Mid-Week In Review

Last weekend was WAY too crazy to post anything, but I've got opinions on what I watched this week and I just have to share them.

Reading

gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson-I read Between, Georgia when I won it in a B4B contest last summer. When I saw this on sale for $6 at B&N, I knew it was coming home with me. I've only read the first chapter. I will admit that I still prefer Between, Georgia; but a lot can change by the end of a book. And I've definitely been "hooked" into this one already. It's just that my usual 'reading in front of the school before the kids get out' time has been pre-empted by 'go pick up a ton of permission slips and deliver a ton of candy bars to students and pray I get back to the car before school lets out' time.

Watching

Veronica Mars-Logan is moving on, wah! It's Veronica's fault, but still...Last night's episode is waiting for me on Tivo as are two weeks' worth of Gilmore Girls. I know Christopher is going 'bye bye' and I'm even OK with it. I'm just not sure I can watch it. I'm too vulnerable from watching...

Grey's Anatomy-You know how I said the second episode in the three-epsiode arc was "as good as it gets." I was wrong. I have mother issues. (Read "The Necklace" if you haven't already) I have them with a capital M.I. I fell completely apart when Ellis said "you are ANYTHING but ordinary." Seriously, I sobbed for a good half-hour over it. How pathetic was that? I'm 34 years old and still crying over the fact that my mommy doesn't love me unconditionally. (And she DOESN'T, believe me.) So I cried for the fact that I will never get that closure and for the fact that Meredith did. I mean, we first learn love from our mothers, who doesn't expect their mom to love them unconditionally? At this point, I've accepted the fact that my mom just doesn't have it in her to do that. But I guess I will always long for it. I thought about all of this as I cried my little heart out last Friday, and then, I had a little epiphany and suddenly forgave myself for all the stupid things I did between the ages of 16 and 22. I mean, when you're that age and your mother doesn't love you? Of course you're going to act out, be a little self-destructive, think you're worthless, and of course you're going to doubt the word of anyone else who says that they do love you. If your own mother doesn't, how could they? (And in the final analysis, that person in my life really didn't love me, but even if he really had, I never would have believed it completely.) How about that? I solved about four years of my own issues in one Grey's episode. Shonda Rimes is cheaper than therapy and much more entertaining. I also loved watching Christina resolve her issues a little bit, and just when I thought I couldn't cry any harder, Denny and Izzie passed each other and they both knew it. And I absolutely believe in that too. So...um...yeah, good episode last Thursday.

The Oscars-But, boy oh boy have I already covered that.

Extracurricular Activities-

The Job Fundraiser-Again, it's been covered.

The Overholser Mansion-Today at lunch, me and a couple of co-workers decided to take a "professional day" and go take a tour after lunch. It was really pretty and gives some perspective to what we do at our place too. You can be in and out of there in less than an hour and now I have a new place to take visitors when they may not have the whole day for sightseeing.

Book Meme

I've got nothing good of my own to post, but here's a fun book meme I found at Alison Wonderland's blog.

Look at the list of books below.
The ones I’ve read are in bold.
The ones I want to read are in italics.
I've left alone the ones that I'm not interested in.

1. The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (J.R.R. Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (J.R.R. Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (J.R.R. Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (J.K. Rowling)
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (J.K. Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (J.K. Rowling)
17. Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (J.K. Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (J.R.R. Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (George Orwell)
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. Bible
46. Anna Karenina (Leo Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Charles Dickens)
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Charles Dickens)
55. The Great Gatsby (Scott Fitzgerald)
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (J.K. Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolsoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davies)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Victor Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Helen Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According To Garp (John Irving)
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)
81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (John Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down (Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. In the Skin of a Lion (Michael Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (William Golding)
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)

If you want to play along, consider yourself tagged. (Just let me know in the Comments section so I can go see you list.) Also, if there's a book on the list that I haven't italicized, but that you think I would like, let me know. Most of the unmarked ones are that way only because I'm not sure what they are about (though you probably won't talk me into Lord of the Flies.)

And the Winners Are...

OK, I just posted my picks in the post below, and now it's time to start the show:

Oh look! penguins and Lightening McQueen and the yellow van...so far, so good. Now let's get to the Red Carpet...

Leo DiCaprio-I just don't like this guy. Remember when he boycotted The Oscars the year he wasn't nominated for Titanic? I do...shut up Leo, I wanna see the dresses.

Lisa Ling is with Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts. Of the two, I like Naomi's dress better (red is NOT Nicole's color), but I'm really not too impressed with either dress. I really like JLo's the best so far.

Now let's see Jennifer Hudson's choice...OK, I like the shoes, but the metallic collar/jacket thing is a bit much. But it's all good and I still hope she wins.

There's Steve Carell, I love him but who wants to see the guys in tuxes? Bring on the dresses...

I can't believe I don't just LOVE Anne Hathaway's dress, but I only like it. I like the blue dress on Emily Blunt better. (So far JLo's is still my favorite.)

*I'm going to take notes and post at each commercial break, just in case anyone is out there reading.*

Penelope Cruz-Wow! That's quite a dress. I like her much better now that she's no longer dating Tom Cruise.

The Pinkett-Smiths-I'm laughing that the little boy is all spiffed up too. Jada's dress is nice, but I'm not bowled over by it.

Now Cameron Diaz? I don't like her that much, but her dress is good. I'm also liking Eddie Murphy's girlfriend's dress. And Cate Blanchett looks wonderful-no surprise there.

Ryan Gosling brought his sister and mother? Now I love him even more.

And we're back with Marky-Mark. He looks good-but I'm not psyched by all the footage at the "nomination wall." Fortunately, the ceremony starts in 5 minutes...

I love Kate Winslet's dress, but not her hair. I still want to see that movie.

Well just look at Helen Mirren. Wow! If this is her night, she is definitely dressed for it...It sounds like I missed out on Kirsten Dunst and Reese Witherspoon's dresses. But my pick so far is still J Lo's dress.

OK, I like this opening sequence much better than last year's. And I see Jennifer Hudson has ditched the scary jacket. Good for her. It covered her beautiful face. And it's Ellen! Yay! Let's start this thing! (On that note, I like HER girlfriend's dress a lot too. And Abigail Breslin is ADORABLE!)

And it's time for the first award: Art Direction (one I didn't make a pick for) but Pan's Labyrinth is a good call, I think.

And now it's time for that other ceremony's results. That reminds me that I want to see Sherry Baby and that I still haven't seen Junebug.

We're back and it's JACK BLACK singing with Will Ferrell. (I guess you can tell who I love more.) And now John C. Reilly is singing too? THIS is why I watch the Oscars. You just can't make this stuff up.

Best Make-Up-Another one I couldn't pick...and it's another Pan's Labyrinth win!

The kids seem a little scripted (but you've gotta love 'em for going up there) and I have no clue who should win Best Animated Short Film. I guess it's The Danish Poet. And I don't know any more about Best Live Action Short. And I just missed the title. But it sounds like it was good from the acceptance speech. And can I just say that while I never was much of a fan of the "make my day" Clint Eastwood, he's an amazing director.

The commercial break is over and the sound choir is a little creepy. And let's see who wins Best Sound Editing...I don't think I have a pick for this one either. And the winner is...Letters from Iwo Jima. Dave's grandfather was there in WWII. Not that it has anything to do with who won, he's just proud he survived and I thought I would mention it.

Now back to the awards...I don't love Jessica Biel's dress and I don't have a pick for Best Sound Mixing either. (I feel fairly unqualified to pick technical awards because I don't know what's involved in putting effects together. Not that I'm an expert on acting or writing either.) HEY! It's a Dreamgirls win. YAY!

I'm liking Rachel Weisz's dress more than I did on the Red Carpet. And let's see who gets Best Supporting Actor...OK, so Eddie lost. I'm thrilled that Alan won!. I said I would be happy no matter who won and I am. And more importantly, HE DESERVED THIS! (And the dancers are back. Blech. Just go to commercial already. Thank you.)

You know, I think I would like to see The Departed, but I know it would confuse me too much. So, I'll just listen to James Taylor sing instead...and Melissa Etheridge too. She looks wonderful. ("when you pray, move your feet"-good stuff)

Now there's an unlikely pair-Leo DiCaprio and Al Gore. It's an eco-friendly Oscars! (I know, I know, it's a good thing-but why am I rolling my eyes?) Oh yeah, like he's really going to take on Sen. Clinton or Sen. Obama. But that way kind of funny, and I like anyone who can laugh at themselves. (So why was he paired with Leo, who clearly cannot.) And on that note, I will annoy my Bloglines readers by refreshing yet again.

We're back and it's time for Best Animated Feature. And the Oscar goes too...Happy Feet. Hmm...given the "green" theme of the Oscars, I guess that's not surprising. But it still doesn't make me want to see it.

Writer's in the movies...maybe more drinking and smoking would help me when I get stuck? Or be filmed in black and white? Maybe use a typewriter (Actually I LIKE the typewriter idea a lot after a had drive crash.) And what a fitting lead-in to Best Adapted Screenplay. And the Oscar goes to...The Departed! Wrong again! (meaning me, of course)

And we're back for Best Costume Design. My pick was Marie Antoinette. Let's see if I guessed right...Hey! I did! And what a classy acceptance speech.

What?! Who the heck invited Tom Cruise?! Sherry Lansing is a classy lady with lots of achievements, so do we really want him to be the one to honor her? (She probably chose him herself, I'll shut up now except to say I love her dress too.)

Ooh! Gwyneth has a good dress too. And she's presenting Best Cinematography. I LOVE this award even though I have no idea who to choose this year. It's best the Academy figures these things out. And their pick is...Pan's Labyrinth! (which was my pick while watching the clips)

And at the rate we're going, I'm thinking we're going to bed late tonight.

Naomi Watts and Robert Downey Jr. Again, I love a man who can poke fun at himself. Also, I may have been a little harsh about her dress-but the neckline still bugs me a little. And Best Visual Effects goes to Pirates of the Carribbean. I got that one right too! (And here's a shock, Jerry Bruckheimer was involved with the movie.)

OK, all they needed to say was that the foreign film tribute was put together by the man who made Cinema Paradiso and you knew I would be hooked. Among many other things, my stay in Italy taught me to appreciate foreign films (though I live Italian films just a little bit more). But tonight's Best Foreign Film was The Lives of Others from Germany. I guess it can't be Life is Beautiful every year.

Time for Best Supporting Actress. I've got butterflies. I really want Jennifer Hudson to get this. And the winner is...YES!! It's Jennifer Hudson. I think I'm going to cry-and Simon Cowell don't you DARE take credit for this.

OK, I think I'm pulled together now and it's time for Best Documentary Short Subject. It goes to-The Blood of Zingchou District. I rarely get to see documentaries, but I like them. I wish I had seen even one of them in either category. Hey look! It's Jerry! And he's still funny (I hope he doesn't get heckled...oh wait, wrong guy. Yup-I'm mean.) And the winner for Best Documentary Feature is An Inconvenient Truth! I got another one right! Does that mean we have to listen to Al Gore now? Apparently, not too much-that's classy.

What does Clint Eastwood have to say? A special Oscar for an Italian composer Ennio Morricone. I'm OK with that. He wrote "Nella Fantasia?" I love that song. And the music for Cinema Paradiso? This may be my favorite Oscar segment. Oh never mind, they ruined it with Celine Dion. Why do they do that? I thought I was the only one who understood his acceptance speech, Bravo Clint Eastwood! (For me, it's not really the Oscars without an Italian winning a statue.)

Appropriately, we come from commercial break to Best Original Score. And the winner is...Babel. Para todo latinos! Congratulations. I've got nothing else, and here comes the academy guy so it's time for a bottled water break. What? A motion picture museum? Darn Ellen and betting him that dollar. But now I get to see Kirsten Dunst's dress! It's good, but I still like J Lo's better.

Time to get jealous, who wrote the Best Original Screenplay? And it's Little Miss Sunshine! Yay! Another good call on the part of both The Academy and me. OK, he deserved it and I just can't be jealous. And here come those annoying dancers again. And the guy backstge is really bugging me too. (I'm getting tired and cranky.)

Nothing to cheer up a cranky gal like songs from Dreamgirls...that's better. And it's Queenie and Danny Zuko! (I can't wait for Hairspray in August.) And Best Original Song goes to...Melissa Etheridge and "I Need to Wake Up." Again, it fits with the "green" theme this year and it's a good song. (I still like "Listen" better, but that's apparently just me.)

And we're back for yet another retrospective. A lot clips edited together that lead us to Best Editing. And The Departed gets the Oscar. And now it's time for the yearly memorial. And there went DISH Network. Let's not swear, it IS Sunday after all. Please stand by...

Phew! We're back in time for Best Actress and it goes to Helen Mirren! She looks amazing and I love her poise. She looks really beautiful up there. Kate will get her turn.

And now, it's time for Best Actor...I see that Leo went for the fake accent, Ryan Gosling went for the junkie, Peter O'Toole picked the "dirty old man," Will Smith is going for the 'rags to riches,' and Forrest Whitaker is going for the historical figure. And who does the Academy like this year? Forrest Whitaker! In Dave's words, "that was no surprise." And he's going for "inspiring" in the acceptance speech. And it's working for him.

And, oh my goodness, it's "THE trinity" for Dave and I. George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, and Steven Spielburg. Let's see who the Best Director will be. And the winner is Martin Scorsese!! Now that was worth staying up to watch! (And he hasn't even started his speech yet.)

And Best Picture-The Departed!! I did not see that one coming. I'm not thrilled it's 11:15, but this is one of the best Oscar shows I've seen in years. And there's my first stab at live blogging. I hope you enjoyed it. To recap, my favorite dresses were J. Lo, Cate Blanchett, Portia Di Rossi (Ellen's girlfriend-I think I got the last name right) Helen Mirren, and Gwyneth Paltrow. My new "must-see" movies are Pan's Labyrinth, Little Children, Babel, and The Illusionist. I still have no interest in Happy Feet or The Departed.

Live from the Oscars

I'm watching the Barbara Walter's special and speculating on tonight's winners. I'm going to list my picks, and then comment on the actual winners as they are awarded tonight:

1. Best Picture: "Babel," "The Departed," "Letters From Iwo Jima," "Little Miss Sunshine," "The Queen."

OK, I'll admit I haven't seen any of these movies and have no right to choose among them, but my fingers are crossed for "Little Miss Sunshine."

2. Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, "Blood Diamond"; Ryan Gosling, "Half Nelson"; Peter O'Toole, "Venus"; Will Smith, "The Pursuit of Happyness"; Forest Whitaker, "The Last King of Scotland."

Forest Whitaker seems to have this sewn up, but I would be thrilled for any of these men to win. I couldn't possibly choose just one.

3. Actress: Penelope Cruz, "Volver"; Judi Dench, "Notes on a Scandal"; Helen Mirren, "The Queen"; Meryl Streep, "The Devil Wears Prada"; Kate Winslet, "Little Children."

This one is anoter given (Helen Mirren), but I would like to see Kate Winslet win. (I would also LOVE to see "Little Children," but I can't find it playing in the metro. I suppose I'll have to rent it.)

4. Supporting Actor: Alan Arkin, "Little Miss Sunshine"; Jackie Earle Haley, "Little Children"; Djimon Hounsou, "Blood Diamond"; Eddie Murphy, "Dreamgirls"; Mark Wahlberg, "The Departed."

Another one I just can't decide. I only saw Eddie Murphy in "Dreamgirls" and he was amazing. BUT, we've also got Alan Arkin who I love, a Bad News Bear, and Marky Mark. How can I lose no matter who wins?

5. Supporting Actress: Adriana Barraza, "Babel"; Cate Blanchett, "Notes on a Scandal"; Abigail Breslin, "Little Miss Sunshine"; Jennifer Hudson, "Dreamgirls"; Rinko Kikuchi, "Babel."

With all apologies to Abigail Breslin, I really want this to go to Jennifer Hudson.

6. Directing: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, "Babel"; Martin Scorsese, "The Departed"; Clint Eastwood, "Letters From Iwo Jima"; Stephen Frears, "The Queen"; Paul Greengrass, "United 93."

I hear this is Martin Scorsese's year, but I personally haven't ruled out Clint Eastwood.

7. Foreign Language Film: "After the Wedding," Denmark; "Days of Glory (Indigenes)," Algeria; "The Lives of Others," Germany; "Pan's Labyrinth," Mexico; "Water," Canada.

I don't know much about any of them, but I've heard good things about "Pan's Labyrinth".

8. Adapted Screenplay: Sacha Baron Cohen and Anthony Hines and Peter Baynham and Dan Mazer and Todd Phillips, "Borat Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan"; Alfonso Cuaron and Timothy J. Sexton and David Arata and Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, "Children of Men"; William Monahan, "The Departed"; Todd Field and Tom Perrotta, "Little Children"; Patrick Marber, "Notes on a Scandal."

I'm a fan of Alfonso Cuaron and Sacha Baron Cohen, but the selection process for this particular Oscar often baffles me. We'll just have to see.

9. Original Screenplay: Guillermo Arriaga, "Babel"; Iris Yamashita and Paul Haggis, "Letters From Iwo Jima"; Michael Arndt, "Little Miss Sunshine"; Guillermo del Toro, "Pan's Labyrinth"; Peter Morgan, "The Queen."

My choice would be "Little Miss Sunshine" because I'm a fan of the Indie flicks. (If I ever finish my screenplay I would much rather see it at Sundance or Cannes than Hollywood.)

10. Animated Feature Film: "Cars," "Happy Feet," "Monster House."

I think Monster House is the most technically impressive of the three, but it was too scary for kids which kind of defeats the purpose. Happy Feet is getting lots of hype, but none of my friends who took their kids to see it were very impressed. So, I'm guessing it will be Cars unless the Academy decides to award solely based on technical merit. Then, it's Monster House.

11. Art Direction: "Dreamgirls," "The Good Shepherd," "Pan's Labyrinth," "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," "The Prestige."

12. Cinematography: "The Black Dahlia," "Children of Men," "The Illusionist," "Pan's Labyrinth," "The Prestige."

I usually love to speculate on the winner of either of these because I like the eye candy (thus my preference for anything Jerry Bruckheimer puts his stamp on), but I haven't seen any of these and don't dare pick one.

13. Original Song: "I Need to Wake Up" from "An Inconvenient Truth," Melissa Etheridge; "Listen" from "Dreamgirls," Henry Krieger, Scott Cutler and Anne Preven; "Love You I Do" from "Dreamgirls," Henry Krieger and Siedah Garrett; "Our Town" from "Cars," Randy Newman; "Patience" from "Dreamgirls," Henry Krieger and Willie Reale.

Thanks to XM Radio and iTunes and the fact that I went to see "Dreamgirls," I actually have heard all these songs. I'm really attached to the song "Listen" these days and it is likely my only use for Beyonce'.

14. Costume: "Curse of the Golden Flower," "The Devil Wears Prada," "Dreamgirls," "Marie Antoinette," "The Queen."

I have no use for the movie Marie Antoinette, but the costumes were to die for-so that's my pick.

15. Documentary Feature: Deliver Us From Evil, "An Inconvenient Truth," " Iraq in Fragments," "Jesus Camp," "My Country, My Country."

I'm going to go with An Inconvenient Truth simply because I'm tired of debating religion and wars.

16. Visual Effects: "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," "Poseidon," "Superman Returns."

I've seen two of these three and I vote for "Pirates of the Carribbean: Dead Man's Chest".

Oh My Achin' Feet!

Last night was The Job's big fundraiser. We started setting up at 10 a.m. left to change at around 3 p.m. and we were back for the party and to clean up afterwards from 5:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. I forgot that with all the formal dances I used to attend when I was younger that high heels were never my friend and that I always ditched them within the first half-hour. In fact, I think I may have dated short guys back then just to avoid wearing them. (Yeah, that's it. I wasn't a bad judge of character back then, I just preferred flats to heels. There's a joke in there somewhere, I think.)

Anyway, I could go on and on about how people parked illegally in the spots we had reserved and paid for so we that we had a place to park and unload our moving van and how those same people yelled at us when they got towed and said "you should have put signs up" (because the bagged meters that said "no parking, tow away zone" apparently weren't enough), or how one of OUR employees got towed as well, or how I went to the Mall after setting up all day and left $20 worth of stuff in the ladies' room and didn't realize it until I needed it while I was getting ready, or how the hotel near the party venue didn't have a reservation for me after Dave made one so that I would have a place to change clothes without going back home, or how they finally DID find the reservation and I raced to my room to change (I had 45 minutes) but then they called to ask me to switch rooms while I was in the middle of dressing (they were upgrading me because of the hassle, a nice gesture but bad timing), or how I realized once I was in the new room and dressed that my shoes were still in the parking garage 2 blocks away from the hotel, or how the party was all about fondue and I gave up chocolate for Lent (talk about bad timing), or how there were only 34 coffee cups for about 375 people (it turned out those were all the cups we needed), or how the wind was blowing about 50 miles an hour the whole time we were unloading the van, trying to keep our hairdos nice upon arrival, and loading the van once everything was over, or how Dave and I went back to the hotel after he spent three hours helping us clean up and load the van anticipating some nice quiet time away from the kids and got nothing but me falling asleep in my clothes and no doubt snoring all night long BUT I think I just covered all that whining with a very long run-on sentence that looks more like a paragraph.

And yet, I can already tell that in the grand scheme of things I will remember yesterday quite fondly. I think the event was a big success. I loved my dress and even if I can't handle fancy shoes, I had forgotten how much I LOVE to get all dressed-up and go out for the evening; even if it's technically considered work for me. I did do a lot of fetching and carrying and coffee-serving last night (as expected), but I really was happy to be there-even in those moments that I was all alone at the coffee bar (though I wasn't alone too much after 8 p.m.) Re-reading all of this, I'm not sure why I'm so happy today. I guess because I learned that I'm still one of those people who can just keep going when things go wrong. No room at the hotel? OK, I'll wait. A bag of stockings and hair accessories left at the mall? I'll improvise. No dress shoes? Well, I pull a Cybill Shepard until I can get back to my car. No coffee cups? I'll have Dave drop some off when he gets to the hotel. (Not that we needed them, I should have asked him to bring plates, napkins, and liquor instead.) No matter what yesterday threw at me (or any of my co-workers), we just kept rolling with it. And seeing things come together so well in the end...well, it made everything worth it. And now, I'm off to soak my feet and watch the Oscars. A worthy reward for a job well-done (or "done" anyway) and it has much fewer calories than the hot fudge sundae my Lent-resistant brain is trying to tell me that I "deserve." I may be back later to post my Oscar picks...

A Post about Work

I swore when I was "officially" hired on Tuesday that I wasn't going to blog about work. But today was just too cool not to mention. A local business shot their commercial this morning in one of the historic buildings. I got to hang out there while they did it to make sure none of the artifacts were damaged. These people were super careful and very respectful and I wasn't worried once I saw them in action. But, they asked me to stay, and as an aspiring screenwriter I just couldn't resist being there. I've never wanted to be in front of the camera, but I've always wondered how one got a job working behind-the-scenes. I got to do that today and I'll admit that I LOVED hearing the director say "Well let's ask the Archivist before we set up this scene."

All I really did was move objects around that they were too nervous to handle and tell them it was OK to take down the ropes for the camera, but it was neat to be asked about such things like I was a professional. (And that loming Master's degree means that technically, I am. Yikes!) Between takes, I answered questions about the museum and the specific building they were using for filming. I know it was a local commercial and that to most people it's be no big deal, but for me it was a small way to do something I've always wanted to do. I wonder if other production companies use archivists on their sets when they're working in historical settings? Because that would be a fun job. Even if they do, I'm probably not qualified enough to have such a job and I really am happy with the way things are now. But for today, it sure was fun.

Thursday 13-Final Edition

Thirteen Things about Living in the Country I'm so sad that our blog host is giving up Thursday 13. I wish I had something more profound for my last list ever, but lacking creativity, I'm just going to go with my original plan of the 13 things I like about living where we do. 1. Crossing the bridge over the Canadian river on my way home. Even though I live about ten minutes from the nearest grocery store, it really feels like I'm leaving the rest of the world behind just by driving to the other side of the river. Silly, but I like it. 2. Seeing deer and cattle on the farm land behind our backyard. They are close enough to see, but not so close that the smell is a problem. (Notice I didn't mention loving the possums and raccoons, I'm done with that.) 3. Taking the one-mile walk with the kids to the end of the road so we can see the horse ranch. I would never want the responsibility of caring for a horse, but we sure like to look at them. 4. Having our own well. I whine a lot about the hard water, but it's nice to know that it's ours. 5. Still having neighbors, but being far enough apart that we all get along. 6. No more college parties that spill over into my driveway and on my front lawn. ('nuff said) 7. Lots of space for the kids to play. 8. Being able to remodel without a huge City Council discussion and debate before we can get started. (Not that I have any plans to do that, it's just nice to know that it's easy to get permission here.) 9. Knowing the family that owns and operates the nearby gas station really well. We don't buy our gas there often because it's marked up, but we love to get snacks and chat over there. 10. Having a house that seems to be in the middle of nowhere, but being ten minutes from my sister's houses and 25 minutes from work thanks to its proximity to a major highway. 11. Having a right-of-way to the farm behind us where the local sheriff likes to park at lunch, dinner, and late evening. It makes me feel safe out here, even with Dave working late. 12. Having a farm right behind us that I can enjoy without having to tend at all. 13. Being able to light bonfires and fire crackers without having to worry about those pesky city ordinances. Thanks to Leanne for 18 weeks of fun and lists! And thanks to everyone who has stopped by and visited me!

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Works for me Wednesday

Although I am not Catholic, I've got lots of friends, family, and co-workers who are and I have always been a little awestruck by the traditions and rituals surrounding that faith even though I already know quite a bit about them. After all, I majored in Latin and once lived in Italy. So this year, I'm giving up something for Lent. That would be chocolate. I know it's dark chocolate is good for you in small amounts, but that's not how I eat it. It's more of an addiction for me. So, to help me curb that (and to prove to myself I can do it) I'm giving it up until Easter. I don't mean to disrespect my own faith or mock the beliefs of my Catholic loved ones. I just see this as a way to show solidarity with them while hopefully curing myself of a nasty habit along the way. Works for me!

"I Believe in the Good"

I took a break from editing on Saturday night to watch last week's Grey's Anatomy (mostly so I could talk about it at work on Monday). I knew it would be a tear-jerker and I was determined not to let it get to me. I did OK until Mark sat down next to Derek in the hall, then I pretty much lost it for the rest of the episode. Even though it was desperately sad and only the middle of a three-part story arc, this was some of Shonda Rimes very best work. And my very favorite part of all is that we may or may not still have Meredith, but Izzie is back! She's always been my favorite character. Her conversation with Dr. Bailey a few episodes ago about being both the doctor and the person really resonated with me and explained a lot about why I like her so much. I've always had to be both myself and whoever else any certain role in my life required of me, I can't separate either. And this episode gave her a "Bailey aria" of her very own. (If you read the Grey's Writers blog, that will make sense-basically, Dr. Bailey gets a lot of good monologues and Chandra Wilson calls them "Bailey arias.") And I'm like Izzy, all my whining notwithstanding, I believe in the good too:

I believe in God, I don't think He makes all the bad stuff happen, but I do think He is there to help us deal with it. (Note that I didn't say to make sense of it.) I believe in the redeeming power of His Son Jesus Christ, but I also believe we can redeem ourselves in this life. Not in that same all-encompassing way that He will do for us at the end of our lives, but in those small ways we can make up for the stupid things we do throughout our lives. (Kind of like Dickens' Ebeneezer Scrooge, if you need a concrete example.) We can't fully compensate for all of our mistakes but doing things like forgiving others when we long to be forgiven, saying we're sorry when we do something wrong whether the apology is accepted or not, in being patient with our kids and our spouses, taking care of our parents who once cared for us, and trying not to do anything to anyone else that we wouldn't like done to us all go a long way in helping us to be happier and better people whether we believe in Jesus or an afterlife or not. And speaking of the afterlife, like Izzie I have to believe that those we love and lose are never really gone from us. (Sometimes whether we like it or not. What?! Like any of you would enjoy Uncle Jack as your heavenly guardian either.)

I believe in working hard for something even when I'm the only person who seems to care about what happens. How else could I endure three years on the PTA Executive Board? But I will carry on with that because I believe that somewhere, somehow, I am helping someone. I believe that the world is still more good than bad regardless of what the news tells us and I believe that all of us have a lot more in common than we realize. I still believe my children can grow up in this scary world and still turn out to be good people. I believe in family. And although all I know is what she showed me, I believe I can be a better mother than mine was. I believe that I HAVE to be. Even though the loss of his mother and ten years of hard work has changed my husband and made him very different from the man he was when we got engaged, I still believe that we started this marriage on a good foundation and that, even with all of our difficulties, we're going to make it. I believe in friends. I believe that everyone I have been close with during my life was a part of my life for a reason and I'm grateful for not only the friends I still get to talk to everyday (even if I don't always do that), but for those who aren't a part of my life anymore. There's been something to learn from all of you.

I believe that at the end of my life, whenever that is, that I will have lived it all that much better because I do believe in so many good things. And I believe that I will be rewarded for a life well-lived. And that in the end all the things I endured in this life will have been for my good. I believe in the good. I really do. And I hope that some of you do too.

Menu Plan Monday

Again, a new hard drive on my laptop means I no longer have the menu graphic. I could go grab it from Organizing Junkie again, but she is promising a new one soon and I think I'll just wait for it. Anyway, here's this week's menu:

Monday-Chicken enchiladas (One of the few things Dave loves to fix-he makes a good taco ring too.)
Tuesday-Meatball subs
Wednesday-Pasta salad and rolls
Thursday-Something from the drive-thru (it's one of those double-booked days)
Friday-Grandma's house, grandma's choice (probably pizza for the kids and Chinese for us)
Saturday-Fancy shmancy party food for me, who knows what Dave will feed the kids?

Dave's Chicken Enchiladas

1-1.5 lbs cooked, shredded chicken breast
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 can Chicken and Rice soup
1 bag grated Mexi-cheese (he likes to use to 4 cup bag, I prefer the 2 cup)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put chicken and cheese in tortilla and roll it up, place 6-8 of these in 9x13 baking pan. Mix together the three cans of soup and pour over the enchiladas. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top. Put in oven for about 30 minutes.

For more (and better) recipes-check out Laura's blog!

Week In Review

Reading

New Testament: I finished Luke in the New Testament and have read as far as John 12. Hopefully, I will get back to more regular reading soon.

Watching

I am one week behind on everything but it's all recorded and waiting for me. I think I have given up on Days completely and I refuse to watch All My Children after they killed off Dixie purely on principle. I did see last week's Battlestar Galactica and I have to admit that I was slightly disappointed that Dee didn't die. I know, I suck as a human being. But I never felt like she was properly appreciative of that guy who died saving her sorry rear-end last season. And she's kind of a whiner. And, I'll just go ahead and say it, she's not Starbuck.

Movies

Nothing this week, but last week I finally got to watch A Room with a View. I have adored this movie for years, but hadn't watched it since I was 22. I was worried it might have lost some of its charm, but I can now say for sure that it's only gotten better. It's main message is to live on the outside as you feel on the inside. And it's set during the Victorian Era which makes it that much more difficult. It stars most of the handful of actors who do all the movies in Great Britain including Maggie Smith who I never KNEW could be so annoying, even in character. As I mentioned, I worried it would have lost its charm now that I no longer view the world through rose-colored glasses, but it was just as good as it was thirteen years ago.

I also loved how excited my kids got about the first Inspector Gadget Season 1 DVD. I used their interest to my advantage while working on my paper and didn't really watch much myself. But they LOVED it and anytime I can distract them from Zach, Cody, and endless episodes of Pokemon, I'm happy. (Though I have to admit, they've gone from the video game and cartoon to actually "playing" Pokemon outside and anything that encourages some of the imaginative stuff that they come up with while playing it has GOT to be a good thing.)

Extracurricular Activities

I finished up that first draft AND my internship this week. The euphoria on Friday was dizzying, but short-lived between my mother's antics and an email from my advisor who finished reviewing that draft and is awaiting draft #2. (Projected to be completed tomorrow.) I did my first official job as The Agency archivist by submitting some pictures for an exhibit at the OKC Zoo and a geneology group has asked me about putting together a little Land Run display for them at an upcoming conference. But what's really on everyone's mind at work this week is our fancy-shmancy fundraiser next Saturday. There is so much that's both funny and stressful about it, but I would hate to lose my job before I'm officially hired; so I will keep it to myself. Just know that some of it is REALLY funny. And that I get to wear a really pretty dress next week.

I've also been pretty busy with the youth at church. There was a big dance the Saturday before last and something that resembled a skit night last night. Both were lots of fun. I write a lot about how being the only Latter-Day Saint in my family often makes me feel like I'm straddling The Great Divide. However, I'm not so sure that's true anymore. I spent yesterday flitting between family and church activities last night and not once did I feel divided. I just felt like I was at home in both places. It was a good feeling. And it only took about fourteen years to get me to that point, there's hope for me yet.

And on that note, it's time to look again at that paper...

Saturday Shorts

Will someone please remind me that while my mother has come through for me about three times in my life (including last week when she babysat over here) that this is not something consistent that I can expect on a daily basis? I wish it didn't always catch me so completely off-guard.
On a similar note, I thank God for finally helping me to grow a backbone. Even if it took almost 35 years, it was worth it. (But Mom might not agree.)


To whoever it was driving the white car on I-240-Yeah, you who practically blew me off the road while passing me on the right only to pull in front of me and slam on your brakes because everyone in front of me was going about the same speed as I was? You who drove for about 50 feet in front of me with your brake lights on before jumping back across traffic to exit at May? All I can say is-Uncle Jeffy, was that you?

And along those lines, if John has finished school and has a car that runs, and if Uncle Jeffy has a job, and if I have not only my driver's license; but also new job of my own then I think I've got this global warming thing all figured out. It's not the environment above causing problems, it's the hell freezing over below us that did it. Sorry folks. (But not enough to quit driving or working.)

And my mom will be so happy that I've finally figured out that global warming, like all other things bad, is ALL MY FAULT!.

Good Friday

Ok, it's not really Good Friday, but it was for me. The sun came out. Tristan's teacher didn't send home any "do you know what your son did today?" notes (Boy do I ever LOVE those) and, most importantly, I logged the LAST 4 HOURS of my 450 hour internship! On Tuesday it goes from The Agency to The Job. I arrived home to find my graduation packet waiting for me. It looks like I just might pull this whole Master's Degree off after all.

Thursday Thirteen #17

As hard as the last two weeks have been, today I literally saw the light at the end of the tunnel. My friend Joy used to like to tell me that it's a wicked generation that searches for signs. (And it says that in the scriptures, so she's probably right.) But, I see the world as a writer and we writers like our symbolism. So, today I saw a symbol (but definitely NOT a "sign" because I don't search for those) that brighter days are on the way. As I drove down Hwy 9 this afternoon, the day was bitter cold and little snowflakes were just starting to swirl around my car. At a stoplight, I happened to look up, and through the thick and heavy clouds, I saw the sun. Far away, as I mentioned above, but definitely there and very visible for just a few moments. So, I'm going to take that as my cue that better things are coming soon. Here is a list of the 13 that I'm most looking forward to:

1. WARMER WEATHER-Oh how sick I am of days below 30 degrees.

2. Our girlfriend's retreat this summer-I think it's really going to happen. (And while it does feel funny to book a flight to CO in the middle of February while complaining about being cold, it will be a welcome change when it actually happens.)

3. Finishing my Master's Degree, getting the diploma, and getting on with things.

4. Land Run Days at The Agency. (So much for secrecy-but I'm in the freakin' commercial already anyway. Yes, that's me in the purple bonnet. My sisters will NEVER let me live it down.)

5. The spring PTA fundraisers-they are always easier than the ones in the fall.

6. The Agency's big fundraiser. Actually, I'm not a fan of swanky parties, but I'm a big fan of the dress I finally found to wear to it.

7. Lanie's wedding-it's still quite a few months away, but now I've got a cool dress to wear for it. All I need now are some gold lame' shoes...KIDDING!

8. The 'guest-blog' week I'm planning for my birthday. (I'm handing over my username and password to Chris and Lanie for the week of April 30-May 4. If anyone else wants to play along just send me an email and we'll work something out. I'm dreading what they will come up with just a little, but I air quite a bit of their dirty laundry here and turnabout IS fair play.)

9. Speaking of my birthday, the Billy Joel concert on May 1st. If I have to turn 35, at least I can spend my last day in the "target demographic" listening to Billy.

10. Along those lines, Wicked is coming in June. Yay!

11. The new Harry Potter book and movie coming out in July. I'm excited and a little scared. After all it will be the LAST book and the movie of the book that's my least favorite. (Why does Harry have to be so ANGRY all the time?)

12. Lest I forget-the little get-together we are planning in March. I don't even have to wait that long for it.

13. And finally, potty-training my daughter. Then, my last of four will be out of diapers. (And I won't have any babies anymore-WAH!)

For more Thursday Thirteens, click here.

Take a Deep Breath and...

..hit "send." Draft #1 has been sent to my advisor to be ripped to shreds and handed back to me in small pieces for revision. For all of you who have left encouraging notes and emails I can only say "Thank you, and I'm going to go throw up now." (Does anyone remember who said that? I'd hate to take the credit from someone else for such eloquence. I guess I watch too many award shows.)

A Tackle It Tuesday Failure

I have tried unsucessfully to email the picture I took with my cell phone of my 40 page (so far) prospectus paper surrounded by four textbooks, a notepad, and about six articles. If it ever makes it to the Inbox, I'll post the picture. Otherwise just picture me swamped in a huge paper pile that just isn't coming together for me. Today, Dave told me "just email your rough draft to your professor-he'll never know the difference and it's not a big deal anyway." Umm...hello? Does the phrase "MASTER'S THESIS" mean anything to him. No? Well, this is why I am in school and Dave isn't. But all is well, he is sending MY MOM to come and "help out" tonight. What a swell guy. (Sarcasm for those of you lucky enough to have never met my mom.) So I guess this isn't so much a "Tackle It Tuesday" project as it is a stare at my pile of papers and cry in frustration. Did I mention my advisor wanted my first draft yesterday?

*I started this with good intentions, really I did. This is why I shouldn't be blogging right now.

**And to clear up any confusion about the kind of person my mother is, read "The Necklace" post listed on the right sidebar.

Menu Plan Monday

Since I'm on my kids' computer, I'm missing my cute little menu graphic. Just because I'm crazy busy this week doesn't mean we aren't eating:

Monday-Meatball Stew and cornbread
Tuesday-Spaghetti (and leftover meatballs), French bread, and salad
Wednesday-Rotisserie chicken (made with my cool Tupperware micro-cooker-you will never find an easier recipe*), crescent rolls, and green bean casserole
Thursday-Macaroni and cheese and ham
Friday-Take-out (likely pizza for the kids and I'll be eating with the YW at Standards Night Live-we're doing a School House Rock skit, aren't we cool!)

* Season inside and out of whole chicken (thawed), place in microcooker and cook in microwave for 7 minutes per pound-they come out tasty!

Under Pressure

I've tried unsuccessfully now to compose about three posts that don't sound like I'm whining and it hasn't worked. Suffice to say the pressure of the paper deadline, the still unrepaired laptop, and my husband being exactly the kind of man I've known him to be for the last several years is really getting to me this weekend. I may be scarce for the next few days...and please keep your fingers crossed for me. I need it.

Friday Flashback

Before we go back in time, permit me to share the highlights of my day:

Midway through an excellent paragraph detailing how wonderfully both loans and donations between smaller and larger museums can benefit them, my laptop started to make an awful noise. It sounded like an airplane engine. I quickly hit 'save' *just in case.* The computer saved and continued to function as if it did not sound like the landing gear was stuck. Then, that sound stopped and a new one started. That one was more like a coughing dog. Still not good. I shut the thing off, but it continued to 'cough' for several minutes. While most of my older files are backed up on a flash drive, I just revised the prospectus this morning and have typed about ten new pages on the thing that aren't saved anywhere except on the laptop. I'm scared...Dave thinks it's the fan, he thinks he can fix it, and he promises to save everything new of his flash drive before he takes anything apart. Let's all cross our fingers for my laptop, my paper, AND my marriage. Okay?

I left the museum early to meet with the fundraiser people. At least that went well. I dropped Natalie off at a sleep-over and drove the other three kids home with me. Then, all heck broke loose. After grounding Natalie and Tristan from their respective Nintendo devices, I put them up to enforce the ban. And then, I forgot where I put them...As Natalie's sleep-over loomed ever closer, her demands that I find the toy from which she was no longer grounded reached a fever pitch, and her brother concurred. I found them yesterday during one of our ten-minute layovers at home before we had to be yet another place. They weren't charged after two week's exile at the top of my closet (Remind me that's where they were next time, would you please?) so they were plugged in overnight. Natalie took her DS to the sleepover and Tristan couldn't wait to play Gameboy. Apparently, Caroline couldn't either. When I ruled in her older brother's favor (he had waited a week to play), she was so angry at both of us that she stripped to nothing but her shirt, stood in her brother's bedroom doorway, and PEED ON THE FLOOR ON PURPOSE! Let me just tell you that there is no solution in the Parenting 101 manual for this one! I sent her to her room until dinner and made her clean up the mess. I also had to cancel our plans to hang out at Grandma's tonight because chances were good she would have had fun no matter what I tried to do to prevent it. Also, I haven't been home all week, and I really just need some quiet. So, here we are...

To cheer myself up today, I thought about the various camping trips my friends and I took together during our misspent youth. (Said with tongue firmly in cheek) For some reason, these trips never worked out very well. I wish any of them fit with the story or theme of my screenplay because they are worth including. But, so far they don't work. Rather than bore you with narratives, let me list the unofficial camping rules of 1991-1994

1. No "inappropriate" touching will occur no matter how much you are anticipating it.
Instead, one of the following scenarios is guaranteed:
a) You won't be able to find a moment alone with your sweetie
b) You WILL find a moment alone with your sweetie while your best friend is in her car draining the battery to read romance novels because her sweetie who PROMISED to show up later that evening decided to stay in town (with his OTHER sweetie). But I digress...Finding a moment alone with that sweetie, you will spread out your blanket under the starry sky and attempt to start something only to have him TURN YOU DOWN! (Uh, I mean, only to have a nice girl like yourself turn him down. I would never have tried anything inappropriate. Nope, not me!)
c) You and your sweetie will find a moment alone in a tent only to be trampled on by two other sweethearts who are fleeing a bear hostile raccoon that sounds like a bear at the worst possible moment. There will be much laughter and apologies. And in the end you will be very grateful that things worked out that way, won't you?!
d) This scenario won't play out much better when rain forces you to move the whole thing to Motel 6. And again all I can say is THANK YOU GOD (and Chris for waking up at just the right time)!

2. You will always forget some vital ingredient for any of the meals you plan, or you will buy the wrong thing. You might as well bake several batches of cookies and bring lots of chips and dry cereal because that is all you will eat for the whole weekend.

3. No matter how many men come along on the trip, Chris will be the only one strong enough put up the tent.

4. Someone will always leave "to go to the store" only to return several hours later if they actually return at all.

5. A very loud family with about 12 kids will always camp right next to you. They will complain if you as much as turn on the radio after 8 p.m., but they will have no qualms about rising and shining at 6:30 a.m. and cooking and eating as loudly as possible. This will be especially annoying if you were turned down the night before. (Or so I'm told...)

6. Your Keds and your water shoes will not work as hiking boots for any distance at all. But that won't stop you from trying anyway and failing miserably. "Thank you Mr. Mountain Goat."

7. It will rain and John some idiot will think it's fun to drive his convertible in it with the top down. (All that rain during the Super Bowl? Just karma-sorry everyone else at the stadium.)

8. Uncle J will run out of cigarettes. It won't be pretty.

9. Lanie will puke on nature. That won't be pretty either.

10. Somebody's mom will figure out that you're all having one big co-ed slumber party and everyone will get grounded for the rest of the summer. Oh wait, that wasn't from the camping trip, that was the motel. Oh well! Close enough.

11. Someday you will remember all of it fondly and laugh yourself silly after a day of broken laptops, whining kids, and more talk about when and where bodily functions are properly performed than you ever imagined possible back in the days when you were miserable, hot, hungry, and turned down at a rainy Turner Falls. Thanks for the memories, guys.

Thursday Thirteen

Obviously, I've been too busy today to post anything. This has been a really crazy week. So, here are thirteen things that are keeping me busy this week:

1. My final internship report and prospectus paper. I have to submit it 60 days before I defend it and the last day to defend is May 4th. Time is getting short. (Luckily my awesome boss is letting me work on it at The Agency.)

2. Contacting the people on my Master's committee and the people in the Liberal Studies office and coordinating all of that. (Still a work in progress)

3. Finishing the last two weeks of my internship at The Agency.

4. Polishing my skills as an archivist because that's the part-time position The Agency is looking to fill.

5. Getting ready for The Agency's big fundraiser party at the end of the month. (Have I mentioned lately how much I've grown to loathe formal shopping

6. My messy house. Now that we're not snowed in anymore, it is hard to stay on top of the housework. The only thing I do consistently is the dishes. I guess the laundry gets done, but no one sorts it and puts it away.

7. That may be because no one is here to do it. Here is my evening schedule for the week:
Monday-home, Family Home Evening at 7 p.m. Bath and Bed at 8.
Tuesday-PTA Meeting, school activity, home by 8 p.m. which is bath and bedtime. I didn't even try to drive all the way home until the school stuff was over.
Wednesday-Mutual in Blanchard, leave at 6:40 return at 8:30.
Thursday-Natalie's Valiant Girls activity 4-5 drive to and from Blanchard, hang out in the parking lot until it's done to avoid a second 40-minute round trip. Natalie's Girl Scout meeting back at the school from 6:30-8:00. Obviously, I didn't feel like driving back home then either.
Friday: Meet with fundraiser people after work at 2 p.m. Drive Natalie to sleep-over. Drive home and clean. Drive to grandma's for dinner and games. Get home late.
Saturday: Clean up for next week.
Sunday: Church
Even my weekends aren't fun right now.

8. Taking care of four children while their dad works nights (and do all that other stuff). 'Nuff said.

9. Being a PTA Co-President-the candy bar sale is coming...

10. Trying to watch my Netflix movies before they think I'm keeping them forever.

11. Trying to stay caught up with Gilmore Girls, Grey's Anatomy, Veronica Mars, Battlestar Galactica, Degrassi, and Rome-There's an unwatched episode of almost all of those sitting on my Tivo list right now.

12. Trying to plan some kind of getaway with my husband to celebrate the 10 year anniversary we had back in January. I've got some good ideas, but no time to research them.

13. Trying to find time to use my new elliptical trainer now that my shin splints have healed. (Did that on the first day I had it, and I'm lucky I didn't fall off too.)

Maybe next week will be better and maybe next week's Thursday Thirteen will too. But I wouldn't count on it.

Overheard At My House Tonight

Lately, my daughter Caroline has gotten into a very bad habit of sneaking into her older brother's room at night and keeping him awake. It's not a problem for her because she doesn't have to be at school until 12:30. He has to be there at 7:45 and it's always obvious to his teacher when he hasn't had enough sleep. With that in mind, I give you a conversation from earlier tonight:

Me: Tristan! Tell Caroline to get out of you room! I can hear you two talking. Don't think I don't know she's in there.
Tristan: She's not in here Mommy!
Me: YES SHE IS! CAROLINE GET OUT OF THERE AND GO TO BED NOW! I CAN HEAR YOU IN THERE!
Tristan: BUT MOMMY SHE'S NOT HERE! I PROMISE!
Me: Don't you two lie to me! That's all you ever do! How stupid do you think I am?!
Natalie: Umm...Mommy? Caroline's in our room. She's in bed.
Tristan: See? I told you!
Me: Than WHO are you TALKING TO in there, Tristan?
Tristan: Myself.
Me: Well...uh...stop talking to yourself and um...go to bed. Uh...yeah, that's it. GO TO BED!

That boy must be hard of hearing. He talks to himself pretty loudly. I don't know where he gets such strange behavior from...I've got no clue whatsoever. Really.

What's For Dinner

I know I spend an inordinate amount of time here posting what we eat for dinner, but in a family of six it's a daily worry. Given tonight's busy schedule, I'm going to take the lazy way out and just post the chicken recipe I finally chose for tonight's dinner:

NIKKI’S CHICKEN

Put in Bean Pot: 4-6 boneless chicken breasts cubed, 1 can Cream of Chicken soup, 1 can of Cream of Mushroom soup, 1 package of Lipton Onion Soup Mix, 1 can Cream of Celery soup, sliced onions, sliced mushrooms, and 3-4 jalapeños. Bake at 350F for 1 ½ hours. Yum!

The problem with my crock-pot cooking is that I leave too early in the morning and arrive home too late in the afternoon to start a meal. But, I love my Home and Garden party bean pot. It works just like a crock-pot, only faster. I found this recipe and many more like it here. Check them out! (And no, this was not an official endorsement paid or otherwise.)

Busy Day

Tonight's PTA meeting had ONE (count her) ONE parent there tonight besides the Co-President and myself. The principal and teacher rep were there, so it wasn't time wasted, but good grief! Could someone tell me why I do this again?

Anyway, this blogthing looked fun and easy, and it was even somewhat accurate. And I wasn't even sure what songs were popular in 2004!

100 Years by Five for Fighting

"Every day's a new day... 15 there's still time for you Time to buy and time to choose Hey 15, there's never a wish better than this When you only got 100 years to live" 2004 was about thinking and reflecting - but isn't every year?

What 2004 Hit Song Are You?

Did you play? What 2004 song were you? Feel free to tell me in the Comments section.

A Sin of Omission

I can't believe I did this, but when I was writing about Curious George last night, I forgot to link to my favorite post of all time about that crazy monkey which was written by Julie Q. at Mental Tesserae and can be enjoyed by clicking here. I've fixed the link in my Week In Review entry too-just make sure you read it. It covers every beef I've ever had with the little guy and the man in the yellow hat who stole him from Africa loves him and gave him a good home.

Menu Plan Monday

Thanks to being sick and my grandmother hosting last night's Super Bowl party, I have a few recipes left from last week.

Monday-Baked ziti and salad
Tuesday-PTA meeting at 5:30, the kids will eat and grandma's and I will probably grab something afterwards.
Wednesday-Crockpot chicken breasts and broccoli(I'm still not sure about which recipe. I will post when I decide)
Thursday-As much as I hate to admit it, it will probably be Sonic on the way back from Activity Days in Blanchard to Girl Scouts in Norman.
Friday-Pizza bagels and carrot sticks
Saturday-Tacos, refried beans, and corn
Sunday-Friday is a payday, so I will probably decide when I make the grocery list on Wednesday. Maybe one of the other recipes at The Organizing Junkie will inspire me. Thanks to Laura for hosting!

And the Winner Is...

The Colts! Congrats to el-e-e! My pal John was AT THE GAME! And I sure wish I had never taught Dave the "they'll call it back" line because I heard it all night. Still, Gran D and I were happy with the outcome. The good thing about being undecided is that you really enjoy the game without too many pesky emotional ties to either team. So all in all it was a good game and I only have one question:

Hey, John? You see that guy? Yeah, that one there with the #18 on his shirt? Is that Robin Hood?

Week In Review

Reading-

New Testament: Luke 13-19-I'm a little behind this week. It's been a rough week. What can I say?

Deborah and Barak by Trudy J. Morgan Cole-I really liked it. Of course, I've always been fascinated by Deborah who is described in the Old Testament as a judge and prophetess in Israel. Unfortunately, we know little else about her and I really like Ms. Morgan-Cole's picture. She acknowledges that it's fictional, but even so I'm impressed by it. (Also, did I mention that I once lost a writing contest to her? I can't think of a more talented writer to lose to and I really enjoyed the book.)

File Maker Pro 8 Tutorial-Not my favorite reading, but I do feel a lot more comfortable doing data entry at The Agency now. I wish the vo-tech would teach a File Maker Pro class, I can think of two of us at work that would gladly attend it.

Watching-

The SAG Awards-I adore these type of shows and this one, in particular, because it's actors voting for other actors. My favorite dresses were Kate Walsh's (Addison on Grey's), Sandra Oh's (Christina-Grey's), and America Ferrera'a (Betty, Ugly Betty). The best acceptance speeches were Jennifer Hudson's (Dreamgirls), Eddie Murphy's (Dreamgirls), and Chandra Levy's (Baily, Grey's Anatomy)-hers brought tears. I cracked up at Ellen Pompeo's acceptance speech for the cast of Grey's. She really IS Meredith. Too cute.

Battlestar Galactica-O.K. After last week's episode this one was kind of meh. I knew the Starbuck/Apollo split was coming, so that wasn't my problem with it. I also didn't expect Baltar to be such a whiner. I do now remember why this show used to confuse me so much and that's because I NEVER can remember if Caprica Six is real or in Baltar's imagination. I knew she was imagined this time, and that helped a lot. (And at least now I remember why I used to get so confused, though Dave says it's the nature of this series to keep the viewers just a little off-center most of the time.) My friend Toni wonders if Gaeta is a Cylon because he could "hear" Caprica 6 and Baltar singing. I'm not sure, but it's an interesting thought. Also, do we know for sure that Baltar is NOT a Cylon because the episode ended with Caprica 6 saying he wasn't? I mean, that was still his imagination, right? We're Superbowl-ing right now, so I'm not sure when we'll watch the next episode since I like to watch those with Dave and don't see him on most week nights.

Rome-I watched the first two episodes of this season reluctantly. I'm still not completely excited about it-but Dave is hooked. I suppose I should be glad. Episode three is still on the Tivo list. I may have mentioned that my Classics specialization was mostly pre-Imperial Rome and that I'm not as into The Empire period. Not to mention, they're going to have to age Octavian and I think the younger actor is really talented. (I suppose the hotness factor of the new Octavian will help me decide whether or not I enjoy future episodes, I know I'm not getting out of watching it. Isn't it nice that Dave is trying to find common ground with me? LOL!)

Gilmore Girls-FINALLY! An episode that somewhat resembled the Sherman-Palladino days and seemed to have done it's GG history research. I noticed Gina Fattore is now writing for them. She pretty much made the end of Dawson's Creek palatable, so maybe this show won't go out with such a whimper. I'm feeling hopeful...but they'd better not kill off Grandpa. (I'm not feeling as hopeful there.)

Veronica Mars-I found this episode kind of sad, but also entertaining. (Veronica and Logan interviewing call girls? Too funny!) I hate Madison, I wish Mac would tell her she grew up in the wrong family...And where exactly is Wallace? He'd better not be shooting a pilot someplace else. And yes, I know Veronica and Logan are doomed, but would we love to watch it so much if they were happy?

Grey's Anatomy-This week's teary moment was definitely Richard and Ellis. I'm so glad he found it in him to go in and lie to her. Poor Ellis. Also, I guess the Ellis/Christina bonding was a little odd, but I bought it. And I'm glad Meredith got her chance to say "You happened to me!" while Ellis knew what she was saying. (Amazing performance by Kate Burton, by the way. I see why Ellen Pompeo was so keen to mention her at the SAG awards.) I also liked the warm little George/Meredith moment. Dave laughed and laughed at the clueless Dad with his daughter and the tampons, so I reminded him that he has three daughters and that I sometimes go out of town. Oh yeah, laugh at that Buddy! Hopefully, we still have a few years before we worry about all of that.

Degrassi-I watched both last week and this week's episode. Yes, they were very sad, and no; I had NO CLUE they would kill off J.T. Even Dave (who feigns complete disinterest in Degrassi) saw it with me last night and said "How can they kill J.T.? Everybody loves J.T?" Not that he cares, of course. I can't stop thinking about what cute little kids they all were in the pilot. Of course, the actress who plays Liberty is the one who really shines in this episode. She's been amazing. I'm just sad Lauren Collins couldn't clear her schedule to be in these episodes too, Paige and J.T. were pals for a long time. While I agree with my friend thatgirl that his killing was completely senseless and random, apparently, there is a lot more senseless and random teenage killing than there was when I was a teenager. I can certainly relate to sudden death and shock at that age, though. It happened twice in one month when I was a senior: one was a suicide, the other a train wreck. In fact, I found out about the second death at the funeral of the first one. So for me to be impressed with the writing and acting in these episodes is saying something. And that's all I want to say about that.

At the Movies

Curious George-It was a lot cuter than I thought it would be. Though I was amused at how it was suddenly George's idea to go see with the man with the yellow hat. I don't seem to remember the book being like that. (But I've never written anything as funny as Julie Q. has about it.) But, the man in the yellow hat was saving a museum, so I had to love him.

Dreamgirls-This was our girls' night out destination and it was GOOD! There was so much I liked about it that I'm not even sure what to say. Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson deserve every prop they've received thus far and the make-up people actually managed to make Beyonce look, well, mousy and shy for the first part of the movie. I only half-believed it was really her. I'm definitely buying this one-and I think I need the soundtrack too. It was a fun night-thanks to Lanie for putting it together (and thanks to Dirk for wanting a poker night). And as fast as the previews go, I think I liked Roadhogs better when it starred Billy Crystal and was called City Slickers. (Which reminds me, am I the only one who missed Bruno Kirby dying? I saw his face at the SAG tribute and I was really surprised.)

Other Stuff-

I think I'm finally not sick anymore. You know your cold was bad when you aren't sad you missed at lunch with your co-workers at The Cheesecake Factory. I still want to eat there someday and also at The Elephant Bar. I'm not sure I'll like the food at The Elephant Bar, but how can you go wrong with an elephant-themed restaurant? Dave and I also got to spend way more time than we wanted at the mall yesterday, but at least the kids were with his dad. (Yes, you read that right.) Hopefully next week will be a week of all days and not just a week of Monday's.

Sunday Question/Confession

Am I the ONLY mom at church who is sometimes driven to deliberately seek out the biggest piece of bread on the Sacrament tray and stuff it in my two year-old's mouth for the guaranteed 90 seconds of silence that will follow? Just wondering...(Apparently today, she felt like singing inappropriate songs. Then again, just about any song seems inappropriate when the rest of the chapel is quiet.)

Saturday Observations

Never tell the people at Sears to "take your time" fixing the car. They WILL!

An hour or two at the Mall is OK, more than that just isn't anymore (even without kids). I must be getting old.

But there were still good deals to be had there.

Shopping for formal wear is only fun until your early 20's. In your mid-30's, it pretty much stinks.

No matter how big this city gets, it's still a small town. Dave and I saw everyone we know there, including my mom and grandmother.

If your grandmother finds you at the Mall, she will want you to drive her car home for her. (She doesn't see well at night.)

I've finally figured out the problem with my car. It's not the tires or the balance-it's simply the fact that my car is a piece of junk. But it's a piece of junk that likely still has more than 50,000 miles left in it before it gives out. (And that's a good thing.)

Monday's Over

Well, I'm still coughing and sneezing a little, the house is in need of a major pick-up effort, and the kids are fighting over the computer now that they're grounding from it has expired. But you know what? I don't care. We're having Girls' Night Out tonight! Woo Hoo! Granted it's just Pancho's and a movie, but I'll take it! (And I know, I know; we are no longer cute when we put on the sombreros and dance on the tables...but since when has the fear of acting immature ever stopped us?)

Thursday Thirteen #15

This week's Thursday 13 is dedicated to influential books that I have right here in my bookshelves. I'm an avid reader and could name SO many more books than are listed here, but to limit the list to 13, I'm going to go with what I see in front of me right now. I'm going to assume that it's a given that my scriptures are influential as I read them daily and report on where I'm at for each Week In Review-that way I can put other books on the list. It was really hard to keep it to 13 as it was.

1. The Girlfriend's Guide to Getting Your Groove Back by Vicki Iovine-I used to have the guides to pregnancy and surviving the first year of motherhood, but I passed them along to others who needed them more. I can't say enough good about any of her books, they really get you through those mommy moments.

2. The Work and the Glory: The Complete Series by Gerald Lund-Had I not read these books, I would not have been motivated to take that road trip to Nauvoo, IL. And had I not forgotten to make use of my Dad's audiobook library for that trip, we never would have purchased...

3. Harry Potter Books 1-6 by J.K. Rowling-As a mother of a baby son at the time, I felt an immediate connection to poor, little orphaned Harry. As a Classics major, I fell in love with all of Ms. Rowling's clever Latin names. It was love from Chapter One. I am eagerly anticipating (and completely dreading) the end with Book 7.

4. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein-Favorite Uncle Bob bought me the first copy for Christmas when I was 10. I have no idea what happened to that one, but I bought a copy for my children when Natalie was about 6 months-old. We haven't read it yet as a family because Dave and I are too busy re-reading it. I know we'll get around to it though. I love this book about a reluctant hero who finds there is more inside him than what he thought or his family and community encouraged. I think that's true of most of us.

5. The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkein-I'm embarrassed to admit I didn't read these until after I saw the Lord of the Rings:The Fellowship of the Ring. When it became apparent that Caroline would be in the hospital several days with RSV and pneumonia, I left her with Dave so I could go home and pack a bag. Those three books went with me and helped me get through those 5 long days in the hospital. I finished it while sitting on my back porch holding her and watching Natalie and Tristan play-good times. (And boy would your average movie-goer have been mad if they ended The Two Towers movie like Mr. Tolkein ended the book. I was kinda secretly hoping that they would.) In short, good triumphs over evil even at an enormous cost. I think it's important for those of us living in the 21st century to have reminders like that.

6. The Wisdom of Big Bird (and the Dark Genius of Oscar the Grouch): Lessons from a Life in Feathers by Carroll Spinney-Long title, short book; but a very beloved one in this house. Mr. Spinney details his career as a big, yellow bird and he does it beautifully.

7. Before You Leap: A Frog's Eye View of Life's Great Lessons by Kermit the Frog-Oh how I adore this book! It's full of inspirational quotes by Kermit and Friends. What's not to love? Having a bad day? Read a few pages of this and sing along with Kermit to "This Frog" and it will all seem better. Jim Henson has always had an influential effect on my life, and some of his best words are right here in this book.

8. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell-Just before it was time to fly home from one of my Seattle summers, Gran D took cousin E and I to the book store to get some reading material for the flight home. I couldn't decide between GWTW which I had read before but didn't own, or Dianetics by L. Ron Hubbard (told you I was a weird kid) Gran D talked me into GWTW and given the spiritual quest I was on as a teen, I'm SO grateful to her for steering me away from Scientology. (Yes, Dave and I just recently watched South Park's death of chef episode...but I still wanna see the one with Tom Cruise in the closet.) I'm sure there's nothing wrong with Scientology, but anything that would have discouraged my epidural during childbirth or the use of antidepressants when I suffered from PPD is clearly not the right path for me. So yes, Gone With the Wind was the right choice that summer afternoon. It's been the right choice on many afternoons since then.

9. Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce-I first read this book my senior year in high school and I adored it. I've since discovered Dubliners and I have since proclaimed James Joyce one of my all time favorite authors.

10. A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen-OK, so this is actually a play, but it's one that has greatly influenced my life since I first read it in high school.

11. The Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder-These were the first novels I ever read and if you saw The Agency where I work, you would totally "get" why these are still on my list. They definitely left their mark.

12. The Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery-I didn't discover these until I was in middle school, but I still re-read them happily every time I get the chance. Natalie's not too excited about them yet, but she will get there.

13. Any of the Star Wars novels, especially the ones that Dave loaned me over the summer of '96 because our mutual interest in them was one of the first things I realized I actually had in common with him. I guess I owe my marriage and our four children to the fact that he walked into my apartment for our first date (in 6 years-we had dated before), he saw which books I was missing, and loaned me his copies. He guaranteed himself a second date and gave us lots to talk about on it-and the rest is history.