mingaling

Spring Cleaning and New Links

2005-03-26T20:32:00.000-05:00

Things are changing up a bit around here. The house has been cleaned top to bottom and is spic and span. We actually have things on the walls. A certain package just arrived from Shanghai to Anchorage, and it's on its way into my hot little hands. And, last but certainly not least, your Mingaling is moving to a new address: http://mingaling.typepad.com/blog/. Update now!

That is just SO wrong

2005-03-25T17:42:00.000-05:00

I was reading a pretty sad article about the school shooting in Minnesota. One of the victims was recounting the horror of looking at the kid in the eye before getting shot. I can't imagine what that must be like, especially at such an age. Yet, at the same time, something caught my eye at the right side of the screen. It was a banner ad for Lowermybills.com. Nothing unusual you know, except for the gingerbread man HUMPING THE PENIS-SHAPED JAR OF FROSTING.

Notsogood reason to get knocked up

2005-03-24T08:48:00.000-05:00

I really, really need to have a baby to put all these cute things on. I'm just saying.

Hero

2005-03-22T12:55:00.000-05:00

Heather Armstrong is so totally my hero. SO THERE.

Thank you, Internet

2005-03-21T09:24:00.000-05:00

Thank you all so much for your kind words and thoughts about Sam. Thank you for all the cards, flowers, dog cookies for Maggie, and support for us through this time. Thank you for being there.

Goodbye, sweet girl

2005-03-16T20:05:00.000-05:00

Sambo Ming, my best friend, passed away March 15, 2005 at Ansley Animal Clinic due to complications from epilepsy at age 9. She is survived by her adoring parents and adopted sister Maggie May. I adopted Sam as a gift to myself halfway through undergraduate school. My sister and I drove to the boonies outside of Orlando to Bithlo, also known as the World Famous Home of the Mullet. Amongst the trailer parks and feed stores was the House of Golden Retrievers. The litter had an astonishing 11 puppies. There were several males, but Sam was the last bitch left. Naturally. They originally gave her the name Ginger, but no dog of mine was going to grow up to be a stripper. The shy little pup we brought home soon revealed her self to be quite the character. Although she got carsick on the way home, riding in the car soon became one of her favorite things. She thoroughly enjoyed terrorizing my father's golden, Goldie, to no end. She also became an Olympic qualified swimmer and spent every waking moment in the pool. Her favorite game was to jump onto unsuspecting swimmers from the deck and attempt to drown you. You could hide underwater for a few seconds, but she would only circle above you like a hungry shark.

During trials and tribulations, she was always there for me. She was always ready to go for a car ride (she had an uncanny habit of jumping into any open car door and refusing to come out until she at least got around the block). She was the friendliest dog ever known. A true people-dog, she would rather associate with the bipeds on outings to the dog park as she knew the rewards included many cookies and head/ butt rubs. She was there through all the laughter, and especially all the tears... any sniffling she heard would instantly beckon her to sit next to me snuggle. When I was with her, I felt complete. When the boy and I met, Sam and I would take weekend trips over to his place. The boy and Sam were inseparable. He was her favorite boy in the whole world, and she lit up when he walked in the room with a Frisbee (which we had to call a ball since that's the only word she knew other than cookie and outside). She would wait until he left, then quickly hop up on the forbidden leather sofa. Every time she was caught she'd give you a little smirk that made you forget what she did in the first place. I often longed to come home to the sweet girl who greeted me with nothing but love I walked in the door. She would greet me with the thumping of her tail and guide me to pet her with my hand, a favorite relaxation technique. She was large enough to give full body hugs, yet sprightly enough to romp about or swim effortlessly. She was so sweet and gentle, yet so tough and stoic. She barely whimpered when in pain or discomfort, and she wrestled like the best of them with Maggie. She would never dare to bother you with her discomfort. Even when she broke her toe, even when we dressed her up in funny clothes... because she was just so giving. Sam was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 3. She was prescribed a treatment of phenobarbitol that limited the amount of seizures and allowed her to live a healthy, active normal life. She had not had a seizure in well over a year. However, on March 14th, she suffered a traumatic seizure that left her weak and unable to move or breathe properly. She was able to walk to the car for one last ride, but her heart stopped shortly after arrival at the veterinarian. We are devastated, but are comforted by the fact that she spent her last days with us doing what she loved most: spending time with us, catching the frisbee at Piedmont Park, and wrestling with Maggie. She brought joy and happiness to every day of my life. As I sit here typing with tears streaming down my face, I look outside the window to see that the once sunny weather has turned to rain. The sky is mourning, perhaps, at the passing of girl who inspired renditions of You Are My Sunshine with her sweet, loving face. Goodbye Sam, my sunshine. We will always love you.

Beer and Bloggers

2005-03-14T09:43:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow. Prince of Wales. 7:30-ish. Word.

Switching Teams

2005-03-13T08:54:00.000-05:00

After a long, arduous decision-making process, the boy and I have decided to switch teams. I've been reading self-help articles and looking up devices and mechanisms that will get me through this process, but I'm still apprehensive about the whole thing. I've been totally loyal to my team from the start. Am I ready to convert my ideology to something I know only a little about? The boy, on the other hand, thinks this is the greatest thing we've embarked upon and is ready and waiting. And now I'm down with it, I just need a little guidance. So there... I've committed myself, so now I only need to choose my uniform. This? Or this?

Dusk in the West End

2005-03-12T08:54:00.000-05:00

Dusk in the West End Originally uploaded by mingaling.

Emails of Doom

2005-03-09T12:24:00.000-05:00

A lot of websites have those handy "click to send to a friend" links for articles that may interest them. I would emphasize the word may here, but my sister has taken it to a whole new level. I rarely get emails of substance or questions about how things are going. Instead, she uses email to warn me of the dangers that exist in our world. Sweet? Notsomuch. I often get drive-by emails from CNN.com or WebMD about freak accidents, the eight-million ways I could die unexpectedly, and the "you can get cancer from {fill in the blank}." As if those weren't weird enough, she has to add her freaky comments to them. For instance, she sent me this today:

Food poisoning kills 29 children with the comment, "Did we ever eat these? I can't remember what they are."

Some background... we used to live in the Philippines. USED TO. And we never like those, nor are we elementary school children living in the Philippines today. Some other gems that I have received include:

What's the Most Dangerous Day to Drive? with the comment, "You are not allowed to drive any where on holidays...even if you are visiting us! Man held over alleged Internet suicide plot with the comment, "Do you think we'll see the end of the world in our lifetime?"

At first I acted like I was amused, poking a little fun at her crazed emails. They were humorous little pick-me-ups to my day from my wacky little sister. But now I can only imagine her sitting in her living room, watching Inside Edition, just waiting to let me know whether it's safe to eat sushi or use a school bathroom ever again.

Hands Off

2005-03-07T11:16:00.000-05:00

The weekend withdrawal is always so hard for me. It just hurts thinking about going in on a Monday. I figured the least I could do for myself was get a little treat for myself before going into the office. Now I know everyone loves their Starbucks. I get invigorated just walking into the place and smelling the freshly ground espresso and listening to the chatter of patrons amongst the grinding and the clanking of steel steaming pitchers. Everyone eagerly awaits in line, no matter how long, for their turn to have the barista shout their order to those at the bar. What I hate, however, are those who are a tad too eager. These folks anger me to no end. It is quite obvious that I am waiting for my order, despite the fact that I have my hands buried underneath the coffee bean display (I can't help it - it just feels so good). Despite the fact that you run directly from the register to the tiny bar top, they're still going to make mine first. Sorry. Yeah, I might be browsing the paper, but when they yell "tall soy latte" I can still recognize the fact that I ordered it a mere 2 minutes ago... and NO IT'S NOT YOURS.* Don't mess with me before caffeine. * Okay, I didn't grab it out of her hand, but I did give her the look that 1. shocked her, 2. made her pout to the barista, and 3. put it down very quickly.

Laughing

2005-03-03T16:07:00.000-05:00

Lauren: Hey Renee...you may not know this...but there's this huge fiery ball in the sky called The Sun...and if you spend some time in it, you get SOME COLOR. Jesus.

Three in One

2005-03-01T21:05:00.000-05:00

It was cold and cloudy when I walked the dogs this morning. It started snowing at 10 a.m. while at work. It was bright and sunny on my drive home tonight.

Oscar Night

2005-02-28T10:43:00.000-05:00

I don't really have much to comment regarding the Oscars except: I'm really not getting the Million Dollar Baby hype. Renee Zellweger always looks fugly. Cate Blanchett is too beautiful. Mickey Rooney is still alive! How did Beyonce score the musical monopoly? Die, Joan. Just die. And the doppelganger alert:

The Hooch

2005-02-26T14:35:00.000-05:00

And I Quote

2005-02-24T09:38:00.000-05:00

"Oh yeah, I guess it is in May. Oops." -- Sibling I COULD KILL HER.

Perfect T

2005-02-23T16:17:00.000-05:00

I'm currently obsessed with graphic t-shirts. Like this one. And this one. And my schoolmates would love this one. And this one's on its way... in pink, of course.

Around the Corner

2005-02-22T17:30:00.000-05:00

I have a little time ticker thing in the left sidebar of this page to remind me of upcoming travel dates. This morning it said "Nashville - 77 days" but now it reads 9. I apparently mistakenly thought that my family trip was in May instead of March this year. As in 9 days away March. As in MY WHOLE FAMILY WILL STOP HERE ON THEIR WAY UP AND I HAVEN'T REQUESTED ANY TIME OFF kind of March. The thing is, I never do this. I'm a born planner and love to organize every aspect of my travel agenda weeks and weeks in advance, so I have no excuse for this except work-related mania. So excuse me whilst I plan a Meeting of the Moms, reserve some rooms, and pull out the rest of my hair.

Shameless

2005-02-19T16:46:00.000-05:00

It's official: I have outed myself and become the newest addition to the Atlanta Metblog. You know... because everyone needs a non-paying gig and all.

Our New Baby

2005-02-18T22:58:00.000-05:00

Ta da! Yes, my lovely, very very hetero boyfriend just bought a Passat wagon. After a few minutes of "grocery-getter" jokes I applauded his decision, as the wagon and its suprising luxury is actually pretty sweet. It really is perfect for the dogs and road trips. Also, when I told him it was so roomy and joked that it could fit 2 car seats, strollers, and a pack-n-play, he actually smiled.

Atlanta Metblog Meetup

2005-02-17T19:33:00.000-05:00

Had a great time meeting some of the Atlanta Metroblog folks at the Hand In Hand last night (and am also looking forward to writing for them in the very near future - stay tuned).

She's a little slow

2005-02-16T13:29:00.000-05:00

But here it is... finally. Your atom feed: http://themingaling.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Choices

2005-02-15T15:18:00.000-05:00

There used to be a time when there would be two fantastic shows back to back and it didn't matter if they were on school nights because I would so kick school's ass if I acted like a little bitch and didn't make it to both and drank a fifth at each one. Now this is the time where I admit I am a little bitch and I'd totally kick ass IF I didn't work eight billion hours a week for Company X and IF wasn't such a tired piece of shit by the time a real show started, but I am. STUPID CHOICES.

VD

2005-02-14T10:54:00.000-05:00

One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: that word is love. ~ Sophocles VD could stand for a variety of things today - what one could catch after a rendezvouz this evening, my vile disposition this morning, or anything else more clever than this Hallmark holiday. However, it was the gift of one single red rose from a perfect stranger that has melted the crankiness away. I'm looking forward to a quiet evening at home with the boy, away from overcrowded restaurants, with good food, candles, and a bottle of Veuve Clicquot. Cheers to you and yours.

ATL Blogorama Deux

2005-02-11T11:07:00.000-05:00

Click for more The gang met up at Trader Vic's downtown for some mighty mai-tai's and revelry. It was good fun, and Titus even got into the Asian-babe network thanks to Oliver.

Sometimes It Just Depends On the Weather

2005-02-10T13:49:00.000-05:00

Atlanta has been cloudy and gray for days, the cold biting at every exposed inch of skin. I had a million muddled thoughts in my head stemming from the events of last week, the long torturous work weekend, and the hectic return to life starting Monday. My much neglected self struggled with these thoughts as the sun struggled to regain its place in the sky, and today it finally broke through. The cold has remained, but the sky is sunny and bright and clear so that one can see the skyline of Midtown without a doubt. I've had a lot to thing about - work, life, and what really matters. The good, the bad, and the most difficult inbetweens. I felt a little used and abused lately and it became painfully obvious this weekend. However, I now realize that I had a part in it as much as others. I can't justify giving up because others say I have to. It stung, but I've let it go. As the sun is out, but the cold remains, I'm finally breaking through.

Happy New Year

2005-02-08T17:58:00.000-05:00

Gong Hay Fat Choy! Image from allrecipes.com

Mai Tai Thursday!

2005-02-07T17:04:00.000-05:00

The first one was so much fun that we decided to establish a recurring event so that others can join in. Mary suggested Trader Vics, and it looks like fun. Thursday night. 7:30. Come one, come all!

Things I Used to Love That Now Make Me Uncomfortable

2005-02-06T13:44:00.000-05:00

Sex In The City Four fabulously single women in NYC with the best shoes and a penchant for vodka - who wouldn't love that? Well, it was fabulous until you realized that they continued to be single, that they continued to be unfulfilled in their personal lives, and made the same mistakes over and over in their relationships. It was like watching the pretty people screw up like I did, then screw up even worse. With more style, of course. And on that note, Vodka My liver has changed its mind. Tequila is now my friend. Tragically sappy movies like Closer I love a good cry, but since the divorce I am a fervent cheater-hater. Even if it helps the story line. Eggs I cannot stand the thought of eating them anymore. At first it was just scrambled and over-easy; the runny-ness of them made me shiver. But now its all eggs I can't stand to eat. Just the thought of them... ick. My age I mean, I'm almost t h i r t y. 3-0. Oh my god.

"Retreat"

2005-02-04T10:28:00.000-05:00

Today I'm going on another department "retreat" over the weekend. Yes, this will be the second "retreat" for the year, but unlike the first "retreat" this one will be in a conference center with nature outside (where it should be), heat & a/c, and a real toilet and stuff. At this "retreat," the theme will be building better relationships. The first "retreat" dealt with teambuilding, but apparently teams were not built nor did we build good relationships. Perhaps it was the fact that we were outside. A lot. Or maybe it was the fact that we were in cabins without heat or even a door in relatively chilly weather. Maybe it was all the bug spray. You know, just maybe. So instead, our itinerary consists of 3 days of building better relationships in 3-hour blocks of workshops until midnight in which our staff will tell us why we blow. This is to develop "trusting relationships" and create a space of open honesty. There will be 360-degree feedback sessions, which in "retreat"-speak means 180-degrees of them telling us to suck it. You know, it's all about better relationship building. Ah, "retreats".... it's just so great to get away from it all.

Apparently This Is Our Company's New Motto

2005-02-03T11:48:00.000-05:00

"I know you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure that you realize that what you heard is not what I meant." ~Richard M. Nixon

884

2005-02-02T09:45:00.000-05:00

Dollars, that is. Apparently the Internal Revenue Service and the State of Georgia owe me. Can't believe it - ME!

Our Dirt Pile

2005-01-31T15:14:00.000-05:00

The construction of our condo at the element at Atlantic Station is moving along. They've almost completed the Barking Lot dog area in Linear Park.

In addition, we've already joined Lane Co.'s private gym (The Art of Wellness) for condo residents. It's quite swank, and I'll probably be spending more time on the massage table than on the precor.

"Mason Jennings is just so cute!"

2005-01-30T13:37:00.000-05:00

So on Friday, after being sent home for an impending ice storm that wasn't actually going to appear for another 7 hours, we went to Smith's to grab a bite to eat and head upstairs for the Mason Jennings show. I wasn't exactly feeling like myself. First, I didn't finish my beer (maybe it was all the margaritas from lunch?) and second, I didn't finish my food. Brushing that off, the boy and I made fun of one of the opening acts at the adjoining table. There they were with their hipster hair and duds, while we sang "Shave and a Haircut, two bits!" aloud. We sauntered upstairs for the endlessly long wait for Mason to come onstage. The crowd was a strange mix of L.Lo wannabes (with too little clothes and too much makeup) and older, wiser music lovers. However, I was incredibly annoyed by the L.Lo girls who kept jumping up and down, screaming about how cute he was during the music and trying to bum cigarettes. For the last time, I DON'T SMOKE. I attribute all of this to becoming old and cantankerous. Mason played a great set, though. And the boy said it best: "It's a crime he's not more famous."

Icy

2005-01-29T09:29:00.000-05:00

Icy
Originally uploaded by mingaling.

My backyard was a tad bit more white than usual this morning.

Manuel's

2005-01-26T08:33:00.000-05:00

"Who's that?" I said, pointing to the wall. "Um, that's FDR." "No, under him." Underneath the huge portrait of FDR hung a curious object in Manuel's Tavern. We all looked behind the bar, above the various bottles of vodka, scotch, and liquors, to the small wooden encasement attached to the wall. Within its confines was a simple, golden urn.

Priorities

2005-01-25T12:54:00.000-05:00

Priorities
Originally uploaded by mingaling.

A Night Like Any Other

2005-01-22T11:08:00.000-05:00

"I have octopus stuck in my teeth." "Here, let me suck it out." It's conversation like this with the boy that frightens our nearby diners. At Machu Picchu, we feasted on ceviche mixtos, loma saltado, and Cristal beer. I'm reminded of the trip to Miami with D, in which we stopped at another Peruvian restaurant. He wanted to order everything in Spanish, which meant my turn was little more than "me gusta, uh, numero 40?" I focus hard on the cartoonish decor and many llamas around the room. "I wonder what llama tastes like." "They don't eat them." "Why?" "They spit on you."

110 Hours - HE DID IT!

2005-01-20T10:17:00.000-05:00

My pal D ~~is on a~~ completed his mission to broadcast live from WPRK 91.5 in Winter Park, Florida for 110 consecutive hours. In doing so, he raised money for the station and may break the Guinness world record. They even installed a shower (with mic) in the studio for him. Hear him live online. Hear him on NPR. Who wouldn't want to shower on the radio? Really?

Arrrghrwoarkararkphlebit

2005-01-18T09:05:00.000-05:00

That's the first thing that came out of my mouth this morning. My throat is very, very angry. A fiery mucus-y angriness, further attested to by the boy and a flashlight. And although it's only 20 degrees outside, I plan on subsisting entirely on icy deliciousness today.

Martha, eat your heart out

2005-01-17T18:31:00.000-05:00

My new addiction does not involve pastries or booze (suprisingly), but hoops, patterns, and thread. Lots of it. I got hooked through Jenny Hart's Stitch It kit. Now I will be able to divert all of my income towards the purchasing of materials at Sublime Stitching.
At first I thought it was going to be quite a task since all the little stitches look really delicate, but it ended up being really easy. During the UNC/ Wake Forest game, I finished two tea towels before the final score and even before the boy couldn't take it anymore and had to go in the backyard to hit golf balls while screaming obscenities at the top of his lungs. When he came back in, I tried to cheer him up with my pretty tea towels, promising oodles and oodles of future stitching projects in Carolina blue. We then pity-partied over to LNT for some new pillows and chenille throws, which he was very happy about. Oops. I think I promised not to let that one out...

Going Live

2005-01-14T21:01:00.002-05:00

So the new ATL Blogger gang got together at the Righteous Room on a cold and rainy night. Despite the poor weather, we all ate, drank, and were quite merry (speaking of Mary, see her version here). It was such a hit that we agreed to do it monthly around town (as if we really needed another reason to get boozey). hollismb, Mary W. and her husband Andrew Scott, Titus, and Scott's wife Lisa hollismb, Mary, Andrew, and half of me

Locked Out

2005-01-13T13:48:00.000-05:00

I swear I grabbed my key card on the way out this morning, but I can't find it anywhere. I'm locked out of my drawer. The office is open, but I can't go to the bathroom and get back in without it. Grrrrrrreat.

It's Her Party

2005-01-12T17:23:00.000-05:00

My mom has a very bad habit of making all things about her. The sibling just called, upset at mom for doing this yet again. My sister's birthday is this weekend, and in our family it is traditional to go out because NO ONE should cook or do dishes on a birthday. And, in the realm of tradition, it happens that mom chooses wherever we go, despite the birthday girl's wishes. This wouldn't be such a bad thing if my mom's favorite restaurants didn't include every bad chain restaurant known to man (Red Lobster, Olive Garden, etc.). I remember one fateful year when I refused to go to one of those and instead opted for a small, quaint Japanese restaurant. During the entire meal, I was subjected to comments like "this isn't very flavorful" and "next time we'll do Chinese" and "that wasn't worth the trip." Gotta love her. Yes, it's a small thing to get upset over, but when it happens every year (22 in her case) it grates.on.your.nerves. I told her the best way to get around this is to basically give her no choice. Give her a time and place and that's that. She'll pout and complain, but we're all quite used to it. Cruel?

12-monthaversary Dinner

2005-01-11T15:14:00.000-05:00

At Two Urban Licks.
Two Urban Licks
Originally uploaded by mingaling.

Tower
Originally uploaded by mingaling.

Vase x 3
Originally uploaded by mingaling.

Shiny, Happy
Originally uploaded by mingaling.

366 days later

2005-01-10T17:02:00.000-05:00

Looking back, it all seems so unreal. Met a boy, fell in love, and we've been together ever since. He says, "I am honestly happier than I've ever been before." We've talked every.single.day for a year. A great year. The first of many.

Throwdown

2005-01-08T15:53:00.000-05:00

I'm hosting a little shindig for bloggers on Thursday night at the Righteous Room. If you're in the Atlanta area, let me know - I'll send you the evite.

Back to Your Regularly Scheduled Programming

2005-01-05T16:55:00.000-05:00

The boy: "La la la la la!" The girl: "Mmmphh... snort... wha? Me sleepy..." The boy: "Today is the best tv day of all time!" The girl: "Wah?" The boy: "Lost and Alias! Tonight! For hours!"

The Turtle and the Hare

2005-01-04T12:14:00.000-05:00

The Turtle and the Hare
Originally uploaded by mingaling.

Something I've Discovered

2005-01-03T13:13:00.000-05:00

Wearing fishnets & boots to work is guaranteed to put you in a good mood.

A New Year - sunset in the park

2005-01-01T16:56:00.000-05:00

Sunset in the park
Originally uploaded by mingaling.

Review

2004-12-30T21:28:00.000-05:00

2003 was certainly a suck year. I got divorced, I owed the IRS, and I was just plain thrown into limbo. My sense of self was shaken, stirred, and repeated until there was very little left. Looking back, I remember the resolutions I made for 2004:

1. ~~Move into new apartment and love it even if it's the size of my current closet~~ Well, this obviously didn't happen as you can tell. I moved into a new apartment much bigger than my closet, with the boy, and I love it. Eh, close enough. 2. Call mom & ~~sibling~~ once a week I do talk to my sister at least once a week. Mom? Notsomuch. 3. ~~Pay off chunk of debt~~ & save money Part one has been in steady, but great, progress. Part two is still waiting to happen. 4. Follow the Benrik book daily as much as possible without arrest, deportation, etc. D gave me the Benrik book, which is great fun, but I have not been keeping up with it. 5. Keep in better touch with friends I suck at this. You know who you are - sorry. 6. ~~Ignore stupid boys~~ Done. 7. ~~Use knowledge of differences between wants and needs~~ Ditto. 8. ~~Stop worrying about things I cannot change~~ A trifecta! 9. Stop chewing cuticles when worrying Ummm... 10. Run with dog "Walk" is more like it. 11. ~~Understand that I can't always be perfect and actually believe it~~ 12. ~~Know that others can't be perfect and live with it~~ 13. ~~Ask for help when I need it~~ These three have seriously changed my life. 14. ~~Show up for church more than once a year~~ I've gone at least 3 times since I moved to Atlanta. 15. ~~Make lesson plans before day of lessons~~ 16. ~~Get back into volunteering regularly~~ Okay, these two go together for a reason. I no longer teach, therefore #15 is moot. Instead of teaching, I run a volunteer program and volunteer regularly outside of work. So that works, right?

All in all, 11 out of 16 isn't bad. This year I don't have many resolutions. Yeah, I'd like to lose a few extra pounds before I even think of putting on a bathing suit again, I'd love to get a new job, but 2004 has been an excellent year thus far... and I think 2005 will be even better.

Give

2004-12-29T21:18:00.000-05:00

Every bit helps. UNICEF American Red Cross CARE Doctors Without Borders

Loot (v.2004)

2004-12-28T17:34:00.000-05:00

New digital camera & accessories Purse Jewelry Clothes Duvet set Pashmina Gift cards a plenty Candles Last, but certainly not least, $

Awwww

2004-12-27T10:55:00.000-05:00

To the poor dear who googled "what is emotionally unavailable? is my boyfriend emotionally unavailable?" and found this site: I'm sorry. Send me a note, and we'll chat.

Merry Jebusmas

2004-12-25T10:06:00.000-05:00

Baby Jebus and the little holy people wish you a happy holiday!

Yeah, she's that good

2004-12-24T10:02:00.000-05:00

Mmm... pie....

Just One of the Many Reasons I Love Him

2004-12-23T11:10:00.000-05:00

To: the girl From: the boy Subject: Speaking of interesting... You should see what came out of my nose this morning. I flushed it out, as per usual. Nothing out of the ordinary. Then I took a shower and could feel a little something stuffing up my right nostril. So I blew for a while. Nothing. Left it alone. Blew a little bit more. Still nothing. I was beginning to think that it was my imagination. Then I blew one more time. Whammo! Forget you and your little snot rockets. This thing was a freaking snot patriot missile, and the shower floor was Baghdad. That thing flew out of my nose with an alarming velocity and slammed into the shower. I think it left a dent. Anywho, I (being the curious type) picked it up and examined it for a while. It was very similar to some of the things that came out of my nose in weeks past. Basically, it was a mucous-covered blood clot, probably a leftover from my emergency operation over Thanksgiving. But instead of being kind of roundish, it was really long. My nose felt instant relief. I wish you had been there to share the joy with me, but instead, I had to dance around in the nude with the dogs. Do you still love me, or was that too much?

Very, Very Good

2004-12-22T09:30:00.000-05:00

Today is the last day of work before an 11-day vacation. The office is quiet as most folks are off or doing projects elsewhere. I have to interview someone, but other than that it will be a quiet day. I love the quiet of the office - the lack of hustle, quiet tapping of keys, and no phone calls. In fact, I can't remember where I left my work cell. Feh. The next few days will be ones of sleeping in, baking pies from scratch, and family festivities. The cold outside will be tempered by the candles lit inside, with warm stews made by the boy, and the feeling that all is very, very good.

These Threes

2004-12-21T20:28:00.000-05:00

Borrowed from Joelle. Three Things You Like About Yourself: 1. I'm a genius 2. my wit 3. my general pissy-ness Three Things You Dislike About Yourself: 1. my eyebrows 2. my lactose intolerance 3. my general pissy-ness Three Parts of Your Heritage: 1. Chinese 2. Irish 3. German Three Things That Scare You: 1. debt 2. being alone 3. loved ones dying Three of Your Everyday Essentials 1. The boy 2. lip balm 3. beer Three Things You Are Wearing Right Now: 1. black sweater/ white dress shirt underneath 2. jeans 3. black high heeled boots Three of Your Favorite Bands/Artists (at the moment): 1. Bright Eyes 2. Arcade Fire 3. Death Cab for Cutie Three of Your Favorite Songs at Present: 1. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Coldplay 2. Title and Registration - Death Cab for Cutie 3. Starman - Seu Jorge Three New Things You Want to Try in the Next 12 Months: 1. Cross stitching 2. Clear Lens Extraction And Replacement (CLEAR) 3. Make and keep plans with people. Three Things You Just Can't Do: 1. Stop drinking 2. Excercise regularly 3. Keep plants alive Three Things You Want to do Really Badly Right Now: 1. Get a new job 2. Get a pedicure 3. Eat Three Places You Want to Go on Vacation: 1. Munich 2. Taiwan 3. Maui Three Things You Want to Do Before You Die: 1. Marry the boy 2. Have children 3. Get my PhD

I know you're sick of these, but seriously

2004-12-20T09:17:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Jungle

2004-12-16T15:12:00.000-05:00

I always thought it was: Welcome to the jungle It gets worser every day This provided years of hilarity and entertainment, but then the boy corrected me last night. The world is just not the same.

Benchmarks

2004-12-15T16:15:00.000-05:00

~~Put up tree and decorate~~ ~~Order and mail cards~~ ~~Order gifts for the boy, mom, sister, brother-in-law, cousins~~ ~~Wrap and mail gifts~~ ~~Stuff stockings~~ Buy champagne Drink heavily

Baby It's Cold Outside

2004-12-14T16:11:00.000-05:00

Winter In Georgia

2004-12-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

Surprise

2004-12-08T14:50:00.000-05:00

How to turn your girlfriend's very-bad-horrible-no-good-day into a supercalafragilisticexpealidocious kind of day? Just send her this:

To: The girl From: The boy Subject: You've been invited to... . . . to a super-double-top-secret event on Friday night. Don't even bother asking me what it is, because I'm not telling. Seriously. We need to leave the house no later than 7:30. Look pretty, like you always do. I love you, -A.

Love Hate Thing

2004-12-07T15:29:00.000-05:00

Reason I hate her: She can reach the top of the kitchen counter - she stole our dinner for herself and the other beast. At least she shares. Reason I hate her even more: Coming home to find the entire recycling bin strewn across the living room floor. Who chews on coke cans and beer bottles? Reason I will always love her: She pulled the boy's boxers ALL THE WAY DOWN while he was standing in the living room. And I didn't have to train her.

Diversified

2004-12-06T15:34:00.000-05:00

I recently met with a financial planner from a well known company after much prodding from a coworker. The only reasons I actually went was 1) I felt guilty after the free lunch and 2) I couldn't avoid the guy's calls at work any longer. I drove out to his fancy pants office in Buckhead, but not before I hit Target for some necessary items (yes, dog reindeer antlers ARE necessary). We sat in a corporate meeting room and proceeded to talk about all the things I should be thinking about but am not currently: investments, retirement, and insurance. Soon enough, I felt my eyeballs roll into the back of my head while I was being scolded (pleasantly enough, though) for not having a gazillion dollars in insurance for myself and yet-to-be-concieved offspring and not having a plan to accumulate wealth. Accumulate wealth. I'm sorry, but what's that? I explained to him that I'm in super-debt-paying mode and that every dollar that doesn't go into food, booze, or bills goes toward reducing this debt. Every.single.dollar. He obviously didn't believe me because he gave me the story I've heard, oh, about a million times about how I could invest $100 now and be a millionaire in just 40 years. I persisted with my debt reduction tale and how I'd rather get rid of it with the looming 18% interest over making contributions to something I can't touch until my liver starts hurting. In the end, I asked for the bottom line which was $400 for him to "plan my financial future." Needless to say, I was out of there. It wasn't all a waste - I did take his advice to diversify my 403(b) investments. I went home, told the boy, and we did it in 15 minutes online. Apparently having an MBA in real estate/finance means he knows a thing or two about this stuff - imagine that! In two weeks, I've made about $150+ that I still can't touch until I retire. We also just invested in the first step of our real estate empire. Not bad for the girl who still can't do math in her head.

There are days when I hate my job...

2004-12-02T18:27:00.000-05:00

... but today wasn't one of them.

"I never forget about a pussy... cat."

2004-11-30T14:30:00.000-05:00

The boy and I were, um, frolicking one evening as my libido seems to have skyrocketed in the last month or so. We were doing the regular, much applauded moves when... meeeeooooowww! I thought I heard something, but was only distracted for a millisecond and laid back and let the boy do his magic when... we don't gnaw on our kitty. Maggie had discovered Sam's Mr. Bigglesworth. Muahahahahahaha!

Sugar Season

2004-11-29T15:12:00.000-05:00

In the spirit of making everyone gain as much weight as I do, here's another one for you:

Easy Tiramisu 3 egg yolks 1/4 cup white sugar 2 tsps vanilla extract 1 & 1/8 cups mascarpone cheese 24 ladyfingers 1 & 1/2 cups strong brewed coffee 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder In a medium bowl, beat yolks with sugar and vanilla until smooth and light yellow. Fold mascarpone into yolk mixture. Set aside. Dip ladyfingers briefly in coffee and arrange 12 of them in the bottom of an 8x8 inch dish. Spread half the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers. Repeat with remaining cookies and mascarpone. Cover and chill 1 hour. Sprinkle with cocoa just before serving. Serves 6.

Blood On the Walls: A Thanksgiving Story

2004-11-28T10:07:00.000-05:00

It took about 2 hours to get out of the city on Wednesday, and another 6 to get to Orlando. The rich golds and reds of the landscape soon turned to the everpresent greens and palms of Florida. Mom surprised me with a new matress in the guest room, and my spine thanked her profusely. Thursday morning the phone rang - it was the boy's mom. He had some complications from his surgery - a blood vessel burst and he lost about 3 liters of blood. 3 liters from my bathroom to the kitchen. He called 911, but went into shock on the way. They had to cauterize something in his nose (which apparently is like soldering body parts - lovely!). She didn't want me to come home yet, as he looked like he'd be fine. After entirely too many hours, he was finally able to utter an "I'm okay" on the phone and I felt somewhat better. His mom really is Supermom, so he was in the best of hands. Words cannot express how thankful I am that the boy is okay and that the gods let me have him for just a little longer. On the drive back to our apartment, I saw the warmth of the reds and golds and looked forward to the comfort of home.

Gobble Gobble

2004-11-24T13:30:00.000-05:00

I'm off to see Team Whackadoodle in Orlando for Turkey Day. See y'all when I return.

Christmas Is For Bitches

2004-11-23T13:55:00.000-05:00

So add me to the queer list that I never thought I'd be on: I put up our christmas tree. Yes, on November 22nd. I would suppose it's a psychological reaction to ignoring the present unhappiness in my job and projecting it onto something else that's generally pleasant and that I'm more excited about. It will also be my first christmas with the boy, in our new home, and with a new family. Pretty schmoopy stuff. I bought some trinkets and ribbon to put on the tree, as well as some cute little dog ornaments (a pair of goldens for Sam and a pair of black mutts for Maggie, naturally). A little sprig of holly berries is serving as the tree topper this year. I'm quite pleased with the whole shebang, despite the fact that it all hangs on a 5 foot tree that came out of a box from my mom. Details. So, all was well until the boy called this morning to report an incident with the tree. It seems that Maggie was displeased with my display and proceeded to carefully pull off each of the little black dog ornaments without disturbing anything else on the tree, especially the precariously twisted ribbons. She then went ahead and ate off their legs. Hmmph.

He'll Make A Good Wife

2004-11-22T18:40:00.000-05:00

I had a horrible dream last night. It involved the boy and two men, Raoul and Hermano. Or, should I say, they were involved together. Graphically involved. Ansley Mall LA Fitness grapically involved. Need I say more? ::shudder:: So yes, I was a wee bit worried when I awoke to find my happily hetero boy beside me declaring it "crock-pot" day. But it was deelish. While I went to the Church of the Ex-hippies With Mullets in L5P, he grocery-shopped and prepared and even remembered to buy beer yesterday since this stupid state doesn't sell it on Sunday WHEN EVERYONE SHOULD DRINK. He did a damn fine job, too. You'll love it.

Sausage & Black Bean Soup 12 oz. chorizo 2 14oz cans chicken broth 1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained 1 14.5 oz can golden hominy, rinsed and drained 1 14.5 oz can Mexican style stewed tomatoes, cut up 1 cup frozen loose diced hash browns 1 small green pepper, chopped 1 small onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tsp. oregano, crushed 1/2 tsp. chili powder Brown sausage in pan, break into small pieces, drain. Place in slow cooker. Add other ingredients. Cover; cook on low for 4-5 hours (high for 2-2 1/2). Serves 6.

Murder Was the Case

2004-11-21T23:02:00.000-05:00

Laughing

2004-11-20T10:55:00.000-05:00

I'm the #13 google for "did Hitler wear glasses."

Score

2004-11-19T19:11:00.000-05:00

Speaking of Spiritual Death

2004-11-18T17:08:00.000-05:00

Have you ever cared so much it hurt? How about caring so much about a problem and knowing exactly how to fix it, say how to fix it, OFFER to fix it, but be completely ignored? Then the frustration sets in. Knowing it could be better, wanting it to be better, and being reminded of both every minute of the day. Knowing things could be better not only for yourself but everyone else that you supposedly serve. Everyone you deal with is affected by the same problem, sometimes in worse ways, that you warned them would happen. The proactive gets completely ignored and the reactive is our fault because they can't remember that they ignored us in the first place (or was I supposed to take note of that, too?). It hurts and frustrates too much to be able to come in every day caring, so you.just.stop. You can't allow yourself to care anymore because everyone brings up the same, exact, fixable problem that you know the answer to but falls upon silent ears. I used to care about not-caring, but not anymore.

Insomnia

2004-11-16T11:00:00.000-05:00

I couldn't sleep very well last night, but it turned out to be an educational endeavor. I am proud to announce that I now know the following:

"insurgents" booby-trap corpses
Margaret Hassan was an Iraqi citizen
anacondas produce eggs, but they hatch inside, producing live offspring
eggs that do not hatch are also expunged
number of babies range from 20-100 per birth
they can hold their breath for 20 minutes underwater
they swim fast, but tire quickly

Can you tell I got bored with the news?

Priceless

2004-11-11T13:27:00.000-05:00

My day is a thousand times better after using the Ali G translator with the CNN website and getting this headline: "bitch pleads guilty to dumping bitch's body in trash."

Candy Striper

2004-11-09T21:22:00.000-05:00

I've been nursing the boy back to health. He had a septoplasty and turbinate reduction (also known as scary nose surgery and bloody gooey ooze seeping out post-op.). This was to relieve his deviated septum and sinus issues. I'm surprised he waited this long. Can you imagine not being able to breathe through 60% of your nose? So he's bed bound for the next few days, sleeping upright and next to a humidifier, and I get to be the boss of him. Really. It's in writing.

Introducing Maggie

2004-11-07T16:09:00.000-05:00

Here's the newest addition to the family: Maggie. She's about a year old, smelled like pee, and is the sweetest thing. She also likes everything Sam owns. Sam, however, liked everything we bought Maggie, so it all worked out. Maggie's not so sure.

And I almost forgot...

2004-11-05T21:53:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday blog! * and special thanks to hollismb for fixing my CSS issues.

The Gods Smiled Upon Me

2004-11-04T22:04:00.000-05:00

The girls at work introduced me to some secret, out-of-the-way outlet store today. At first I was less than enthralled. I mean, granted, there were really, really good buys on clothing. Especially suits, coats, and blouses, but I didn't need or want any of those. However, while they were browsing, I wandered off to the back of the store and ran into the shoe department. Sweet Jesus. There were shoes IN MY SIZE. Like really real, live shoes in front of me that I could actually put on my feet. No catalogs, no internet... real size 11's. I pranced around happily in several pairs and couldn't believe the divine experience I was enjoying. Needless to say, I figured the experience deserved to snag its own souvenir along with a new pair of fishnets (because everyone needs a new pair of fishnets, right?).

Anticipation

2004-11-03T13:32:00.000-05:00

We can never know about the days to come But we think about them anyway... Last night was all about anticipation. We huddled around a table at McRay's in Midtown, giddily reacting to the red and blue blocks appearing on the maps on the screens above us. We laughed at the ridiculousness of Democracy Plaza's ice map. The map steadily got redder and redder, but the big states hadn't returned their results yet. It got late, and the results were still mixed. We went to bed, tired but still giddy with excitement. It was like Christmas eve... the waiting, the excitement, the wonder, the expectations... We hardly slept, taking turns to creep out of bed to sneak a peek at the news. 7, 8, 9, 10am... the news became harder to take. "What? How? Why?" rang through our thoughts as our mouths hung agape. I was reminded of the mess of four years ago, having cast my ballot for Gore in Florida. The mess that ensued afterwards was awful, but I still had hope. Hope that this new leader would lead with conviction, yet incorporate all the voices of his country in that leadership. Now, four years later, that hope of the unexpected has turned into fear of the continuation of the decimation of civil rights and liberties in exchange for a platform of "moral values" and fearmongering that is not clearly defined by any half the country.

11

2004-11-03T13:24:00.000-05:00

Yet further evidence of what is wrong with the Land of the "Free."

Did You?

2004-11-02T13:01:00.000-05:00

A-Choo!

2004-11-01T17:55:00.000-05:00

So, if I shove these up my nose will I become less sick?

Afflicted

2004-10-31T19:18:00.000-05:00

There are many things in the realm of suckyness about having a full-blown cold. There's the snot, the crying, the aches, the whining, the "baby, if you really loved me you'd get me a (fill in the blank)s." But the worst thing is the complete and total absence of brain power. Anything I could certifiably count on knowing a mere 2 days ago has completely vanished. So when I saw Lady Crumpet's pic from East Atlanta, I giggled and tried to explain this to the boy:

"You know, it's that show." "The one with the fries, and the shake, and the meatball." "Who like to play on the internet." "And the hairy neighbor guy." "You, know, that show!" "Why can't you read my mind and tell me what I'm trying to tell you!"

Still Fawning Over Johnny Damon

2004-10-28T13:25:00.000-04:00

Deutsch Lektion des Tages

2004-10-26T13:34:00.000-04:00

I'm learning German. TRYING to learn, actually. I realized that I needed to learn some German while researching for my master's thesis. Eventually I picked up a few terms here and there, but nothing substantial. Although many disagree, I think it's a beautiful language that actually has a lot of similarities to English. The boy, however, tries to keep away from me spitting on him when I say, "Ich liebe dicht, mein schatz!" I'm still a self-described non-language learner, which I could probably blame on poor math skills as well. I feel like I'm genetically predisposed to be unable to learn languages. While in high school I took Latin. Not because I wanted to be a doctor, not because I wanted better SAT scores, but because I didn't have to speak it. We sat there and translated Cicero all day. We celebrated Saturnalia and had toga days and made food with honey, wine, and pine nuts AT SCHOOL. I was never happier. In college I switched to Chinese only because I thought a) it's a heritage thing and b) my mom can help me. Genius! Well, turns out that I could only get so far with my 1st grade Mandarin and an extensive list of curse words. And, of course, my mom scoffed at the idea that I would need help. I wondered if it was because she actually had faith that I could do the work, or whether she thought it to be karmic retribution for me skipping Chinese school when I was a kid until she finally let me quit. My boyfriend at the time, a tall, lanky white boy from Tennessee, took Chinese with me only because I did and got a better grade. And that's after Dr. Lee took pity on me for being a half-breed. So now I start my mornings with Learning German instead of NPR (thankfully coinciding with their pledge drive) and doing lessons complete with worksheets online. It's kind of fun doing it in my spare time, but I'm not sure it will be as effective as going to a traditional classroom. The Goethe Institut is apparently serving as my backup. Oh, and today's Wort de tages (word of the day) is die Rhabarbermarmelade. Whee!

Summing it Up

2004-10-25T15:16:00.000-04:00

One of the beautiful things about blogdom is that there's always someone that can state what you're thinking/ feeling right now in an entirely more meaningful and eloquent way: "I'm so beyond caring. I almost negative care. I like to see the wheels fall off, just to see which way the bus rolls over each time."

Club BP

2004-10-22T21:52:00.000-04:00

One of the hottest nightspots in town isn't a club, restaurant, or underground S&M joint. It's a gas station/ convenience store at the corner of North and Spring. On any given evening you can witness either an NFL or MLB player, the latest rock band coming through town, a slew of bikers, or the newest and hottest rappers stop in and grab a Red Bull or a pack of smokes. In fact, this place is so packed all the time that there's full-time security on staff to ward off non-customers of the celebrity-seeking variety. I've personally seen folks like Usher, Andre 3000, and ATL's favorite bad boy, Bobby Brown (in between arrests). But the most exciting thing there for me? They have my bank's ATM. Right before I hit the interstate. No service fees!

There is Hope

2004-10-21T09:49:00.000-04:00

This morning I expected the sky to be green and the grass to be blue. I expected the dog to mew. I expected to be excited to go to work. I did not expect to be this hungover. Because THE RED SOX WON.

Do That Conga

2004-10-20T13:58:00.000-04:00

You've got to love a man who will listen to you sing EVERY SINGLE WORD of Conga spurred on by the statement, "Come on, baby, go to sleep."

We Got The Beat

2004-10-19T21:51:00.000-04:00

The boy is on a fitness kick, and apparently I'm along for the ride. He called to tell me that he got both of us memberships at one of those little boutique gyms in town. Um, "us"? Did I really forget to mention to him that my idea of strength training is lifting a beer to my lips? He drove, which was a smart move since it would be quite a trek to escape on foot. Once we were inside I noticed that there were, oh, two other women and the place was packed with men. Beautiful, stylish, and very very big gay men. Very promising! We took a tour of the facilities and of course there was no pool, the only excercise besides you know what that I don't mind. The boy and I got started on upper-body weights, but I got bored and wandered to the lower-body weights, realized I missed the start of the abs class (darn), and ended up in the cardio room. Since it is a gym and all, there were the ubiquitous mirrors and blaring music that surround you. Oh Mickey You're So Fine and We Got the Beat kept my toes tapping, or at least kept me from falling onto the floor. I did a mile on the treadmill and then it was time for the Precor. Damn you, you vile piece of metal and your tantalizing promises of firmer glutes. After 20 minutes, I was spent. And he wants to do it all over again... tomorrow.

Novelty

2004-10-18T16:56:00.000-04:00

Smitten pointed out a handwriting analysis website, and, naturally, I couldn't resist. One way Lori punishes herself is self directed sarcasm. She is a very sarcastic person. Often this sarcasm and "sharp tongued" behavior is directed at herself. Hmmm... ya think?

Brrr!

2004-10-15T15:04:00.000-04:00

Highs in the mid-50's? Jesus, I didn't move that far north.

Cake

2004-10-14T16:18:00.000-04:00

Although everybody else got to go see the show that sold out in 4 seconds, we still had fun. the boy and I went to see Cake at the Tabernacle. The boy is a bit of a Cake groupie as this was his eighth Cake show. Well worth it, though, because they were great. They played some old favorites like Stickshifts & Safetybelts, and happily avoided playing the very overplayed shirt/jacket song in which we shall never refer to again. Their opening act? Notsogreat.