Jamilyn's Journal - July 2005


	Date: 31 July, 2005 Time: 12:07pm Subject: Casa de Happy * * * * * Right now I'm taking a lot of comfort from the Mamas and the Papas. In one of their songs, they sing the line, "the darkest hour is just before dawn." That is my mantra-of-the-day. I'm letting a whole lot of optimism shine through right now because it's easier than thinking the worst. Scott is miserable. I'm feeling pretty blue myself. And we still have two more days before the weekend. At this point, there's really no reason to write anything else about it. It would be no more than heresay and facts that have been ground up in the rumor mill. In other news, I put together my August page this morning. It's pretty lame. I didn't feel like searching the web for any fun backgrounds, so I was stuck with the lame collection in Publisher - they all look a bit like old lady wallpaper. But it's fun - a little bit carnival-esque. That's the climate here in Casa Happy...now a look at the weather where you are. jlm, 7.31.05, 12:22pm \| Date: 30 July, 2005 Time: 11:09am Subject: Saturday Six * * * * * 1. What was your favorite childhood movie? When was the last time you saw it? The only two movies I remember seeing more than once in my childhood were E.T. and Poltergeist. I'm sure that I was exposed to actual childrens movies, but these two stick out the most in my memory (maybe because each had a little blonde girl?). Anyway, last time I saw E.T. was on my first date with Scott (everyone together: aww), and I can't remember the last time I saw Poltergeist. 2. Who is your worst enemy at the moment? (First names only, please.) Why is that person your enemy? In the interest of family unity, I'm not giving a first name or even telling the story. Mom and Scott know. We'll just leave it at a generalization: People who flat-out ignore me until the minute they want something hurt my feelings. But I think the word "enemy" might be a little strong. 3. Which one of the following annoys you most when you encounter a new blog? a. Constant grammatical errors. b. Constant spelling errors. c. Contrived "street" language. d. Too many "nothing happening today" entries. I had to pick two there. I realize everyone has the right to express themselves, but sheesh! "Your not gonna beleeve what hapened today" aaarrrgh! 4. Take this quiz: Which alcoholic drink are you? 5. What is the last thing you said to a person face to face? Who was that person? Umm...about a minute ago, Scott and I had a conversation about lunch. I said I'd prefer tacos. Thrilling, isn't it? 6. When you shower, do you ever think of the Alfred Hitchcock movie, "Psycho?" Actually, yes. But only when I'm in the shower and I hear the bathroom door open and I look out the shower curtain and see Scott standing there mimicking that knife-thrust motion. I know, he's pretty scary. Don't worry though...he doesn't use a knife...just a hair brush! jlm, 7.30.05, 11:26am \| Cross-posted at Quiz Me Date: 29 July, 2005 Time: 12:01am Subject: Books...I got a million! * * * * * Weekend Assignment #70: Suggest a book for a long trip. Stipulations: "I'm open to fiction and non-fiction, and I like to read from all genres. I don't mind something challenging, but this should be a book for enjoyment; I'm not planning to study for a test or anything. Please don't recommend a book that's sold over, say, 5 million copies, because that's waaaay too easy. So no Harry Potters or DaVinci Codes or the Five People You Meet in Heaven or most primary religious texts or stuff like that." I have a feeling that my first book suggestion has probably sold more than 5 million copies. Unlike Harry Potter though, it's certainly not 5 million in the first printing! I whole-heartedly recommend Memoirs of a Geisha, by Arthur Golden, to any adult, male or female; or any female over age 13. The link above goes to the BN.com sales page for the book, which has a review that totally captures the essence of the book. No review I could possibly write could touch it. I will, however, say this: This is a love story. A growing-up story. A heartbreak story. And it feels so real when you read it that it's like you're really there. Plus, it's an upcoming film starring Ziyi Zhang and Ken Watanabe...a definite "must-read" for anyone who hasn't already done so. The second book on my recommended reading list is Sammy's Hill by Kristen Gore (yes, THAT Gore...she's Al's daughter). The heroine of the story, Samantha Joyce, is a 20-something policy advisor to a senator. She's also neurotic, comedic, and befriends telemarketers. The story is definitely light "fluff" reading, perfect for a long flight (or at work inbetween calls). I really enjoyed following Sammy's work life, love life, and family life. I will definitely read anything else Ms. Gore writes. Scott is participating this week, too. He says Rainbow Six (Tom Clancy) is at the top of his must-read list. "Newly named the head of an international task force dedicated to combating terrorism, John Clark is looking forward to getting his teeth into a new mission, but the opportunities start coming thicker and faster than anyone could have expected: an incident at a Swiss bank, the kidnapping of an international trader in Germany, a terrible raid on an amusement park in Spain." (from the Publisher) What I loved about Rainbow Six is that the amusement park in the book is a total clone of a Disney park, down to the underground tunnels. Plus, the bad guy got a job as a security guard in the park. Since I was working Security at the time, I got a chuckle out of that angle of the story. Extra Credit: If you have any special tips or techniques you used for dealing with long trips, I'd love to hear them. In my childhood, I made countless trips from New Jersey to Florida trapped in the back of a Buick driven by my dad. I'm a long-trip professional. The key to long-term sanity is diversity. Bring a variety of things to do -- cards, books, puzzles (Yes & No books with the "magic pen" were my favorites when I was little...Mom liked cryptograms), music, and munchies (not quite as important on a plane I guess). And make sure you get up and stretch your legs every 2-3 hours. Prevents going totally stir-crazy and has health benefits as well. bon voyage! jlm, 7.29.05, 12:47am \| Date: 28 July, 2005 Time: 11:54am Subject: Positive Reinforcement * * * * * I'm so very proud today. The picture of Milo in the fridge has been recognized yet again. This time, John of By The Way... picked my picture as one of the three best examples of beating the summer heat... I'm starting something new this week, which is that at the conclusion of each Monday Photo Shoot, I'm going to pick three participants that I think did a particularly good job of living up to that particular week's theme -- in this case, showing summer heat. This is to give folks encouragement and thanks for playing along with the assignment each week. No, you don't win anything, other than my thanks. Hey, don't blame me. I wanted to give out ponies to the winners. But AOL's accountants say I don't have the budget for that. Stupid corporate bean-counters. So I don't get a pony...but at least I know that even more people will get to see how cute my baby is. yay! jlm, 7.28.05, 11:58am \| Date: 27 July, 2005 Time: 11:41am Subject: Further Misadventures in Cooking * * * * * Last night, I started going through the Ultimate Muffin Book because I had a serious desire for baked goods. Unfortunately, our kitchen did not come equipped with baking powder, and for all of the cooking Scott does, very little of it is baking...and no baking that doesn't start in a box. So I found the one recipe for which we had all of the ingredients: BANANA muffins! those are Shrek muffin papers, by the way, Scott couldn't find normal ones anywhere! They look pretty good, right? About 10 minutes into their cooking, they filled the kitchen and living room with the most heavenly banana bread smell. And then the timer went off and it all went to Hell in a handbasket. As soon as I opened the oven door, I knew exactly what had gone wrong. They smelled of baking soda. Apparently the unmarked canister of flour I had assumed was all-purpose was actually self-rising. Scott assured me they would be fine, and even took a bite out of one and told me it was pretty good..."until it burned a hole in my tongue!" So I went to bed without the satisfaction of delicious muffin-y goodness in my belly, and threw out the muffins this morning. I should've brought them to work and left them in the breakroom when no one was looking. muahahahaha Anyway, today has been dubbed the Day of Muffins. I went through the book this morning and wrote down the ingredients I'd need for 6 varieties from corndog (corn muffins with shredded cheese and slices of hot dog) to apple to tomato (made with tomato soup, parmesan cheese, and fresh herbs). On the top of the shopping list: all purpose flour, baking powder, a new canister, and a sharpie to mark which flour is which to prevent toxic muffins in the future! We'll see how much muffinery actually gets accomplished today. I'd at least like to make a batch of sweets and a batch of savories. jlm, 7.27.05, 11:52am \| Date: 26 July, 2005 Time: 6:36pm Subject: Day-o-Silliness * * * * * Jaclyn and I set out today to find her a house...again. If I had a $250,000 budget, I would have found a house by now. Of course, I never lived in a palace either, so I guess my standards are lower. We had some laughs...documented by me... The master suite of this house had a balcony that overlooked the entrance area. I couldn't resist the opportunity to play Evita. "I am only a simple woman..." We found a funhouse mirror inside Goofy's Candy Co. How fun! And I couldn't help myself - I just had to take a picture of the GCC logo made of jellybeans! I wanted to buy this mini candy bin with the GCC logo on it and fill it with caramels. Jaclyn wanted to make sure I got my money's worth. The empty bin was $5. The filled bin was $10. And we got 1.2 pounds of candy in the bin. Considering the candy is $11/pound, I'd say I made out like a bandit. Plus I got my discount! woohoo! jlm, 7.26.05, 6:43pm \| Date: 26 July, 2005 Time: 10:51am Subject: Breaking News Blog * * * * * So...that's what a shuttle launch looks like from the balcony of my apartment. Like a novice sky-writer who hasn't learned to turn, right? Well, it was still impressive to see. If I had grabbed my camera 30 seconds earlier (we'll blame Scott for thinking the launch was still 8 minutes away), we would've been able to see the golden streak ahead of the smoke. But alas, I'll be content with my cloud shots. Scott, for some reason, had the TV on channel 6 before lift-off. From now on, I will call them "Special 6" instead of "Local 6." Apparently they were so moved by the sight of the launch they lost the ability to speak like intelligent adults. One of them, referring to the vibrations in the air right after lift-off said, "it really jiggles the gizzard, doesn't it?" Jiggles the gizzard? Is that a joke? Sheesh! jlm, 7.26.05, 10:56am \| Date: 25 July, 2005 Time: 11:49pm Subject: Is it? * * * * * Here in Florida, where the high temperatures are rarely below 70, it is a crime to ask of another person, "it is hot enough for you?" The answer is yes. It's always hot enough. Rarely a day goes by that any Floridian says "gee...I'm a bit chilly." (c)weather.com Surprisingly enough, Florida seems to be one of the coolest spots in the country these days. Our high today was a mere 93, compared with temperatures in the south- and mid-west. I heard on the news this afternoon that the temperature in Orlando hasn't gone below 70 in something like three weeks. In fact, our forecast low tonight is 78. Sheesh...that's hot! In honor of the heat, I present this week's Monday Photo Shoot: In a picture, illustrate how hot it is where you are. Quite frankly, I could have pondered this assignment for weeks, but there was really no need. I already have the perfect picture to illustrate that it's not only "hot enough" for me and Scott, but also for our favorite cat. And again I'd like to mention to anyone who hasn't seen this picture before that Milo got in the fridge all by himself and I had to bribe him out with his favorite toy - an ice cube to bat around the kitchen floor. jlm, 7.26.05, 12:03am \| Date: 25 July, 2005 Time: 11:38am Subject: Expanding our horizons * * * * * Last night we stopped at Wal Mart after work to buy flea spray (Scott thinks we may win this war after all) and got stuff to make pot roast. We also expanded our junk food horizons, opting for s'mores ingredients rather that Doritos and ice cream. And then I felt compelled to buy a $4 bottle of wine. I wanted to roast marshmallows over an open candle, but "we" decided that wasn't really the best idea. We nuked them instead. I had 2 s'mores with 1 marshmallow and 2 squares of Hershey bar each. Total calories: 251. Really, a whole lot better than ice cream. And they're rather labor intensive, what with all the melting marshmallow and dripping chocolate, so I don't think it would be practical to eat more than that. As for the $4 bottle of wine (it was Arbor Mist Sangria Zinfandel, in case you were wondering), I thought it was pretty good. I had about half of a normal serving, because that's about all it takes to mellow me out. Having consumed the wine just after s'mores, I'm not really in a position to say "yea" or "boo" at this point. I think I liked it, and got a cherry vybe. Scott's review was "vinegar with a hint of boiled egg." T.G.I.F. jlm, 7.25.05, 11:51pm \| Date: 24 July, 2005 Time: 12:17pm Subject: And you are...? * * * * * Last night I had one of those laugh out loud moments that I don't think is going to be as funny written down. That being said, here's the story... I was sitting in the bathroom, minding my own business, when someone came in and sat in the stall next to mine. The woman who came in pulled off a piece of toilet paper and tossed it under my stall. I was a little annoyed, thinking "this is why our bathroom is always such a mess." So I slid said paper back under the stall with my foot. And she picked it up and tossed back to me. I did all I could think, saying, "Thank you?" And then she pulled off another piece and threw it under my stall. At this point, my whole body was trembling because I'm trying to not laugh out loud. Tears were obscuring my vision. And then she said something. I can't remember what she said, but it made me believe that she thought I was someone else. Fast forward to the hand-washing point of the bathroom visit: I was at the sink washing my hands when she came out of the stall. The look on her face was priceless as she started gushing - "Ohmy God Iamsosorry Ithoughtyouweresomeoneelse Shehasthesameshoes." I replied "well, about half the people in here have these shoes - they're from Wal Mart." And then, cool as a cucumber, she replied "well she does shop at Wal Mart." And then she went back to apologizing. I told her not to worry about it thanked her for the laugh (by this point, I'm laughing like a hyena), and went back to my desk where I continued to laugh for a few more minutes. There have been multiple times when my mother and I have done things like this to eachother. She will loudly offer me ointment or a baby wipe, and I'll reach under the stall and un-tie her shoes or grab her ankle. I can totally imagine being the moron tormenting a total stranger. I'm really glad that this time I got to be the total stranger. :o) jlm, 7.24.05, 12:31pm \| Date: 23 July, 2005 Time: 11:56pm Subject: Saturday Six * * * * * 1. Who was your first best friend? How old were you when you two met? Are you still in regular contact with each other? My first best friend was probably Andrea (insert last name here) who lived down the street from me when I was very little. There were three little girls on the block, and she and I often ostracized Tracy Fiametta. I haven't spoken to her since I was probably...6? (mom, did I get any of this right?) *2. Other than the "Saturday Six," what weekly or daily memes do you play most often? (Please give a link to that journal.)* The Journal Jar - and I've only been doing that one for a few days. I like the idea of the Jar - 365 questions to answer, one per day: "A life story - one day at a time. This celebrates something special - You! If you follow a simple plan, you will find before this time next year, you will have a very personal history finished." My responses to the Jar and other silly quizzes can be found here. I also generally do the Weekend Assignment and Monday Photo Shoot from By the Way. 3. Which of the following likely has the bigger mess underneath it: your stove, your refrigerator, your couch or your bed? I conferred with Scott, and he says the couch. Upon further reflection, I'm going to say the stove. I know there's got to be a ton of random food particles underneath it. 4. Take this quiz: How long does MSN think you'll live? 96! wtf? Then take this one: How long does Blogthings think you'll live? 79. OK, I'm overweight, eat high-fat foods, and never exercise. I wonder what made MSN think I might live that long. 5. Do either or both of these motivate you to make any changes in your lifestyle? I think 80 is a pretty respectable age. According to the genius that is Internet Quiz, it looks like I'm doing everything right! 6. Name five things you would like to do by December 31, 2005. Conceive Get a new job Pay off my car (that's supposed to be Feb '06 anyway) Leave the state of Florida for a few days Bring the balance of the joint savings account back up over $1000. jlm, 7.24.05, 12:14am \| Cross-posted at Quiz Me. Date: 23 July, 2005 Time: 12:21am Subject: Free Lunch? Not so much! * * * * * I was very honored two weeks ago when my manager asked if I'd like to be a part of a round-table luncheon with the Director of our department (who is also the head of transportation and some other odds & ends). There were going to be ten of us and him talking about...whatever BS topics directors always talk about at roundtable discussions, and this was to take place in mid-August. We found out this week that we have had a corporate re-shuffle, and we have a new director. I haven't yet confirmed that the luncheon is cancelled, but really, I doubt the old director really has much to say to us, and apparently our new director is moving to Vero Beach in a month, so I doubt she'll bother asking what's important to us. I guess the saying is true - there really isn't such a thing as a free lunch! Well, if anyone out there is considering a move to the Orlando area, fear not - there's plenty of employment to be had! All of the theme parks are hiring, along with most of the places Scott and I pass on our way to work: Carrabba's, Red Lobster, Houlihan's, McDonald's, as well as Taco Bell and World of Denim. While we were in line at the TB (hee hee...those are funny initials for a food chain!) drive thru, I couldn't resist snapping these: And one more totally random picture for today. While stuck at a red light, I noticed that the car in front of me (who also had a yellow ribbon...don't get me started!) had a decal on the back window that said "Got Poop?" Can someone explain why anyone would want that on their car? How totally bizarre! jlm, 7.23.05, 12:39am \| Date: 22 July, 2005 Time: 12:11am Subject: Look out Jerry... * * * * * I think I'm going to take over Scott's favorite icecreamery and rename it Ben & Jamie's. And here's why... Weekend Assignment #69: You've been hired to create a whole new ice cream flavor that's never been thought of before (so far as you know). What flavor do you create? The flavor, essentially, is creme brulee. And it only needs one mix-in to make it exquisite. We'll start with caramel ice cream (vanilla is a little too plain for this) and add in lacy-thin pieces of caramelized sugar, just like the crust on an actual creme brulee. Like I said: simple, uncluttered, and exquisite. this isn't my sundae...it's a Ghirardelli caramel sundae. mmm Extra Credit: Oh, fine. Create an utterly inedible ice cream flavor, too. Try not to make it too gross...but it can include ingredients that you wouldn't really put into food. Usually. How's the tuna melt strike you? Vanilla ice cream with chunks of real tuna and a cheddar cheese swirl. Substitute breadcrumbs and mayo for nuts and whipped cream and we've got a real scary beast on our hands! jlm, 7.22.05, 12:23am \| Date: 21 July, 2005 Time: 11:55am Subject: Trip Trip to WalMart * * * * * Yesterday Scott discovered a nail in his tire. Since his tires are all getting rather worn, we decided to go ahead and replace two of them. This trip became a comedy of errors. When we pulled into the side lot of Wal Mart (where, by the way, no one else parks. I think I may be on to something here!), we got out to write down the type of tires we needed. Scott all of a sudden goes three shades of white (Yes, white has three shades) and picks up his wedding ring off the top of the car!!! He had taken it off while fiddling with the tires and put it up there rather than leave it on the ground. We're both still dumbstruck that it lasted that long. Thank you, God! So we order the tires, and the angry biotch working the tire & lube register tells us it will be an hour. So we wander aimlessly. I was thinking about going into the El Generico snack shop to get a drink and hang out, but it's closed - apparently it's going to be a Blimpie when it reopens. So we wander some more. I ended up with a new toothbrush, a wallet (which almost matches the blue accents in my purse), and a new outfit -- truly the best Wal Mart has to offer -- khaki pants that make my butt look good and a blue button-down 95% cotton shirt. The pants were disguised as ugly pants by the hot pink belt that came with them...but they look fine without the belt, and I was so excited to find them. I could never fill up a wardrobe with Wal-clothes, but every now and then something good pops up - like the $12 dress I wore to Laura's wedding. We finished off the trip with some ankle-high stockings (they were out of knee-highs and I was forced to try something new...maybe these will work well for me) for work, and some frozen pizzas for dinner. We split up, me to the register and Scott to the tire center. I had some trouble with the stupid touch screen on the card reader, and apparently asked it for $80 cash back instead of $0. The woman handed me my $80 change and I actually said, "oh crap...I didn't want any money back!" She, helpful employee that she is, said "now you have $80. you're rich!" Oy! Time to make some lunch! jlm, 7.21.05, 12:10pm \| Date: 20 July, 2005 Time: 1:31pm Subject: Monday(?) Photo Shoot * * * * * Monday Photo Shoot: Your neighborhood is full of wildlife no matter where you live. Catch some of it -- in a picture. Florida has some of the most unique wildlife in the country. We have armadillos, alligators, and all sorts of crazy birds with long beaks and longer legs. However, today I'd like to focus on the jurassic-esque insects. Florida's native insects remind me of that scene in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom where poor Kate Capshaw gets swarmed by giant scary bugs. (c)2005, Jaclyn Roaches...they can survive a nuclear blast, but not a tourist's foot. This roach was (I swear) 3" long. And dead. Which is how I prefer all roaches. It was, however, remarkably alive-looking. I'm so terrified of roaches that I couldn't even take this picture because I wouldn't get close enough. It had actually made it up to the second level of the MK ferryboat dock before it met its demise. Oh well...at least it died on vacation! jlm, 7.20.05, 1:42pm \| Date: 20 July, 2005 Time: 12:25pm Subject: Fortune Cookie * * * * * Stinky Shoe has switched to a new brand of fortune cookie. In addition to possibly the lamest fortune ever ("You are a practical person with your feet on the ground."), they have an...interesting graphic on the package: I'm not sure if this little girl is shaving her chin or doing something completely inappropriate. In any case, she doesn't look like she belongs on a fortune cookie wrapper. Those wacky Chinese food suppliers! On the plus side, my fortune did teach me a new way to annoy Scott. It turns out the Chinese word for cat is "mao." If you say "mao" the right way, it sounds like you're saying "meow." When the other restaurant patrons ask why you're meowing, just tell them you're practicing your Chinese nouns! jlm, 7.20.05, 12:35pm \| Date: 20 July, 2005 Time: 11:59am Subject: The Five Year Breakfast * * * * * The alarm went off this morning at 6:35 (in time for a 10-minute snooze). And then we sat there and debated actually getting up and getting all dressed up just to go to some silly breakfast. I'm glad we went. Table assignments were based on department. I had a choice of 6 tables, and Scott had a bunch more. Not surprisingly, they weren't together. We decided to go all bold and I "crashed" one of the security tables. We headed toward the one table where we saw someone we knew. As we set down our plates, we noticed who else was seated at the table - 2 senior managers (including one Scott has recently interviewed with) and Scott's area manager. Luckily for us, the non-managers at the table knew me and welcomed me like an old friend. I'm pretty sure no one realized I didn't belong there. And when the other area and senior managers were walking around saying "congratulations," they all congratulated me...probably thinking I was new to the department or they just didn't know me. I think the moment that made Scott glad he got up and went this morning was when Eric Carr came over to say hello. We both got big hugs from him, and he sat down and had a cup of coffee and chatted with Scott for a while. He seems like he's healing, although there's still a little sadness on his face. Still, it was so good to see him. The entertainment included three songs performed by members of Vybe, and the grand finale had Cinderella & Prince Charming, Belle & Beast, Snow White & Dopey, Donald & Daisy, Mickey & Minnie, and Goofy & Clarabelle (wow! Clarabelle? we didn't know she existed in 3-D!). We were also subjected to a receiving line when we got there. Scott got to shake hands with Lee, and I shook hands with AL...along with a bunch of other people I've never seen before. And we got some really high-class souveniers - a mini plush (mine is Minnie, Scott's is Donald) with magnetic hands. I'm glad we went. Among other things, I wore a skirt, pantyhose and heels, Scott wore a button-down shirt, and we both managed to have fun. Now I need a nap! jlm, 7.20.05, 12:13pm \| Date: 19 July, 2005 Time: 8:40pm Subject: Two Days Late * * * * * This just in from the "In Case You Missed It Department" -- the 50th anniversary of the opening of Disneyland was this week. I wish I could've been there. Diane Disney Miller (Walt's only surviving offspring) was there, along with the CEO and CEO-Elect, and the Governator. This picture gave me a warm fuzzy the minute I saw it: (c) Disney Everyone through the gates that morning got one of those nifty gold mouse ear hats. Shame my car wasn't there...she would've blended right in! Well, Happy Anniversary, Disneyland! Hopefully I won't still be living in Florida in 16 years when Orlando gets painted gold! jlm, 7.19.05, 8:45pm \| Date: 19 July, 2005 Time: 4:40pm Subject: Inspiration for Couch Potatoes * * * * * I wrote this entry already. AOL, however, decided it needed a little break just* as I was hitting "Preview." The original entry was probably better. I'm never as witty the second time around!* I just read the greatest story. TheFatManWalking.com chronicles the progress of a 400 lb. man walking across the country. Apparently he realized he was obese and decided to do something about it. He started out in southern California and the plan is to go all the way to the Northeast. So far he's gone 500+ miles and lost 50 pounds. I read the first and last pages of the on-going journal (yep...he's got a journal!!) and it sounds like the guy needs new feet. Bleeding blisters and new shoes every two weeks...for six months!?! - not my idea of a vacation! This trip sounds like it's also been tough for his wife at home. I admire them both. So go check out the site...be inspired...and then (if you're like me) take a nap in Steve's honor! jlm, 7.19.05, 4:50pm \| Date: 19 July, 2005 Time: 12:24am Subject: It is all about me, right? * * * * * Could this be me? (R.D. Condensed version: nanny gets fired by her employer because her blog makes employer uncomfortable. employer writes column about her experience in the NY Times. nanny fires back in her own column. the entire blogging community seems to explode about the issue) I doubt it - my life isn't interesting enough to be fodder for a newspaper columnist. And Mike & Reyna didn't fire me from babysitting for talking about how cute (or annoying) their kids are. But every now and then I wonder if I could be fired for blogging. I don't name my employer, but is anyone out there confused about where I work? I use bad words, but not to excess (says me) I talk about my co-workers (who are also friends) I (too often?) rant about how stupid the people on the other end of the phone line are. Well...THEY ARE!! Honestly, I think I've already seen the darker side of blogging. There are a bunch of people out there - former classmates, co-workers, friends, family - out there who read me every now and then (700 people in June) and don't comment. I don't know who they all are, but I know they read because they mention the blog to my mom or to Scott or to me or (most frighteningly) to eachother. I know for a fact that what I write makes people uncomfortable sometimes. Well, I make people uncomfortable sometimes. It's part of who I am: a twenty-something, surrounded by dysfunctional people, with a malfunctioning mental stop sign. Sometimes that's a bad combination. Most times it makes for darn good blog-fodder! Some people get upset when I mention them. I'm not in the habit of disclosing trade secrets here, but if I write on here "Person X had a boob job" and Person X says she didn't want that to be public knowledge, I happily strike the offending words. (and I really do try to think about whether someone would want something printed about them before I write it...but there's that whole mental stop sign thing...) Some people (like Matthew, who has a kickin' new blog) are tickled to be mentioned. How do I tell the difference? Trial and error. And sometimes I err. Anyway, I guess this entry has probably been interesting to...well, just me. I have some things that I've been wanting to say for a while now, but I'm self-editing. Sometimes I think about going back to Xanga when I have a personal-type vent to post (apparently Scott has a blog there...it's hidden so I'm sure it's full of "Jamie is a jackass" posts!), but why hold on to angry, bitter, unhappy memories? I'm keeping all of my posts here for a purely selfish reason: some day I'm going to print out the text & images of my entire blog and bind it in a hard copy to keep forever. I'd prefer to look back and remember the little moments that made me smile...or the ones where I made Scott smile (it's Shark Week on the Discovery Channel, so yesterday I kept going "Shark Week ooh ha ha" - Scott laughed in spite of himself). Jeez...I've been meandering a lot in this entry. Sorry about that! Bottom line: be careful what you publish. Don't be stupid. Jamie luvs Scott. jlm, 7.19.05, 12:50am \| Date: 18 July, 2005 Time: 11:27am Subject: HP - Done * * * * * I finished the book last night around 2:30. And how dare J.K. Rowling leave the book off in such a cliffhanger? And really, upon retrospect, it isn't so much a cliffhanger as I want to know how it ends!!! Since I can't properly review the book (and my book reviews are pretty lame anyway), I'll just say that this is my new favorite HP book, and I'm giving it JJJJj out of JJJJJ. One thing I really loved about this book is how it really makes sense of some random anomalies from the first few books...and makes me want to re-read them knowing what I know now. And the end made me cry. Well, Scott is reading it now, started this morning, so soon I'll have someone to actually talk about the details with. I now return to the Complete Chronicles of Narnia, already in progress. jlm, 7.18.05, 11:57am \| Date: 17 July, 2005 Time: 10:49am Subject: HP day 2 * * * * * As I write this, I have a cat curled up on my lap happily sucking on his foot. This has become my morning ritual with Kilo (a.k.a. Fat Cat or Orca). He meows until I let him get up on my lap, and then he settles in and I find awkward ways to type over his big body. He doesn't cuddle easily, and I feel a little guilty that he doesn't get as much love as Milo. So here we are. Up until a few minutes ago, Milo was sitting on the back of the computer chair. Yep, my boys and I were sharing a moment. Anyway, I'm up around page 275 of H.P.a.t.H.B.P. and of course am forbidden to talk about it, for fear of spoiling anything for Scott. So far it's good. Of course, I'm about 1/3 through the book and so far no quidditch matches and no Voldemort sightings. Scott (my little Potter-maniac) says everything he's read has said this book is really dark. Not so far. And so far I'm enjoying it more than books 4 and 5. The third was my favorite. Well I'm off to read some more. jlm, 7.17.05, 10:57am \| Date: 16 July, 2005 Time: 11:46am Subject: Saturday Six * * * * * 1. What is the last thing you either camped out or got up unusually early to be able to buy? Sadly, I've never camped out for anything. However, I think going to midnight openings should count, since they're so far past my bedtime. I've done Star Wars and Batman Begins this year...plus the Harry Potter book last night. 2. If you had to give up one of the following for a full year, which would be the easiest to do without? Which would be the most difficult to give up? a) Your personal vehicle b) Your Telephone (both cellular and land line) c) The Internet - HARDEST! Without the internet, I probably wouldn't keep in touch with anyone I know...and I wouldn't have my blog. d) Meat (all of it: Beef, Poultry, Pork and Seafood) - Easiest...I gave up everything but fish & chicken one year for New Years. Of course, that was before I lived with the King of Ground Beef! (in his defense, we're having chicken today) e) Television 3. How many items (include all bottles, boxes and containers) are in your medicine cabinet? Which is the last one you used? 19...sounds like a lot, doesn't it? The last one I used was my contact lens solution this morning. 4. What is the first source you go to for news of any kind when you wake up? How much do you trust that particular source? Scott. He checks the news from a bunch of different sources online, so I ask him if there's anything in the world I should know about. I usually watch the local ABC affiliate at noon too. As for trust...ehh...it's a crap shoot. I'm really not too cynical until you give me a reason to not believe you (Mister President). 5. Take the Quiz: What do the letters of your name stand for? Joyous Astonishing Modern Industrious Easy - doesn't really sound too much like me. Easy?? In what sense? 6. What is your favorite color and why? If you have a journal or journals, is this color the primary one on those journals? If not, why not? I really don't have a favorite color. I wear a lot of blues and reds, but I think that has more to do with the fact that I bought most of my work wardrobe in the winter. Really, I like the colors in a partly-cloudy sunset - when the clouds are outlined in pink and silver and the sky is orange/yellow/blue/dark. As for the journal, it changes colors monthly. I can't be expected to live with the same theme month after month, can I? jlm, 7.16.05, 12:00pm \| Date: 16 July, 2005 Time: 12:46am Subject: The Triumphant Return * * * * * We came...We saw...We conquered. OK, we came...we waited in line... We bought... All told, we were in Wal Mart for 45 minutes. We got there around 11:50, at midnight they handed out books so we probably got our copies around 12:01, and then rather than wait in line at the check-out, we shopped. Scott and Chuck chose to have their Harry Potter portrait taken with the KY and Monistat. Chuck bought some Tylenol, Jamie got ice cream, and Scott got (everyone together:) Doritos. I still have 1 1/2 books left in my massive Chronicles of Narnia book from the library, but I may have to just check it out again in a few weeks once I'm over Potter-mania. If you'll excuse me now, somewhere out there is a 4th grader with an hour head-start on me who doesn't have to go to work tomorrow. jlm, 7.16.05, 12:52am \| Date: 15 July, 2005 Time: 11:41pm Subject: First Star Wars... * * * * * ...And now Harry Potter. I just got suckered into meeting Chuck at the Wal Mart across the street to get Half Blood Prince. This time I'm taking my camera just in case, although I know that most of the freaks will be at the high-end bookstores having ordered their copies 6 months ago. fun fun fun jlm, 7.15.05, 11:43pm \| Date: 14 July, 2005 Time: 7:04pm Subject: Vive la France * * * * * Today is Bastille Day, the national holiday in France in which the French commemorate the storming of the Bastille prison because, well, it was the French Revolution, and that's just what you did in those days, I guess. This makes for a fun Weekend Assignment: Weekend Assignment #68: Take a moment to appreciate something French. Tell us about that French thing you most appreciate. It could be anything, from a particular French wine to your favorite French filmmaker to the fact they like Jerry Lewis more than we. At first I thought I was going to go with the Chateaux of the Loire Valley. It's my #1 vacation goal to go there and chateau-hop. Then I thought about the Eiffel Tower, but that brought up fresh memories of the "TomKat" engagement. And then I thought about Notre Dame, which led me to the Hunchback, which is how I settled on Victor Hugo. Hugo wrote two classic timeless stories, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Miserables. I've seen animated and live-action versions of both, both musical and drama. I know the music from both (courtesy of Disney and Cameron Mackintosh) by heart. I read Les Miserables - begged my parents for over a year before I finally got my hands on a copy of the novel and then took over a year to read it...sometimes abridging is a good thing! I loved the story though. And someday I'm going to re-read it (but skip all of those long Revolutionary battle chapters). Even my AOL screenname, Jamie24601 is derived from Les Mis. I just love a story where gypsies and thieves are the heroes. Who is the villain in Les Mis? Javert, the policeman. Who is the villain in Hunchback? Frollo, the archdeacon. I think it's safe to say that Victor Hugo wasn't big on the powerful. Why? I can't say for sure, but it might have something to do with the fact that he lived in exile during the reign of Napoleon III. And thus ends today's lecture on French literature and history, all in the name of the Weekend Assignment! Extra Credit: Been to France? Some of your vacation pictures would be nice to see. Sadly, non. I studied French for three years in high school, but have never been to a non-english-speaking country. I have been to the France pavilion at Epcot, but it's not really photo-worthy! PS - as for my favorite french food: creme brulee hands down! Regular, butterscotch, banana, chocolate, passion fruit, pistachio -- if they make it into a custard with carmelized sugar on top, I'll eat it. "Laughter is the sun that drives out winter from the human face." --Victor Hugo, Les Miserables jlm, 7.14.05, 7:29pm \| Date: 14 July, 2005 Time: 11:18am Subject: yeah...so... * * * * * I'm off today. And I feel like today is going to be an "off" kinda day. Maybe a movie, maybe a nap, maybe some food. I need to pay bills and finish the laundry. Other than that, R & R is the recipe for happiness today. jlm, 7.14.05, 11:23am \| Date: 13 July, 2005 Time: 11:50am Subject: Yesterday * * * * * Yesterday when we got up the cable was out. Argh! No TV...no internet...the horror! So we decided to go out to the parks. Let's not forget that it was about 95 yesterday in the shade and there's not too much shade out there! We wanted to do things we hadn't done before, so we went to MGM to try to catch the stunt show. No luck - it was around 1:30 when we got there, the next show wasn't until 3:30 and the fastpasses were for 5:45. Plus the news helicopters flying overhead were messing with my chi. So we left MGM... ...and went to Epcot. We did manage to find some stuff at Epcot we had never seen before. We took in the Hong Kong Disneyland Preview Center, which had models of their attractions (including the Pooh ride, Dumbo, Jungle Cruise, and Tarzan's Treehouse...not much in the way of NEW rides!), two hotels (one of which looks remarkably similar to the Grand Floridian), and this neat-oh pop-up map of the new park: We also checked out the "museum" they put in the American Adventure pavilion, which has an exhibit called "Echoes of Africa." And I, being the immature goof that I am, took a picture of this statue called Mother and Child (seen here in profile). If you really squint, you can see why I took the picture: the mother's abnormally long Madonna-esque cone boobies! And we spent some time in Innoventions West, checking out the new fire safety exhibit (I scored 13/13 on the quiz, making me a Chief!) and we found yet another place to have our pictures taken and e-mailed... We wrapped up the day with a 50% off meal at Whispering Canyon. We got the skillet, which included ribs, roast chicken, mashed potatoes, baked beans (from scratch!), pulled pork, and sausage, plus cornbread and salad. When the runner brought us refills, he brought a whole skillet. And the waitress (Miss Understood) hooked us up with a to go box...which weighs about 10 pounds! Today I'm working (not overtime...traded with someone who has family in town) and Scott's getting a visit from his favorite barber. Tomorrow I'll have a day off by myself to watch movies and finish the laundry that Scott has been diligently working on all day. jlm, 7.13.05, 12:14pm \| Date: 12 July, 2005 Time: 12:12am Subject: Brr * * * * * Your Monday Photo Shoot: Cool down on a hot summer day by posting one of your favorite pictures from winters past. You know me - can't pick just one picture. But I did narrow it down to four... From the upper left: The snow-scape seen from the back of my house in Marlton. I just love the type of picture that could be black & white or color...you're just not sure. Me and Rachel B. made a snow woman (yes, she has boobs) and a snow baby. In case you were wondering what happened to that snow ball in Ilana's hand, it ended up in my big open mouth about 3 seconds after the picture was taken Blizzard of '96 - it caused my high school graduation to be pushed back over a week due to make-up days...and probably inconvenienced some other people too! Sometimes I miss the changing seasons...but then I think back to learning to drive on ice and slush and realize I'm pretty happy where I am! jlm, 7.12.05, 12:24am \| Date: 11 July, 2005 Time: 11:41am Subject: Lunch * * * * * Lunch today will consist of fish, broccoli and cauliflower au gratin, and herb & butter rice. Real cooking? Well, sorta. The fish is actually fish sticks. The veggies are of the frozen variety, but the cheese sauce is from scratch (and boy is it tasty!). And the rice is a Lipton side dish. Well on the bright side, we're definitely breaking out of our normal fish stick sides of tater tots and corn. And this meal was prepared by both of us, side by side. And lunch always tastes better when you don't have to cook the whole thing yourself. bon apetit! jlm, 7.11.05, 11:45am \| Date: 10 July, 2005 Time: 11:29am Subject: Saturday Six * * * * * 1. How many mirrors are there in your home? If you could go for the rest of your life without ever looking in a mirror (but still know that you hadn't missed a button or that your hair was disarrayed, etc.) would you? There are 3, not counting the little ones inside make-up cases. And since I barely spend 5 minutes a day in front of one now, I could definitely go the rest of my life without them. 2. What online abbreviation annoys you the most and why? "Gr8." Really, why do we need to use numbers in words? That's just nuts! 3. What do you hate the most in this world? Well, I try not to hate anything, but I really hate it when I have to repeat myself. Take the following transcript of an actual conversation I had with someone on the phone at work: him: do you have rooms that overlook the park? me: yes we do. him: are you the only hotel that does? me: no, blah and blah hotels also overlook it. him: they do? me: yes him: do you have rooms that overlook the park? me: yes This literally went on with three more questions...asked about eight times. After he asked me the same question 3 times in a row I finally yelled "YES" and he said thankyougoodbye. Sorry I scared you dude, but you were really overcooking my grits! 4. You decide to go to your next high school reunion. What do you anticipate would be the thing most people said about you behind your back? Well, besides the weight gain, I expect them to say something along the lines of, "I can't believe she doesn't have a real job. Never even finished college." 5. You learn that because of some galactic mixup in fate itself, you must restart your life tomorrow in a new place. You will emerge as a person with a unique past and won't seem out of the ordinary to those in the new place. You will retain the experiences and memories of your past, but the people you are closest to will believe that you are dead and gone and you would be prohibited from contacting them. Where would you go and why? I'm having a little trouble with the question. "Restart" my live leads me to believe I'd be starting over as a baby, but having a "unique past" leads me to believe I'd be an adult. Anyway, going with option two, give me a little royal blood and drop me in the UK. I'll catch Prince William for myself and someday become queen! 6. What are you most passionate about in this moment of your life and why? Really, I'm living rather passion-less at the moment. There are things I want and am working towards, but I'm trying to not be consumed by them. jlm, 7.10.05, 11:43am \| Date: 9 July, 2005 Time: 11:19am Subject: Is it wrong to laugh? * * * * * ISTANBUL, Turkey (July 8) - First one sheep jumped to its death. Then stunned Turkish shepherds, who had left the herd to graze while they had breakfast, watched as nearly 1,500 others followed, each leaping off the same cliff, Turkish media reported. In the end, 450 dead animals lay on top of one another in a billowy white pile, the Aksam newspaper said. Those who jumped later were saved as the pile got higher and the fall more cushioned, Aksam reported. Quoted from AOL News. If you don't have AOL, you can check out the story at The Sun, who came up with the heading "Sheep in mass ewe-icide." Really, this is a big tragedy for the shepherders. They had to watch as their livelihood jumped off a freakin' cliff. But I bet even they will some day look back on that day and laugh. A few headlines of my own come to my mind as I think about this story: "If all the other sheep jumped off a cliff, would you?" Sometimes being in the first half of your class isn't such a good thing Sheep attempt base jumping...then realize they can't open the parachutes Oh Sheep! jlm, 7.09.05, 11:29am \| Date: 9 July, 2005 Time: 12:04am Subject: De ja vu...all over again * * * * * The date: August 12, 2004. The event: Hurricane Charley The date: July 9, 2005. The event: Hurricane Dennis both images courtesy of weather.com Judging by the pictures, which would you say has the most chance of wreaking havoc over Central Florida? They keep saying that Dennis is pushing west towards Pensacola/Mobile. On a completely selfish note, I could use the overtime, but I'm really glad I won't have to deal with the crazy long lines at the gas pumps and grocery stores. I heard on the news tonight as I was leaving work that this is the strongest hurricane ever this early in the season. Let's hope it's not a preview of things to come. And for my own sake, let's also hope that the dufus tourists from other parts of the country realize that Orlando and Pensacola are not in the same place and that a hurricane there doesn't necessarily affect us here. And on a less selfish note, I hope the storm somehow dissipates in the Gulf and doesn't flood streets, destroy homes, or knock out power to anyone. fingers crossed jlm, 7.09.05, 12:13am \| Date: 8 July, 2005 Time: 12:07am Subject: GIRL POWER!! * * * * * Weekend Assignment #67: Bad Movie Marathon! Share your favorite bad film of all time. Tell us why you love it so. Rounding out the Top Five Worst Movies that Jamie Loves: 5. Zoolander 4. Save the Last Dance 3. A Knight's Tale 2. Josie and the Pussycats: This movie has obscure quotes that I still use (and no one else understands), a fun soundtrack, and a super cast including Rachel Leigh Cook, Tara Reid, and Rosario Dawson as Josie and the Pussycats respectively; Allan Cumming as the dark and mysterious Wyatt; Parker Posey as trend-fiend Fiona; and cameos from Seth Green, Eugene Levy, Carson Daly, and Babyface. My favorite part of the movie is when Mel (the flaky blonde) gets out of the shower and there is a warning written in the fog on the mirror. She is visibly shaken by the episode, until she draws a smiley face inside one of the "o"s. And then she goes back to singing "if you're happy and you know it." 1. Spice World: Yep - another "girl band" movie. I saw Spice World twice in the theater and I own the movie on VHS. In my defense, my movie tickets were purchased for me and I inherited the tape from an ex-roommate. The movie really is awful, but I really love the Spice Girls music and the Spice Girls themselves (and I can name them: Victoria, Emma, Mel B, Mel C, and Geri). The movie pokes fun at the girls in truly PG fashion. Plus Meatloaf plays the driver of the Spice Bus, there are aliens, a drill sergeant, lots of wardrobe changes, and big shoes! Extra Credit: Your favorite quote from the aforementioned film. From Josie: "Orange is the new pink" From Spice World a little musical selection (sung boot camp style): Spice Girls: We're the Spice Girls, yes indeed. Just Girl Power is all we need. We know how we got this far... Ginger Spice: Strength and courage and a Wonderbra! jlm, 7.08.05, 12:30am \| Date: 7 July, 2005 Time: 10:41am Subject: London * * * * * I have a total of one family member in England - my cousin Alicia. She happens to be in London. And, like almost everyone else, uses mass transportation to get around. I just got an e-mail from her saying that she's fine and, "just at work and keeping my head down till I make the long walk home later. It's scary and weird here..." For the life of me, I can't understand why any group of human beings would attack another group of human beings - especially off of the battle field. If you want to have a war, have a war. But have the balls to call it a war and leave the damn civilians alone. I guess now all there's left to do is pray and watch non-stop coverage of London for a little while. jlm, 7.07.05, 10:45am \| Date: 7 July, 2005 Time: 10:47am Subject: Dave's * * * * * We had such a good time last night. The food was plentiful (including hot dogs, brats, pasta salad, tons of chips and cookies, watermelon, and of course the ultimate ice cream cookie sandwich), the crowd was good - Chuck got out of work early and Karen came over after work so we ended up with 9 for a while there. We played one game of poker and then the people who had to work this morning left and the six of us who were left got in the pool. Chuck, having come from work, didn't have his bathing suit with him so he jumped in in his shorts (with a cannonball that splashed the top of the screened-in pool!). When we were all sufficiently pruney, we got out and changed into dry clothes and played some more poker. Poor Chuck didn't have any dry clothes, so he borrowed a blanket from Dave while he dried his shorts... Cathi had an unexpectedly good poker night - I think she ended up winning 4 hands. Dave, too, won a couple of big ones. Of course, ultimately, we fell to the power of Chris. Damn dirty ape! And one more picture to leave with today. Chuck is seen here either thinking really hard or getting very frustrated with the length of the last game: jlm, 7.07.05, 11:00am \| Date: 5 July, 2005 Time: 5:55pm Subject: mmm...ice cream... * * * * * Dave is having a party tomorrow night. Scott is bringing hot dogs and buns, and we picked up a watermelon on a whim at Publix. And here's my contribution: Oh yeah baby...that's what I'm talkin' about! I had the distinct pleasure this afternoon of having lunch at Stinky Shoe with a bunch of friends - Dave, Chris & Cathi, Chuck (there was apparently a mandate that everyone whose name started with C had to wear a light blue button-down. I wish I'd taken a picture!), Mike & Reyna, and of course, me and Scott. I'm having some stomach issues today, so I definitely didn't eat enough to warrant visiting a buffet. But the company was good. I haven't spent quality time with Mike or Reyna since February. They were telling me stories about the kids. oh how I miss my babies... After lunch, Scott and I drove over to the Nextel trailer to pick up our new phones! Click here for the demo of the phone we bought. It's so cool - has a color screen and lots more ringtones than my old phone (plus the ability to download fun ringtones)! I can't wait to buy Tetris for the phone and play all night at work! So like I said, get together at Dave's tomorrow. Usually we end up with 10ish people there. This time, it sounds like it'll be a max of 7 unless Chuck can get out of work early. Oh well...I'm sure we'll have a great time. The pool is finally finished, so maybe we'll float & splash instead of our regular games of poker. Maybe we'll do both. But there's definitely going to be consumption of tasty food! jlm, 7.05.05, 6:08pm \| Date: 4 July, 2005 Time: 11:52am Subject: Happy 4th * * * * * Well, here we are, another celebration of the conception of our country. In honor of today, I present a picture of fireworks. Of course, in typical Jamie fashion, it's the Magic Kingdom fireworks. Forgive me...they're the only ones I ever see anymore. Photo Credit: Jaclyn Today I've got some random odds & ends to mention. There's this peculiar guy at work. He walks around a lot and doesn't so much move as glide. And his spine is perfectly straight. I think he has back pain and that's why he moves so much, but of course it's more fun to make up my own story than to find out the truth. Anyway, his lunch break ends right when mine begins. And for the past three nights at the end of his lunch he's had his pants unbuttoned and half unzipped, with his belt still secured at the top. WHAT IS THAT??? The first day I thought maybe he had gained weight recently and couldn't afford new clothes. The second day I thought, "are those the same pants?" Yesterday they were definitely a different pair of pants. AND by my last break, they were buttoned up again. Strangeness abounds! Also in Tales from the Dumb Side, last night I nearly choked to death at my desk. OK, it wasn't quite as harrowing as that, but still... Liquid comes out slowly through the top of my office-approved sippy cup (I haven't talked about the cup nazi's before. Here's the gist: ever since the refurbishment of our office, we are only allowed to have drinks at our desks if they are in spill-proof mugs. No soda bottles, no straws, and so on). Anyway, I was coming to the end of my mug of iced tea and tilted the cup v e r y far back because nothing was coming out and then woosh, liquid straight down my throat - no time to swallow! I had the presence of mind to put my phone on not ready before I began to hack. What came out was something like this: cough cough BELCH cough cough cough cough. And Jaclyn started laughing so hard she almost cried. When I finally got her to calm down, she managed to tell me that someone sitting behing me turned around with some priceless aghast expression when I belched. Well sorry. I didn't mean to choke near you, you crazy-dressing old lady. It really was funny. For the rest of the night, we'd look at eachother and just laugh and laugh some more. On deck for today: I plan to go into work and get yelled at by people who couldn't get into the parks because they were full. And then I'll get yelled at by people who don't like their room. And then maybe if I'm lucky, we'll lose someone's luggage and THEY TOO will yell at me. It's not a tough job, but holidays really are horriffic. Maybe I'll change my break to 9:00 so I can go see a little firework action in the distance. Happy 4th! jlm, 7.04.05, 12:15pm \| Date: 3 July, 2005 Time: 11:10am Subject: Erica * * * * * Well, it turns out Erica didn't make it. She died on Friday. Over the last couple days, I keep finding my thoughts drifting back to her family. This has got to be the hardest thing to wrap your mind around. In the e-mail that went out to the security folk, it mentioned that in lieu of flowers, the family was asking that donations be made to her high school chorus. That struck me. I guess I'm just so used to seeing "Alzheimers Association" or "American Heart Association" or "Breast Cancer Foundation." But I guess none of those are appropriate for a 17-year-old girl. I hope that she's now pain-free and happy, and that her family eventually will feel the same way. jlm, 7.03.05, 11:16am \| Date: 2 July, 2005 Time: 11:51pm Subject: Saturday Six * * * * * 1. A stray dog wonders into your yard, obviously weak, hungry and thirsty. He is a very friendly dog, but if you feed it or give it water, you know that the dog won't leave your yard and you'll end up keeping him. If you don't help the animal, he might die. What do you do? Feed it. If he came into my life, it must be meant to be. I just hope he and the cats get along... 2. You must lose one of the following: a foot, a hand, an eye or an ear. Which would you get rid of and why? One ear. I could handle a lack of equilibrium and a lack of appreciation for a THX movie theater a lot easier than a lack of depth perception or the inability to type or tie my shoes or walk. 3. Scalzi of "By the Way" recently posted about the top unanswered questions in science today. Click here and scroll down to the list of the top 25 biggest mysteries: which one would you MOST like to have answered? I chose "How Are Memories Stored and Retrieved?" Honestly, I'm not really that into the big questions of the universe, but I find mental function interesting in the understanding-1/10-of-the-information-out-there sense. 4. Joe, our AOL Journals Editor, says blogs are boring: either everyone talks about pretty much the same topics, or regular people lead dull lives, he suggests. So what keeps you reading other people's blogs? I think that Joe is full of poo! I think if I read the blog of another 20-something mindless drone, I would be bored. However, I read blogs by people whose personal experiences don't compare to me at all -- Chase~N~Kids, a mom of four in Alaska, formerly of Alabama, she has an amazing narrative style that really memorializes the tiny moments in life Adventures in Juggling, a mother of 5 who also happens to be a NICU nurse. She rants, and tells amazing stories from her life Grand Adventure is written by one of my former managers. She left the mousehouse and drives around the country in an RV. I'm currently visiting upstate NY vicariously through her These days, I have 8 blogs that I check daily and another 4 or 5 (political mostly) that I catch up on during the weekend. Why? Because I like people. I like knowing what "normal" is outside of tourism-central. And it keeps me from playing Zuma for hours on end! 5. You are writing a bestseller book. What kind of book is it (romance, mystery, science fiction, action adventure, historical, gothic, classic, fiction, non fiction, biography, other)? What is your main character's first name and the setting in which it will take place? And give us a one sentence tidbit about the plot. Ideally, it would be humor, non-fiction, autobiographical. Like Anne Lammott. Of course, I'm going to have to find a way to make "Jamie" in "Florida" funny to the masses. I think somehow I would have to find a way to incorporate all of the ridiculous phone calls and stupid requests into the story, things like "What is water transportation?" "That would be the boat, sir." "Where do I get the boat?" "At the dock." 6.Jim Elliot once said, "When it comes time to die...make sure all you got to do is die." What do you have to do or would like to do before you die? Make a list of at least 6 things. And since you made the list.. will you actually try to accomplish those things? Scuba dive (or at least snorkel) Parent a child or two Own a house Spend the night in a chateau in the Loire Valley See the Grand Canyon Take a train trip some place I've never been I don't know if "accomplish" is the right word for taking a vacation. I think I'll check off two or three of those easily. The others...we'll see. jlm, 7.03.05, 12:15am \| Date: 2 July, 2005 Time: 12:02am Subject: The Bathroom * * * * * Well, I just couldn't resist doing a sneak-peek at the new bathroom. There's more pictures to come...the ones that need the bathmat for comparison...but in the meantime here's the sink/vanity/shower curtain in the mirror: If you click on the second picture, you can get a better look at the cute little soap dispenser, toothbrush holder, etc. I just love how it looks! The shower curtain came packed with some weird talc stuck to it (I'm assuming to stop it from sticking to itself). Anyway, it stinks to high heaven! You'd think that by now it would've aired out, but now the "new shower curtain smell" has spread throughout the apartment. Let's keep our fingers crossed that Scott and I don't asphyxiate in our sleep! jlm, 7.02.05, 12:09am \| Date: 1 July, 2005 Time: 12:46pm Subject: Haiku * * * * * Weekend Assignment #66: July 4 Haiku! A 17-syllable holiday poem, please! What is haiku? Poems with this syllable count: Five, seven, then five. And for these haiku Imagine holiday fun Then share it, briefly. Or simply tell us What our nation's holiday Represents for you. Here's my holiday haiku... Independence Day 1776 Freedom, liberty Extra credit: Patriotic pictures! Here's the most patriotic thing I see on a regular basis. The nightly flag retreat at Town Square in the Magic Kingdom. MK Security and a "Veteran of the Day" (Don Campbell is pictured here) take great pride in their special moment. It's an incredibly moving event, and one that you never really see unless you make a point to be there for it. jlm, 7.01.05, 12:54pm \| Date: 1 July, 2005 Time: 12:38pm Subject: July * * * * * We got our new bathroom accessories today! I know...you must be as thrilled as I am. Actually, it's looking really sweet. The bathrug was out of stock, but was shipped this morning. I bet by mid-week next week I'll be able to post complete pictures of the new & improved bathroom! I'm ravenously reading these days now that TOPS is over. I read 3 of the Barbara Kingsolver books my mom got me for my birthday, Memoirs of a Geisha (for the third time), Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and Chronicles of Narnia. Yes, I'm reading kid books...but I enjoy them. And they are easy to read inbetween (and during) phone calls at work. Speaking of kid books, the new Harry Potter comes out this month. I'm not going to buy it in hardcover, and it'll take years to get it from the library, but I'll get my hands on it somehow. Speaking of Harry Potter... Your Harry Potter Alter Ego Is...? You scored as Hermione Granger. You're one intelligent witch, but you have a hard time believing it and require constant reassurance. You are a very supportive friend who would do anything and everything to help her friends out. jlm, 7.01.05, 12:44pm \| Looking for June? Click no further!