Don't ask me how I know. I just do.
It's a pretty exciting day, you guys. I'm sitting here at Borders blogging on my brand new laptop! It's almost a little unnerving to have a new computer - I've had my trusty Dell desktop since 1999. But, the old girl is slowing down these days and I've been eyeing people's laptops with increasing envy for the past couple of years, so I figured it was time for something new. So, after a lot of looking and a lo-ot of saving, here I am with my lovely new hp laptop. I haven't come up with a name for her yet - I'll let you know when I do.
So summer is on its way with a vengeance. It's only April and right now it's 100 degrees and we're having a dust storm. That's like a blizzard except, you know, with dust. And then it will rain and everything will have a nice crust of mud on it. Makes me happy that I'm sitting here in dustless, air-conditioned comfort sipping my iced chai (thanks, Bea!) and pretty much frittering away my Saturday.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
"What's The Most Important Thing In The World?"
"Breakfast?"
"I was gonna say family."
(gotta love those crazy Bluths)
Due to my complete and utter lack of things to write about these days, I'm going to share a little bit about my family. Unless you'd rather I regale you with tales of my recent sick day? No? Ok, family it is.
So my grandma (the one who passed away last fall) was famous in our family for mispronouncing words - but only some of them. She and my grandpa were Kansas farmers so obviously they had some "rural" to them. But before she married my grandpa, waaaay back in the day, Grandma was a school teacher. So her penchant for mispronunciation was always a bit of a mystery to us grandkids.
Some examples:
So ANYway, one of Grandma's words we never really did figure out the etymology of was "mushmellon" - Grandma served us mushmellon all the time during the summer. Now, I'm going to assume that none of you have ever heard of mushmellon. Except that you have. Only, you, me and the rest of the world call it "cantaloupe."
A few weeks ago, my cousin took it upon himself to discover the origins of this crazy noun that has become a (relatively) normal word in our family...it's not one we use, but we're at least used to hearing it. A quick Google search led him to Urbandictionary, which led him to this:
In the words of my cousin Brian: God help our family.
"I was gonna say family."
(gotta love those crazy Bluths)
Due to my complete and utter lack of things to write about these days, I'm going to share a little bit about my family. Unless you'd rather I regale you with tales of my recent sick day? No? Ok, family it is.
So my grandma (the one who passed away last fall) was famous in our family for mispronouncing words - but only some of them. She and my grandpa were Kansas farmers so obviously they had some "rural" to them. But before she married my grandpa, waaaay back in the day, Grandma was a school teacher. So her penchant for mispronunciation was always a bit of a mystery to us grandkids.
Some examples:
elite = e-lightPerhaps our most fondly recalled incident was when my sister was in middle school. She told Grandma one weekend that she really wanted to be a meteorologist when she grew up (a passion that seems to have fallen by the wayside, hmm htd?). Well, based on that information, Grandma proceeded to proudly tell her friends and acquaintances that her granddaughter wanted to grow up to be a meteorite. Yup. My sister's impending collision with Earth is the basis for the movie Armageddon.
fish = feesh
iguana - gyoo-aw-na
Ginko Biloba = Ginko Bilbo
So ANYway, one of Grandma's words we never really did figure out the etymology of was "mushmellon" - Grandma served us mushmellon all the time during the summer. Now, I'm going to assume that none of you have ever heard of mushmellon. Except that you have. Only, you, me and the rest of the world call it "cantaloupe."
A few weeks ago, my cousin took it upon himself to discover the origins of this crazy noun that has become a (relatively) normal word in our family...it's not one we use, but we're at least used to hearing it. A quick Google search led him to Urbandictionary, which led him to this:
Mushmellon(n.)- Another word for Cantaloupes used mostly by rednecks and hillbillies.
"How many of them there mushmellons ya grow this year, Bob."
In the words of my cousin Brian: God help our family.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Visual DNA?
Frighteningly accurate.
This thing has you choose from a set of photos to describe your take on...whatever. And then they analyze you based on your choices.
Personality: Moods - Easy Rider
You're a bit of a romantic and like to get back to basics. A real dreamer, you like the chance of new beginnings - starting over. As for music, it's the soundtrack to your world. It gives you focus and concentration - you might find it hard to switch off. Your choice of treat reveals either real exhaustion, or maybe a bit of laziness? Either way, you're never happier than when you are rugged, and snuggled up, eyes shut.
Personality: Fun - Escape Artist
You've got a real spirit for adventure. Keeping a clear head and a healthy body makes you ready for whatever life throws at you. For kicks you like to indulge in your great passions. You are probably happy spending time alone, and your drive and curiosity will take you all over the world. When it comes to holidays, you see them as the perfect chance to further yourself - to learn more about the world around you. You like to be immersed in a completely different world and would be really bored just sitting on a beach. What grosses you out? You favor the natural look and can't stand a pumped and plumped, plastic appearance.
Personality: Habits - High Time Roller
You treasure your possessions. Looking fresh is standard for you - but can leave your pockets light. If you look good, you feel better. As for the home, you are traditional: You invest in quality and history. You like your home to be as stylish as you are.
Personality: Love - Love Bug
You're a real romantic and a bit of a dreamer. For you love is about devotion and tenderness. You try to show your feelings in simple ways every day. Your heart is right there on your sleeve. When you think of freedom, you think of living for the here and now. You're pretty fearless and take every opportunity given to you.
This thing has you choose from a set of photos to describe your take on...whatever. And then they analyze you based on your choices.
Personality: Moods - Easy Rider
You're a bit of a romantic and like to get back to basics. A real dreamer, you like the chance of new beginnings - starting over. As for music, it's the soundtrack to your world. It gives you focus and concentration - you might find it hard to switch off. Your choice of treat reveals either real exhaustion, or maybe a bit of laziness? Either way, you're never happier than when you are rugged, and snuggled up, eyes shut.
Personality: Fun - Escape Artist
You've got a real spirit for adventure. Keeping a clear head and a healthy body makes you ready for whatever life throws at you. For kicks you like to indulge in your great passions. You are probably happy spending time alone, and your drive and curiosity will take you all over the world. When it comes to holidays, you see them as the perfect chance to further yourself - to learn more about the world around you. You like to be immersed in a completely different world and would be really bored just sitting on a beach. What grosses you out? You favor the natural look and can't stand a pumped and plumped, plastic appearance.
Personality: Habits - High Time Roller
You treasure your possessions. Looking fresh is standard for you - but can leave your pockets light. If you look good, you feel better. As for the home, you are traditional: You invest in quality and history. You like your home to be as stylish as you are.
Personality: Love - Love Bug
You're a real romantic and a bit of a dreamer. For you love is about devotion and tenderness. You try to show your feelings in simple ways every day. Your heart is right there on your sleeve. When you think of freedom, you think of living for the here and now. You're pretty fearless and take every opportunity given to you.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Blogger Withdrawl:
symptoms include headache due to an excess of word buildup in the brain. Also the shakes.
I'm back, you guys! It's been way too long. My parents came on April 6th for an extended stay, so blogging has been on the back burner ever since. They should be winging their way back to the chilly Midwest as I type this. They were both here last weekend, then my dad spent the week up in Flagstaff at a work conference. My mom hung out here with me this week - while I was at work, she spent her days reading books and exploring Phoenix and it's plethora of antique shops. In the evenings we made dinner, watched movies, and did terribly exciting things like...my taxes.
It was great having her here last week - I don't get to see my parents much, so I make the most of the time I do get to spend with them. It was also nice because I'd come home each evening and find some sort of new "mom" thing done to my apartment. On Monday I discovered I now have a plate shelf in my cupboard, so my bowls sit above the stacked plates instead of on them. Tuesday I found that she had framed the award I won at the AMI conference last summer. Wednesday she bought me a small French Press coffee maker that she had found for 75% off at a department store in the West Valley. She's fun.
On Friday, we headed up to Flagstaff for the closing dinner of my dad's conference. It was up at the Grand Canyon at sunset - who could say no to that? It was a beautiful ride up there and a great time of day to see the canyon. My family lived in Flagstaff for three years when I was 6-9 and every time someone came to visit us, we'd take them up to the Grand Canyon. 
By the time we moved to Nebraska when I was 8almost9, I was pretty sure I'd be perfectly happy never to see it again. Almost 16 years later, though, it's an amazing sight to see.
The three of us drove back down to Phoenix yesterday evening and capped off their 9 days in Arizona with some Mexican food and margaritas. They headed to the airport a couple hours ago, I went to buy groceries, and now my apartment is really quiet...
On another note, I finished my second cover for the Quarterly last Friday and I'm pretty darn happy with it. If everything goes smoothly, it should go to press in about a week. I'll be sure to show you when it comes out.
I'm back, you guys! It's been way too long. My parents came on April 6th for an extended stay, so blogging has been on the back burner ever since. They should be winging their way back to the chilly Midwest as I type this. They were both here last weekend, then my dad spent the week up in Flagstaff at a work conference. My mom hung out here with me this week - while I was at work, she spent her days reading books and exploring Phoenix and it's plethora of antique shops. In the evenings we made dinner, watched movies, and did terribly exciting things like...my taxes.
It was great having her here last week - I don't get to see my parents much, so I make the most of the time I do get to spend with them. It was also nice because I'd come home each evening and find some sort of new "mom" thing done to my apartment. On Monday I discovered I now have a plate shelf in my cupboard, so my bowls sit above the stacked plates instead of on them. Tuesday I found that she had framed the award I won at the AMI conference last summer. Wednesday she bought me a small French Press coffee maker that she had found for 75% off at a department store in the West Valley. She's fun.
On Friday, we headed up to Flagstaff for the closing dinner of my dad's conference. It was up at the Grand Canyon at sunset - who could say no to that? It was a beautiful ride up there and a great time of day to see the canyon. My family lived in Flagstaff for three years when I was 6-9 and every time someone came to visit us, we'd take them up to the Grand Canyon. 
By the time we moved to Nebraska when I was 8almost9, I was pretty sure I'd be perfectly happy never to see it again. Almost 16 years later, though, it's an amazing sight to see.The three of us drove back down to Phoenix yesterday evening and capped off their 9 days in Arizona with some Mexican food and margaritas. They headed to the airport a couple hours ago, I went to buy groceries, and now my apartment is really quiet...
On another note, I finished my second cover for the Quarterly last Friday and I'm pretty darn happy with it. If everything goes smoothly, it should go to press in about a week. I'll be sure to show you when it comes out.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Words I Used Last Weekend Without Ridicule
Pop. You guys. Billfold.
Last Wednesday afternoon I flew out of sunny Phoenix to the chilly, rainy land of Iowa for my cousin Sarah's wedding. Sarah and I pretty much grew up together even though we always lived at least five hours apart--at least up until I moved to Iowa for school when I was 19--so we've always been really close. I got into town a couple days early so I could help her out with last minute wedding stuff, keep her calm, and generally fulfill my Maid of Honor-ly duties.
I also got to hand-deliver my wedding gift to her and her fiance Josh. They liked it. Also they have the most adorable dog. She's a papipoo (cross between a papillion and a poodle), her name is Molly, and she looks like a muppet.
On Thursday, Sarah treated me to a manicure and a pedicure (I can't force myself to use the phrase "mani/pedi" - it gives me the shivers). I've never had a pedicure before and my feet are reeeeally ticklish - that whole bit with the scrub brush thing was pretty much torture. But my toes were really cutely French-tipped by the time the torture ended, so I suppose it was worth it.
The wedding was Saturday. All us bridesmaids had to be at the hair salon at about 8:00. We got there right on time, they settled me in a chair, and the woman proceeded to give me what my sister would later refer to as a hairstyle straight out of Steel Magnolias. It was...interesting. We had pictures from 12-3 and the wedding started at 4:00. I didn't trip on the stairs, knock over any candles, or sign my name on the wrong witness line or anything, so I'm going to say it was a pretty good ceremony.
The reception was great! Sarah and Josh take ballroom dancing lessons,
so their first dance was this choreographed Michael Buble number - pretty impressive stuff. I gave my speech in front of 260 people and they laughed when they were supposed to, so mission accomplished, I guess. The dancing was fun - a lot of people from their ballroom dancing class were there, so the dance floor was never empty. I got to see a lot of my extended family that I hadn't seen since my brother's wedding three years ago.
And so now I'm back in Phoenix. Work is busy right now - I'm working on illustrating the cover of the next Quarterly. It's coming along pretty nicely, I think. I need to do my taxes one of these days...procrastinator to the core, what can I say. And there you have it.
And may I also say...happy Bea-day. :)
Last Wednesday afternoon I flew out of sunny Phoenix to the chilly, rainy land of Iowa for my cousin Sarah's wedding. Sarah and I pretty much grew up together even though we always lived at least five hours apart--at least up until I moved to Iowa for school when I was 19--so we've always been really close. I got into town a couple days early so I could help her out with last minute wedding stuff, keep her calm, and generally fulfill my Maid of Honor-ly duties.
I also got to hand-deliver my wedding gift to her and her fiance Josh. They liked it. Also they have the most adorable dog. She's a papipoo (cross between a papillion and a poodle), her name is Molly, and she looks like a muppet.On Thursday, Sarah treated me to a manicure and a pedicure (I can't force myself to use the phrase "mani/pedi" - it gives me the shivers). I've never had a pedicure before and my feet are reeeeally ticklish - that whole bit with the scrub brush thing was pretty much torture. But my toes were really cutely French-tipped by the time the torture ended, so I suppose it was worth it.
The wedding was Saturday. All us bridesmaids had to be at the hair salon at about 8:00. We got there right on time, they settled me in a chair, and the woman proceeded to give me what my sister would later refer to as a hairstyle straight out of Steel Magnolias. It was...interesting. We had pictures from 12-3 and the wedding started at 4:00. I didn't trip on the stairs, knock over any candles, or sign my name on the wrong witness line or anything, so I'm going to say it was a pretty good ceremony.The reception was great! Sarah and Josh take ballroom dancing lessons,
so their first dance was this choreographed Michael Buble number - pretty impressive stuff. I gave my speech in front of 260 people and they laughed when they were supposed to, so mission accomplished, I guess. The dancing was fun - a lot of people from their ballroom dancing class were there, so the dance floor was never empty. I got to see a lot of my extended family that I hadn't seen since my brother's wedding three years ago.And so now I'm back in Phoenix. Work is busy right now - I'm working on illustrating the cover of the next Quarterly. It's coming along pretty nicely, I think. I need to do my taxes one of these days...procrastinator to the core, what can I say. And there you have it.
And may I also say...happy Bea-day. :)
Monday, April 02, 2007
Just A Post To Say--
I'm going to post soon.
You'll get to hear all about my trip to Iowa, the chilly chilly weather, my cousin's freaking adorable dog, the wedding and various other topics that strike my fancy. And there will be pictures. You are SO excited.
You'll get to hear all about my trip to Iowa, the chilly chilly weather, my cousin's freaking adorable dog, the wedding and various other topics that strike my fancy. And there will be pictures. You are SO excited.
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