuzy after today it is because she has blown away.

It is windy out today. Really, really windy. 50 mph wind gusts windy. And raining. When I got out of my car this morning to come to work, I got really wet. But the good news is that it is turning to wet snow this afternoon. Good news, I guess. Needless to say I will be happy to get home tonight where it is warm and dry. I thought that at 4 in the morning when I was still laying in bed listening to the wind blow the rain against my window. When I first woke up, I thought it was frozen rain, it sounded so hard.

In good news, my life is complete (ok, maybe not complete, complete) but I finally found pumpkin creamer. It is so delicious. I plan on drinking a lot of coffee so I can drink a lot of creamer.

So if the wind hasn't blown me away, or if the rain hasn't drowned me, I will be drinking a pot of coffee with pumpkin creamer tonight under a blanket on my warm, warm couch.