Party hearty September 30, 2005 ~ 9:42 am
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Cats like Mike’s Hard and Combos. Mulberry’s party - July 4, Woodstock, NY.
Rick told me that I am not allowed to show this picture to Mulberry’s owner, our friend Randy. Actually, Randy might find it funny, but his wife wouldn’t. So I’m showing it to you, Internet. The 4th of July isn’t just for Two-Legs, it’s for all of America’s creatures. And so is my birthday, which should now be declared a national holiday. Get with the program, Congress.
Speaking of Congress, Tom DeLay getting indicted was a good birthday present. Seeing him convicted would put it in my list of Top 5 best birthday presents ever, right up there with my first 10-speed bike. I am hopeful, but knowing how slippery DeLay is this birthday dream will end up in my list of presents I never got. Like having Joe Elliott sing Happy Birthday to me. John Roberts getting the confirmation for Chief Justice was another kick in the pants from Congress. Stoopid Congress.
But on a non-national level, the birthday is turning out pretty well. I bought myself teriyaki marinated pork tenderloin and made that for my pre-birthday dinner last night, along with potatoes O’Brien and garlic green beans. Then I made a Funfetti cake for myself. Rick showed up out of nowhere last night in time to help me ice it and eat some, and brought with him a dozen red roses and awesome knitting presents - a knitting bag and needle case. I took pictures of all of it, don’t worry, they’ll show up at the end of the weekend. I also took a picture of the bite he ate out of my piece of cake when my back was turned. When I realized what had happened, I shot him a dirty look. He gave me an innocent smile like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth and said “What? It’s not like you were gonna eat ALL of it, were you?”. *sigh* Five small steps forward for Rick, one giant leap backward for boyfriend-kind.
And this morning there were a number of cards on my desk at work including one from my boss and her husband with $40 in it. She knows money is tight lately and wanted me to have a good birthday. Sometimes the woman has me at my wit’s end, but overall she’s wonderful.
Now to get some work done so I don’t feel guilty when I leave at three to go yarn shopping. Hey, it’s my birthday. And I’ve got $40 in my pocket.
Riddle me this September 30, 2005 ~ 1:01 am
Posted by Julie in : Daily Grind , comments closedWhy doesn’t Blogger let you search more than the last 300 of your posts? Why isn’t there a “Hey, I wrote more than 300 posts, where are the rest of them, Bio-tech?” button? Because for those of us who have written 551 posts, 300 ain’t near enough.
Regan tagged me, that is why I’m bitching. This is what she tagged me with:
The rules are:
1. Go into your archive.
2. Find your 23rd post.
3. Find the fifth sentence (or closest to).
4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions.
5. Tag five other people to do the same.
My 23rd post did not have a fifth sentence. It only had one sentence. That sentence was: “You haven’t lived until you have tried to write a study guide while your boyfriend is playing guitar and singing Fred Eaglesmith songs.” A year and a half later, he’s still playing and singing them, but I’m not writing any study guides.
I would tag Becky and Lori, but I don’t think they have 23 posts yet. So…
Seamus
Vince
Nanner
Celti
E-Lo
…you’re on.
“This song has no title, just words and a tune.” September 29, 2005 ~ 11:40 am
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We’ll recycle this picture of my HAWT boyfriend for Half-Nekkid Thursday.
Bonus you’re-so-cool points if you can tell me who wrote the song mentioned in the title.
The Sophisticated Scarf is DONE, ya’ll. Pictures up soon - I finished it last night about 10 PM, and the lighting in my house is a wee bit yellow, so the picture would have sucked. Hopefully I’ll get one tomorrow when I leave work early. Rick saw it in the sunlight this morning and thought it was beautiful, though. I think he wants one. But no scarf for you, this year honey, because you got one last year. You wanted something else that I have made in the past year, however, and I think you will get it for Christmas. And no, it’s not in the sidebar. It may be eventually, because I am still adding things to my WiP chart. That’s right, the list keeps getting bigger.
The birthday keeps getting better and better, folks, and it’s not even here yet! Yesterday I got an I Heart Mr. Darcy t-shirt in the mail from Aimee. She rocks. I also got bedding in the mail from my mom to replace some of what the Piss Crusader got in his latest strike. Mom also rocks. Tonight, I am going to buy myself some brownies or cake mix, and guess what I am eating for breakfast tomorrow because of the You-Can-Eat-Anything-On-Your-Birthday-And-It-Doesn’t-Count rule? Birthdays rock. I am loving that every day there is something in the mail for me; I forgot how great it is to get things via snail mail that I didn’t have to pay for myself. Plus, I get to leave work early tomorrow because I can. Ha!
Works in Progress September 28, 2005 ~ 4:58 pm
Posted by Julie in : Daily Grind , comments closedAlright, we are at the end of September, and I’m already feeling the Christmas pressure. That’s because this year, most of my family and friends are going to get something knit for them instead of something I bought at the store. Until I get a raise, that’s the way it’s gotta be.
So, to spur my ass on, I’ve installed a Works in Progress meter on my sidebar. Illanna, Queen of Multitasking, gave me permission to use her template for it. Thanks, Illanna!
What you see over there is what I have to knit between now and December 25. A project or two may be added to it, but there you have it. If you click on the name of the project, you get to see a picture of it (or rather, the picture that came with the pattern - any pictures of what I’m actually knitting will be posted as I finish them because I am a big geek that way). The only exception to this is “Big Brother’s Scarf” because I’m making that up at the moment. And the “Beanie” being shown isn’t really the one that I’m knitting, but it’s as close a picture as I could find.
Also, not telling who gets what in this, because several of them read my site. You might think you know what you’re getting, but you might be wrong. And if I’ve told you that you’re getting a knitted object and I find out that you peeked, you’re getting a lump of coal instead. Think of this as like when you were a kid and knew your mom was stashing the presents in the closet, but you also knew your ass would be kicked if she caught you looking for them. I, too, have eyes in the back of my head, people.
The rest of you, wish me luck. With this many projects, I’ll need it!
I ride the short bus. September 28, 2005 ~ 11:25 am
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Rick didn’t tell me to put shoes on while chopping wood. He did tell me to get my feet away from the axe blade. That was helpful.
As you can see, no navel pictures today. It’s very difficult to get a picture of your own navel. Maybe Rick will take a picture tonight. However, I will have you know that while repairing a belly ring that the stone had fallen out of with Super Glue, I glued my fingers together. Guess I should’ve gotten the kind that doesn’t stick to skin after all, huh, Mom?
I also tried to replace the light bulbs in my living room ceiling, which burned out a while ago. What I learned is that even in three inch platforms, standing on a Webster’s unabridged dictionary which was perched on my stepladder, I am not tall enough. Changing light bulbs is another thing Rick gets to do tonight.
And yep, I bought a mop and bucket with my Target birthday gift card. And some body wash, some Comet, and some Clorox Bleach wipes. If I’m not careful, I’m going to turn into Monica from Friends. But never fear, all was not cleanliness. I bought a bag of Rold Gold Land O’ Lakes butter flavored pretzels. Mmmmm, pretzels.
Things that make you go “hmmmm” September 27, 2005 ~ 2:49 pm
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Lizzie Julie Borden, 4th of July
- Good: My big brother and his wife sent me a gift card to Target for my birthday.
Pathetic: I’m seriously considering using it to buy a mop and bucket, since every time I think I should get them, I think “I can spend that money on food, I don’t need a mop and bucket.” Now I’m thinking, “Dude, it’s sad to spend birthday gift cards on cleaning products…hey, I need some body wash!”
- I just noticed that somewhere along the line, I have lost the little ball that keeps my belly ring in my navel. I didn’t lose the ring, but the ball is nowhere to be found. So I took the ring out, and now my bellybutton looks really funky with the piercing hole in it. I should take a picture of it. No, I shouldn’t.
- Speaking of the belly ring, it’s 4 years old this week. I got it done right before my 24th birthday. My tattoo is 5 years old this week. The cartilage piercing in my right ear is 6 years old this week. I tend to do crazy things right before my birthday.
- Speaking of my birthday, it was 10 years ago this Friday that I found my first grey hair. To commemorate the horror that was finding that sumbitch on my 18th birthday, it has decided to multiply. I found three of the fuckers on Sunday, and one of them is brand new. Stoopid hairs! And actually, they’re not grey. Redheads go white. Soon I will look like a Veela.
- Aimee reminded me that the new book in the Outlander series was released today. And Barnes & Noble just reminded me that they sent me a sticker for 15% off any item in their store. Hooray! Happy freakin’ birthday to ME!
- Lori is blogging again. She has promised me that this time she’ll update more than once a century. To celebrate, she’s back on the Blogroll. See what happens when you don’t update? Even if you’ve been my friend for years in real life, you are OFF the Blogroll. I’m ruthless like that.
- Birthday weekend plans are shaping up. My wonderful boyfriend is taking me out for German food Friday night, I’m doing Pagan Pride Day and then meeting up with friends on Saturday, and on Sunday, Rick, LiAps, and I are going to the last Mets home game of the season. You know you wish you were me.
- And because he’s a wonderful, wonderful boyfriend, Rick has rented a cabin for us at Lake George for the Columbus Day weekend. He knows that what I want most at this time of year is to be able to go for long hikes in the woods and watch the leaves change colors. You know you wish he was yours. But he’s NOT!
Weekend Update September 26, 2005 ~ 10:00 am
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Jesse thinks the sink is his private water fountain.
It was a long weekend, but I guess not long enough because Monday came way too damn soon.
Friday night we went to the opera to see Falstaff. If you know me, you know I hate the opera. The sound of a soprano voice doing trills grates on my ears like nails on a blackboard or a cotton ball being pulled apart. But both girls were on stage in this one as extras, and I make a point of seeing whatever they’re doing, so we went. For just the last act, because I will be damned if I sit through any more than I have to, and that’s the act the kids were in. When they weren’t on stage, I actually fell asleep. Just goes to prove my point: if you have to disguise a story with a cast of thousands, mammoth sets, live animals, and fat chicks in low-cut dresses, you don’t have much of a story to tell. The girls made excellent faeries, though.
Saturday I went and saw the show I worked on, since it closed this weekend. I’m sorry that the playwright never actually heard the play she wrote, since the lead only ever got about 60% off book. By Saturday night, he had forgotten about 25% of the blocking as well. Made it interesting, I’ll say that much. And we had a cast party, which was great - free beer and food! I’m confirmed for another show that goes into rehearsals on October 18. The director and I haven’t always gotten along in the past, but my friend Lori is the Assistant Director for the show, and the playwright and I get along well so I’m hoping for the best. If it truly sucks, at least it will get me another paycheck to pay some more of my credit card bills.
Rick took the girls and I to see Corpse Bride yesterday. Overrated. I spent a lot of the movie seeing things that looked like recycled elements of Nightmare Before Christmas: Victor’s legs that looked suspiciously like Jack Skellington’s, the Elder’s tower hideaway that looked a lot like the Professor’s lair…same old, same old. Then we came home and my Steelers lost to the Patriots in the last two minutes of the game. I fucking hate when that happens. Rick pointed out that last year we beat the Pats at this point and lost in the end, so perhaps this year we’ll have a reverse of that and beat them at the end of the season when it really counts. I’m hopeful, but also realistic: Big Ben crumbled under pressure yesterday - his passes were off in the second half and he got sacked a few times. He has to learn to play against a good team that is just as hungry for the win as he is. If he can manage that, I think we’ll have it.
Tonight, a trip to my LYS (Local Yarn Store) to pick up needles for a bunch of Christmas knitting projects and some yarn for my brother’s present. Everyone gets knitted presents for Christmas this year because I am poor. But everyone seems really enthused by it. So weird…
Au Naturel September 23, 2005 ~ 4:13 pm
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Goodbye to summer - my happy summer foot on the 4th of July
Rick just called me on the phone. This ensued:
Rick: I have to get some deodorant. I’ve been going without for a few months now.
Me: EWW! That’s gnasty! That just offended my standards of cleanliness.
Rick: Deodorant has nothing to do with cleanliness, it’s actually unnatural because the aluminum in it blocks your pores.
Me: Dude, this is not France. We aren’t natural with regards to armpits in this country.
Rick: I wasn’t wearing it all summer! It bothers you now?
Me: I didn’t know about it all summer. I thought you were just very sweaty this year. Now I know better. Get thee some deodorant.
This solves the mystery of why I smelled like armpit all summer. Sometimes it sucks to be the right height to tuck under his arm.
My dinner with Regan September 22, 2005 ~ 9:43 pm
Posted by Julie in : Daily Grind , comments closedSo, back home, seated on my couch with a beer at my side and The Apprentice on TV, it’s about time I tell you about my blogger meet with Regan, isn’t it?
We met up in the late afternoon, after Regan worked out and gave Sadie a bath, and Leenie and I went to one of Atlanta’s metaphysical bookstores, Phoenix & Dragon (off the topic of Regan, I am envious of Atlanta for having this store - it was fucking awesome, with the biggest selection of rocks and crystals I have ever seen. I bought two that day, blue goldstone - an energy booster - and blue apatite - to help reach conclusions, not a decision-making rock like Regan said!).
Ahem, anyway, we got to Regan’s house, and I totally walked in and said “Hi, Sadie, hi, Kev!” like I’d known them my whole life instead of just through the blog. I think Regan felt that way, too, because we forgot to introduce Colleen and Kev for about five minutes, just assuming they knew each other. Ooops. I came with knitting in hand of course (yep, I was the only idiot knitting a scarf from merino wool in Atlanta last weekend!), and Regan immediately gave me more yarn to add to my stash - two skeins of gorgeous, a blue-green-turquoise mohair. You know you have a friend when they not only understand your knitting fixation but encourage it. I gave her a present from Lush, and then we set off for the farmer’s market.
I don’t know what you have in mind when Regan talks about the farmer’s market, but it’s probably not big enough by half. It’s a massive indoor affair with rows upon rows of organic foods, veggies, wines, baked goods, meats, and cheeses. Kev and Regan had warned me about the live fish, crawdads, and crabs in the seafood section before we set off, but I was unprepared for the crab shoppers. There’s a large box of blue crabs in the middle of the seafood section with tongs around the side so you can pick out which crabs you want (I know that didn’t sound right, SUCK IT). There were several women around the box who were obviously having a party because they had a huge bushel basket full of crabs and were picking out more. Apparently the crabs didn’t want to let go of each other so the women started hitting them with the tongs. Watching the poor little crabs lying there defenseless and hearing the tongs hitting their shells just horrified me and my face must have shown it, because Regan started laughing at me. At this point a big black lady also saw the look on my face and tried to reassure me “Aw, it don’t hurt ‘em, sweetie! Dem’s good eatin’! You cook ‘em up, hit ‘em with a hammer, pull out dey guts…it’s a mess, but it’s good eatin’!” I said I guessed it was good eatin’ and escaped as quickly as I could before I burst out laughing. Blue crabs - dey’s good eatin’!
When we got back to the apartment, Regan tried to teach me how to make fajitas for Rick. That part was probably less than successful, since I was getting drunk on the margarita Kev made me. But I did take this picture of the Evil Science Chick looking particularly evil while making guacamole:
Sadie isn’t allowed in the room while Regan is cooking, but that didn’t keep her from trying. She is a master of the commando crawl, as seen here:
Eventually there was nothing left of the fajitas or the guac, and we sat around BSing while comparing knitting patterns and watching Spike. At this point I would like to thank Spike and Kevin for furthering my education in the matter of cauliflower ears, which I had never seen before. Sadie likes cauliflower ears and Ultimate Fighting, which is what’s on the TV in the background:
Somehow it was 11:30 before we knew it, and we said our goodbyes and took the mandatory proof we met photos. Of course my eyes are closed:
Oh, and had to get one of Regan and Kev together:
The long and short of it is that Regan is awesome. We were taking a bit of a risk by agreeing to hang out for hours on end at our first meeting, but it was great. I felt like I’ve known her forever, even though I’d only talked to her on the phone once before we met. She’s cool, she’s funny, she’s crafty as hell (I saw the farmer’s tote bag in person and have seen its awesome toting powers!), and she doesn’t talk about anal sex as often as you might think. She needs to move up here so we can hang out and drunk knit and talk about rough sex again. Um, yeah.
Oh, and watch out…Kev’s been reading up on blogs. He told me so when I got there.
Drunk talking September 22, 2005 ~ 5:12 pm
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Golden Girl ~ 2005 Mermaid Parade, Coney Island.
Never look at yourself in the mirror when you’re drunk, because you will start to notice all your imperfections. Witness this from last night:
Me: My bottom lip is bigger than my top lip. I have practically no top lip!
Rick: I’d noticed that before. But you’re still cute.
Uh, thanks.
