Random Ramblings

The Office

2008-11-07T21:06:00.003-05:00

I love that show. It makes me laugh. Andy was a great character to add. I miss Pam being in the office, but it is funny that Ryan is answering phones. They should show more of Kevin. And when is Toby coming back. Kelly certainly cracks me up. That is all I have to say about that for now. Maybe I'll wear my office t-shirt to sleep in tonight.

bangs

2008-10-28T16:11:00.002-04:00

so, I was eleven years old, it was a week before my cousin's wedding. And my lovely sister cut my bangs. She cut them so short all they would do was stick straight up. Just what a sixth-grader needs in her life.

To this day my sister blames me, says I had my head bent down too far. I'm sorry, but even if I had my head bent all the way down I should at least still have some bangs.

grrrr. obviously i'm still bitter.

Commercials

2008-09-29T21:27:00.003-04:00

With DVR/TiVo, does anyone ever watch commercials any more?

DVR was the best thing that ever happened to parents. There is no way I'd ever be able to watch anything with one kid, let alone three!

here are some stats I found on the net.

According to a joint study released
by the Association of National Advertisers and Forrester Research,
nearly
70% of advertisers said they believe digital video recorders (DVRs) and
video-on-demand (VOD) will reduce or destroy the effectiveness of
traditional
30-second commercials.
Also, 78% of advertisers said
television advertising
has become less effective over the past few years.
The study found that when
DVR usage reaches 30 million households in the
U.S., expected within three
years, almost 60% of advertisers say they will
spend less on conventional TV
advertising; of those, 24% will cut their TV
budgets by at least
25%.
Regarding how budgets will be reallocated, 80%
of advertisers said they
will spend more on Web advertising, and 68% will
use search engine marketing, the survey found.

The Downside of Kids (they're still great though)

2008-09-09T20:20:00.003-04:00

Okay, I love my kiddos more than anything... but I thought of something that should definately be considered before you have your own little ones.

There is a downside--at times.

Sure, sleeping in is gone. Going out to bars is gone. Keeping in touch with your friends--gone. But... I realized a new downside today, and its major. I no longer get to lick the spoon after making brownies.

When my very excited little girl said to me "mommy can I lick the spoon" as we were measuring out the ingredients for our dessert... I.... I..... I said yes. I mean, how can I not? She's 3, I'm 31! But licking the spoon is the best part!!!!

Nothing Spectacular, but fun nonetheless

2008-09-09T20:17:00.001-04:00

first of all, "nonetheless" has to be one of the coolest words out there. Its like three words in one.

So I couldn't think of anything big to put on this page. So I thought I'd amuse you with some history about me. While the other kids were off playing softball and soccer as kids, do you know what I did? I was on a jump rope team. Its true. The heartbeats. I even marched in the 4th of July parade (I held the banner). I'll totally get my mom to scan a picture of me in uniform to enhance your entertainment!

Long-Time No Post

2008-09-05T17:15:00.000-04:00

Helllllooooooooooooooooo!!!

Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about you. And I have something BIG planned for you.

(hmmm, what should that something big be??)

Born to Run

2008-08-03T22:10:00.001-04:00

The Born to Run album has to be one of the best albums ever made. With such great ones as Thunder Road, Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out, Backstreets, and Jungleland I could listen to it over and over. I'll highlight some of my favorite lines in this one, I'll just close my eyes and see it played live. The house lights on, the crowd going crazy. Everyone knows these words.

Born to Run
Born to Run 1975

In the day we sweat it out in the streets of a runaway American dream
At night we ride through mansions of glory in suicide machines
Sprung from cages out on highway 9,
Chrome wheeled, fuel injected and steppin' out over the line
Baby this town rips the bones from your back
It's a death trap, it's a suicide rap
We gotta get out while we're young
'Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run
Wendy let me in I wanna be your friend
I want to guard your dreams and visions
Just wrap your legs 'round these velvet rimsand strap your hands across my engines
Together we could break this trap
We'll run till we drop, baby we'll never go back
Will you walk with me out on the wire
'Cause baby I'm just a scared and lonely rider
But I gotta find out how it feels
I want to know if love is wild
girl I want to know if love is real
Beyond the Palace hemi-powered drones scream down the boulevard
The girls comb their hair in rearview mirrors
And the boys try to look so hard
The amusement park rises bold and stark
Kids are huddled on the beach in a mist
I wanna die with you Wendy on the streets tonight
In an everlasting kiss
The highway's jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive
Everybody's out on the run tonight
but there's no place left to hide
Together Wendy we'll live with the sadness
I'll love you with all the madness in my soul
Someday girl I don't know when
we're gonna get to that place
Where we really want to go
and we'll walk in the sun
But till then tramps like usbaby we were born to run

The Promised Land

2008-08-02T22:03:00.000-04:00

I love this one too. I can just picture it in my head!

The Promised Land
Darkness on the Edge of Town 1978

On a rattlesnake speedway in the Utah desert
I pick up my money and head back into town
Driving cross the Waynesboro county line
I got the radio on and I'm just killing time
Working all day in my daddy's garage
Driving all night chasing some mirage
Pretty soon little girl I'm gonna take charge

CHORUS
The dogs on Main Street howl
'cause they understand
If I could take one moment into my hands
Mister I ain't a boy, no I'm a man
And I believe in a promised land

I've done my best to live the right way
I get up every morning and go to work each day
But your eyes go blind and your blood runs cold
Sometimes I feel so weak I just want to explode
Explode and tear this whole town apart
Take a knife and cut this pain from my heart
Find somebody itching for something to start

CHORUS

There's a dark cloud rising from the desert floor
I packed my bags and I'm heading straight into the storm
Gonna be a twister to blow everything down
That ain't got the faith to stand its ground
Blow away the dreams that tear you apart
Blow away the dreams that break your heart
Blow away the lies that leave you nothing but lost and brokenhearted

CHORUS
I believe in a promised land...

Springsteen Month!

2008-08-01T21:46:00.001-04:00

Ken and I are going to see Bruce Springsteen again this month. So in honor of that very joyous occasion I'm going to share some song lyrics with my awesome readership.

I couldn't narrow down my favorite song, but this is among the top. Reading through these is best listening the music. It really makes me remember why I enjoy his music so much. Its the passion. Not every artist has it. He does.

Backstreets
Born to Run 1975

One soft infested summer me and Terry became friends
Trying in vain to breathe the fire we was born in
Catching rides to the outskirts tying faith between our teeth
Sleeping in that old abandoned beach house getting wasted in the heat
And hiding on the backstreets, hiding on the backstreets
With a love so hard and filled with defeat
Running for our lives at night on them backstreets
Slow dancing in the dark on the beach at Stockton's Wing
Where desperate lovers park we sat with the last of the Duke Street Kings
Huddled in our cars waiting for the bells that ring
In the deep heart of the night to set us loose from everything
to go running on the backstreets, running on the backstreets
We swore we'd live forever on the backstreets we take it together
Endless juke joints and Valentino drag where dancers scraped the tears
Up off the street dressed down in rags running into the darkness
Some hurt bad some really dying at night sometimes it seemed
You could hear the whole damn city crying blame it on the lies that killed us
Blame it on the truth that ran us down you can blame it all on me Terry
It don't matter to me now when the breakdown hit at midnight
There was nothing left to say but I hated him and I hated you when you went away
Laying here in the dark you're like an angel on my chest
Just another tramp of hearts crying tears of faithlessness
Remember all the movies, Terry, we'd go see
Trying to learn how to walk like heroes we thought we had to be
And after all this time to find we're just like all the rest
Stranded in the park and forced to confess
To hiding on the backstreets, hiding on the backstreets
We swore forever friends on the backstreets until the end
Hiding on the backstreets, hiding on the backstreets

Dress Code

2008-07-24T12:35:00.002-04:00

So on Friday, yes, CASUAL Friday one of my lovely femal coworkers was wearing SHORTS. Not those trendy professional looking shorts (don't worry EWB, I'm not talking about you) she was wearing actual Khakhi SHORTS. Okay, here are my thoughts:

sure would be nice if we could wear that.
I like wearing jeans on Friday, I don't want to lose that.
Really, you think you can wear shorts to a huge company.
I bet the men would like to wear shorts on a hot day.
Why isn't there a dress code policy?

That is all.

Am I 3 years old?

2008-07-20T21:11:00.002-04:00

When I get tired I get so cranky. Its worse than my 3 year old. I feel that way now.

Dunkin Heaven

2008-07-02T17:33:00.003-04:00

This stuff is my own personal crack. I could go for a cup right now even though it is hot as hell out

vent

2008-07-01T19:49:00.002-04:00

so i begged my husband to let me quit my job today. after crying for an hour i told him we could sell the house, move in with his parents, and I could take care of our children. he told me to do it. and i really want to. but deep down i know the storm will pass and after my 3 month hiatus i know i would miss it. but i am a perfectionist and when i feel like i'm dropping the ball at every corner it tears me up. its just too much now. i worked 13.5 hours yesterday and I've already put in 12 hours today. i don't get overtime or comp time. i don't want to work at home in the evenings i want to take care of my children, do my chores, and get some rest. hell, the boys aren't even sleeping through the night yet. I got 3 hours sleep last night. awesome. should i quit. i think i should. i know i won't.

15th Anniversary: 5 Things Wired Pronounced Dead Prematurely

2008-07-01T04:56:00.001-04:00

Too entertaining not to share
http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/magazine/16-07/st_15deadthings

15th Anniversary: 5 Things Wired Pronounced Dead Prematurely
By Erik Malinowski 06.23.08

Commercial Web publishing (April 1996) Online news sites
everywhere respectfully disagree.
Web browsers (March 1997) Push media was about to supersede browsers. Or not. If we could push this claim from the archives, we would.
Online song swapping (December 2002) Kazaa? LimeWire?
BitTorrent? D'oh!
Futurism (December 2003) Predicting the death of
predictions? Niiiice.
Brands (november 2004) Would someone please tell the tweens
— and Abercrombie & Fitch, purveyors of the finest softcore billboards?

Any preditions on things that technologies that will be obsolete? The concept makes my head hurt too much.

The Women's Room

2008-07-01T01:50:00.001-04:00

I've been working from home a lot the last few months. There are a couple things I really don't miss about being in the office. Obviously the commute, having to pack lunch, being cramped up in my office... and mostly the Women's room! Not only is it half way around the building (ok, its not like I mind the walk) but it is disgusting.

First of all, why doesn't everyone use those paper seat covers? There is no excuse for pee on the seat if you use one of those!
Secondly, are you shedding? Why is there hair all over the seat and floor.
Thirdly, washing hands is like taking a bath because there is water all over the counter that unless I take the time to clean up it ends up on my shirt.
Fourthly, take the time to make sure everything goes down when you flush.
Fifthly, if its that time of the month--come on ladies, clean up after yourselves!

I like being home, my nice clean powder room is mere steps away. I get to use my fancy soap. And I don't have to share with anyone!

Procrastinating

2008-06-30T21:39:00.001-04:00

I've been very busy at work lately. Sadly that is an understatement! I've been beyond swamped. Doing the work of many brilliant people... somehow just floating by. Anyhoo, I'm working on a major project and I'm having trouble focusing. It reminds me of college when my roomates and I posted a running list of procrastination techniques on our hallway wall. It contanined everything from cleaning the bathroom and talking on the phone to aligning quarters up in chronological order (that wasn't me, but geezzzzzz, that is some procrastination technique.

I'll start a new list in the comments section.

What is so special about ripples?

2008-06-29T17:41:00.003-04:00

Nothing like a good UTZ Ripple chip. Now, they appear to have the same taste as the regular utz chip. But for some reason I prefer the ripple version. I was so excited when my daughter picked out the ripple utz chips today at the grocery store. She must know that they are better (or her favorite color is blue). If only she thought to bring home some dip!

HDTV

2008-06-27T22:29:00.002-04:00

High Definition Television. I faught it. Really, I did. When our TV got struck by lightening and died, I let my husband buy a gigantic tv (toooooo big). But as I explained to him two years ago, we really didn't need to get the High Defintion satellite. Watching march madness a year ago I decided it was time. The men were so blurry. OMG, its like caller ID.... once you have it you can never go back. Its amazing. I had no idea. Especially with sports (we watch a lot of sports in our house). But even with movies and video games. It is awesome!

Take a minute for you

2008-06-26T22:41:00.005-04:00

Sometimes I just feel like I'm going through the motions. Every so often I need to stop myself. Realize that my kids are my world and take a time out to actually enjoy them. So if you are reading this. Stop right now. Take 2 minutes. And do something for yourself. (may I suggest going to people.com I'm such a celeb news junkie. more on that later.)

no really, I took time out to draw this for you, my valued reader.

Scoring Concert Tickets

2008-06-24T23:47:00.000-04:00

My super-awesome husband (and probably this blog's lone reader) and I scored some tix to an upcoming concert. (yea springsteen! My favorite)

It got me to thinking about the whole process.

So fifteen years ago when something went on sale you had about two options:

Going to to a department store (btw, how random is it that a dept store offered ticketmaster. It was the only option in my hometown.) and standing in a long line

OR
calling ticketmaster and praying to get through quickly--if at all.

Then came the internet. Seriously, how awesome is the internet? Not only can I browse upcoming shows, I can check for updates. And now you can even print out your ticket!! I also feel like I have a better shot at actually getting tickets.

But.... why oh why ticketmaster gods can't you select your seats. I get it, multiple people are accessing the tix and determining if they want them or not. But can't you at least give me a few options to select. Its frustrating that I have to risk throwing my seats back to try and get something better. There has to be a better way (ok, I'm not sure of the solution... I'm just venting)

Now lets talk about the monopoly ticketmaster has on tickets. Ticket prices aren't high enough, lets tack on service charges.

content management systems

2008-06-23T16:16:00.001-04:00

apparantly I have a lot to say today.

Content management systems are supposed to make life soooooo much easier. Allowing project staff to update content with ease. But why is it that I always have to go in and fix the code behind the scenes? Even for this silly blogger thing. I tried to add bullets below and it went crazy and added it in spots I hadn't selected and didn't put them where I wanted them. I spit back garbage. And what is up with all the extra spaces.

sigh.....

The Baconator???

2008-06-23T15:34:00.005-04:00

We swung by Wendy's for lunch today and as I was standing in the long line I was staring at the menu. They actually have something called the baconator. Yuck. I'm not a huge fan of bacon but all I picture is bacon and bread.

Curious what was included in the baconator I checked it out online. Now I feel like I'm going to puke.

For the record: it has 51 grams of fat and 840 calories. Sure makes the 16 grams of fat from my spicey chicken sammich seem like nothing! I love my reader(s) so much that I've attached the graphic with all the details.

Greatest Inventions Ever

2008-06-22T15:54:00.004-04:00

I was marveling at my ipod over the weekend. Seriously, why did it take so long for this incredibly ingenious idea??

Anyhoo, it got me thinking as to what the greatest inventions ever were, here is my list (btw, I'm taking 30 seconds to come up with this... so I'm sure I"ll forget a lot)

ipod
internet
computer
toilets (although, isn't anyone going to update the toilet, its been the same for a long time)
airplane (I still marvel)
remote control
microwave
digital frames (again, why so long??)
cell phones (gosh these exploded since college)
tivo (thank god)
caller id
refrigeration
electric baby swings
batteries (for when power goes out and electric baby swings are needed)
the wheel
AIR CONDITIONING (geeezus! how could I forget--added 6/30/2008--its been hot as hell here in DC)

Ok, add yours to the comments. I may come back and add more when I have time.

Little Bites

2008-06-18T22:54:00.001-04:00

The grocery store had a great sale on Entenmann's Little Bites, buy one get one free. So I tried one. They are these 100 calorie packs. But here is what I don't get. Why the big packaging? Big box, big bag where I expect to find about five of these little muffins. But I get two. Two muffins? Seriously? What a disappoinment.

Now what exactly do they mean by "They make great snacks for children." Poor marketing. Clearly I am their target market!

Why play golf, when you can play mini-golf

2008-06-16T15:49:00.001-04:00

On a beautiful day I would so much rather play mini-golf than golf. Mini-golf is so much fun. You get fun-colored balls. Clowns, clean water, sand, and it can be done in an hour. And if you are lucky, mini-golf comes with go-karts, ice cream, and other family-friendly activities.

Things that taste so bad but taste so good

2008-06-13T15:09:00.004-04:00

Beer and Soda in particular

There is nothing like a cold beer on a hot day. But why? When you could have something sweet and tastey like a Mike's Lemonade or even better a strawberry margarita.

And don't get me started on soda. It really doesn't taste good, but I do enjoy a good fountain soda with ice. Wouldn't juice or koolaid be tastier?

And why on earth do parents give little children soda? Its the last thing they need for a million different reasons. What is wrong with water, milk, juice, or hell--kool aid!

On a side note, the crystal light fruit punch tastes JUST LIKE Koolaid's tropical punch. It is heavenly.

My OWN Blog

2008-06-13T15:01:00.001-04:00

So, I've been blogging about the kids for a while now and I thought maybe I'd finally start one that isn't focused on the little ones. I'm not really sure where this one will go or if it will just die out before I even start it, but hey, why not!

Welcome aboard! now lets get started!