Monday, January 31, 2005
Weekend Update with Jimmy Fallon and Tina Fey
Chapter One - Friday Night - Sweet Anna and the Time Capsule Carpeting

Friday night we took our Jr. High kidlets ice skating. That is to say that we tried to. Unfortunately the rink double booked and we arrived to find a hockey game in full swing. I just about had to peel sweet little Anna (who had made all the arrangements for our evening) off the rink manager. She was NOT happy. "I'VE GOT TWENTY-FIVE KIDS OUTSIDE AND YOU'RE TELLING ME I CAN'T LET THEM SKATE? WHERE DO I TAKE THEM NOW? CAN I TAKE THEM TO YOUR HOUSE? I WANT THAT PERSON I BOOKED WITH FIRED!!!!!!!!!!"
After I managed to get Anna outside and slightly less shrill (poor thing, she really had had a rough day), she, the other leaders and I decided to take the kids to an arcade. The arcade is in a building that once (back in my childhood) housed a movie theater. Of course the building was gutted and remodeled, but interestingly, the carpet was the same carpet I remember being there when I was a kid and went there to watch Oliver and Company (with stuffed animal Oliver tucked under my arm). I, of course, monopolized a skeeball lane the whole time. My tickets won me one paper fan, one deck of tiny playing cards, a small green plastic bear, one yellow bouncy ball (Maximus likes them), and twelve small plastic dinosaurs. So if anyone wants to come over and play dinosaurs with me, let me know.

Chapter Two - Saturday - How I Avoided Doing Dishes and Why JR Took His Dog to the Vet. Twice.

Saturday morning I dodged even looking at the sinkfull of dishes by going to Bunny's house and helping her arrange picture frames while JR took his dog Keno to the vet for his vaccinations. Then we met up and went shopping. First Ikea to look at beds for JR. Then an early dinner at Chevy's. Bless that sweet hostess, who for some reason seated us right away even though other people where already waiting, and gave us the best table in the place, right by the fireplace.
Then we went to Fashion Valley Mall to shop for clothes for JR. He looks so yummy in these and these that I talked him into buying two and four of them, respectively.
Fell in love with these. I think I will go back and buy both the tumblers and the shot glasses.
Then we headed back to JR's to pick up a movie to watch at my place. When we got there, we found that poor Keno was having an allergic reaction to his vaccinations and his poor face was swelling up like a ballon. He had thrown up and was already having trouble breathing, so we rushed him to the 24-hour emergency vet's office, where he had to get more shots, poor thing. The shot helped and when we took him home, he slept the deep sleep of a puppy after a long day.

Chapter Three - Sunday - Shadow Puppets and Trampolines

Sunday morning, in the continuing effort to avoid the dishes in the sink (I know, that's bad.) I cleaned almost every other thing in my apartment. Then off to church where I noticed that I could make shadow puppets with the projector. I suggested to Karen that just to mix it up a little, we teach the entire lesson with shadow puppets speaking. When Karen told me that we would be discussing sex that day, I said, "Are you SURE you don't want to teach the lesson standing back here making shadow puppets talk? For all our sakes?"
Then after church, I had AWANA Olympics pratice. For those of you who don't know what that means, AWANA is a club for kids where they do a lot of scripture memorization, volunteer work and learn life skills. To lighten it up a little, we play a lot of games, on a game square. Think track and field on a small scale. Races, relays, that sort of thing. And once a year, all the clubs in the area get together and compete with each other, the AWANA Olympics. I've got the 3rd-6th grade girls. They have so much energy, it's exhausting to watch. Twice I wanted to sit down during practice while they were running. We have a pretty decent team. And they are all as cute as bugs. I'm going to try to find some blue stripey knee high toe socks for them all to wear with their shorts.
I'm so proud of all my girls. I have two pairs of sisters, and it's fun to encourage them to work as a team. Victoria and Sammy are so little and so determind to do every event. Mila and Ariel are really strong on the relay events because they are concentrating so hard.
I won't bore you with an analysis of each of them, so anyway..........
After that, we went to James's college graduation party. After stuffing myself on the buffet (James, your mother is a wonderful cook, I meant to tell her that), I begged Aaron and JR bounce me on the trampoline until their knees gave out. Tee-hee. I really am that easily amused. I want a trampoline. I wonder if I took all the furniture out of my living room if I could fit one there. Hmmmmmm. Maybe I'll rent one and do that for a party. I learned that my boyfriend isn't a bad pool player (how did I not know that?), and that he looks scrumptious playing in his new jeans.
Then I went home and finally did my dishes. Ok, JR did them and I just dried. Some of them. Shut up. You're just jealous that you don't have a boyfriend that does dishes and looks yummy in jeans.


Secretly a boy-band?
You know how the sales people at the Gap wear headsets? And dress similiarly to each other?
I keep expecting them to suddenly break into song and dance.

But then, I think the same thing about the four young guys in marketing who all dress the same and go to lunch together.

One of these days, I WILL catch them.


Fun with Spray Paint.
I saw another great gang tag this weekend. "Boo".
Please chose your own punchline.
I even think there is an Usher-Alicia Keys joke in there somewhere.


Actually Said to Me
Some quick background on this. When my parents moved to San Fransisco, Bunny, a friend of my mother's, bought the house that I grew up in, where she now lives with her children.

I walked up the house the other day, and Trevor, Bunny's oldest son, said, "Sometimes when people buy a house, they are visited by ghosts of the former owners. We get the real thing."

And dear sweet Bunny said, "I find it easier to forgive your mother's behavior when I reflect on the thought that she left me the two nicest things she ever had, her house and her daughter."


Friday, January 28, 2005
Read this.
I Do Not Love You
By Pablo Neruda

I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain solid frangrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
so I love you because I know no other way

than this: where I does not exist, not you,
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.


From the Butterfly Book.
Life is short
And the days spend themselves
But nights are long.........


Thanks to Duane.
Last night I found 8 more clicky top pens and got a taste of the simple pleasure of gloating over they're clickiness.
"Look, JR, I've got a blue one with a cool twisty clip and one made of all recycled material. I got one that's triangle shaped, and one from a lodge in Colorado. Isn't that cool?"
Thanks, Duane, for reminding me of the little joys.


Today's Soundtrack is credited to
Sven and The Cure.
Friday, I'm in Love.


Let me explain how the other half lives.
JR and I were talking about my tax paperwork, and he asked if I had by any chance saved my pay stubs over the last year. I replied that I had, and he said oh so sweetly naive, "Where are they filed?"
Oh dear.
Filed????
There is a big middle ground between didn't-throw-it-away and filed-neatly-in-chronological-order.
I am mayor of that middle ground.
"Let's see. Jan-March are probably in a shoe box in the pulpit desk, mixed with flyers for museum openings and restaurant coupons. April-the middle of June is in an old purse than I used during that time. It's in the back of my closet in a box labeled 'winter sweaters'. The second half of June is a bookmark for "The Beautiful and Damned" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Third shelf, on the left. July and August are in the silver tin on my dressing table. Sept-Nov are in that letter organizer that I intend to keep stamps in if I ever get around to buying stamps and stop stealing them from you. December is in that box by the door where I drop all the mail when I come home. Jan is in my purse still."


From the Butterfly Book.
If eyes could capture pictures,
Then what I see when I look at you
Would be my masterpiece.


Another Actual IM Conversation
Pete in the UK:
im going to go shopping now for beer and nibbles for a party

Pete in the UK:
lucky me

Pete in the UK:
yay

Lobbyist says:
Can I come to the party?

Lobbyist says:
In spirit?

Pete in the UK:
yeah

Pete in the UK:
go for it

Lobbyist says:
Ok, every now and then, laugh for no reason, as if I've told a joke.

Pete in the UK:
ok

Lobbyist says:
Then late in the evening, pull an imaginary person down from dancing on the table.

Pete in the UK:
i was about to ask

Pete in the UK:
about that one

Lobbyist says:
Sing "You light up my life" loudly as if it were a duet.

Lobbyist says:
Pick all the cashews out of the nut bowl.

Lobbyist says:
And toast to me.

Pete in the UK:
he he


Thursday, January 27, 2005
Today's Moment of Zen Picture
For today's moment of zen, I give you not one, but a whole page of very restful pictures from my favorite photographer.


Since today's theme seems to be stories of my pets in peril because of my idiocy, you might as well hear the worst.
Maximus once got out and was hit by a car.
Thanks to a pet emergency room and a ridiculous sum of money (lets just say, just the oxygen bubble he was in cost a hundred dollars an hour. And he was in for five days.), he made a complete recovery. I wish I had a picture of him in that oxygen tank. He was sedated but mad as hell, so one eye was closed and the other was looking like it was going to pop out of his head in anger. He was shaved in places, and bandaged, had a cone on his head, IVs in his legs, but he was on full alert against any of those evil vets that came at him with needles and thermometers. So the clear Plexiglas oxygen tank was labeled with stickers reading "Dangerous Animal" "Caution" "Do Not Handle". I had to remove his IV when they discharged him, because he wouldn't let anyone but me get close enough to do it.
Those where five of the worst days of my life.
But my tough little guy pulled through. And know he's as fluffy and as resplendent as ever. Some people thought I was insane for spending so much on him. But I just couldn't let him go because of money. If he was in too much pain, or there was little hope, I would have just let him be put down. But not over money.
Not after everything we've been through together.
When I lived in Minnesota (yes, he's Minnesotan, which is why when he meows, I always expect him to add, "doncha know".) a coworker told me that her cat had had kittens and she was desperate to get rid of them. She said she had some grey females and some black and white males. I asked her to save me a grey female, but when I got there, she said all she had left was one little b&w male that no one wanted. I thought to myself that I didn't want a male, and that there was probably a reason no one wanted it. She asked if I wanted to see him, and I said, "Sure". She told me that he was hiding behind the couch and that it would take her a few minutes to pry him out. I was thinking, "Great. He sounds social. I'm so not taking this cat."
Then she lifted him up from behind the couch and I saw this tiny ball of fuzz, and if there had been a thousand kittens in that room, I still would have chosen that one. She was holding MY cat.
I got to my car and realized that I had forgotten the cat carrier at home. So there was nothing to but let him loose in the car. He jumped onto the back seat and yowled a scared little squeak of a meow. I tried talking to him in soothing tones, and then sang the first song that came to mind, "I'd Be Good For You" from the musical Evita. He immediately stopped crying and climbed up to my shoulder and snuggled down next to my ear and purred the rest of the drive home.
So as I sat in the pet hospital, stroking his head thru a hole in the oxygen tank door and singing "Time After Time" (his favorite song) with one hand and signing approvals for more costly treatments, I flashed back to the time I moved back to San Diego with only what I could fit in a Honda Accord and he handled the trip like a trooper which was a good thing because I was already so stressed that I broke down crying on the side of the road in Nebraska with only him for company. I thought about the time I got that horrible flu and was all alone in a crummy apartment and he spent two days by my side on my bed. I thought about when I got back to San Diego and stupidly moved in with new boyfriend who decided to hit me, so we spent weeks in really scummy motels, hiding from the now ex-boyfriend and looking for a new place to live, with poor Maximus hidden in my backpack while I checked in, and him licking tears off my cheeks in really dank motel rooms while I stroked his head and promised that it would all be better someday. Well, live was better now, and he wasn't going to be cheated out of it. I had promised him. In my own way, I owed it too him. And I wasn't going to lose my loyal little friend over some stupid thing like money.
And when I see him riding the kitchen rug across the floor, or sleeping on his back with his four paws all pointing in different directions, I know I made the right choice.


Why my back hurts and I completely deserve it.


Since Mike Dufel is already calling Peta, I might as well tell this story.
But first, I want to say
Welcome to the BlogWorld to Mike Dufel!
He's a very good writer and an even better friend.

And he's threatening to call Peta on me for wanting to use hair gel on my cat. Don't worry Mike, I would never do that. Here's why. You know the warning on the side of hairspray cans, "Do not use near open flame"? Maximus gets far to close to lit candles. In fact, he lit himself on fire twice, before I decided to only burn candles on high shelves. I would smell that unmistakable smell of hair burning and look up to see Maximus next to a candle with smoke coming from his butt. He was clueless, looking at me like, "What's that smell?" He has long hair, that smoldered out before it hit his skin, fortunatly, or else this wouldn't be a funny story. Once the bald patches grew in, he was none the worse for his brushes with death and disfigurement. But you can imagine the results if he had flamable hair gel in his fur. So all candles on high shelves, and no mohawks on the cat.


Duane
Ok, sort thru all those random pens in a cup on your desk, or in a drawer.
Pull out the clicky top ones.
Sort out any that you paid money for and put those aside.
We'll looking for the free ones with a company name on the side.
Put them in an envelope.
Mail them to this woman.
Then feel good about yourself.


I'm rooting for the chickens. I hope they turn on the idiots who came up with this.
"Yes, Acme Sports Equipment Co, I'm going to need 100 pairs of itty bitty boxing gloves."


Begin this sentence, please.
"......... makes me think of my childhood."

Mine-

Scotch tape makes me think of my childhood.

Avocado and pecan trees make me think of my childhood.

Vivaldi makes me think of my childhood.

Gingerbread makes me think of my childhood.

Christmas ornaments make me think of my childhood.

Country music makes we think of my childhood.

Flip Flops make me think of my childhood.

Libraries make me think of my childhood.

Horses make me think of my childhood.


Wednesday, January 26, 2005
This is going to be WAAAAAAAYYYY too much fun.
So the AWANA program has it's annual AWANA Olympic Games, where clubs from all over the county complete in AWANA games. I am helping to coach the 3rd and 4th grade girls. I must admit I am far more preoccupied with buying blue hair ribbons and hair glitter than coaching, but girls that age just wanna have a good time anyway.
Since we will be competing as the Blue Team, I'm thinking I will do a 'Blue Angels' theme, paint little glittery wings on the back of their shirts, maybe make little halos to wear. Girls that age will let you do just about anything to them as long as it's girly and involves glitter. I learned that from an old dance teacher.
We need a cheer. Maybe I'll go watch "That's So Raven" or something for inspiration.
I'm enjoying this way too much.
But Sunday we have to cut three girls from the team. That should take some of the fun out of it.


Confession
So the other night I had this urge to take hair gel and give my cat Maximus a full body mohawk. But since they outlawed all cosmetic animal testing, I never know what's safe to use on him.



"'Night Teddy!" Posted by Hello


Tuesday, January 25, 2005
THATS why they wouldn't bring me a knife with my meal.
A large portion of the traveling that I have done, I have done in the company of my brother Jesse. He's a good travel buddy, which is rarely found. And he haggles good ticket prices, and seems to enjoy handling all the little details like that. And he can be very charming and is never afraid to ask for an upgrade. So it never surprised me when he would get us pre-board tickets, meaning we could get on the plane first, before the mothers with strollers and people in wheelchairs. I never bothered to ask how he managed it, until one day when we got on before a old man with a walker and it occured to me that this seemed odd. When I asked Jesse, he looked down and said, "Don't worry about it." I finally drug out of him that he had been telling the ticket agent that I was crazy and that he was my 'guide'. He said I needed calm and quiet, and that crowds or sitting next to a crying child made me 'prone to outbursts'. Our preboard tickets were typed 'Medical'.
I have a feeling that I should feel sorta guilty about allowing him to do this. But in truth, I thought it was very creative and smart. Shame on me.


Actual Phone Conversation
Friend, She of the Mad Hair-Dressing Skills - "[Valancy Jane], I think I went the wrong way on Magnolia Ave. I'm at the mall."

Friend with Great Hair Now - "Um, ok, head south on Magnolia from there."

Friend, She of the Mad Hair-Dressing Skills - "I don't know which way is south."

Friend with Great Hair Now - "South would be heading toward, well, there really isn't a reference point that you would know in this end of the valley.

Long pause.

Friend with Great Hair Now - "Oh, ok! So you're at the mall. You know the side of the mall that Pat and Oscars is at? And the other side where the food court is? The food court is the south side. Does that help?"

Friend, She of the Mad Hair-Dressing Skills - "That makes perfect sense."


How else would you order them?
I was watching The Soup last night on E! with Devin, and they showed a clip of Cheaters, where a guy is confronted in front of a shop whoses sign reads "Condoms To Go". Good lordy, I would hope you'd order them to go. Tomorrow I think I'll go down to Walgreens, buy a pack, and as the cashier puts them in a bag, I'm gonna say, "Oh, no honey. Those are FOR HERE."

On a related note, can someone come to courthouse and bail me out tomorrow night?


Monday, January 24, 2005
Fun with marble
Today at lunch I browsed a catalog that listed marble pedestals, and I thought about replacing all the chairs in my house with marble pedestals. Sit around the table, lounge around the living room. Would it change our conversations, how we see each other?



Sven thinks I look like Maggie Gyllenhaal. I will admit a resemblance, so if you have any touble telling us apart, here are some guidelines. If you see any sign of a bra, it's definatly not Maggie. Also............ Posted by Hello



................ I'm the one NOT wearing this.  Posted by Hello



Or this. (Is the necklace keeping her warm? Can we talk about the hair? And seriously, honey, A BRA!) Posted by Hello


Tee, hee. I'm waaaay too easily amused.
You know that picture of my computer Bettina posted below? I set it as the wallpaper background on my computer screen. To weird out the girl who comes down to give me breaks. It really does look kinda trippy. I'll take a picture.
I really am easily amused.


I used to be just like him.
I have a friend who comes from a wealthy and well-connected family. Through a set of circumstances beyond his control, he is far from home, and learning what's it's like to live paycheck to paycheck. He's surviving just fine, but part of him isn't adjusting. In his mind, he lives somehow sprawled with one foot in the past and one in the future. I don't mean planning and remembering, but living as if this time in his life is simply a bad dream from which he is waiting to awake. Even his friendships are affected. He says to me, "Oh, [ValancyJane], when I am out of here, you know what I will do for you? I will call my friends and they will do this and that for you. Back home, I would have been able to do this or that." He's trying to be my friend in the future, or to imagine our friendship in the past. Not now. And now is the only time in which a person can live. He has invested almost nothing is the life that he has. All his thoughts are devoted to the future or the past. And so, when circumstances change, he will leave this place, with only the memories of a sad half-life behind him. No memories of laughter, of friendships, or all the other free things that make life worth living.
Yesterday is dead. Tomorrow never comes. Everyday you wake, and have only today.
Where do you invest?


Maybe MooCow would understand.
I bought a Pink Panther coloring book this weekend. And I won't share my crayons (box of 96 with sharpener, thankyouverymuch) with anyone who mocks me for this.


Weird Neighbor Tidbit
Last night I watched as he cleaned and arranged his apartment. Maybe he had a date. First he wiped down the bar. Then he picked up Bling-Bling the hairless cat from off the chair and set him on the lower shelf of the cat tower thingy. Then he straightened some pictures on his wall. Then he picked up Bling-Bling and set him on the end table. Then he licked his finger and wiped something off the cats nose. Then he moved a lamp around to three places in the room, before settling it about four inches from where it started. Then he did a slow twirl, smiling until he saw Bling-Bling. Something wasn't quite right. He picked up the cat, dusted off the table where he had been sitting and looked around. Then he smiled, and set the cat on the top shelf of the cat tower thingy. Another slow twirl of satisfaction, and he went off to take a shower.


Friday, January 21, 2005
Question.
Have you ever almost caused an accident changing lanes because you couldn't see anything in your rear view mirrors because you were grooving to a Black Eyed Peas CD so loudly that the bass was vibrating the mirrors 'til all you could see in them was a vague fuzziness?
Um, no, me neither then.



Here is the lobby from whence the greetings come. Posted by Hello



My little world, from 7:30AM to 5:00PM. The pink flowers were the Flowery Fallout of Factious Friends, as posted previously. The plant in the basket is Bella, and you can see Phinnias peeking out from the background. Posted by Hello



Pete, this one's for you. Here is my Bettina, where I create my blog. And Sven, you will notice to the left of the monitor, in front of the pictures, your namesake mug. Posted by Hello



This is Boris, my printer. He said it wouldn't be fair if Bettina was featured and he was not.  Posted by Hello



See that black thing with all the buttons? That's my phone. Actually, correction. That's MOST of my phone. Julie is a huge beast of a phone. Posted by Hello



My desk calender, that I decorated with pictures and then spilled tea all over, and all my toys. Clockwise from top left corner you see Stewart the rubber ducky that I was mysteriously gifted, my rubber pig Marcel with his coctail umbrella, the twelve sided calender that I made from a pattern that I downloaded from Col which is also proof of why I should be allowed to have glitter and glue at work, the Earl Grey teabag wrapper that caused the stain, the origami ball the illustrates exactly how much free time I have here at work, my mini-LightBrite, my headset and my reading glasses, and my wind-up crab, Lucy. Posted by Hello



Meet my new fish - Phoenix Augusto Fanucci. Posted by Hello



More Phoenix. He's quite a ham for the camera. Posted by Hello


Click here to see why I am crying touched and happy tears into my morning bagel


Thursday, January 20, 2005
Today's Moment of Zen Picture

"Cris" taken by the lovely ACcRocPosted by Hello


And there was dancing in the streets!!!!!!!
The finger brace is gone! Replaced by that white tape stuff, so it looks like a little mummy finger. But yay! No more scratching the paint off my car when I reach for the door handle. No more getting guacamole on it when I dip my chips.
And on a side note, its utterly shameful how helpless I was over one lousy finger. When I think about people that were born without arms that live normal lives and drive cars and raise children and put on make-up every morning, or blind people that can navigate themselves around city sidewalks and cook meals and sculpt clay, I realize how truly blessed and pathetic I am.


I'm going to skip the story and jump ahead to the moral -
Buy comfortable underwear.


Wednesday, January 19, 2005
This is a quiz stolen shamelessly from Gigi
1) Tell me about your mother.
She's on more presciption mood stabiliers than most locked up psych patients. She's very manipulative, spends shocking amounts of money while shopping, and in November she married a man who thinks he's a prophet of god and lives off his mother's inheritance.

2) Describe 2005 in one word.
Tee-hee.

3) If you were hosting Saturday Night Live, who would you want the musical guest to be?
Robert Downey Jr, or 50 Cent. With me as a backup dancer for either.

4) Tell us about something that's popular right now that you 'just don't get'...
Chingy.

5) When was the last argument you were in?
Actual transcipt -
JR - Wanna watch a movie?
VJ - Sure. A comedy or something?
JR - Monty Python?
VJ - Always a good choice, but watched it two days ago.
JR - Three Amigos?
VJ - Perfect.

6) What is you Mantra?
Being the talkitive soul that I am, I have several.
This too shall pass.
Just breathe.
No. Just............. no.
Judge not lest you be judged.
There are no rules in life, only consequences.
Everything in life is a choice between love and fear.


7) A good nap or a good shit...?
I would NEVER underestimate the value of the latter, but I have to give the edge to a good nap, because then JR could curl up with me. However, neither of these compares to a good bath.

8) Who is your Mentor?
My friend Bunny. She raises five children with intelligence, organization and a great deal of love. She's the most capable woman I've ever known. She brightens her little corner of the world, cooks wonderfully, and treats everyone in a sane and fair way. She can garden, keep a secret, and see the comic strip we live in. She spent her twenties smuggling bibles into communist countries.

9) Who, of all your friends, would you want to get into a physical fight with?
None. I used to spar with some of my guy friends who didn't believe me that I knew what I was doing and thought it would funny to 'teach' me a thing or two, but I kept accidently hurting them. (Seriously, it's called a block, fellows. That's supposed to be the first thing they teach you.) After I broke some facial bones and ruptered a guy's eardrum, I decided not to spar with anyone anymore.

10) Elphaba or Glinda?
Me!

11) Make a sandwich.
Ok. First you take a chicken breast strip and cook it with Thai spice and cilantro.
Then you slice and toast an onion bagel.
Spread cream cheese on the bagel.
Top with dried parsley.
Cut chicken breast strip in half and place side by side on bagel.
Eat.
Offer thanks to the sandwich gods.

12)Do you believe in psychics?
I believe in intuition, and people say that I have an uncanny sense about people, but that's just paying attention to the details and really listening to people. I don't put much stock in psychics.

13) Favorite Ancient Empire.
Mayan.

14) What's a Question you want to see on one of these Quizzes?
"You are now shipwrecked and live in a treehouse. Some paint washes up on the shore. What color to you choose to paint your treehouse?"

15) These are a few of my favorite things...
When my boyfriend starts talking about computer stuff I don't understand at all (so sexy), Dulce's four white whiskers, the amethyst skylight tile with the long story behind it that I found in a salvage shop for $8 and use a as a coaster, the smell of scotch tape, that hour between sunset and complete dark, dandylions that have gone to seed, cool sheets, my pulpit/writing desk, paper lanterns, my boyfriend's shoulders, Devin's laugh, a brand new notebook, my AJN's BBQ chicken and feel of cool ocean waves on hot feet.

16) Quick! Staring contest: you and me.
I would probably break it deliberatly after a minute and a half, and say, "Oh, the funniest thing happen to me yesterday.......... blah, blah, blah." But if you implied that I couldn't win, then you might arouse my latent competative streak, which is very small, concentrated and pops out in very odd situations.

17) What is the most romantic thing you would want someone to say to you?
I don't think I could imagine anything more romantic than the things that have actually been said to me. I have been blessed with some really amazing moments and men in my short life. I think the most romantic thing that ever been said to me was by Jacob*.

18) Who is your Arch Enemy?
Static cling

19) Miss Scarlet, in The Study, with...
I always like the feel of the candlestick. (And no, that is not a euphemism. Except maybe in my subconscious.)

20) Now there's a fetish I could really get into...
Let's go with 'outdoors' and leave it at that.

21) If it happens within our lifetime, would you want to help colonize Mars?
Hell, yeah. I'm fascinated by human nature, what an opportunity to watch it in a situation no one has ever had a chance to study before!

22) Do you kiss hello?
Yeah, I'm a kisser. But like most kissers, I only kiss other kissers. No one wants to give an akward, unappreciated kiss.

23) So, what makes you so special...?
I have double-jointed elbows and I once heard angels sing.

24) Would you rather be eaten by a crocodile or a shark?
Shark. Seems cleaner somehow.

25) Who are you really proud of right now?
Nick. He's back to blogging.

*names changed to protect the shy.



Weird Neighbor Tidbit
He has boxer shorts with playing cards and dice on them. He doesn't shut his blinds.


Let me be irrational and wishful for a moment.
Today on my way to work, I heard about a fatal traffic accident at 6AM this morning. I realize that horrible things happen every second of the day, but somehow it just seems too early in the day for someone to die. I wish that no one would die until after 9AM and their first cup of coffee.


Today's sense of alertness is brought to you by -
Jon-Robert Walkenhorst. He bought me a box of Pickwick's Peach tea that I love so much. For no particular reason. I'm going to keep him.


Tuesday, January 18, 2005
Begin this sentence, please.
"........... kills friendships."

Mine is "Ego kills friendships."



My kidlets Coco and Lou, playing with fire. Posted by Hello


Go read this.


I'm joining a gang.
This morning as I drove to work I saw a new gang tag (spraypaint of the gangs name to establish territory, like a male cat sprays his territory) on a wall. "Poets" it read. I'm soooooooo joining that gang. Maybe our gang fights will be choreographed dance numbers like in West Side Story.


Jonny's Personality Test
1. Someone offers you £100,000,000 (or the equivalent in the relevant weird currency) on the one condition that you have permanent, irreversible facial reconstructive surgery that will render you hideously, frighteningly ugly. Do you accept? that's tough. Money and looks matter equally to me, which is very, very little. I'll let JR decide if the money is worth looking at me. He would be living more with the consequences of that choice.
2. One week later, do you regret your decision? Never. Unless it involves hair bleach.
3. How do you know for sure that Jennifer Aniston exists? Because she is mentioned in scripture. Before she was married to Brad Pitt, she begat Dodanim (Genesis 10:4)
4. If you had to choose, would you? I would have already made up my mind before I had to choose. I hate to taint my decisions with knowledge.
5. A man walks into a pub. What happens next? He buys a round for everyone and they all lived happily ever after. The end.
6. You see Stephen Hawking, world famous theoretical physicist, coming towards you in his magic wheelchair. Do you:
a). flick his ears, or
b). ask him to say, "a pig, in a cage, on anti-biotics" through his robo-voice device, or
c). offer him a banana?
I would tell him that I absolutely loved the last romance novel he wrote and that the end where he rescues her from the wild boar and they make passionate love on the deck of his yacht, just really touched me.
7. In order to become one of the "undead", you first have to die. But the living are also, in a sense, undead. Does this sort of thing bother you, or can you just put it to the back of your mind and enjoy the spectacle of zombies messily eating innocent and vulnerable people? Since horror movies tend to be low-budget, I zero in on the background scenery and props to find flaws.
8. In your own personal philosophy of logic, are you naturally inclined towards a neo-Fregean semantic dualism? Not a fancy 'neo-fregean' semantic dualism. Just a regular semantic dualism.
9. You wake up one morning to discover that the world is literally, and not metaphorically, your oyster. Now what? Well, drop the kosher diet, for one thing. Not much point there, anymore.
10. Women shouting in German over industrial noise: sinister or sexy? Sweet really. Reminds me of home and Mumsie.
11. Were you in the cubs or the girl guides, or something like that, as a child? Absurd wasn't it? I won the astronomy badge, you know. I was in the AWANA program. I think I broke every record for scripture memorization. They made me my own team and made me complete against teams of 6-8 other kids. I still whopped 'em. I was a dork with waaaaaaaaaay to much time on her hands.
12. When was the last time you knocked on someone's door and ran away giggling? Last week actually. Laura and I were cooking in Bashar's (the Adorable Jordanian Neighbor, aka AJN, and not be confused with his roommate Sal, the Adorable Palestinian/Jordanian Neighbor, aka APJN) kitchen and Bashar went to take a shower. I suggested that we go and dump a cup of ice cubes over the shower stall down onto him and so we loaded up and went. As I got to the door of the bathroom, a sudden fear of sparking a international incident (someday we will discuss the carnage of the food fight of '04) overtook me, coupled with the idea that, good heavens, I might, you know, SEE something. I insisted that Laura go first. She insisted that I go first. After five minutes of whispering and only getting as far as opening the door about four inches, we heard the food on the stove start to boil over and just ran away giggling.
13. Who cares what your favourite colour is? My boyfriend. Maybe.
14. How many emotions do you experience on a normal day?
a). 1 - 5
b). 6 -10
c). Bollocks!
d). All of them
15. Astrology: harmless nonsense, exact science, the embodiment of all that is evil or simply irritating? Simply irritating. Someone who insists on telling me that Mercury in my rising house means I will have a meaningful connection to an old lover today is about as fun as when the underwire in my bra cuts thru and stabs me in the armpit repeatedly throughout the day.
16. "Only Smarties have the answer". To what? If you don't know, then I can't tell you.
17. What does the phrase "metaphysical sandwich" convey to you? Hmmmm. In need of a good honey mustard sauce.
18. Commons or Lords? Commons. More letters equal better.
19. Chalk or cheese? Cheese, for sheer versitility. It's not only edible, it writes better on walls then chalk. However, I can't fully explain that without telling the saga of the aforementioned food fight of '04.
20. Health or safety? Health. Safety is an illusion.
21. Cain or Abel? Same amount of letters, so a tie. And in the event of a tie, Seth wins.
22. Cops or robbers? Accountants.
23. Yes or no? Yes.
24. Epiphenomenalism or eliminative materialism? When you talk like that, Jonny, it frightens and arouses me, all at once.
25. What is mayonnaise? Whipped oil, I believe. Or the bastard cousin of sour cream.


Actually Said to Me
Adorable, Lickably-Sweet Boyfriend That I Will Keep Forever - "The only man who is worth your tears is one that will never make you cry."


Note to Self
When explaining to your boss that you are tired because your neighbors had a big loud party last night, you get more sympathy when you leave out that fact that you were there.


Begin this sentence, please.
"......... is beautiful."

Mine is "Truth is beautiful."


Monday, January 17, 2005
Lake, picnic tables, men with guns, hot dogs, wait, WHAT?
So my ole' buddy Rick and I were having a picnic lunch over by Lindo Lake last spring. It was a beautiful spring day, warm, lazy. We fed the ducks and nibbled on hot dogs and laughed about the old days back in high school and then lazed out on the grass. Thats when I noticed how strangly quiet the park was. As soon as I commented on that, we noticed the hum of a low flying helicopter. Then the hum of another helicopter. Then another. Rick mentioned that for such a lovely day, there was no one in sight at the park. I looked around and said, "Well, there's that guy over there. The one in all black. His hat looks funny, he must be sweating like crazy in that thing. Is that a fishing pole he's.................. um, Rick?"
"Yeah, [Valancy Jane]?"
"Is it my admittedly active imagination, or is that a member of the SWAT Team?"
"Hmmmm. Yeah, that would be a member of the SWAT Team."
"Should we be here right now?"
"Lets ask the other SWAT guy that just came from behind that tree."
Turns out some crazy was holding up the Post Office (across the street from the park) with machine guns and explosives. The SWAT Team missed us in their sweep of the park an hour before. So we were having a picnic maybe fifty yards from a hostage situation. We were strongly encouraged at gunpoint to leave.


Shout Out to Devin!
The world's coolest hairdresser/friend. With the largest collection of Benny Hill tapes and the best laugh you've ever heard.


Weird Neighbor Tidbit
I ran into him in the laundry room and he invited me up to his apartment to have a drink. AT 9:30 IN THE MORNING.


Another Actual Conversation
Young kid - "You were right [Twenty-Something], this whoopie cushion is fun!"

Twenty-Something - "See, dude, I got your back."

Young Kid - "What does that mean?"

Twenty-Something - "That means I look out for you."

Young Kid - "Would you help me if I was attacked by ninjas?"

Twenty-Something - "You think that's gonna happen?"

Young Kid - "Well, not NOW. I'm just a kid. I mean like when I'm an adult. Would you help me if I was attacked by ninjas then?"

Twenty-Something - "Yeah. Yeah, I would."


Add this to the list of things I can't hold while I have this stupid finger brace on.
Matches.
I tried to hold it with my remaining fingers, but while striking the match, I flung it across the room (it was lit, mind you) and onto my carpet. Don't tell my landlord.


Hint?
My impeccably litter-trained cat deliberately peed on the mini-poster of William Hung that came in the CD.


Weird Neighbor Tidbit
His hairless cat is named "Bling-Bling".


Another Actual Conversation
Boyfriend - "You know something? I can deduct the cost of all those books I read to prepare for my computer certifications. It's a tax deduction because it's a work expense."

Girlfriend - "Cool. Can I deduct the cost of the books I read at work while I am supposed to be working?"

Boyfriend - "No."


The Green-Eyed Velvets are spreading the love. And the FUZZ.


Note to Self
When [Owner Who Slurs at Christmas Party] gives you his keys and says to give them to the mobile auto detail guy, be sure to ask the mobile detail guy if he plans to move the car to a different part of the parking lot while he washes it, because few things are more frightening than having the said owner go out to his usual spot, come back and ask, "Where the hell is my car? Are you sure you gave the keys to a mobile auto detail guy?"


Reader Participation Post
My friends and I have a long-running game of suggesting titles for my autobiography. A few include -

Fun with Spark Plugs
Liquor and Hairdye

Got a suggestion?


Another Actual IM Conversation
SDInsomniac: Why did I go back to school?
valancyjstirling: It's an investment in your future.

long pause

valancyjstirling: It's a great place to meet chicks.
SDInsomniac: Now you're talking.


Quote of the day
Gay man, discussing proper gym attire - If I can see your nipples, it's not a shirt.


Weird Neighbor Tidbit
He rigged a projector, and uses the largest wall in his apartment as the screen. He watches football games this way. I guess the game is more interesting when the players are life-size.


Just in case you were wondering why...........
............. I'm dancing at my desk to the strains of Handel's Messiah, and all of heavens angels are answering back in unabashed joy at the miracle of a soul being reborn into a world of love, joy and peace, here's why.
Can I hear an amen?


Friday, January 14, 2005
Finally, a sensible diet plan. No, really.
San Diego Reader - Volume 34 / Number 2, January 13th, 2005 - reports:

Zimbabwe, facing a severe food shortage, is considering an unlikely program to bring rich foreign vistors to the country, according to a government announcement in November. The imformation minister proposed an "obesity tourism strategy," in which overweight visitors (especially Americans) would be encouraged to "vacation" in Zimbabwe and "provide labor for [government-confiscated] farms in the hope of shedding weight." Americans, the proposal noted, spend $6 billion a year on "useless" dieting aids and could be encouraged to work off pounds and then flaunt "their slim bodies on a sundowner cruise on the Zambezi River."


Today's Moment of Zen Picture

"Afternoon Nap"
Actually this is the bedding I chose for my bed. Posted by Hello


A dagger for the child within
When I was about seven, I went to the Del Mar Fair and in the Asian Treasures tent there was a man selling, amoung other things, small daggers. I wanted one so badly but had spent most of my money on the elephant, camel and pony rides, and the shiny rocks in the Gem and Mineral tent. So all that following year I saved part of my allowance in a glass jar labeled 'Dagger Money'. You think that would have worried my parents, but they weren't that concerned with what I did, and this was a few years before that unfortunate incident where I grazed my mother's leg with an arrow and my parents decided I couldn't have weapons until I had my drivers liesense or something like that.
So I'm eight now, and back at the fair. But the man selling daggers is not! Nowhere to be found. It took two camel rides and a orange julious to calm me down. Now how was I supposed to play 'shipwrecked duchess' or 'gypsy warrior'? I mourned this loss for years, or at least until my mother gave me the ill-fated archery set.
Recently I was in a knicknack shop and saw a similiar dagger with a ship carved onto it's faux ivory handle and a mermaid design on the sheath. Of course I bought it. And when I see it, I'm tempted to go climb a tree and pretend its the rigging of a ship and that the Spanish Armada was about to attack.


Actually Said to Me
Coworker, She of the Bought Breasts - "I'm off to the mall. If [Owner Who Slurs at Christmas Party] comes in, tell him I have his car."

And yes, she was serious.


???????
What did we do before letter openers? Seriously, when I think of the papercut potential, I wonder how I ever lived any other way.


My Earliest Memory
I read somewhere that your earliest memory says a lot about your personality, which is probably about as accurate as the dozens of personality tests I take. And post. Sorry, but they amuse me.
So, tell, tell, blog friends, what is the farthest back you can remember?
My earliest memory was my second birthday. I was wearing a red dress with white lace frills, white tights, and those little red patent leather shoes. The sort that women cup in their hand and make their uterus skip a beat. We were having a picnic in the park, (the same park I walked to last night) and someone set me down and I remember standing there, thinking that the lawn was the biggest place I had ever seen, and having this tremendous urge to run and throw myself on the ground and look at ALL THAT SKY and turn somersaults and run some more.
Maybe it's true, that I treat the world as my playground, have an unsatiable desire for exploring, and am terribly vulnerable to wonder. I like to think that's true.


A walk in the park
I'm attempting to incorporate more exercise into my daily routine so that I can continue to eat in the unhealthy way I love some much (and encourage in impressionable young people) and lower my stress level, which inexplicably seems to be climbing rather high, despite the fact that I love my life. So last night JR and I took what I hope will become nightly walks to the park and back. I found a great playground there, with serves as my motovation. I ride the bouncy horse thing and go up the ladder, around the swinging bridge, through the tunnel and down the slide. All the while JR is standing off the side, trying very hard to looks as though he doesn't know me. Then past the basketball courts, where I shouted "I'm open, I'm open! I suck, but I'm open!" to a bunch of slightly less than amused players. Then over to the Rec center, where I used to take classes from my favorite teacher, Miss Kincaid. There was a class going on and I peeked in at the girls doing tondues and rond de jamb a terre (the spelling on that is almost certainly wrong) at the barre. I miss dancing. Then on the way home I saw a man with a small dog (like Paris Hilton, fit in your purse size dog) and asked if I could pet it. The guy said, "Sure, shes a little yappy, but she won't bite. Which turned out not to be true. She did in fact bite me. I never really like small dogs, but I would be interested in one like that, that looks non-threatening, but then suddenly lunges at anyone who gets too close, that would be cool. Like when you are in line somewhere and some weird guy is standing way to close behind you. Or when you are on a train reading a book and some oddball thinks this means you are lonely and he should sit down and tell you all about his ex-girlfriend. I could use a dog like that in times like those.


Another Actual Conversation
Girlfriend - "So, I've got my tennis shoes on, hair in a ponytail, I'm ready to go on our walk, get some air, and burn off a few pesky pounds. Ready?"

Boyfriend - "Yeah, lets go."

Girlfriend - "Wait, let me grab a snack to eat on the way."

long pause

Girlfriend - "What?"

Girlfriend - "What???"

Girlfriend - "Oh."


Confession
I read People magazine. And US Weekly. And In Touch. And the celebrity news on my MSN page. Daily.

I know.

I don't know why I care, but I do.
But last night I won a radio constest for knowing that Mr. Blackwell rated Nicolete Sheridan as the Worst Dressed of 2004 in his annual list of Top Ten Worst Dressed.
I won a $100 gift certificate to a spa.
So ha!
Finally my sad little hobby, combined with my endless capacity for useless information, has brought me something other than secret shame.


Side effects may include scratched paint on car and inability to apply mascara.
So this stupid finger brace on the middle finger of my right hand, it's driving me crazy. (I broke my finger about a month ago.) Its coming off soon and not a moment too soon as far as I'm concerned. I've relearned how to type, using other fingers to hit the keys 'i' 'k' and the comma, so that's fine. But I can't hold any sort of stick in my right hand. And we handle far more stick-like objects in our daily life then I had realized. The following are things I cannot hold with my right hand.

Pens - I can't 'just jot this down' or make notes on my calender or sign my own christmas cards.

Chapstick - Using my left hand, I've accidently applied it to my nostril twice.

Forks

Spoons

Knives - You can imagine the mess I'm made in the kitchen using my left hand.

Spatula - I've actually flung eggs behind the refridgerator.

Whisk

Toliet Brush

Kitty litter scooper - That's not something you wanna spill all over your bathroom floor.

Any sort of make-up in a tube - Which is basically everything but blush.

Toothbrush -

Scissors

Keys

But on the upside, holding chopsticks is actually easier.


Thursday, January 13, 2005
Awwwww, they flatter me.
Take the quiz: "What Kind Of Weapon Are you?"

Gun
You're the gun! Quite traditional actually. You've been used to kill more human beings throughout time than any other weapon. What an honor for a weapon. Truly an honor. You're loved by militaries, hunters, police, the mafia and psychos everywhere! (Awwww, thats nice. Sweet really.) You're the universal weapon. You can be used for assassinations, threats, war, hunting, brutal murder and torture! You're stylish, people use you constantly in high-priced movies such as The Matrix, Equilibrium, The Pretender, etc. etc. You're bad. Very, very bad. But attractive, no doubt.

Well, I'm not as flashy as Therese, but you know they say a gun is so much more personal. Plus now, I can star in Isho's play.


Today's Moment of Zen Picture

"White Puppy Paws"
This is JR's dog, Keno, asleep in my backseat on the way home from a camping trip. Posted by Hello



Therese, was this what you had in mind? I think this what I'm going to do. Thoughts? Posted by Hello


And from the 'Um, ok' file.....
I don't know if this is sweet or just really, really sad.


Who's in?
I say we all go; it would be like an adventure vacation. We'll lay by the pool, capture rebels, make a little money, sit around the campfire and sing old cowboy songs. Who's in?


Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Chelse Beth
Lets all go read Chelse Beth's blog and have a good laugh (with her, not at her) at her story -

... my orthopedic surgeon/DR's office called yesterday to cancel my appointment that I originally had for Friday.. .they said the dr was going in for surgery... being concerned, I asked, "Oh no! What happened to him?"


Just not puking anymore, that's enough.
You know how when you are sick to your stomach and it's been a day and a half of this and it wouldn't take a million dollars or a new house or even a complete recovery to make you feel better, because somehow, just the fact that you've stopped puking is enough to make the world seem shiny and bright?


My new Second Favorite Story Ever



Truth be told, I pick my cats to match my kitchen. Posted by Hello


I think this post lends itself to a broad scope of punchlines. I'll let you pick your own.
Take the quiz: "What is your personal mascot?"

Parrot
Parrot
You are talkative and kind. You'd do anything for your friends and they love you for it. Congratulations on being so awsome!


Except for the fact that I pass out at the sight of blood and all.
Take the quiz: "What career in the horse world best suits you?"

Vet
Your best suited to the vets career.Your one that thinks health and happiness are of upmost importance.Your always glad to give people a helping hand when they need it.When a horses passes on a little piece of your heart goes with it.


Maybe I could use this to distract from the fact that one of my eyebrows is an arch and the other is an obtuse angle.
Take the quiz: "What piercing are you?"

Eyebrow
You're wild. You're an extravert that likes to have fun and enjoys the clublife!


I totally had her 'Mod Squad' haircut. Maybe I'll do that again.
Take the quiz: "What blond actress are you?"

Claire Danes
You are bright and intellegent. You take roles that compliment you. You bring a stellar performance to screen. You shine like a star :) You are also very down to earth and like a joke now and then.



Our favorite french fotographer is at it again. Posted by Hello



Check them outPosted by Hello


What have you lost?
MooCow inspired me to put out the question, "What childhood treasure did your mother throw out?"
For me, it was Bowser. A patchwork dog with pink ears and a red collar. My mother thought I owned to many stuffed animals and tried to weed a few out. I'm still mad about that. I told her in no uncertain terms that if she ever looked askew at Squeakie the mouse or Oliver the cat, that she would wake up one morning missing some patches of hair. I really wasn't a violent child, but that was one place you just DON'T GO WITH ME. Like Therese and her shoes.


Was it a hint .....
.... that three different people gave me a hairbrush for Christmas?

That's it, I'm cutting my hair again. Any suggestions?


Today's sense of alertness is brought to you by -

This tea, Good Earth Raspberry Red Tea, is amazing, I highly reccomend it. Plus, it has cute little sayings on the tag of each teabag. Today's reads "We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future. Franklin D. Roosevelt" Posted by Hello


Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Another Actual Conversation
Boyfriend - "You know how your phone has-"

Girlfriend - "Chloe. Her name is Chloe."

Boyfriend - "Um, right, Chloe. You know how Chloe is losing her faceplate and-"

Girlfriend - "That's not her fault."

Boyfriend - "Um, right. Well, you know how I got that new camera phone and I still have my old phone-"

Girlfriend - "You mean Luca?"

Boyfriend - "Um, sure, Luca. Do you want Luca?"

Girlfriend - "Then what would Chloe do?"

Boyfriend - "Catch up on her reading? My pho... I mean Luca has a lot more features."

Girlfriend - "But I love Chloe!"

Boyfriend - "If you take Luca you can have the dandylion screen and the Pink Panther ring."

Girlfriend - "Chloe is going to retire. You know me so well."


Another Actual Conversation
Obsessive Mother Hen Apartment Manager - "Can I borrow a few cups of flour?"

Renter of Postage Stamp - "Uh, sorry, I don't have any baking stuff here."

Obsessive Mother Hen Apartment Manager - "And you call yourself a woman!"

Renter of Postage Stamp - "Um....................................



....................... what year is this?"


Just a thought
When I get a postcard thing in the mail telling me to call an 800 number in reference to my $11 million dollar sweepstakes number, I think to myself that if I had actually won, they probaby could have sprang for a real envelope.


Monday, January 10, 2005
Leaving the Lobby
I've become progressively more ill as the day goes by, so I am going home to throw up in the peace and quiet of my very own Postage Stamp. I think Sven gave me whatever his mystery illness is. Why, Sven, why?


Today's Ideal Soundtrack
Would include the following songs in no particular order -

Insensitive by Jann Arden
How do you cool your lips
After a summer's kiss?
How do you rid the sweat
After the body bliss?
How do you turn your eyes
From the romantic glare?
How do you block the sound of the voice
You'd know anywhere?


Fields of Gold by Sting
You'll remember me
When the west wind moves
Amoung the fields of barley
You'll forget the sun
In it's jealous sky
When we walked in
Fields of Gold


Lonesome Road by James Taylor
Walk down that lonesome road
All by yourself
Don't turn your head
Back over your shoulder
And only stop to rest yourself
When the silver moon
Is shining high
Above the trees


Sara Smile by Hall & Oats
It's you and me forever
Sara, smile
Won't you smile awhile
For me, Sara


Southern Cross by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
We got 80 feet of waterline
Nicely making waves
From a noisy bar in Abalone
I tried to call you
But on the midnight watch I realized
Why twice you ran away
Think about how many times
I have fallen
Spirits are using me
Larger voices callin'
What heaven taught you and me
Cannot be forgotten


Know You by Heart by Eva Cassidy
Midnights in winter
Glowing fire
Lights up your face in orange and gold
I see your sweet smile
Shine through the darkness
It's line is etched in my memory

So I'd know you by heart

When You Say Nothing at All by Allison Krause
The smile on your face lets me know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall
You say it best
When you say nothing at all


Blessed by Martina MacBride
I have been blessed
And I feel like I've found my way
I thank God for all I've been given
At the end of every day
I have been blessed
With so much more than I deserve
To be here with the ones that love me
To love them so much it hurts
I have been blessed


We Danced Anyway by Deana Carter
Summer air was heavy and sweet
You and I on a crowded street
There was music everywhere
I can see us there
In a happy little foreign town
Where the stars shone upside down

Half a world away

Life for Rent by Dido
It's just a thought
Only a thought
But if my life is for rent
And I don't learn to buy
Then I deserve nothing more than what I get
Because nothing I have is truly mine


Easy Tonight by a band who's name I'm drawing a blank on
You were wrong
And you were right
And you are gone
Tonight
And you were free
So alive
You were wrong
You were right
And you were down
And you could see
And you wore hearts
For me
And you were sharp
As sharp as knives
You were wrong
And you were right


Nature Boy by David Bowie
There was a boy
A very strange enchanted boy
They say he wandered very far
Very far
Over land and sea
A little shy and sad am I
And very wise was he
And then one day
One magic day
He passed my way
And while we spoke of many things
Fools and kings
And this he said to me
The greatest thing
You'll ever learn
Is just to love
And be loved in return


Freshman by the Verve
For the life of me
I can not remember
What made us think that we were wise and we'd never compromise
For the life of me
I can believe we'd ever die for these sins
We were merely freshman


Angel by Sarah McLachlan
Spend all your life waiting
For that second chance
For a break that would make it ok
Always some reason to feel not good enough
And it's hard at the end of the day
I need some distraction
Oh, beautiful release
Memories seep from my veins
I may be empty
They're weightless and maybe
I'll find some peace tonight
In the arms of the angel
Fly away from here
From this dark cold hotel room
And the endlessness that you feel
You are pulled the wreckage
Of your silent reverie
In the arms of the angel
May you find some comfort here


Back to LA by Beth Hart
She hangs around the blvd
She's a local girl
With local scars
She got home late
She got home late
She drank so hard the bottle ached
And she tried
And she tried
And she tried
And she tried
But nothing's clear in a bar full of flies.
She's so ashamed
She's so ashamed
She knows heaven don't want her anyway
She leaves a note
By the phone
Don't leave a message 'cause this ain't no home
And she cried
And she cried
And she cried
And she cried
She cried so long her tears ran dry




I'm in a bit of mood today, as you can probably tell from the music choices. Not sure why. I'm sick and it's raining, but I'm not as depressed as it would sound. Just feeling pensive would be the word, I guess.



The actual work of said nature photographer, Samer Momani.
 Posted by Hello



 Posted by Hello