bay area bummer

i stole that title from a local news channel.

i'm no where near the bridge that fell apart after a gas tanker exploded on it...but i do plan to get up there to check it out at some point.  good news - no one was seriously injured.  bad news - commutes will be more awful than normal for a long time for many peeps up north of me.

ubergeek

i walked in to CostCo yesterday and the first thing that caught my eye was one of those very cool bluetooth headsets for my cell.  it was reasonably priced, so by the time i checked out, i convinced myself that i needed it.

now i can be one of those ubergeeks walking around with a weird bud in my ear, talking to myself.  i can also call people while driving and toss my phone to the back seat...or wherever i want to...without disrupting my call or tearing the corded earbud out of my ear.

stupid fingers

this is beyond ridiculous.  i'm scheduled to go in to see Hot Doctor on tuesday for my pinky, and tonite i jammed/sprained/broke my pointer finger.  it hurts, it's fat and it's colorful.  ugh.  and my pinky hurts again.  i think i should start listening to my fingers and stop playing volleyball.  typing is getting too difficult.



it got fatter & more colorful.  worse camera, though.

entering the limited-carb world

i've almost made it.  today is my 14th day on South Beach.  i'll immediately confess that i've cheated...but it's been minimal.  seriously.  i'm amazed at my self-control.  i didn't know i had it in me.  and, as i stated, i'm ok with cheating a little, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone (doesn't translate into relationships, however).

i am excited for my first piece of whole grain bread tomorrow. 

days 1-3 sucked, 4 was hard and 5 was unbearable.  then i had a lull in hunger until day 13.  i don't know what happened, but i was starving yesterday.  i went to bed last night wondering if a person could actually eat too much celery.  i didn't feel so good.  today's ok, but i had to cheat a little at our pot luck....there was yummy spinach dip!  and i still stuck to my sugar free puddin' snack for dessert.

hopefully this is a lifestyle change & i'll think more about pointless carbs when i'm eating.  i don't know how long phase 2 will last, but it's worth a shot!  and i gotta start running again... 

tax people rule

my 2005 taxes were audited and the government was convinced that i owed 'em about a thousand bucks.  it seemed to be a stock issue, so i checked with our stock department and found out i hadn't done my taxes correctly.  i fretted for about a month on how to correct that without spending too much money...and it just didn't seem possible.  taxes are beyond my smarts.

i finally went to the local tax peeps today (for some reason, i feel they should remain unnamed) and my 2005 taxes are now correct and on their way to the IRS.  beyond that, the govt owes me almost a thousand bucks.  rock on, sister, rock on!!!

In the Land of Women

v. v. funny. 

i'm in love with Adam Brody...he's just freaking funny.  i had to call him an a** twice, but then he made me laugh, so it was almost ok.

grandma was the funniest character i've seen in a long time.

i recommend the movie...not even a chick flick.  it's just good. 

friday funny came monday

baby got book           Christians everywhere, be proud.

summer goals

i've just added a new goal to my summer plans...so i'll blog them:
1.  hike half dome at yosemite
2.  figure out my golf handicap

Theme of 2007

i forgot to post this way back in january...i think.  and it's too deep a thought for a fun friday, but i'll keep it short.

"whatever"

that's the theme...i don't know what's comin' at me...i'm a little "bored" with where i'm at, 'cause i've basically gotta finish my mba before any major move...and, basically, things are just cruisin' along.  plus, if i keep a "whatever" attitude, life should be less stressful.

as dad once said, "don't take life so seriously."

still my fav site

the singing horses.  just click on 'em to make 'em harmonize.

volleyball - a lesson learned

i'm trying really hard to play "ok" volleyball on a coed team.  mainly to make new churchy friends.  it's always been a struggle for me to play ok vb, and for some reason, i thought i'd try again.  honestly, i just don't have as much fun playing any more 'cause i'm old & decrepit...or at least, i can't do what i used to do...so playing bad volleyball is even less fun.

anyway, tonight i discovered that the ultimate in annoying is when a teammate tells me how to play...tells the team he's the only one giving his all...tells us our passing is awful...and continues with the negativity.  i discovered that i completely close down after someone who doesn't know as much as i do tries to teach me something.  grrrrrrrrrrr.

i almost want to quit.  not sure what i'll do.  thanks for listening to me vent, and i sure hope no one from this team reads this...though most will understand.

advertising

i went to www.votefortheworst.com for the first time this morning and two ads popped up - Wolfgang Puck's cookbook and a button to request information on ADHD.  at the top, it said, "Check out these offers chosen especially for you!"

i'm offended.

bat-girl, my new favorite Twins blog

it's awesome.  way informative and hilarious.

last night they posted the legovision version of the 9-4-2-6 double play.

an ode to my purple crocs

oh, how i love thee, purple crocs. 

these purple crocs have comforted my feet, legs, knees, hips and lower back as i spend a full day standing to coach.  these purple crocs have trekked many a mile with murray in tow.  these purple crocs have comforted me as i've gone into the basement in the middle of the night.  these crocs are just plain amazing, and i don't know what i'd have done without them.

fortunately, jg sent me these purple crocs a few months ago.  i don't believe i would have ever purchased my own, so i am grateful...eternally.

(i tried to find some awesome "ode" to use and abuse, but it's hard...however, there are many other "odes to crocs")

adventures in cooking - south beach april

sandra succombed to my south beach diet for a night...prolly so she could get free food cooked for her...and that's ok.  fortunately, it was quite tasty.  i grilled some tri-tip thing and frozen chicken..."steamed" cauliflower and made fake mashed potatoes...and cut a bunch of veggies for a tasty garden salad.  the chicken was a little dry, otherwise, it was quite the meal.  (too bad i was hungry an hour afterwards)

these new packs of veggies that you steam by throwing them in the microwave  rule.  i highly recommend them.

brilliant thought #44

procrastination is key to getting things done

i’ve entered the no-carb world

and if i tell you about it, i'll have to stick to it.  two weeks of a hard-core carbless life.  south beach style.  i've made it two meals now and am well-prepared for dinner.  i went grocery shopping last night to make sure i didn't feel like i was starving myself...and i avoided the chips & salsa at lunch today (that's a miracle in and of itself).

you can expect a whine or two over the next couple weeks.  and day 3 lands on a full day of coaching, so my team will probably not be treated well.  i'll try to keep things in perspective.

this is my last resort...i've been trying exercise since january and it hasn't helped.  apparently i'm getting old and must watch what i eat.

2nd happiest place on earth!

the metrodome!  the Twins seriously lost, but it was awesome to be at the dome...as well as be entertained by the mullets, camo and between innings games.

SURPRISE! anniversary party

we pulled it off!  mom and dad had no idea we were throwin' 'em a party saturday night...and that older bro was flyin' me in.  'twas such a blessing to be able to do something like this for two of the best parents ever.  and then i got to hang with my family for easter!

Happy 40th Anniversary, Mom & Dad!

 Sunday, April 8 

When I think of all the things you do,
the ways in which you care,
I'm filled with a sense of gratitude and pride
that is always there.
I seldom take the time to tell you
that I'm happy you're my mom and dad;
so I'll tell you now what's in my heart,
"You're the best that I could have!"

('borrowed' from this site)

a funny thing about country music

you can stop listening to the country radio station for months...and still know all the words to one of the first three songs you hear when you turn it back on.

i first experienced this after being in israel for 4 months.  there's something comforting about it all, really.

i had to call my mommy…

...'cause murray puked last night & i had to try to clean it up.  i'm emotionally traumatized.

i don't clean up puke.  rather, i can't.  i seriously gag just thinking about it.  and the closer i got to it, the stronger my gagging got.  and then, after throwing papers on top of it so i couldn't see what i was scooping up, i threw up a little.  i'm sure it was entertaining for my neighbors to watch me run out of my house with the scoop at arm's length, holding my nose and mouth.  i barely got it into the trash can.

i've now decided to just throw that rug away and get a new one.  it ain't worth it.

is africa a closet millionaire?

forgive me, but i've been inspired...

professor jeff fadiman guest lectured in my global business class tonight on africa, focusing on the riches that are available there.  if you want my notes, let me know & i'll send you a copy.  the amount of gold, oil, etc there is AMAZING.  stupid corruption ruins it all.

anyway, i have "life envy."  prof jeff has used marketing and business to change the lives of thousands of people...while making enough profit to live.  really, he probably makes a whole lot of profit.  dude's got at least 12 schools and 2 orphanages in africa, is involved in microfinancing, and creates business opportunities for many.  he even offered up an opportunity for each of us...a great business idea to go make cash in africa.  man, would i love to go. (lauraorange, i would LOVE for you to meet this guy...he also went to Stanford...hehehe)

it's funny, because this morning i read an email that i sent my mom & dad in 2001 about how i never imagined i'd end up in corporate america.  i grew up thinking i'd be a youth minister some day.  i still cling to that, and i still struggle with the fact that i work for The Man (not God), but my dream is definitely changing.  in my email, i said, "Someone in church once told me that my definition of ministry would be changing.  I think it's just changed."  the path i've followed and continue on keeps pushing that definition to change. 

i am where i'm supposed to be...i have no doubt.  i was once told by a not-for-profit director that he didn't want me...i needed to go get real-world experience and  knowledge before i could truly be of value in the 'hood.  i'll never forget that.  (plus, i've now got a ton of debt to pay off)

i'm hoping that tonight's lecture has snapped me out of a state of complacency, though.  i've listened to others dream of changing the world, while keeping my own dreams deep within.  i've begun to float through life without much thought - do the bare minimum to get my mba, do my job without passion, lazily coach another season.  it's not ok.  i want to live a passion-filled life, no matter where God has me.  so i'm going to start looking for those things i'm passionate about in everything i do - luckily, i'm mainly passionate about people, and they're everywhere.  :-)

of course, i would LOVE to travel to africa to get some businesses/schools/whatever running...i would LOVE to open my little shop in the 'hood, hiring innercity kids to give 'em a chance...i would LOVE to give more back to the world...and some day i hope i get to.  i hope that some day i can blog and say i no longer have "life envy." 

a little help waking up in the morning…

...can be found in Clean & Clear's Morning Burst face wash.  i'm not even joking...this stuff smells pretty yummy & pops your eyes right open.

if only i could get a sink near my bed to pop my eyes open when my alarm goes off.  man, i hate the morning.

happy opening day!

Go Twins!  and if anyone goes to the Dome tonight, i need a schedule magnet.

my new ringtone...an old favorite:

we're gonna win Twins, we're gonna score. we're gonna win Twins, watch that baseball soar!  knock out a home run, shout a hip hooray!  cheer for the Minnesota Twins today!

we're gonna win Twins, give it our all.  we've got the guys who'll knock the cover off the ball.  let's hear it now for the team that came to play!  cheer for the Minnesota Twins today!

tourist trap funny

i love it when cheesy tourist places use my cheesy sense of humor...this was seen along the Roaring Camp Railway among the giant redwoods.