Crap Movies Over the Weekend

You know how sometimes you just end up watching crappy movies for some unknown reason? Well, honey, I am on a roll. I just watched New in Town with Renae Zellweger and Harry Connick Jr. And up next Bride Wars with Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson. AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHY I AM DOING THIS TO MYSELF.

One can be forgiven. Nothing else seemed to be on TV (with my 8000 channels and most of the movie channel on-demands). It's true? Sort of... I for some reason have gravitated to the on-demand and these movies seemed to be what I wanted to watch. I don't understand. As I said, one can be forgiven. Two is just sinning at this point...on Palm Sunday no less. ;-)

Thank God that the weekend is almost over and I will go back to my weekday evenings watching my daily Young and the Restless and my DVR'ed shows. (That's really no better is it? I am shooting myself in the foot, aren't I?) Oh well, back to fighting brides...should be life-altering!

Life After the Ankle Break

Been a long time...

Last September, I decided to break my ankle. Woke up and decided, today is a great day to end with surgery. :-) Ok, not quite. I joined a social touch football league with my friend, Xan. I haven't played football since elementary school, but was like, eh, I am a girl, what will I actually be doing during the game? Not much. Oh, how wrong I was.

I missed the first game of the season because I already had travel plans to go see my sister up at my uncles' house in PA. Game two was the weekend after. I was all excited to go! Xan had told me how much fun she had the week I was gone and how cool the team was. I got there and tried to meet everyone and get to know the rules. I truly had no idea what I was doing when I first stepped on the field. I watch a ton of football, but social touch football is like a completely different game. We were low on girls, so we were playing a lot. Start of the 2nd half, my team was on defense. Everyone just told me to kind of be in my zone and if anyone was gonna get the ball in my zone, touch them. Sounds easy, right? Again, not so much.

Quarterback drops back to pass the ball. I have one girl and one guy in my zone. Of course, they decide to pass to the guy. I'm not far away, so I start to go towards him as the ball is in the air. As he is getting the ball, he starts to fall. Well, I am going straight for him, expecting him to continue to go forward, but he is falling. I catch up to him and basically shove him to the ground and as I am doing that, I step forward with my right foot. Yeah, he is on the ground where my foot wants to go.

Let's fast forward past that detail (still gives me the shivers seeing the event happening in my mind) and I am on the ground after hearing my ankle snap, loudly. Everyone crowds around me. I am in agony and my ankle is no longer in the right place. My foot is pointing to the left even though my ankle is straight. That's no good, medically speaking. :-)

After what seemed like an eternity (on a 90 degree day), ambulance gets me, I go to the hospital, and I have surgery to repair the 3 breaks in my ankle. I come out with 8 pins and a plate in my ankle. Awesome.

Fast forward to now...

After a couple of months of crutches, a couple of months of physical therapy and now a couple of months of normal life...I'm doing ok. Ok basically means I am able to do all of my ordinary life stuff, period. I haven't tried running...no tennis...no rigorous gym workout. But I can jog up the stairs, I can wear some heels (with a bit of pain, but its worth it, I swear!), I can talk Wrigley on longer walks (he is so excited about this!)

But I still FEEL that I broke my ankle. I may always feel it. They say once you break something, it never will be quite right again. Don't know, guess I will see in the future. I just hate that I feel it all the time. It is never far from my mind. I guess I am being a little stupid and petty. I am generally whole again and I just be thankful for what I have. I don't swell up all the time, the scars are starting to fade, etc. But I HATE, HATE, HATE the fact that I still feel broken. This is coming from a girl that never sprained, broke or really injured myself in all of my years of competitive sports. Never. And now, in my mid-thirties, playing in a social league, I totally screw up my ankle. So, I don't have the best perspective. I have always been in one piece, happily whole. Now, I don't feel that way. I feel vulnerable. I feel limited.

Today I walked Wrigley around the lake for the first time, post-break. If I kept moving, it didn't feel bad. I could almost kid myself into feeling completely normal. But then, another dog would come along and Wrigley and he would want to sniff and greet each other. I would start walking and the discomfort would appear...teaching myself not to let Wrigley be social. :-) Those reminders just kill me. And of course, after getting home, sitting on the couch, I just have to flex my foot to feel discomfort again. And when it rains for any extended period of time, I feel every cm of that plate.

Perspective...4 months ago, I could hardly believe that I would get to where I am today, walking around and feeling fairly normal. So, I do need to really accept where I am as the gift it is. But it is hard. Especially as time marches on because at some point, the pain might just stick around forever. And that just is hard to accept. I tend to be a pretty driven person and I usually get what I want and I tend to control what happens to me. I don't have control over this and I don't like it...at all. Not sure what will happen. Today was a great triumph...I walked Wrigley on a long walk. It is also a reminder of what my life might be...having to deal with some pain and stiffness when I do things like this. Hard to accept.

Back to the Pigskin

Football has begun and I am happily and snugly encompassed. Obviously, Notre Dame is my first love and my first priority. I traveled to Detroit last weekend to see the most important game of ND's schedule (in my book)--ND/Michigan. Now, it is not always the best game, but this is the rivalry that I hold dear. My friends Melissa and Kevin, have season tickets at the Big House and 2 years ago I reserved these tickets. So excited to go.

My friend from work, Ben, came with me. He and his family have been huge ND fans for forever and he was as excited as I was to be in the Big House to see the Irish. The outcome was not what we wanted, but it was awesome. It was so freaking loud. 110,000 people in one stadium, most of them cheering for the wrong team. It was insane! Being there now has given me the itch to go back to South Bend and see the Golden Dome glistening in the background as my Blue and Gold fight it out for a victory in front of Touchdown Jesus. A beautiful dream...

Today, ND narrowly escaped another upset. So frustrating! And we may have lost Floyd for most of the season with a collerbone break. Clawsen injured his toe. Its mayhem, I tell ya! Everyone thinks that will such a soft schedule that ND should be able to pull out 10 wins this season. I am not so sure. They blew out Nevada, but who really is Nevada? Both Michigan games have been quite telling on the defensive side of the ball. Up in Ann Arbor, ND racked up over 400 yards of offense...today 300. Shouldn't that translate into blowout games? You'd think, but in Irish country, not so much. It meant a last minute defeat (that should have been prevented with proper clock management) and a squeaker (prevented by a near goal line interception). Yeah...how are we going to play USC (who lost today...woohoo!) with a defense that a mediocre high school team could penetrate? Yeah, another tough season for Irish fans.

So...I finally get to go to a Steelers game!!! I have mercilessly teased by dear friend Sara about lack of opportunities to return to her place of birth for a game at Heinz Field. Well...she came through! We are going to see the Bungles play the Steelers in November. If we are lucky, we will also get our hands on a couple of Pitt/ND tickets for that weekend. What a weekend that would be!

On a final note...my fantasy team sucks! I thought my draft was on a Saturday...nope, Friday. Auto draft teams make for interesting results. My boy, Ben, is my QB, but way too many Redskins on my team for my taste. Not sure how I am going to post a .500 season with this team.

A long break, but I'm back

Its been almost 6 months since I wrote an entry on this blog...yeah, there have definitely been things to write about. I never made it a priority. I think it's time I get back to it.

About 3 months ago, I became the proud momma to a 5 month old Tibetan Terrier I named Wrigley. Yeah, for the Field...not the gum. Many of you have probably seen pictures of my little Wriglebutt, but if you haven't...see below. (1st when he was puppy...the one that I fell in love with when looking for a puppy; 2nd is after I brought him home; more current pics to follow once I replace the power cord for my home computer that guess who chewed through!)



I love him so very much...but it definitely has been a struggle for me. As I have been told over and over since getting him, it's like having a child. I now get up at 6 am (and everyone knows how much of a night owl I am). I have become way too comfortable with pee and poop. Things have been destroyed, people have been annoyed, and tears have been cried. But he is my baby, the thing I come home to every night. He has tried my patience, my emotional well-being and my home's state of repair. But he's my little Wriglebutt! I will keep trying to be a better parent to him as I hope he will continue to be a better puppy for me. We will go forward together as my little family. :-)

Last night was my first night without the little one. I have been putting in 13 hour days for the past month and we have not had an easy time at home. I have not cared for him as I should (basic needs only) and he found many, many opportunities to try to get my attention through negative means. I think we both needed a bit of a break. He went and had a sleep over with a neighbor and her pup, Whiskey. He was not as well behaved as I would have liked, but everyone made it through alive. And I got a glorious 8 hours of sleep. He has been a little sleeping angel today. We are falling in love again...

Train-ride through the Rain Forest, Brazil (Day 4)

DAY 4

See corresponding photos on my Facebook page.

After Alison was done with work, we were set to start her vacation and continue mine. Our first destination was to be Ilha do Mel off the coast of the Parana state of Brazil. There are a couple of ways to get to a port to take a ferry to the island: by bus, by car and by train. The train goes through the rain forest and mountains of the Parana state and takes almost 3.5 hours total travel time. The bus takes 2. But we wanted the experience and that is what we got. This is probably one of my favorite parts of the trip.

We boarded a train in Curitiba and decided to buy the upper class ticket, but yet, still not the one that would guarantee us an English tour guide. We just didn't think it was worth the money and the view was really what we wanted. We got on our train car and for some unknown reason, they number their seats lowest number from the back...let's just say, we were the stupid Americans walking back from where we came from because of that fact! We were with a car full of police officers (all middle-aged men) from Sao Paolo. We didn't find that info out until later in the train ride and spent a fair amount of time trying to figure out why a bunch of men were taking a train ride through the forest.

Our tour guide came up to us and spoke pretty decent English and told us that he would come back and translate the tour for us along the way. We got lucky! I found out later that he was born and raised in Curitiba, but had spent a fair amount of time in New Zealand and learned Kiwi English. It was definitely good enough for us! I must say though, I don't think we quite got the same tour. He would say everything in Portuguese first and all the men would get a bit rowdy. Then he would come back and translate for us about the history and fauna. Hmmmmm...something was lost in translation.

We first traveled through a bit of the countryside prior to getting to the forest. I must say it was an eye-opening experience for me. I have never been outside of the US and Europe, so never personally witnessed life in a developing country. Brazil is quite developed and many people don't consider them 3rd world anymore, but they do have some of the markers for it still. I had never seen chickens running around with stray dogs on the street in a residential area. The poverty of the living arrangements, dirt roads everywhere, etc. I know for some of my readers, they have seen this, been amongst the people in villages like this, etc. We all learn at some point and I was getting a class that morning.

Once we reached the forest...everything was so green and so lush. You were just surrounded by plants and trees and vines and flowers. You couldn't see through the dense fauna. It was amazing. Some of it is native plants, but also, there are plants that were brought into the region by the workers who worked on the railroad. There are these beautiful hydrangeas in the middle of the forest. A very odd sight indeed. At first it was cloudy, but eventually it brightened and you could definitely feel the heat and humidity that makes everything so green.

As you will see in the pictures, the green just never ends and when you are in the middle of it, you just keep snapping pictures because it is so amazing. I realize you guys might get bored...sorry!

We did get stopped at one point on the railroad for a problem with the train track. We had to sit there in the middle of the rain forest, for workers to fix the track. It was so hot...and of course, we can't get off the train to get some breeze. And also, there were times that workers would get off the train to clear some of the growing plants on the side of the tracks or to work on the railroad tracks. How odd would it be to jump off a train and just be in the middle of a rain forest (that does have animals that you wouldn't want to meet up with...jaguars, pumas, etc) to do your work?! Couldn't imagine...

There was a spot that we stopped at that was a planned stop (yeah, in the middle of the forest!). There were a few buildings and you could see that they might be used on the weekends when there is higher traffic. The tour guide explained that people get off at this stop to camp and take a 6 hour hike up a mountain. There are trails to do so. Expert climbers actually come to this mountain to climb to the summit. Alison and I kind of wished we could go do the 6 hour hike...how amazing would that have been. There are pictures of that specific peak in my photos.

As said as it is to say, by the end of the trip, we were less impressed by the continuous green. But this is not to say that the forest did not make an impact on me. It was absolutely gorgeous and I am still amazed that these places exist. Less and less of them do by all means, but some still do. I am very thankful that I got to see at least a sliver of this world. Amazing!

Curitiba, Brazil (Days 1, 2, 3)

Here we go...from the beginning.

See corresponding pictures on my Facebook page.

So, because Alison, my dear friend and travel companion, was working in Curitiba, the vacation begins there. I decided to be there while she worked since it meant a pretty cheap place to stay and I didn't have to take additional time off to be there. Curitiba is the capital city of the state of Parana (par-a-na....not paranah!) and is not really a tourist destination. But it definitely has some stuff to see and it was interesting to just see a normal Brazilian city, instead of one overrun by tourists. Now that presents its own problems too, as you will see...

DAY 1

Alison, Oscar (coworker of Alison's and friend to both of us), Christianie and Marcus (Alison's coworker in Brazil and her husband) met me at the airport. That 10 hour flight...especially with no movies, no overhead light, no flight attendant call button (all broken!!!)...was long! That only got me to Rio, so I then had to figure out how to get on a domestic flight to Curitiba, but surprisingly, that wasn't that hard at all. I even got a water and a donut in a cafe shop without anyone in tears! I arrived at the Curitiba airport, a bit desheveled and needing some new clothes, a toothbrush, etc. We drove the hotel, I spruced up and off we went to a Brazilian mall. Nothing much exciting happened. We learned that most consumer goods are way more expensive there than the States, so I think I bought some flip-flops and that is about it. This was my first experience with pao de queijo (cheese bread)...they are little crusty puffs with soft doughy, cheesy insides. Ah...they are wonderful...yummy!

We then were sent to dinner with the address of a good churrascaria (brazilian barbeque/steakhouse). Yeah, it was closed...so, what do 3 Americans do? Ask the cab driver for another selection. We ended up at the Golden Corral/Ponderosa/Sizzler of churrascaria's. Oh, the adventures. It was not good...the meat wasn't horrible, but oh, everything else. Not good. I asked for a caipirinha (traditional lime and Brazilian rum/cachaca drink) and got it with (cheap) vodka instead. It was a comedy, for sure. The pictures that I took of us are proof enough...not happy times! :-)

DAY 2

So, originally, I was going to take the Linio Turismo (tourist bus that stops throughout the city at tourist destinations) on Monday. Yeah, Michelle didn't plan well. It doesn't run on Mondays. She thought, hmmm, I'll do Tuesday's activity on Monday then. I was going to go to a state park that is about an hour away from Curitiba and enjoy the day with nature. Well, to get there, I would have had to take a bus to the park, walk 20 minutes into the park, do my thing, then walk back 20 minutes, wave down a bus on the road and ride it back to the city. All of this, without knowing a bit of Portuguese. After 12 hours in this foreign country, I decided, that might not be a successful venture (my adventures in the city prove this to be a fair assessment). Plan C: sleep in on Monday morning, read a book, just be lazy and then meet Alison, Oscar and Christianie for lunch. I would then go to specific locations that are touristy and meet Alison back at the hotel after work.

Part 1 of the day was successfully accomplished...I slept a lot, finished The Alchemist (written by a Brazilian writer) and was relaxed and ready to go take on a foreign city. I successfully got a cab to Alison's work place (forgetting my umbrella and of course, it started to rain on the cab ride over there!). We walked to lunch (with the help of a few umbrellas from Alison's coworkers) and I enjoyed some wonderful beans and rice (so much better outside of the US!). We also discovered that Coke Zero has made its way to Brazil, so Michelle was going to be a happy camper! Now the adventure begins...

I had located a paragraph in my travel guide about the historic district of Curitiba and decided I would explore that for the afternoon. Christianie talked with the cab driver for me and off I went. He dropped me off at the first museum and I was raring to go. I walked up to the gate, saw a security guard. I of course said Hola! (yes, this is Portuguese too!) and then proceeded to say i know no Portuguese. Of course, he only knows Portuguese. I could decipher that he was wondering why I was there. I tried to explain that I was there to visit the museum and that's where all communication broke down. Finally, he kinda moved his hands in a cutting motion, me garnering that the museum was closed. Nothing more could be shared. This is when I discovered that all tourist things in Curitiba (not just the bus) are closed on Mondays, even though my book told me some were open on Mondays.

I wondered around, taking pictures of places (see corresponding pics) and hoping one of the places was open (as stated in the book), but to no avail. Of course, I have one map in my book and that's all I had to go on. I am kinda lost, don't know the language, and have nothing to do...it was a great feeling. So, I remembered Christianie telling me that there was a shopping mall near by. Yeah, I knew this wasn't the best option of seeing the city, but at that point, it was at least something to do. I went in search for it and found it!

I walked around looking at clothes, shoes, etc. All more expensive, but hey, I was doing something. But of course, every time a salesperson came up to me, I had nothing...no Portuguese. Eventually, that just was not helpful and I was becoming more downtrodden. So, I decided I would just give up the ghost and go see a movie. They subtitle in Brazil, so I knew I could see something and hear some English. Oh, how I can continue to screw things up! :-)

I know I am going to have to somehow communicate with someone that doesn't know English. I watch the monitors to try to get the title in Portuguese correct and figure out the times. Remember, they are on the 24 hour clock. So, I saw that Benjamin Button was at 14:00 and it is well after 2 pm now, so I knew that wasn't going to work. But Revolutionary Road is at 13:25, so that should work right...3 pm (yes, major error, I know!)? I get the beginning of the title as best as I can and go up. I try to say the name of the movie and hold up one finger. She has no idea...so she gets a list of the movies for me. I point to Revolutionary Road and she starts talking to me. I say no Portuguese. She continues to talk to me...no idea what to do. She turns off her microphone and talks to her friend. They start laughing. Yeah, I know at me...nothing I can do. She asks me for more money, which confuses me, but hey, wouldn't be the first time I didn't get something right, so I give it to her. She hands me a ticket. I think, ok, I got through that. I look at the ticket to figure out where to go. The ticket is for 19:00 or 7 pm...I had failed. That is when I figured out that 13:00 had passed and I was a complete and utter idiot. I know I cannot go back...how do I explain my idiocy in a language I don't know! So, I suck it up and leave the mall.

Dejected and completely defeated, I sit down on the mall steps and try to figure out how to go back to the hotel. A security guard comes up to me and starts talking in Portuguese...I have no idea. Then I finally figure out, I can't sit there. Oh and did I mention it is hot and sunny now! I just wanted some shade to cool down my scorched ego. Off I go, hoping I am walking in the direction of the hotel. I walk for about 20 minutes and have no idea where I am. I finally give up and get a cab. This is where my story gets better...finally.

By watching where the cab took me, I started to figure out where I was and my surroundings a bit better. I knew the relationship between the historic district and the business district (where I ended up with my walking) and finally found everything on my map. I got back to the hotel and figured all of this stuff out. I am reinvigorated to try to go out in the city again and do something simple. I grab my book and off I go to find the pedestrian walk area and a park.

Success! I find all of this and enjoy the rest of the afternoon looking around shops and sitting on a park bench eating a pastry and sipping a Coke Zero. I finally feel like I might have a chance at doing this by myself on Tuesday. I return to the hotel to meet up with everyone. We went out and had drinks with a lot of Alison's coworkers. I had a great caipirinha or two and had fun talking with everyone.

DAY 3

The tourist bus is going to be good for me...they do announcements in English, the map is in English...I can make this happen. I decide to sleep in though because I am still a bit tired. It's ok...that's what vacation is for. I make it to the bus and get on successfully and the ride begins. I can make 4 stops throughout the day and the 2 I definitely want to make are the Botanical Gardens and the Oscar Niemeyer Museum (modern art museum). I was on the top level of a double decker bus. I start to get a sense of the whole city and see some things that kind of surprise me. Like, Habib's (an Arab fast food joint that has Popeye and Olive Oil as their spokespeople!), barbed wire every where you go, little jungle patches as foliage in the medians, etc. And one thing that is special to Brazil...the funny looking trees: pau brasil. They actually are quite amazing and they are completely protected now because they are endangered.

I did stop at the botanical gardens and there are corresponding pictures. Nothing really to write home about...they have attempted to created an European style garden, but not all that interesting. The one thing of note is that the park does have a region for each region of the country. So, you are able to see the different fauna for each region. Here is where you get to see the pau brasil fully. Oh, and there were these noisy, noisy birds...there is a pic of one. They just squawk and squawk...just wanted them to shut up! You will see some pics of other animals I saw at the gardens, like the sleeping ducks and the turtle in the water.

I continued on the bus tour and there are pics of the some of the sites I saw. My next stop was the Oscar Niemeyer museum. Oscar was the architect that designed the building and he is quite famous in Brazil for his very modern concept buildings. This one is known as the Eye even though that was not his concept. He was actually trying to conceptualize the pau brasil trees, not an eye. You be the judge. I was able to see some great art and even an exhibit of 1500's American pottery. One exhibit I really loved was by Os Gemeos. They are twin artists that do graffiti style artwork. Take a look at the exhibit art. This would definitely go down as my favorite place in Curitiba...might be my art background...felt most at home here.

Due to time, I didn't stop anywhere else, but saw a lot of the sites. See the pics for descriptions of them all. It really was great to take the tour because I did get a much better sense of the city. I met up with Alison and Christianie and we went to a brewery type place to listen to some live music and have dinner. We had a good time talking with Christianie and her husband and just relaxing with some beer.

I don't know if I would ever recommend anyone to go see Curitiba as a tourist destination, but I enjoyed learning about the city and being with Christianie. Anywhere you go, there is something to learn and explore.

My impressions, leaving Curitiba... It was an interesting city. All of the shops in the downtown area had the pull down gates like in NYC. None of the shops were "pretty" like in the States...much more utilitarian. The only "modern" looking shops were the gas stations...they looked like the States. Everything looks kind of like from the 70's. The hotel we stayed at was supposedly the best in town, yet all the rooms looked like the 70's. That seemed to be the theme...upgrading hasn't seemed to happen yet. And that is not to comment badly on it...just an observation. One could argue that our constant upgrading is costing a lot of money with very little value in it. I also observed that not too many languages are spoken here and I am betting this is because very few tourists come through this city. I had assumed originally that since this was the biggest city we were visiting, that we would hear more languages, etc. here. Not the case. We encountered the least amount of English here. It made for a rough transition for me, but I made it through and actually was able to enjoy a lot of different aspects of the city.

On to the next destination...the beach!

NCAA Basketball Polls

Just gotta drop a quick note...4 of the top 10 in all of the polls are from the Big East. In the Top 25, 7 Big East teams. And ND comes in at 9. Yeah, Big East rules NCAA basketball...can everyone just accept it and we can all move on???? Pretty please....

Getting Along Just Doesn't Seem Like an Option

I am not sure where this blog will take me, but I really wanted to put some thoughts to paper...

Last week's election brought so many things to light...goods and bads. Am I excited that Barack Obama is our president-elect? As most of you know, I have been a big supporter of his since even before he announced his candidacy. So, yes, I am extremely happy to see such a bright, young, articulate, thoughtful man leading our country. Do I know a portion of my friends think I am completely wrong about this? Yup. It's ok...it is great to have something to talk about and to have people that will push me to see all sides of the issues. I like having many sides of every story around me so I can learn and have great conversation. I love a good debate.

There is one debate right now that is not a good debate these days. Not sure it ever was a good debate, but it definitely isn't now. (This is my disclaimer right now...I am not going to pontificate on any issue in the rest of this blog; merely, pontificate on how people are choosing to voice THEIR opinions on a certain issue)

State Bans on Gay Marriage and Non-Married Couple Adoption of Children

I am well aware that this is a very hot button issue with so many people. I know. It kinda is for me too. I have very strong opinions on it and do voice them if asked. But how this country is responding to this issue makes me sick. It makes me worry about this country on so many levels. On one side, we have the pro-family side who is claiming victory on this issue and very excited about the passing of Proposition 8. People are spouting off about how clearly the states (and de facto the country) has decided that a marriage is defined by one man and one woman and that only a married man and a woman can adopt a child. That somehow if this proposition had been defeated it proved our country was going to hell in a handbasket and our moral fiber would be forever torn assunder.

On the other hand, we have those that are opposed to the propositions and bans holding mass demonstations outside of Mormon temples and other churches. We have boycotts beginning on tourism to Utah and the Sundance Film Festival because the Mormon church is based there (even though no Utah Mormon voted on the bans in this election). An artistic director of a theatre in San Fransisco stepped down from his position because many of his creative team had threatened a ban against his theatre because he PERSONALLY donated money to support Proposition 8. What is going on???

Yes, everyone has the right to free speech and can be part of boycotts and try to have some effect on those that created the present situation. Everyone can also be held accountable for their actions and might have to pay the price for them. But how misdirected and ill-fitting can these actions be? The state of Utah may see a drastic downturn in their tourism revenue (which in this economy is very bad) because the California Mormon members greatly supported the ban in CA. The city of Park City, UT (and home to the Sundance Film Festival), which is grossly non-Mormon in make-up (likewise for the film festival) may be the hardest hit (biggest ski town in UT and home to Sundance) and it had absolutely nothing to do with the CA proposition. Is a boycott against the state of Utah going to change the minds of the Mormons? Ah, no...no chance in a burning hell!!!

Now, a personal donation has meant a professional downfall and possibly a business's downfall. This man had been a part of this company for a dozen years or more. He won't be replaced easily. Because he personally donated a couple of bucks to a cause he believed in and if you read this article, you will see that he actually has a lesbian sister who he supports and loves. Again, I state, I realize that we all may feel the effects of our personal decisions, but a boycott by the staff of an organization because one person personally supported a legal, political campaign? We can't support the issues we feel are important without losing our jobs and that negatively effecting the businesses we work for???? What are we doing, kids? I guess I better rethink my stance on the public parks initiative that I voted on in Fairfax County...those that hate parks and think they shouldn't exist might come after me as a project manager and I may lose my job!

I don't know...I realize this is intensely personal for everyone involved and we humans don't do a good job at responding rationally to what effects us deeply. I don't know why I insist on us acting rationally 'cause we never do. But I hate reading these articles that keep popping up...the hatred and bitterness that is spewed by both sides of this issue and many others. We spend so much time, energy, money, etc on fighting with each other. Can't we all just get along??

Guess Who is Going to the 2009 Final Four?

I AM!!!!!!

I am so excited. I was notified today that my application was selected at random in the ticket lottery and I now have two tickets to the Final Four in Detroit. WOOHOO!!

It is really quite unbelievable that I will actually be going to the Final Four. It's like the Holy Grail of College Basketball. Totally excited, over the moon!

And who will be joining me on this trip to the Mecca of college hoops? (Get ready with the awwww's...) My Dad! Yeah, the man that introduced me to my love of sports is gonna be my compatriot. We will definitely have a blast!

I AM SO EXCITED!!!

I’m Just Like a Sweet Innocent (Stupid) Bird...

So, I like to shop and right now there is a sales tax holiday going on in the District. Yeah, like a moth to a flame...Michelle went shopping. I like a store called Zara; I've been to a huge one in the Village up in NYC. Had been wanting to hit the one in DC for a while and finally decided to do it yesterday. Michelle...shopping, shopping, shopping. Found one cute dress, but wasn't ready to commit. I decide to then go to H&M, but to do that, I must leave the store. I walk towards the entrance, see the security guard and contemplated saying Hi! (cause I am just that nice), but he never makes eye contact, so I look forward. My brain decides to play a little trick on me...BAMMMMM! Yeah, like those pretty little birds that see exciting things inside your house and think they are free in clear to come in (oh, yeah, a window, right?). I walked straight forward, head first into the glass door!

One of my better moments, for sure...hence why I share it with you today! Enjoy a chuckle at my expense, it's okay...I give you permission.

(and for anyone that is interested...2 bikinis, 2 tanks and a sweater for $45 at H&M...yeah, I love shopping!)

Weekend Wrap-up

Ok, so this past weekend was one of the worst ever...just believe me, it was. Cause you really don't want to hear the story. Well, sort of the worst... I went through hell and back because someone decided to set off all kinds of alarms yet didn't feel like sharing pertinent information about said alarms was important (like, someone calling 911 asking for help, but deciding to hang up and not tell 911 what was wrong). I would never wish my weekend on anyone else. But thankfully yesterday, the ship's course was righted and the world is once again a glorious place to be. I of course, would not want to deail with this shit again, but you know what, I am a lot more grateful for what I have on the other side of this weekend. Today, I am not worrying about stupid stuff or wondering what the future might hold. I am just happy to wake up and just start my day with a smile.

And the bright shining moment from the weekend...my friends. God, I love them dearly. Whatever I threw at them, whenever I decided to freak out...right there, waiting to help me. So, a huge shout out to the friends that specifically helped me cause they took the brunt of it all. And also, those that just gave me the diversion I needed, a chat, a movie, etc.

Now it is time to rock out the birthday. Gettin old...nah! Nobody seems to want to believe I am turning 33, so why should I? I'm gonna party like its 1999 (I would have turned 24 that year...)...totally lame early 90's reference...you can chide me about that when you wish me a Happy 24th Birthday!

Crime in Northern Virginia

I have been a victim of a crime...and for some reason, I really don't care. Maybe that's because it's so very minor...

But it's still crime in Northern Virginia...how often does that happen? Haha...

Someone stole my Sirius satellite radio and my Maglite flash light out of my car. And there was no sign of forced entry, so I probably forgot to click that little button on my key. So, yes, blame is squarely on my shoulders. If you lock it, then tend not to come.

I cancelled my Sirius subscription and I will buy a new Maglite next trip to Target. My life really isn't changed.

But crime in Northern Virginia...who would have thunk it? It's not exactly the District...

Opening Day Roller Coaster

This is the first year I actually know when Opening Day for baseball is. Yes, it’s today. Well, kind of, sort of...sure. They played a few games in Japan (those don’t count, really). They opened up Nationals Park last night (that’s technically..."opening night"). Today...today is Opening Day. Yes, a friend of mine actually tried to defend that last night was Opening NIGHT and today is Opening DAY. The logic is lost on me...it’s okay, I’ll live.

So, I decided to watch the Cubs/Brewers game today. Figured, if we are going to keep giving baseball the good college try, let’s be excited about Opening Day. The Cubs dedicated a brand-spanking new statue outside of Wrigley Field of Ernie Banks. He threw out the ceremonial first pitch. It was gonna be a good day, right?

Let’s start with a 40 minute rain delay. Hey, at least it wasn’t postponed by rain like the Yankees game...I’ll deal with the delay. Zambrano pitches well...the only blemish an infield hit that so really wasn’t a "hit." Fukudome, our Japanese import, hit a double on his first Major League Baseball pitch. Nice...this is a good sign... Maybe this Cubs team can give us fans something to cheer about...dare I say, actually live up to some of the analysts’ call for a World Series victory.

50 minute rain delay....

Finally, back to baseball...my interest waning...boredom setting in during the next 5 innings of 3 hit baseball. I mean, Zambrano showed great stuff and is showing that he might be worth his big price tag. He even picked off a runner at 2nd beautifully. Marmol pitched a great set up 8th inning, picking up where Zambrano left off. But the only Cubs offense came from Fukudome, a walk and a single (on top of his 1st double). No other base runners for the Cubbies.

So, we waltz, slowly, into the 9th... Our new closer, Kerry Wood, strides up to the mound. A lot of expectations for Mr. Wood. (He’s got some heat...he was clocked during the final spring ball game over 100 mph). And he let us all down...first pitch, hit the batter. Walks Fielder (not sure if the best decision since Fielder had gone 0-2 today). Allows a single that sends in a run. So, let’s allow a right field double...yeah, that sounds good. The Cubs are down 0-3. I sat through 2 rain delays and 8 snooze-able innings to lose it in the 9th. Ugh... Wood finally gets us through the rest of the inning.

With very little hope...we stumble into the 9th. A single...really...it can happen. A walk... 2 base runners, no outs. Could it happen? Fukudome up to bat...he’s our only offensive player today...3-0 count...and this is why we like the Japanese (cars and people)...3 run home run...yes, that is why I watched 8 innings of paint drying. And by the way, this was all against Gagne (formerly of the Red Sox and the Rangers...who sucked ass in both places...yeah, the Brewers are on crack if they think he will close effectively in Milwaukee).

Now, we are in the 10th and its not looking pretty right now. The Brewers have scored one more run and are threatening again with 2 outs. The season may start 0-1. We will see (the top of the lineup is up at the bottom of the 10th)... But it felt great to see Fukudome drill it out to the center field bleachers. Baseball season has begun...

Did you miss me?

Blogging...oh where, oh where did you go????

I was reminded today that I have not blogged in quite some time. I have been remiss...

But what to blog? I have no idea at all, so I guess I will just type and see what comes out.

Hmmmmm....

I went back to the mountains of Colorado over the first weekend in February and I had an absolute blast. I skied for 3 days straight. Surprisingly, my legs survived three straight days...and I am very glad to report my skiing improved by leaps and bounds (I haven't skiied since which probably means I just regressed back to my green hills-self!). I got to ski with a great friend who gave me a bit of a lesson (learned a lot!). Hit the mountain with Dave and Karen...and the embarrassment, it was complete! I would like to say, go get them to tell the story, cause it is wholly mortifying, but only a few of you know them. So, I guess the story will go to my grave with me!!!! Let's just say, on my ass twice in a lift line...ugh!

But I really loved being back up in the Vail Valley...seeing my friends and just having a blast. And props go out to Dave and his roomies for putting me up for my visit...4-star accommodations!!! (ok, not quite, but putting up with me for 4 days and chauffeuring me around...that deserves a nod!).

Hmmmm....what else...

Dinner party this weekend at my house...it has dominated the head space for the past couple of weeks. I finally got my new couch...woohoo!...and its red...craziness... So, I can finally have more than one person over...so I am entertaining. As most of you know, I have gone crazy and planned so much cooking. But, I love learning new recipes, trying different themes, making my friends' tummies very very happy. It's what I do! And everyone absolutely loves it, so why would I ever contemplate not doing it? All those myspacers that will attend can pass along their indictment next week. We will see who goes home happy...and not just because of the high amounts of alcohol being consumed!

The movies I have seen...I love being back in the city. I get to see so much and I love it! The biggest excitement was going to the National Archives this past weekend and seeing the Oscar nominated live action and animated shorts. The short film is really quite a unique genre in American cinema...well, actually very few are actually American, so I guess it is an anomaly in film that most Americans don't take part in. Anyway, I digress...this is not a lecture on film...this is a blog!! It was great to go down and get to partake. No mind-blowing shorts that I have to share, but nonetheless a recent highlight. And as a sidenote to that...it was great being back in the District, walking among the monuments, etc. It is a beautiful place...

A final note to my loyal readers...nothing earth shattering like I am having quintuplets or anything...just that I really love my co-workers!!! I have 7 coworkers working in the same actual office space with me, all within spitting distance (and definitely within earshot) and I am having a blast with them!!! And everyone that I work with...makes my days happy ones even when I am in meetings 7 hours in one day!!! I came to this job pretty blind (phone interview only...no face to face time at all!) and I have reaped some pretty damn great fringe benefits (out of the gutter ladies and gentlemen!)...I totally recommend working somewhere that has awesome people slogging with you!!!

Movie Madness

I have gone bonkers for movies the last few weeks...its amazing what time and access will do for you. I feel like I have been in a holding pattern for the past year when it comes to movies. Yeah, my Blockbuster Online membership kept me breathin, barely, but I really wasn't living my movie life. Now, I am back to being able to see film at the drop of a hat, anything I want. Ahh...life is grand. So, I have gone a bit crazy on the movie front since right before Christmas (even seeing 4 movies in the theatre in one day!)...below is the long list of movies I have seen for the first time (not even referencing those that I have revisited). A few I will give a quick review of (for my very rabid audience of movie fanatics). Listed in alpha order just to make it fair and impartial.

Atonement--I saw this because it is in the Oscar hunt and I really do like seeing as many of the nominees as I can so I can do an honest assessment of the slate. It is clearly an "Academy" film, but not my cup of tea. Very British, slowly building to an ending that I feel doesn't really fit the film. If you are a fan of epic British flavored film...see it...you will love it. Otherwise, you may just appreciate the moments, leaving the theatre with a melancholy feeling that you wish you had left in the theatre.
Bourne Ultimatum
Charlie Wilson's War--I was not overly impressed with the "film" aspect of this movie. Do I think that everyone should know this bit of history so they can better understand the clusterfuck that we are presently in (Afghanistan, et al)? Yes. Do I think that is was really anything to talk about from a filmmaking, acting, directing, etc. standpoint? No. Go get a history lesson, but don't expect more from it.
Enchanted--The movie that just seems so not fitting in my list...but I will disagree. Disney did well here. Is it any more than it portrays itself? No. It is a little Disney fantasy film...but it is actually well done. I left the theatre lighter than air and I really did laugh. Not expecting anyone to go see it because of my comments here, but I enjoyed my 90 minutes of escape.
Field of Dreams--Being that I have never been a huge baseball fan, I really didn't think I needed to see this film. Yes, it is a classic in American film. Yes, it is about America's favorite pastime. Yeah, didn't move me to watch it. But since I have recently been brought into the baseball fold and since I also have been trying to watch more "classic" movies, I popped it in this morning. I have missed out. I truly loved this film. That's it, that's all. Loved it..now on my favorites list.
Into the Wild
Knocked Up
Juno--My favorite of 2007 (most will put it in 2008, but I saw it in 2007). It is my quirky humor...it really is great film. The writing really hits it stride maybe 15 minutes in...the first 15 might be a little hard to connect to, but it just takes time to catch on. Ellen Page shines. Michael Cera (from Superbad fame) portrays an awkwardness that is so understated but spot on. I waited with anticipation for Allison Janey (West Wing) and J.K. Simmons to come on screen as Juno's parents...they just really rounded out the cast with their supporting roles. I just could go on and on...but I won't bore you or overhype (too late!) so that you can actually go and love the movie too. It is my treat to you!
Lars and The Real Girl--This movie is probably not for everyone...it is truly an indie style film. But one of the best of 2007. Really...a movie about a man that truly believes that his Real Girl doll (not blow up...molded plastic and anatomically correct!) is actually his real-life girlfriend...it is crafted well. The sensitivity given to the delusional state of the main character and the humor infused to keep the movie "real"...excellent. Ryan Gosling shows his chops too...definite Academy nod...well at least worthy.
Paris, Je T'aime--This is a collection of shorts all set in Paris. They are mostly good...a few miss the mark. But a few of them are great short film. Again, this genre isn't for all and must be open to the many interpretations of film by different directors. But definitely worth my time. Surprisingly, the vampire short (which I thought I would completely hate) was probably my favorite. The mime short is quirky enough to work in a short--who can really do mime nowadays feature length?
Summer of Sam
The Great Debaters
The Holiday

(reviews for the other films can be had upon request...just don't want to overwhelm my readers!)

Coming Attractions:
Theatre: The Savages, Sweeney Todd, I'm Not Here, I Am Legend, No Country for Old Men, P.S. I Love You, The Orphanage
DVD: Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, Vertigo, Reality Bites, Stardust, Waitress

Chargers Fan for a Day!

Since I never really followed the NFL until a few years ago, I never really aggressively tried to go to a game. And then once I finally kinda care, I find out that tickets are usually not easy to come by. Oh well...I just never went.

Well, my dad does like the NFL and I figured he would really like to go see his Chargers (also, since he has lived right next to Qualcomm Stadium for like 9 years and had never been inside). Luck would have it that there was a game while I was in town for Christmas. Yeah, it was on Christmas Eve night...Monday Night Football. I took the chance, asked the family if they wanted to go and surprisingly...we all went. Dad, me, Mom and Nicole...very proud of the sis and mom. Gold stars, ladies! (Even if my sister continued to call LaDanian Tomlinson LD instead of LT...but we look past this!) :-)

And since I have no real strong affiliation (Steelers fan since I have the shirt and the terrible towel and the Bus spent his career in Pitt)...I decided, sure, why not, I'll cheer for the Chargers. Hence, my status of a Chargers Fan for the Night. I thought I would be not all that excited to cheer for them...you know, an occasional, yeah, rah, yeah! But nothing real exuberant. Surprise, surprise...I was swinging that free towel like a banshee. It was amazing...ha! I had a lot of fun...truly did. It will never come close to college football, but definitely had fun. But the real fun...

Came in the 4th quarter. The game was basically decided by the middle of the 3rd quarter, but the real losers were not determined until the 4th quarter when the fights in the stands broke out. It was amazing how many there were and how stupid the drunks can be. Resisting arrest, taking swings not only at the rent-a-cops, but also the police who did have guns. One idiotic father did all of this in front of his 5 year old son, on Christmas Eve no less. Sorry, son, I won't be there for Christmas morning cause I was a complete dumbass and thought the cop really would understand that if I took a swing at him it meant I had nothing to do with the original fight...really! There was the chick that just could not keep her big ass mouth shut and resisted arrest to the point of getting about 5 thug guards to settle her down. Then there was the big drunk guy that threw one of the security guards down 5 rows of seats and then decided to take a run for it down the stairs right into 2 cops and end up bloodied and in handcuffs. All in all, a very entertaining way to end the game. Much more interesting whoever was playing 2nd or 3rd string on the field.

I won't be masquerading as a Chargers fan again, I am sure, but it was a rollicking good time on Christmas Eve 2007. And to be honest, the best point of the night...3 hours of sports time with my dad. Yup, that's me...Daddy's Little Sports Fanatic!

What's in a laugh??

Today a co-worker was walking down the hall, passing a conference room where I was in an all-day meeting. She knew I was in the room, not from a calendar or from overhearing about it in the office. She knew because she heard the sound all of you have heard before (from long distances even!)...she heard me laughing. Yes, the very identifiable sound of joy and humor from my body. She walked in...with a huge grin...telling me how she knew that laugh (even just after a month of knowing me!) and knew I had to be around. Then she said something I don't think I ever realized before about myself. She said, "you are always laughing." We are always our own worst critics and I usually see myself as a "glass half empty" kind o' gal...but for some unknown reason, I AM always laughing. Its one of my favorite things to do...I want it to be a part of everything I do...maybe I don't know myself quite well enough. Just maybe, I am a more positive person than I give myself credit for.

Some people have had to "get used" to my laugh...some miss it when it isn't around too often...some people identify me by the sound of it...but all I know is that I love life when it's a constant compainion of mine.

Took My Sweet Time

Other than a traffic report this past week (on myspace blog), I have been remiss on my blogging for quite some time. I really shouldn't be so cruel to my readers. I know more people read this than I actually know (not myspacers), so I definitely should be more responsible. But I gotta admit, moving makes me a dull girl. I haven't been doing too much exciting since I have been here cause I am shopping for furniture way too much and I have been unpacking boxes and trying to organize the new place. I have gratefully been able to spend some q-time with a lot of my friends (which I am ecstatic about!) and am falling right back into life here in the DC metro area.

I need to write my annual Christmas letter which should give everyone the 411 on my life, so I don't want to write it all twice. So, this blog is short...but I do have some parting words (well, a short story and some parting words!), a bit sappy and philosophical...

At Thanksgiving (at my uncles' house in Penn), I was asked what I was thankful for this year. The list could be very long, but I decided on one that is truly specific to this year. Change. I am so very grateful for the ability in our lives for change. Change of outlook, change of location, change of attitude, change of body, change of spirit...whatever you can think of. But that as human beings we are able to affect change in ourselves and our lives. This year has seen great change in my life in so many ways. I am awed by what has transpired. I didn't get married or have a child or anything like that. But so much has truly been altered in some way or another. We can all do it...its not easy and in many cases it can be painful. But I have seen that through pain, great things can grow.

Oh, My Moving Ways

(I know for some of you, this is just a repeat of an email...but I wanted to make sure all of my readers heard the good news!)

About a year ago, I made the decision to move to the Vail Valley of Colorado to become a General Manager of a performing arts center. I was very excited about the opportunity and very excited to be out west. As some of you know, it has been a tough year professionally for me. I have struggled on so many levels, I cannot even come close to listing them all. But I had forged ahead, maying the best of the situation.

About two months ago, I made a decision. I couldn't continue my life, struggling along. I needed to find a way out of the situation. Because I have moved so many times in my adult life, I also decided that I couldn't blaze a new trail again. My 32 year old body and spirit couldn't start over again. Not now. So, after a lot of soul searching, I decided that I wanted to dedicate myself to creating a home in the Washington, D.C. area (aka...I am hoping to not being writing a "moving" email to all of you again for a long time to come...well, at least not a moving out of the DC area email, but hopefully a "i've finally grown up and own something" email!). I know, I left the DC area last year for a lot of reasons. Sometimes you need to leave something to realize what you had.

Today I accepted the position of Project Manager (Product Development) at a well established online curriculum development company. I will be managing projects pertaining to building online contents for grades K-12. The kicker of this whole email is that I will start this position on NOVEMBER 12th! Yes, in just two short weeks, I will move my life and myself to DC again! They offered a sizeable bonus for me to start in that short time, so I decided it was worth the extra money to shorten my stay here in the Vail Valley.

I will miss some good friends, the skiing, and one of the most beautiful places on Earth. But I will regain a life that I have yearned for over the past few months and a job that I feel ready to tackle. My Dad is famous (at least in the family) for saying, "learn something new everyday." I am very excited to say I am going to get that opportunity once again in my new job.

I will be moving into some corporate housing for a couple of weeks when I first move to DC, so I will not have a new address right away. Once I have found some housing, I will definitely give everyone my new address. My phone will ever stay the same.

I am very excited to start this new chapter of my life. Thank you all for your support and love throughout the past year. Oh, and all that live in the DC area...expect a Welcome Home dinner party come January (I know that's really why you love me!).

Preview: What Winter Looks Like

I took some pics as I was driving, on my way to work. They aren't the best shots, but I wanted to give everyone a preview of what winter looks like just in case anyone forgot. It will melt this week since we are going back into the 60's, but snow is now a fact of life for us mountain people, until at least June! Enjoy the View! (I am becoming Barbara Walters...help me now!)