As promised...

OK, as promised, my fabulous weekend in NYC. Wednesday I moved hotels and did laundry and met Tonny for our anniversary at Under the Volcano, then did sushi and Irish pub. Thursday I worked from a coffee shop at 100th and Central Park West, and then went to the Park with Ev. We took some fun and awesome pictures. Krysten came in Thursday night and we, well... we did a lot. Here's what we accomplished out of The List:

(x) Corner Bistro
(x) Chumley's
( ) Alice's Tea Cup (just plain forgot... guess I should have been carrying my copy of the list)
(x) Museum of Natural History
(x) Pearl River
(x) Magnolia Bakery
(x) MoMa
( ) The Met (allll the way over on the Upper East Side... meh)
(x) Cowgirl Hall of Fame
(x) Toto
(x) Marco & Pepe (well, half of us, anyway!! *wink*)
(x) The Triplets of Belleville
(x) an H&H bagel
( ) Central Park (too damn COLD)
( ) Ray's Pizza (too damn FULL)
( ) Bethesda Fountain (cold)
( ) Gray's Papaya (full)
( ) The Unicorn Tapestries at the Cloisters (far)
(x) Little Italy

Pretty impressive, no? Krysten was a trooper. It was wicked cold and we did a ton of walking around outside. Thursday we met Tonya at Corner Bistro, then Evan met up with us at Chumley's, then Krysten and I found a secret bar with a hot, bald bartender and spent like, a hundred dollars on fancy drinks. I wish I were kidding. Then we ate tiramisu and I believe there were more drinks and we went to bed at 3:45. AM. Um... yeah. Friday we slept in, natch, got bagels and falafel (those were 2 separate meals, btw) and did 2 museums and a French film and then went downtown with Tom and pulled another 2am-er. Saturday we had the most fabulous lunch in Little Italy, did a little shopping, met Tonya and Tom at Cowgirl, and went to Evan's karaoke birthday party.

OHMIGAH.

It was SO FUN. They rented out a karaoke room in a Japanese karaoke studio. It was BYOB and had screens with awful b-actor cheese-scenes and mics and colored disco lights and everything. It was HILARIOUS. Krysten will have to give you her version of the night.... it was a lot different than mine. *wink* I started with a little "These Boots are Made for Walking." Schmev and I sang Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe." Tom dominated David Lee Roth's "Gigolo," then he and I did "I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues." Tonny and I bow-chicka-bow-bowed through Captain and Tenille's "Love Will Keep Us Together." Two non-blondes brought down the casbah with 4 Non-Blondes' "What's Up." We got into a serious hair band run toward the end of the night and I think I lost my voice during "Bad Medicine." Whoa-whoa-whoa, shake it up!! It was another 4am night for me and I met Tonny at Marco & Pepe for brunch before Krys and I went back to the airport.

Aaaaand, the end. I came back tired and happy. I cooked myself a solitary meal and laid on the couch all evening. All in all, it was a super-duper vacation. Thanks Krys!!!

SERIOUSLY!

Valentine's came 2 weeks late this year.

Guess what I got in the mail today?

From a person who doesn't even read my blog, so had no idea that I had begged for it from anyone who was reading and happened to like me a little!! Heeee!

I jumped up and down and squealed like a schoolgirl... a schoolgirl in a convertible who just heard "September."

I have a Valentiiiiiiiiiiine!!!!

OK, gotta go. I have DVDs to watch.

This is for all my kara-OK! co-stars...

I will blog soon and very soon about my trip to NYC in general and specifically about our mad karaoke party last night (btw, is anyone else's throat killing them?)... but for now, I have dinner to cook, TV to watch, laundry to do, and sleep to have.

WELL. Today, I get to Dallas, and it's sunny and 65. That's right: about 40-50 degrees warmer than I've been for the last 10 days. The car rental place offered me a free upgrade to a convertible PT Cruiser. It's Clown Car 2: Electric Bugaloo! Well, it took me about 10 minutes to figure out how to get the top down (dirty!) but hey, it was 65 degrees, and I going to drive with the top down. So I finally get it situated, and drive out onto the open highway, wind in my hair, crank up the radio.... the first song I hear in its entirety??

September, by Earth Wind & Fire. Ba de ya, say do you remember?

You better believe that I sang it at the top of my lungs, sore throat be damned. That one's for you, Tonny.

Props, mad props, to all my NYC friends for a fantastic time. Pictures to come!! XOXOX

ETA: Who is currently my favorite Canadian??? I got the coolest "housewarming" gift ever today. You ROCK. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The List (and a copy of the list, in case anything happens to the first list)

I checked out of the Crappiest Western today, and into The Hotel Belnord, which is a clean, quiet, tiny hostel-like hotel on the Upper West Side. Teeny TINY. My room is like, 3' wider than the double bed. The double bed that I have to share with Krysten for the next 3 nights. Krys, I hope you like me a lot!!!

I was trying to dial up and my phone wouldn't work, and so when I called the front desk, he told me I needed to put down a $50 deposit before he would turn on my phone. The hell? I ended up paying $10 for 1 day of wi-fi, so you probably won't see much of me (or Krysten) for the next few days.

I have always said, if I was going to be a permanent New Yorker... if I was going to build a life and a family here, it would be the Upper West Side. I LOVE it. It's so residential. It's practically the suburbs. It's all quiet, tree-lined streets, brownstones, elementary schools, old people walking their dogs... this is where the New Yorkers live. It's so quaint and charming.

So, on to The List! I've made a list of all the things I want to do (and a copy of the list, in case anything happens to the first list). Sunday night, I'll let you know how many we actually did.

( ) Corner Bistro
( ) Chumley's
( ) Alice's Tea Cup
( ) Museum of Natural History
( ) Pearl River
( ) Magnolia Bakery
( ) MoMa
( ) The Met
( ) Cowgirl Hall of Fame
( ) Toto
( ) Marco & Pepe
( ) The Triplets of Belleville
( ) an H&H bagel
( ) Central Park
( ) Ray's Pizza
( ) Bethesda Fountain
( ) Gray's Papaya
( ) The Unicorn Tapestries at the Cloisters
( ) Little Italy

Cheers...ski

I sporadically toy with the idea of making another blog dedicated just to books, or just to food, but then I remember how much time I waste on this one, and I decide against it. So, if you're not a foodie, skip this entry.

I went to Pravda last night, another concept from the Manhattan genius Keith McNally.

Joyce and I ordered the Zakouski Platter, which had a sampling of spinach and cheese pirozhki, roasted eggplant dip on toast (which was somewhat like baba ganoush but had red peppers in it, so I didn't eat it), tiny scrambled egg/caviar tartlets, and crispy potato pancakes with a creamy cheese, fresh dill, and Scottish smoked salmon. It was like buttah. Then we ordered these lemon-parsley chicken skewers with spicy walnut sauce (again, with red peppers, blech, but the chicken was good) and these teeny hamburgers with french fries. SO good. Tom and Julio joined us by then and we all had dessert: they the warm chocolate cake with sour cherry compote and we the creme de cassis crepes with black currants. To. die. for.

Now, onto the drinks. I actually feel surprisingly well this morning considering the amount of Russian vodka I consumed. My first cocktail was the Leninade (*snort*) which was kind of like a vodka mojito: Citron vodka, lemon juice, and fresh crushed mint. It was really good, fresh and tart, but after that I moved on to the Gramsci: Pravda's own spiced cranberry infusion and lignonberries. Unbelievable. Very spicy and wintry- I think my favorite of the night. My third drink was the Ginger Fizz, which was ginger-infused vodka, lime juice, and club soda, with a huge slice of fresh ginger as a garnish. It was quite tasty, if you like ginger (I do) - I think the fizzy club soda was a great pairing with the strong flavor. After that we just moved right on to the Jewel of Russia, which is one of my favorite vodkas. I prefer the cranberry infusion, it's bright red and super-tart, but they only had Wild Bilberry, which was really sweet but low enough in alcohol content (about half that of regular vodka) to be a good move on our part.

Joyce left us for 24 but Tom and Julio and I stayed out until almost 1am. Probably not the best decision, as I had to be here at 7:30am this morning and won't leave until close to midnight. *yawn* BUT, it was worth it. Great food, great drinks, great company: all the ingredients for a letter-perfect GDE (tm Scotticus).

The innocent words of a child....

December 15, 1963

It's kind of hard to see since the tape has bled through the paper, but apparently, at the tender age of 14, my mother said to HER mother, "I'm not going to make my kids do the dishes every day!!" She then added for good measure, "I'll also not make them do ironing or washing." I love that my grandmother had the presence of mind and the sass to make her write it down, sign and date it, and then she mounted it on a piece of matboard. That's right. Go, Meem, go!

Also? I'm pretty sure I did the dishes every night of my adolescent life. I'm just sayin'.

Bygones.

There is no such thing as a grown-up. (GA Spoilers and Musings)

First of all, loved the Cristina/Burke dancing with the toothbrush scene. Awesome.

George? Get over Mere. You are way too good for her.
(Oh, and pick me!!)

Baby Bailey?! YES. But why do people on TV give birth to 6-month old babies?

I loved that McDreamy hurt his hand punching McCheaty in the face. Nice touch. Don't get a lot of realism at Seattle Grace.

I love love love Addison Montgomery-Shepard. She is the perfect blend of spitfire and vulnerability. She breaks my heart. And I love Chief Kirsch, too, but I don't love it so much that he cheated on Loretta Devine, who is awesome.

OHMIGAH I love that they named him McSteamy. That is so much better than my McCheaty.

Seriously George. GET OVER IT.

JON STEWART HOSTS THE OSCARS! Wheeeee! OK, seriously? this is the worst hotel room I have ever stayed in. EVER. First of all, I have told them three times that my shower doesn't drain properly. Will that stop me from taking a shower ankle-deep in water tomorrow? I highly doubt it. Also, due to the angle of the shower head (and no, it doesn't move), I have to stand right in the back corner up against the wall to get hit by the water at all. Which is cold. And while the "shower curtain" sticks to me. It's the worst shower I've ever taken. Also? the knob on the window unit is broken so I have no idea what setting it is on until it runs long enough to make the room either frigid or sweltering and then I have to adjust and start all over.

Cristina and the lionitus patient and the "nice eyes"? GAAAH! So sweet when she smiles.

Meredith? EAT A SANDWICH. Her facial skin is sagging to Teri Hatcher proportions. Ick. Her cheekbones are like weapons.

Speaking of eyes... SO why Shonda Rhymes dubbed Patrick Dempsey "McDreamy."

"I don't see what McDreamy and McSteamy see in her." "She's McHot." ace-high!!

I love Izzy. I cannot stress this enough.

McOrgasm looks like Minnie Driver.

Oh, Lion's "please" to his parents sent me WEEPING. OK, honestly. Is it possible to watch this show without laughter AND tears? From the same characters?

I could really do without the maxipad-as-pinball-machine commercial. *shudders*

Awwww, Meredith, George just totally laid it on the line for you and you could not be more self-involved. WHY do men like self-involved women? 'Cause it takes the focus off of them? WHY? The hell? And I can't believe she is blaming her dad for not trying harder after he found out that her mom cheated on him. GAH. McWhiny.

This hospital just has the most unfortunate of elevator meetings. I think I would stop going in there since it would be certain I would be seen by the one person I didn't want to see under seemingly horrid circumstances which they will never find out were not what they appeared, but rather a complete misunderstanding.

OH, McDreamy, you are SUCH an a$$hole. What a JERK. You know, there's all this discussion about "well, she cheated on him first" bullsh*t... yes, it was wrong. It was horrible. But he CHOSE to take her back. He made that DECISION, and I would hope that if I made a mistake of that magnitude, a person who vowed to love me as long as we both shall live, would give me a second chance. And once given that second chance, not continue to punish me at every turn just so I would be as miserable as he. JERK JERK JERK. You can't make a big decision like that and not TRY to make it work. Just your decision is not enough. Don't say you're going to do something if you can't actually do it. It's just WRONG. I hate McDreamy.

"....and I love you. What the hell is wrong with you that you can't just let me?" Well-played, Dr. Burke.

OK, I watched that last scene with my hands over my mouth, because I hated it so much. After the next-week-ons.... I am going to hate Meredith, too. She lives in a completely Merecentric World and George wants to move there too. What a cute, sweet, loyal idiot.

I am very glad to see the hot heart patient back though. He and Izzy had great chemistry.

The end.

The Great Firewall of China

I said I had some blog subjects in limbo; tonight's a good night to whip 'em out. That is, if my pirated wi-fi will allow. That's right, I'm in America, and I can use someone else's ISP to Google whatever the hell I want.

Not so much in China.

I read this article last week about Google's censorship of information in China. They launched a new search engine, Google.cn, that complies with the Communist Party's demands on what its citizens can and cannot view. Every time a website under the thumb of China's internet police (currently 30,000 and counting) is searched, two anime characters named Jingjing and Chacha (jingcha is the Chinese word for "police") appear on the screen to remind the surfer that Big Brother is watching. Seriously.

Some people are lambasting Google for "selling out" on their freedom of information mission, but Google feels it's better to reach 20% of a 5th of the world's population that none. Or maybe just their checkbooks feel that way.

See for yourself... if you search google.com's images for "tiananmen square," you get a lot of pictures of tanks. Perform the same image search at google.cn and you get tourist photos. Other "hot buttons" include "Falun Gong," "democracy," and "Taiwanese independence."

It's honestly unimaginable to me that we live in a world where RIGHT NOW, a technologically advanced country like China can still censor information. And they're doing it under the umbrella of a more "harmonious society." A Chinese-controlled newspaper said Jingjing and Chacha are primarily exist to "intimidate, not answer questions." Their official task is to "maintain order" and "publicly remind all Netizens to be conscious of safe and healthy use of the Internet," because the government wants to control the public opinion. CONTROL THE PUBLIC OPINION, y'all! Chinese authorities even blocked The Globe and Mail last month. Who finds Canadians dangerous?

When you were born on this planet, you basically had a 1 in 5 chance of being born Chinese. I imagine books like 1984 and Brave New World are not-so-mysteriously absent from the high school reading list of the average adolescent Chinese. Considering that censorship isn't the worst experience you could have, America seems a little more appealing, no?

I guess we should applaud the fact that Chacha is a woman.

New York, New York, it's a horrible town...

Just kidding! Honestly, though, I could have done without yesterday completely. Let's talk for a moment about how Jamie brought the WRONG COAT to NY in February. Right now the wind chill is 5. That's right. 5. That's a single-digit number. I am currently indoors, typing in gloves a la Rolf, wearing my "spring coat" (because when I got here, it was in the 50s), and a have co-worker's coat over my lap.

So, yesterday I woke up with one of the worst migraines I've had in years. I blame Hooters and their spicy, spicy wing sauce. I'll just go ahead and file ordering those wings under "What Were You Thinking?" I'm sure it's full of MSG and other non-food substances that spell poison to Jamie's delicate system.

My prescription medicine stipulates no more than 5mg in 24 hours. I took 5mg in 4 hours (that's two doses, 4 hours apart). I was dizzy and nauseated and sensitive to light and noise (so of course, trade-show set-up was absolutely the best place for me to be) and I was just certain I was going to have to find the nearest hospital for a shot. It took, I'm not kidding, 4 hours from my second dose for the pain to subside. That's 8 hours total of me working in debilitating pain. People I didn't even know were asking me if I was OK. By the way? LOVE to be told "you look horrible!"

Soooo, I ended up feeling better by the time I got off work, natch, so I had Italian comfort food at Da Marino (no, he wasn't there) and going to bed by 10pm. YAY for 8 hours of sleep!! Oh, and yay for Da Marino, a favourite of mine before it ever appeared on Sex & the City. I had a lovely salad of arugula, endives, fresh shaved parmesan, and pears with a lemon/olive oil vinaigerette, and spaghetti carbonara - yeh, I know how fattening it is, but it's my favorite.

Today is a light work day of 9 hours (pay no attention to the fact that it's Sunday) and I have date night with Tom, and since I am well-rested and migraine-free, I'm could not be in a better mood (well, I guess I could be if I wasn't working at all, haha!). Chumleys (third down) here we come! Oh, and Krys, don't hate me... but he's taking me to Pastis for dinner. *wink* We'll go back- I'm a sucker for a good sancerre.

Update: Tom totally flaked on me. Grrrr. I mean, he had a semi-good excuse, which wasn't even "Jamie, it's 12 degrees out and I'm in Brooklyn and you're in Times Square" - which would have actually been plausible, so I'll let him slide. This time. *raises eyebrow* I actually usually love to stay in on Sundays for take-out and television, but since I'm staying at the Hotel Crappy McCrappy, I had to get out for a bit. I took my book to Saigon 48 and had pad thai with the locals. Ibym "locals".... "western european tourists." Hey, I'm in Times Square, remember?

No West Wing for another MONTH. Oh, funny TwoP moment: in this week's 24 recap, M. Giant said ""My wife will have a considerable problem with that," Logan says, wishing that he had Jed Bartlet's ability to phrase that kind of sentiment without sounding completely whipped." Bah! Logan is such a tool. How did he even get to Veep status? Same way as Bingo Bob, I imagine. How diluted has our political system become that both fictional and real-live white men can rise to the seat of ultimate political power by being the least objectionable candidate?

I hope I can stay awake for Grey's Anatomy.

New York, New York: It's a wonderful town!

The Bronx is up and the Battery's down!
The people ride in a hole in the ground!
New York, New York: It's a wonderful town!!!

I do a lot of walking around in a lot of cities while listening to my iPod. There's just no place to do it like New York. It's one of my all-time favorite things to do. I can't seem to put into words my love for this city- the charm, the grit, the culture, the ambience, the power, the MAGIC... I love it. There's just something mystical about New York City. Pop on your headphones and get lost in Manhattan: the smells and the sounds and the subway and the Park and the diversity and the arts. It's truly the melting pot that America set out to be. There's no place like it on earth.

I've always said the only Americans more prideful about their place of residence as Texans are New Yorkers. I would also argue that New York City and the Republic of Texas are also the two places that have the most songs written about them. I have playlists for both... and even though my Texas one is longer, I love my "I *heart* NY" playlist more. Every single song is poignant and heartfelt; the entire collection just makes me happy:

1) Theme Song- Sex & the City
2) Sunday in New York- Bobby Darin
3) I Guess the Lord Must be in New York City- Harry Nillson
4) NYC- Cast, Annie
5) New York- Ryan Adams
6) New York State of Mind- Billy Joel
7) The Eyes of a New York Woman- B.J. Thomas
8) New York City- They Might be Giants
9) Manhattan- Ella Fitzgerald
10) Angel in Manhattan- Ellis Paul
11) New York, New York- cast, On the Town
12) The Only Living Boy in New York- Simon & Garfunkel
13) Autumn in New York- Billie Holliday
14) New York, New York- Frank Sinatra

Next weekend I get to share my love of New York with Krysten, who is coming to visit! I could not be more excited -- playing tour guide in NYC is one of my greatest joys. I hope she won't find me too geeky, but I already have a full itinerary of my favorites. I can't wait to experience them with her.

I leave you with lyrics to hands-down, the best scene in the Broadway play Annie, which they tragically cut for the John Huston/Albert Finney/Carol Burnett/Tim Curry/Bernadette Peters otherwise-jewel-of-a-movie version (it was too "dated" and was replaced with "Let's Go to the Movies"). The whole song lauds the excitement, but when the Broadway hopeful comes on at the end, she really captures the hope and the magic of the city, and I get a little catch in my throat every time. Anyone can follow a dream in New York. (PS> you'll find it fitting that I am currently writing this post from the Best Western on 48th between Broadway and 8th... while pirating wi-fi from the Ritz across the street. *weg*)

WARBUCKS:

NYC, what is it about you?
You're big; you're loud; You're tough...
NYC, I go years without you
Then I can't get enough:
Enough of the cab drivers answering back
(In a language far from pure)
Enough of frankfurters answering back
Brother! You know you're...
In NYC - Too busy, too crazy
Too hot! Too cold!
Too late! I'm sold, again, on NYC.

(spoken)
Come on you slowpokes, we gotta get to the Roxy before the prices change!

New Yorkers:

NYC!!!

GRACE:

The shadows at sundown
The roofs that scrape the sky!

New Yorkers:

NYC!!

WARBUCKS/GRACE:

The rich and the rundown
The parade goes by...

WARBUCKS:

No other town has the Empire State and a mayor five-foot-two
No other town in the whole forty eight
Can half compare to you!

New Yorkers:

Oh NYC!!!

WARBUCKS:

You make 'em all postcards

WARBUCKS/GRACE:
You crowd, you cramp
You're still the champ
Amen For NYC!

New Yorkers:

NYC!!
The shimmer of Times Square!
The pulse, the beat, the drive!

The city's bright
As a penny arcade
It blinks, it tilts, it rings

ANNIE:

To think that I've lived here all of my life
And never seen these things!!

New Yorkers:

Oh, NYC!!
The whole world keeps coming
By bus, by train
You can't explain their yen
For ...

STAR-TO-BE:

NYC!!
Just got here this morning
Three bucks, two bags, one me!
NYC,
I give you fair warning:
Up there, in lights I'll be
Go ask the Gershwins, or Kaufman and Hart
The place they love the best
Though California pays big for their art
Their fan mail comes addressed to NYC
Tomorrow a penthouse
That's way up high
Tonight ... The "Y"
Why not?
It's NYC!!

ALL:
NYC!!
You're standing room only!
You crowd, you cramp,
You're still the champ
Amen For NYC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

that frog is killing me.

OK, it's 1:30 am and my alarm is going off in 5 hours... but I have to say:

What in the Dharma (TM Shelly) is going on next week on LOST? ROCK. ON.

Also, this is No Day but Today's 100th post!!!!!!

Do I get, like, a big cake or something?

There are many things I want to blog about, including those hieroglyphics on the number countdown when Locke got too close to the 108 minute deadline (the hell?), being home, living alone again, my mom's 1963 statement regarding her future children's household chores, a drag queen named Sweetie, and China's censored Google site... all coming your way soon. I've been distracted by boxes and Bed Bath & Beyond and trips to Goodwill and cabinet knobs and the Method line of cleaning supplies.

Coming at you live tomorrow from New York City. XOXOX

Help!

OK, I need some boy help. Not help WITH a boy, help BY a boy. Or, even just someone who is more "handy" that I am, which honestly, could be a 4-year old girl or maybe even an orangutan.

So, I got new cabinet knobs for my kitchen. They're pretty sweet. They look like this:

I installed most of them ALL BY MYSELF, using my new girlie power drill and I think, if I may say so, I did a pretty nice job.

So, they have a long screw, (or bolt? not sure of the correct terminology) that doesn't have a hole in the head, and it goes through the knob and has a nut on the back side, like this:

The old knobs had regular Phillips heads that screwed into the knob itself on the other side of the cabinet door. Well, I also got knobs for the doors to my kitchen but I just realized that the knobs on the doors are double-sided, so they screw into each other, like this:

So, my question is, how can I install the red knobs onto my doors, since they don't actually screw themselves, but need a nut??

Just for the record, I am not fond of home improvement. Although I did install a towel rod in the bathroom yesterday. And similar cabinet knobs in coke-bottle green. This is just not a hobby I can get behind.

Can anyone help a damsel in distress??

Overheard.

I have unpacked 8 boxes today. *bow* I need another bookshelf. I have SO MANY BOOKS. I feel like maybe I could weed some out and take them to Half-Price Books... but it just seems wrong somehow. I can never bring myself to get rid of a book, you know?

I went to TCU this morning to meet with the College of Nursing, the Admissions Office, and Financial Aid. It was sooo strange to walk around campus. They all looked like babies. I don't feel like I went to college that long ago, but it was well before the age of ubiquitous cell phones and little white earbuds. The quote of the day was: "I don't think she miscalculated; she just forgot to add."

My landlady is 83 years old, and has managed this building for over 50 years. Her name is Esther and when I went into her apartment to pick up my keys, I noticed she was reading Bill Mahr and a bulletin board displaying every democratic political button since the Truman administration. Including one of Bush and Cheney that says "Weapons of Mass Deception." Ha! Crazy, right? She also had a large cross-stitched "SHALOM" on the wall. She is a character.

So, yesterday, she knocks on my door and asks how I'm settling in. I said "Fine, thanks for asking. I'm just unpacking and cleaning." She answered, "Well, let me know if you need any help with anything. Except unpacking or cleaning." Bah!! I love this woman already. I should make a recurring article entitled "The Sass of Esther."

OK, this has been a nice break, but I have books to unpack. *sigh* Tonight was going to be an incredibly pivotal Monday night for me.... the first time I will have EVER seen The West Wing Monday Night Marathon on Bravo in my own home. Then I looked at the schedule and noticed there was no Monday Night Marathon. Wha' happen'??

Bed, sweet, bed.

I'm in my own bed, on my own mattress, for the first time since Memorial Day. Obviously... the bed was first on my list. There are still boxes everywhere, cables all over the place, bare walls, etc. But I am SO GLAD to have my things back!! It's like Christmas over here! Oh, speaking of Christmas, I had asked my parents to wait until I moved to get me a present, since I needed so many things, and I got these. Ace-high!! For myself I bought a santoku knife and 10" chef's knife. I swear I could spend a cool coupla thousand on new kitchen gadgets.

I spent my first evening alone in my new place. I ordered Chinese from the one menu I've received so far, and not only do they have excellent crab rangoon, but they have spicy sesame chicken!! Yummmmm!! It was a little expensive but at least 3 if not 4 helpings. I'll stay on the search.

I put up some of my bathroom and some of my kitchen, did 2 loads of laundry, and took out 3 loads of empty boxes and crumpled up newspaper. The Post, most of it. I also DVR'ed my first 2 shows ever, so that was a big step.

But my BED!!! It's sooo comfortable. I wish I could sleep in but alas, I have a meeting in Ft. Worth tomorrow at 10am. *yawn* Meaning, I should get some sleep. Good night, mattress. Good night, alarm clock. Good night, lamp. Good night, moon.

The End of the World as We Know It, Part 2

My throat hurts from almost crying for the entire last hour. I'm still kind of in shock, actually... even though I called the ending exactly- it was still incredibly suspenseful. I've been on the edge of my seat... and I paced during the commericals. At one point I was actually wringing my hands. I didn't know people that weren't novel heroines did that.

My Valentine Love to the cast: First of all, my love for Dr. Bailey knows no bounds. Izzy? Smokin' hot. T.R. Knight? If Tom Cavanaugh doesn't follow through, will you marry me?? Ellen Pompeo, I adored you in Moonlight Mile and I think you're real cute, especially your little raspy voice. But please, sit down (with Teri Hatcher) and have a hamburger. Chief? You'll always be Director Kirsch to me... but kudos on a great episode. And Dr. McDreamy... you're kind of an asshole, so it's a good thing you have that beautiful head of hair and those soulful eyes to confuse us.

Will my Valentine please get me the first season on DVD??

a week late and a lot of dollars short....

OK, not long to write at the moment, but I just watched the last two weeks of Grey's Anatomy and

OH

MY

GAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am a nervous WRECK after "The End of the World as We Know It (Part 1)".... I'm not sure how I can get through tonight's episode. My stomach is in KNOTS. *deep breaths*

OK, honestly, I got my parents to the airport this morning, went to church (and there was a LIVE sheep there, and I met my mom's cousin's daughter's husband, more on that later), talked to Krysten about LOST, and went to Jul's to watch all that TV (Tom, I also finally saw the last 2 week's of Gilmore Girls and yowza on the ending of that ep you e-mailed me about... but it got eclipsed by Grey's Anatomy) and now I have to run over to my friend Caroline's. I haven't done a THING here in the apartment and it needs it soooooo bad.

These are the times when my insomnia comes in handy.

boxes boxes everywhere and not a drop to drink

Yeah... that's a beer. THAT's how tired I am. That, and I can't find my corkscrew. Big props go out to Ree-an, Scotticus, Jule, Amy, and Bill for their help unloading the truck. Especially for not dropping my television.

I'm exhausted, and feeling a bit daunted by all the boxes. We actually got a lot done: my bedroom looks great (8 months without my bed and I. can. wait. 2. more. nights...) and the TV/DVD/DVR/modem is all set up, so that is a huge, integral step. Tomorrow, the kitchen!

I had 2 moles biopsied today. *frowny face* One on my chin and one on my neck. That neck skin is a little more sensitive that I had anticipated; it's bothering me a bit. I should have the results in about a week. So I've been walking around all day with bandages on the areas, and Scott was all "did someone clock you in the jaw?" Yeah, you shoulda seen the other guy.

My new coffee pot is frickin' awesome. I just set it to start brewing at 7:15... and since I'm sleeping in the living room I will wake up to the lovely smell. Oh, and Krys... the function you were talking about? It has a clock that for the first 2 hours after it's brewed, keeps the time like a stop watch, so if someone walks into the kitchen and wonders "how fresh is this coffee?" he/she knows whether it's 30 minutes old, or 2 hours old, or if the clock is back on, more than 2 hours old. I don't know why it's that big of a deal, since the caraffe keeps it hot for at least 5 hours that I have seen. Today I brewed it at 7am, and came home at 1pm and had a cup!! OK, so it wasn't piping hot at 1pm... but it was hot enough, and that's 6 hours! Rock.

OK, I have to get some sleep. Another looong day ahead of me. Kisses... and if you live nearby, come over and see me before I leave for New York on Thursday! Yes, that means you!!

Quick Update

Hey kids, quick update from the coffee shop I've been frequenting. Fingers crossed I will have internet at my house by this afternoon.

It's cold, raining, and my furniture should be here in just a few hours. Fun times. So far since I've been in Dallas, I've had sushi with Erin, lunch with Scott, coffee with Ryan, spent $300 at Target, had 2 moles biopsied (more facial scars, natch), and bought a fabulous new coffee pot. I ran water through it yesterday to clean it out, around 4pm, and when I got in at 11pm, I poured a cup and it was still steaming hot, yo! I love it!! Also, you can set it to be ready when you wake up. ROCK.

Oh, and the USB ports on my new laptop don't work. I'm pissed.

I'm on my way home to wait for the cable guy. XOXOX

"I'm not sad; I'm complicated." (House spoilers)

My last post from Viva Las Vegas! I won't have internet access until Friday (between 2-5pm, natch), so there probably won't be an update until then.

Last night's viewings (while closing my show paperwork and packing the heaviest suitcase in the world) included:

The X-Files: Colony. The one where Mulder's sister comes back (the first time) and there's that shape-shifter dude and Mulder comes to Scully's door and she's all "hey Mulder, let me just answer the phone" and it's Mulder on the phone, and she spins around to look at the Mulder in the doorway and the Mulder on the phone is all "Scully? Scully?" and she has this awesome look on her face and then it ends. Damn, I miss that show. Oh, it's also the episode where Scully says "Mulder, what happened to trust no one?" and he snarks "oh, I changed it to trust everyone-- didn't I tell you?" *snort*

I love that commercial where the guy is on the phone with the voice-automated customer service line: What's your pet's name? FLUFFY. What's your password? BIGBOY. And right as he gets someone his train goes into the tunnel. Heee.

Golden Girls. The one where Dorothy is depressed and she goes to see her pediatrician friend Dr. Weston and I couldn't remember if Empty Nest spun off Golden Girls or the other way around. Either way, I miss both of those shows. I've said it before and I'll say it again- they don't make sitcoms like they used to.

This new Julianne Moore movie, Freedomland? Didn't she already make that movie? And didn't Jodie Foster make it, too? I'm confused.

The West Wing: In the Room. (Bill, just get over it.) This is a huge episode!! First, C.J. and Kate just gave each other a high-five in the Oval Office. How come I didn't notice that before? Ace-high! OK, so this is the one where Penn & Teller do a magic trick that seems to burn the American flag at Zoe's birthday party. There's a publicity nightmare because Penn & Teller won't tell the press how they performed the flag-burning illusion, therefore there is no proof that they didn't actually burn a flag at the White House, and everyone keeps calling it a "kid's birthday party" even though I'm pretty sure it was her 21st, which is a little irritating. C.J. is the new Chief of Staff and Josh cannot seem to take an order from her. His wounded and somehow still inflated ego is just insufferable for many reasons-- not the least of which is how he treats Donna, like even more of an asshole than usual, and then Bingo Bob asks him to run his campaign for the POTUSency. POTUS has a debilitating MS-induced incident on Airforce One. It's so incredibly sad. I love Jed Bartlett so much - what a fascinating, proud, intelligent, caring, multi-dimensional character. When he tells Millie (his old friend and the Surgeon General) that he can't move his hands and she offers to feed him... well, the look on his face made me cry. I cried again when he angrily yelled "This plane is going to China! That's a direct order from your Commander-in-Chief!!" while lying flat on his back, paralyzed from the neck down. It's also one where we meet Senator Vinick (Alan Alda) and he says "Never trust a man who doesn't shine his own shoes." Josh is hemhawing about telling Leo that Vinick is running for POTUS and Leo snaps: "Just spit it out, Josh; you're not going to shock me into my grave." Yep, I cried again.

Friends: The one where Joey gets the chick and the duck! It's the beginning of an era!! Also, Jon Favreau. Thin! And the line "This has been my dream ever since I got my first Easy-Bake Oven and opened Easy-Monica's Bakery!!"

Friends: The one where Rachel dates Angry Guy, played brilliantly by Ben Stiller. Rachel and Ross' date go to the ladies' room and Ross and Angry Guy are left alone... and Ross is all "Well, this is awkward" and A.G. is like "what?" and Ross says "well, because Rachel and I used to go out" and A.G. says "oh, I didn't know that you used to go out" and Ross says "oh. Well, then this is awkward." *snort* And one of my favorite Chandler lines, when Ross is telling them how Angry Guy yelled at people in the theater and Chandler says "Yeah, can you believe that guy? And then when the play was over, he jumped out of his seat, and started, you know, just banging his hands together!" Hahahaha!

House, M.D. *spoilers* This episode included the Poor Man's Dakota Fanning and yet another appearance of Sela Ward's Frozen Forehead. I wonder how much her Botox bill is? Let's put aside the fact that I love that Wilson has a Vertigo film poster in his office and I really want Jesse Spencer to tell me bedtime stories, and say: ohmigah I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dude, Cameron is pissed. I really liked that scene on the roof... where he says "It's not easy but it is simple." Word. Then in the office where she totally nailed him with the "you've spent months chasing me and now I'm here and you're running away?" I can't believe he freaked out and told her to go back to Mark. Actually? I totally can. What an asshole. (But so hot. Ay, there's the rub. Isn't that always the way?)

Tom Cavanaugh really needs to showcase his inherant cuteness in a better show than Love Monkey. Really. Marry me, Tom Cavanaugh! REALLY.

OK, seriously... I have got to get a life.

It starts today.

Mommy, what's a weekend?

It's weird that I said to Bill just yesterday that I was channeling my inner Chloe, because last night on 24, when Edgar said "I know that was hard, but you did the right thing," Chloe and I said at the exact same time, in the exact same tone: "Shut up, Edgar." Yes, I'm talking to the television screen now. Think that was a shout-out to TwoP? If so, well-played, 24 writers.

So it's my last day in Vegas!! Can you guys believe that I'm moving TOMORROW? It's not even real yet; I've been so busy I haven't really had time to get excited. No kidding, I've worked 148 hours since I got here two Tuesdays ago, and that included one whole day off. You guys know how much I abhor Las Vegas - it's just so trashy. Everything about it is fake, huge, sparkly, and cheap-- all strip malls and chain restaurants, and planned communities, which I loathe. ANYway... all that to say that I had a surprisingly nice trip this time around. The show was normal-busy, but so far from what I was expecting after last July that I was pleasantly surprised. There's a new account exec on this show, and I adored her, and my co-workers were freaking amazing. I'm actually going to miss them!

I'll be home (home!!) for a week - and I have 2 doctor's appointments, a haircut, appointments with 2 people at TCU about grad school, and about a million errands to do. I'll be back the 26th-3rd, and then gone for ALL of March. ALL OF IT!! At this rate I think I might be unpacked by September. Ugh.

Soooo, I'm really looking forward to my quiet evening at the hotel. My roommate left today and I'm going to do laundry, eat leftovers (can you believe I had baked ziti and a Pittsburgh chocolate chip cookie for breakfast?), watch House, and pack. I have a feeling it will be a while before I'll have another night like tonight- in fact, I'm hoping to get out of here before 5pm so my evening can start in the afternoon. I was originally keeping my fingers crossed for noon but it doesn't look like that's going to happen. Sheesh.

Anyway, hope everyone is well, and that the Welcome Wagon is waiting for me tomorrow. Look out Texas!!

*does the "I have cable & internet" dance*

Wheeee! OK, so, I've been playing phone tag with Charter for at least a couple of weeks. FI-nally, I get Jesse on the phone. Yay Jesse! Choose Jesse!! He also had the Jesse Spencer accent, Krys, which made him oh-so-pleasant to talk with.

He gave me a good deal since I had to wait so long to get this taken care of, so starting Friday (between 2 and 5pm) I will have high-speed internet access, cable with ALL the movie channels, and a D-V-freakin'-R. Can you hear the angels singing??? I'm soooooo excited!

I *heart* televison.

OK, seriously, Liza Minelli is on Inside the Actor's Studio and The Puppy Bowl II is on Animal Planet (that's right; I said "II"). I'm so torn. Shelly and I were just talking about The Puppy Bowl- I'm so glad someone else saw it so at least I know I didn't hallucinate it- and we can't really figure out what's going on there. I mean, there are fans in the stands. No, seriously. But as far as we can tell, it's just puppies, playing with toys, in a "football arena." Actually, I just saw one of the puppies become all grown up, if you know what I mean. ("Joey? We always know what you mean."~ Monica) Honestly, this is why I rarely turn on the TV "just to see what's on." Ooooh, never mind, Ellen is on Comedy Central. She freakin' kills me. I love that she can base an entire comedy routine on actually being funny, instead of her race or her sexual preference. She's just... funny. She tells real-life funny stories, about going to the dentist, or ADD, or airplanes. Go, Ellen, go!

OH, is it just me, or does 24's FLOTUS look an awful lot like Samantha Jones?

So, it was soooo slow at work today. Painfully so. Everyone kept saying "no one's working today; it's a holiday weekend" and after about the 5th holiday reference I realized that Las Vegas considers Superbowl Sunday a holiday. Soooo, we left at 1:30pm and went to a bar. That's right. What's better than drinking during the day? The other 2 left for their respective Superbowl parties and I came home and took a nap. A) that's what's better than drinking during the day: drinking during the day and then napping. *wink*

OK, *yawn* - I really should get some real sleep. I have another day and a half to go. Our two freelancers left last night and Les is leaving after tomorrow, so Tuesday's really going to be a killer. With any luck I'll be out of there by noon. And to Texas on Wednesday!! I can't believe it's here already! I'm so excited.

Goodnight, readers. Goodnight, Ellen. Goodnight, moon.

I got your shanf right here.

In Genesis 24:22 Abraham requested his oldest servant to find a wife for his son Isaac, the servant found Rebekah, and one of the gifts he gave her was the Hebrew word "shanf," which is translated as "nose-ring."

Just wanted to throw in that Biblical reference. Y'know, just in case.


So, I got my nose pierced. I've been thinking about it for a looooong time, seriously thinking about it for a while, and finally went this evening. I think it's pretty cool. I wanted the smaller one than I got, like a teeny tiny dot, but I have to wait a couple of months. The girl that did it is super cool (she pierced my cartilage last July) and when I come back to Las Vegas in early March she will switch it out with the smaller one for me.

Also, when I got to my hotel today, I had a box of chocolates from a freight foreman out of Dallas that I work with a lot, who I gave a ride to work the other morning, and he got me miserably lost. I yelled at him in the lobby of the hotel and he sent me chocolates as an "I'm sorry." Hee. I also had a Spongebob Squarepants Valentine from my new boyfriend, Bryce, and a heart-framed picture of him. Bah!



Edited to add: I have another entry for the "Things I'll Probably Never Hear Said Again" list- "OK, I'm going to stick a cork up your nose."

Hang on, Little Tomato.

The sun has left and forgotten me,
It's dark, I cannot see.
Why does this rain pour down,
I'm gonna drown in a sea,
Of deep confusion.
Somebody told me, I don't know who,
Whenever you are sad and blue,
And you're feelin' all alone and left behind,
Just take a look inside and you will find:

You gotta hold on, hold on through the night
Hang on, things will be all right
Even when it's dark, and not a bit of sparkling,
Sing-song sunshine from above,
Spreading rays of sunny love.
Just hang on, hang on to the vine--
Stay on, soon you'll be divine.
If you start to cry, look up to the sky:
Something's coming up ahead
To turn your tears to dew instead

And so I hold on to his advice:
When change is hard and not so nice,
You listen to your heart the whole night through
Your sunny someday will come one day soon to you.

SERIOUSLY?!??

OK, honestly? Who is this? And WHAT IS SHE WEARING? The hell?? I'm against Valentine's Day clothing on principle but that is truly the worst speciman I have ever, ever seen.

Check out the dude behind her to the left. He's agrees with me and is thinking: "the hell?" The two guys to the right are calling in back-up. "Please remove this from the premises immediately, as it is hurtling nearby standers-by into photosensitive seizures."

Seriously, who IS that?

I don't want to step on the toes of the brilliant minds over at Go Fug Yourself, where I ripped the photo, but I just had to add my own commentary.

Today:

I wish I was home watching the movie instead of spending my Groundhog Day saying the same thing over and over and over and over.

By the way, 6 more weeks of winter.

Making a stop at the Frustration Station.

I'm trying to get my cable/internet service started. When I call 1-888-GET-CHARTER from the hotel phone, I get the Salt Lake City office. When I call it from my cell phone, I get the New Jersey office. Neither of them can just transfer me to Texas. The hell? Nice information technology.

ETA: They can't help me because whoever lived there before me has not yet terminated his service. And his bill is up-to-date, even though that apartment has been vacant for well over a month. I need to fax them my lease and THEN call... which is extremely inconvenient since the time I have to make the call is away from the fax machine.

GAH.

My day off.

Today is my day off. I know, you're probably thinking, lucky Jamie! A day off in a fun city! But sadly, no. I have a bajillion things to do. I've just worked no less than 10 hours a day for 7 days, and tomorrow I go back for 7 more, and it's shocking the things in my life that don't get done when I'm at work. I almost miss being in an office.

Buuuuut not quite.

Do I get to sleep in on my day off? No.

7:00am - wake up
7:20am - drive girls to work so I can have the car. Run inside to get my iTrip, and some papers that I need to take by the Vegas office later. Explain to no less than 3 people why I am not dressed for work ("nice hat, Jamie. Going golfing?") and no less than 3 other people why I am there on my "day off."
7:50am - Java Detour
8:20am - get back to room. Spread out my 13 post-its on the kitchen table and prepare to make my phone calls: insurance, doctor, landlord, cable/internet, mobile phone

But first, I'm blogging. Next on the list:

-make all those phone calls (OK, so, I've got 2 of them made while I was writing this post)
-do 2 expense reports
-work out
-shower
-eat
-go to the Vegas office, drop off some papers, use someone's office to plug into the network so my IT guy can run some update on my computer that can only be done from one of our portals
-get my nose pierced
-go to Target
-find a post office
-go to Old Navy
-pick up girls from work at 6pm.

Think I can make it? Oh, and I have to be at some happy hour around 6 that our boss' boss' boss is throwing. Can't say no to those kinds of things, unfortunately, because I would love to stay in and watch LOST.

OH! In other news, I got a new computer! IBM Thinkpad T23, 1.3 GHz processor, 512 MB RAM, 48GB hard drive, CDRW-DVD drive, Windows XP Professional, wi-fi - the works. This machine retails around $1895. I got it on eBay, my friend, at the cool winning bid of $561. It will add 4.5lbs to my backpack but at least I will be able to watch/download/listen to stuff on the road. Wheee!