Thursday, March 29, 2007

my parents rock

i am so thankful for the fact that i have awesome parents.  tonite we spent a couple hours at dinner...just talking about everything.  we're good buds, and i love that.

yay for great parents!  40 years of marriage next week.

vote for al!

al franken was on david letterman last night...he's funny...and he wants a Senate seat in Minnesota.  his interview is pretty great, and even gives a little info on the Iron Range, where i grew up (i'll find it on youtube later).

i don't know if i'd really vote for al...i just think it's fabulous that we can go from a wrestler as governor to a comedian sitting in the senate (if he wins).

Trevor’s first email to me

he started with this:

"Hi kristie I was wundering when your going to come you can write back to me but I want to see how you aer going but first I want to tell you a joke my friend made up here it is"

he's the cutest nephew ever!  writes just like he talks...i think he gets it from me. 

"and ok I willtalk to you when you call me back and there is one more thing I want to tell you OK! mabey a few things to tell you"

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

there’s good in everything

after meeting the surgeon who is now taking care of my pinky (which is pretty dang broken), i took the first opportunity i could to send a text message to a couple friends that said, "holy hot dr."  seriously, i became extremely twittered the moment he walked into the door and introduced himself.  he's tall, attractive and really nice.  oh, and a doctor.  unfortunately, i couldn't control my natural flirting gift, but i don't think i made too big a fool of myself.  he's gotta be used to it.  and now i can look forward to seeing him again in four weeks (and i might run into him monday).  i'm tempted to neglect my pinky, causing reason to see him several times thereafter...

as for my pinky, it's a pretty serious fracture that's messing up the tendons that lead to my hand.  i have to wear a brace on it for four weeks to try to keep it straight and then we'll see what happens.  no re-breaking today, so that was nice.  we'll see how it goes....doctor suggested not playing volleyball for a while...we'll also see how that goes...

ah, hot doctor, you have made my day.

Monday, March 26, 2007

Heroes in a Half Shell!

i must confess, i'm disappointed that the phrases "heroes in a half shell" nor "turtle power" were ever used...otherwise, it's a fun, corny flick.  i caught myself in the beginning thinking it was over-cheesified, but i quickly got over that....ya just gotta enjoy a movie like this for what it is.

i forgot there was a purple turtle...and by the end of the movie, i was ok with the fact that he's the smart, geeky one.  purple still rules.

blogger/commenter dave has more on this flick on his blog.

embarassing bookstore trip

on my way home tonite, i decided to stop by barnes & noble...you see, i've been tryin' to figure out how to fight this whole weight-gain kick i've been on for a few months, and working out more has not done the trick.  i'm not ready to admit it, yet, but i'm taking steps towards believing it's my diet.  i could eat better.  i love food & don't want to give any of it up...but i just may have to.  i may be getting old enough to have to watch what i eat.  grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

i was about to pay bundles of money for a personal trainer when i realized i could just use that money to buy food that's better for me...'cause usually i just buy the groceries that are on sale that week, giving no thought to nutrition.  i know how to work out...it's eating that i struggle with (eating well, anyway).  so book one was The South Beach Diet.  it's worked before, though i had a partner in crime...it'll be a true test of self-control to see if i can do it again.

as i was searching for that one, i came across The Secrets of Skinny Chicks; an entertaining and humorous spin on getting skinny...i am going to need humor to get through this.

and, finally, i came across The Confessions of St Augustine on supersale, which i've been wanting to read for quite some time.  that one wasn't embarassing to purchase.

now if i could just figure out a way to get my MBA without doing the work, i'd have time to read these things.

my poor pinky

thursday, march 1 - blocked some chick's hit at volleyball and caught it with my left pinky...yelped in pain, but figured it was just a jam.  i played with it throughout the night, trying to unjam it, iced it later on, and figured i'd eventually get over it...

friday, march 2 - wrapped it up until 3:30, when i decided to look at it.  swollen, black & blue and crooked.  after consulting with a few coworkers, i made an appt to get it checked out.  at 4:50, my doctor said it was jammed, mocked me by asking if she should tape it or if i could handle it, and sent me on my way.

that next week - went between taping it and wearing a splint, as my pinky still hurt like heck.  typing was extremely difficult, but i was getting used to it.

tuesday, march 13 - emailed my doctor to say i was still in pain, wondering if we should do something about it.  she sent a referral to xray so i could get that done.

wednesday, march 14 - finally got ahold of xray to get an appointment, and they kindly said i could just drop in for an xray - no appointment needed.  (kaiser's phone system sucks)

tuesday, march 20 - kaiser called to set up an appointment in triage, as it was urgent.  they could get me in tuesday, march 27 at 3:00.  i took the appointment, and when i asked what it was for, they said it was with plastic surgery to discuss my options.

thursday, march 22 - was called in for additional xrays.

tuesday, march 27 - i'm going in to "discuss my options."  if they want to rebreak it to reset it, should i let 'em?  it's just a pinky...but...

Saturday, March 24, 2007

march’s adventure in cooking

bbq'ing tri-tip and asparagus, with hummus on the side.

tri-tip is a super tasty cut of beef i learned about when i moved to california, so i figured it was time to try to bbq it myself.  in the end, it was pretty tasty - except for a few burned edges.

first lesson learned -  it takes too much time.  i read online everywhere that it takes a while to make sure it's cooked correctly...probably because it's thick and juicy.  i let it take 40 minutes tonight, but it wasn't quite done, so  i cut it up in smaller pieces & put it back on the grill.  done in seconds.  :-)

second lesson learned - i need new lava rock things for my gas grill.  the flame is out of control...i think the lava rocks would calm that down.

third lesson learned - grilling is fun & generally easy.

Friday, March 23, 2007

coaching with technology

this year my coaching experience is enhanced with technology - a few of my girls have my IM, so they ping me about practice and scheduling...i have almost every cell phone number (of course they each have a nicer cell phone than i), and they're chronic texters...especially my captains, which makes it easy for me to communicate with the team.

at tourneys i'm often stuck reffing with half of my team on the court, the other half outside...now i just text someone that's outside if i need to tell them something.  it's quite convenient.

of course, there are complications - at the last tourney, the cryer that was upset by a friend had received a mean text...so last night i told the girls they don't get to use their cell phones during the tournament unless it's mom, dad, or someone giving them a ride.  no friend texts/calls.  they're freaked out.  luckily, i have 3 other coaches with me on sunday, so they'll help me keep the girls in line.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

is this yours?

randomjacket.jpg

roommies & i just figured out it doesn't belong to any of us.

the salon

one day i'm gonna find a hair stylist who will cut and style my hair in a way that i can duplicate the next day.  i'm pretty sure this is a common complaint, as i've heard it before...so why don't stylists realize they create these impossible-to-achieve-by-the-normal-person styles and send us home with them?  it's just not fair.  don't they realize we have 5 minutes in the morning to look like rock stars 'cause sleep is more important?!?

i am really excited to have finally found a hair stylist i love, though...maybe walking out with a style i can't duplicate is just the price i have to pay.  (i do think it's funny that i walk out with big hair after seeing my big-haired persian gal)

sidenote:  for some reason, i think it's funny when i say, "i'm going to the salon..."

Monday, March 19, 2007

tv

i have been home all day working on my midterm, and i just realized i never once turned on the tv.  the moment i woke up, i grabbed my laptop and started working.  wow.  i did other things...but i never turned the tv on.

am i still considered american?

Happy IVGLDSW Day!

Today is International Very Good Looking, Damn Smart Woman's Day, so please send this message to someone you think fits this description (or post it online for others to read).  Please do not send it back to me as I have already received it from a Very Good Looking, Damn Smart Woman!

And remember this motto to live by:

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Have a wonderful day!

Sunday, March 18, 2007

I…

I SAID:  ack!
I WANT:  to be done with my mba
I WISH:  for world peace
I HATE:  stupid people
I MISS:  my family
I FEAR:  rejection
I HEAR:  barenaked ladies
I WONDER:  when i'll grow up
I REGRET:  very little
I AM NOT:  sad
I DANCE:  like a white girl
I SING:  poorly
I CRY:  rarely
I AM NOT ALWAYS:  committed
I MADE:  a mistake
I WRITE:  midterms
I CONFUSE:  pale colors
I NEED:  focus
I SHOULD:  wash my car
I START:  many things
I FINISH:  few
I TAG:  kids

school schmool

i'm working on my Conflict Management midterm...and it's rough.  it's four essay questions and number one has already taken me 1.5 hours.  ugh.  i just haven't been able to get into school mode this semester, and it's bitin' my butt now.  somehow, i will finish by 6pm tomorrow.

it doesn't help that i have to be on my computer to write it - i have emails to check, evites to look at, blogs to write, chatting to do...and general research on random things that pop into my head.  focusing on one thing is not a strength of mine.

Friday, March 16, 2007

blog slacker

i know, i know...i've been slackin'.  i'd blame my insane work life, but you probably wouldn't believe me, so i'll just take the hit as a "slacker."

and i don't really have anything to add today, so i'll just tell you my all-time favorite joke:

where's moscow?

next to pa's cow in the barn!

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

cute niece story

my older bro had ankle deep water in his basement earlier this week...he said it's resolved, but he really wants his daughter to stop asking if she can go swimming in the pool downstairs.

these kids kill me...so funny.  but wouldn't it be nice to stay innocent & fun instead of growing up to think about the damage it's doing?

Monday, March 12, 2007

there’s no crying in volleyball!

i had THREE cryers at saturday's tournament.  oy vey!  12 year olds are rough.

first one was in tears because "she just couldn't do anything right...and she'd lost the last game for the team."  i pulled her out mid-game & lectured her like i didn't realize i could - it was something along the lines of "it takes a team to win, a team to lose...volleyball's a game of mistakes and you've gotta shake it off...you're one of the strongest players on this team...you 've gotta learn to shake off your mistakes and move on to the next play...blah, blah, blah."  within a minute, she was ready to go again...and played awesome the rest of the day.

cryer number 2 was post-game and i just let her get over it before the next game...she was upset 'cause she missed a serve.

cryer number 3 did me in...she was fighting with a friend who was being "stupid."  serious sobbing, and the girl couldn't play volleyball.  i pulled her out and told her to let me know if/when she was ready to play again.  after 5 minutes she told me she could serve, but it would hurt the team to let her play the rest of her position.  she sat on the bench the rest of the day.

wow.  3 cryers in one day.  and i wasn't feelin' so great myself...rough.

Friday, March 9, 2007

peeps are good!

i just watched World Trade Center.  though i wasn't directly impacted by 9/11, i didn't think i wanted to watch the movie when it came out.  i heard they did a pretty good job movie-fying the event, but i couldn't decide how i felt about it, so i skipped out...

but tonite i watched it.  it's alright.  what caught me a little off guard was that i didn't cry over the event, the injuries, the death...i cried when i saw everyone working together to save lives.  it's so good to see that people can actually pull together, put aside differences and make the world a better place...sad that it sometimes takes a tragedy, but hopefully we learn something from it.

as someone wise & famous once said...why can't we just all get along? 

that may be my new life motto.

cute nephew story

since i didn't hit you at christmas, it's only fair that i do it now 'cause mom told me a funny story about li'l jakson.

yesterday, mom felt it was necessary to wipe jakson's nose, so she did so.  he was NOT happy about it, looked her in the eye and said, "my booger!"

Thursday, March 8, 2007

Which Movie Star Are You? I’m Debbie Reynolds

Ladies Only ...

Ever wonder which movie star you are most like?
Well ~ A team of researchers got together and analyzed the personalities of movie stars.  The gathered info has been incorporated into this quiz. There are only 10 questions so it doesn't take long.
Number your paper from 1 to 10, then answer each question with the choice that most describes you at this point in your life , and then add up the points that correspond with your answers.

1. Which describes your perfect date?
a) Candlelight dinner for two; b) Amusement Park; c) Roller blading in the park; d) Rock Concert; e) Have dinner & see a movie; f) Dinner at home with a loved one

2. What is your favorite type of music?

a) Rock and Roll; b) Alternative; c) Soft Rock; d) Classical; e) Christian; f) Jazz

3. What is your favorite type of movie?

a) Comedy; b) Horror; c) Musical; d) Romance; e) Documentary; f) Mystery

4. Which of the following jobs would you choose if you were given only these choices?

a) Waiter/Waitress; b) Sports Player; c) Teacher; d) Policeman; e) Bartender; f) Business person

5. Which would you rather do if you had an hour to waste?

a) Work out; b) Make out; c) Watch TV; d) Listen to the radio; e) Sleep; f) Read

6. Of the following colors, which do you like best?

a) Yellow; b) White; c) Sky blue; d) Teal; e) Gold; f) Red

7! . Which one of the following would you like to eat right now?

a) Ice cream; b) Pizza; c) Sushi; d) Pasta; e) Salad; f) Lobster Tail

8. Which is your favorite holiday?

a) Halloween; b) Christmas; c) New Year's; d) Valentine's Day; e) Thanksgiving; f) Fourth of July

9. If you could go to any of the following places, which would it be?

a) Reno; b)



Spain; c) Las Vegas; d) Hawaii; e) Hollywood; f)


British Columbia

10. Of the following, who would you rather spend time with?

a) Someone who is smart; b) Someone with good looks; c) Someone who is a party animal; d) Someone who has fun all the time; e) Someone who is very emotional; f) Someone who is fun to be with
Now total up your points on each question:
1. a-4 b-2 c-5 d-1 e-3 f-6
2. a-2 b-1 c-4 d-5 e-3 f-6
3. a-2 b-1 c-3 d-4 e-5 f-6
4. a-4 b-5 c-3 d-2 e-1 f-6
5. a-5 b-4 c-2 d-1 e-3 f-6
6. a-1 b-5 c-3 d-2 e-4 f-6
7. a-3 b-2 c-1 d-4 e-5 f-6
8. a-1 b-3 c-2 d-4 e-5 f-6
9. a-4 b-5 c-1 d-4 e-3 f-6
10. a-5 b-2 c-1 d-3 e-4 f-6
NOW ... take your total and find out which Movie Star you are:

(10-17 points) You are MADONNA:

You are wild and crazy and you know it. You know how to have fun, but you may take it to extremes. You know what you are doing though, and are much in control of your own life. People don't always see things your way, but that doesn't mean that you should do away with your beliefs. Try to remember that your wild spirit can lead to hurting yourself and others.

(18-26 points) You are DORIS DAY:

You are fun, friendly, and popular! You are a real crowd pleaser. You have probably been out on the town your share of times, yet you come home with the values that your mother taught you. Marriage and children are very important to you, but only after you have fun. Don't let the people you please influence you to stray.

(27-34 points) You are DEBBIE REYNOLDS:

You are cute, and everyone loves you. You are a best friend that no one takes the chance of losing. You never hurt feelings and seldom have your own feelings hurt. Life is a breeze. You are witty, and calm most of the time. Just keep clear of back stabbers, and you are worry-free.

(35-42 points) You are GRACE KELLY:

You are a lover. Romance, flowers, and wine are all you need to enjoy yourself. You are serious about all commitments and are a family person. You call your Mom every Sunday, and never forget a Birthday. Don't let your passion for roman! ce get confused with the real thing.

(43-50 points) You are KATHERINE HEPBURN:

You are smart, a real thinker. Every situation is approached with a plan. You are very healthy in mind and body. You don't take crap from anyone. You have only a couple of individuals that you consider "real friends". You teach strong family values. Keep your feet planted in them, but don't overlook a bad situation when it does happen.

(51-60 points) You are ELIZABETH TAYLOR:

Everyone is in awe of you. You know what you want and how to get it. You have more friends than you know what to do with. Your word is your bond. Everyone knows when you say something it is money in the bank. You attract the opposite sex. Your intelligence overwhelms most. Your memory is the next thing to photographic. Everyone admires you because you are so considerate and lovable. You know how to enjoy life and treat people right.

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

old dogs can learn new tricks

murray is really close to being the perfect running partner.  he's figured out he only gets to stop once to pee, and he can time his smelling stops just about right - he runs 8 feet ahead of me and sniffs until i'm 8 feet ahead of him (length of his leash is 8 feet).  he's much better about leaving himself some slack in the leash so he's not always choking.  i'm impressed with his skilz.

 today he displayed an unfortunate trick, however...he can poo while running.  you see, in the past couple months he's tried several times to stop and poo while we were running.  i don't carry  baggies, so i don't let it happen...i pull and he squeezes his cheeks until it goes away and then waits until we get home.  i have to laugh, but today he just poo'ed without warning...no sniffing, no stopping, no nothing...he just poo'ed while running.  unreal.

i guess i'll start carrying poo baggies.  what a bummer for me. 

Tuesday, March 6, 2007

i crack myself up

i really don't think i'm normal...in the past couple of days i've made myself laugh so hard i could almost cry.  that's right - i crack myself up.

example 1:  end of this video at Tahoe

example 2:  on our way back from coffee, i made a sharp turn around a railing and "burned rubber"...or at least  a burnin' rubber screechy noise came out of my mouth as i turned.  i'm pretty sure i've never done that before.

 and i'm still crackin' up over these things.  seriously.  not normal.

Eclipse 14blue, 2007

07team.JPG

aren't they cute?!?  we're just missing one 'cause she's out with knee problems.

Monday, March 5, 2007

avoiding pain

i jammed my pinky finger thursday night while playing volleyball...it's a painful bummer.  i thought i may have broken it again, but the doctor confirmed that it's only jammed (yes, i'm a wimp who goes to the doctor).  she kinda made fun of me by asking if i wanted her to tape my ring finger to my pinky, or if i could handle that on my own.  i laughed & said i'd take care of it.

today is the first day my pinky is on its own...mainly because i need my ring finger to type for my pinky, so they can't be stuck together.  i'm pretty impressed with how well my ring finger has adapted to typing for two fingers, to be honest.

moreover, i am amazed at how smart my body is in avoiding pain - my pinky stops every time i try to hit a key with it, pick something up or use it in any way.  it can sense the coming pain and just doesn't let it happen...craziness. 

Friday, March 2, 2007

peeps from the past

i love it when people from 'way back when' pop into my life...for a brief moment, or to rekindle a friendship.  i've met some amazing people in my life and though i can't live near them, it's a bit of a relief to know that one of us will randomly pick up the phone or shoot an email off some day.

 this past week two JUCer's got in touch with me...quite random, but really, really fun.

fun song from rachelh AND bacon

my_cubicle_0001.wmv    this is my work life.  funny.

bacon band-aids.  just a random funny.

Thursday, March 1, 2007

new blog software

wordpress, i guess.  and they're not scared to advertise for themselves.  i do think it's better than that other stuff...we'll see.

my eyes! my eyes!

i was at a friend's place for dinner last night and decided to stay late to watch The Devil Wears Prada. before we could pop that baby in, however, we had to put three kids to bed. oy vey!

the roughest part of the night for me was trying to read a story to young gregory. the lights were dim and my eyes couldn't focus...seems the eye doctor was right when she told me that glasses would be useful in low light. bummer.

back in the day i had 20/20 vision...sad, just sad.