Disaster area

"OOOOOOOOOOOO--klahoma where the ice comes sweeping down the plain. Where the frozen trees break in the breeze and the wind knocks 'em over in the lane." Sorry about shoplifting your lyrics Mr. Hammerstein, but I think these new lyrics ring true. Holy moly, Batman. Where am I? My beautiful city looks like a war zone. I heard someone say that a 100-pound tree limb with 1/2" of ice on it weighs 1000 pounds. No wonder trees line the streets like litter in a Brooklyn alley. My city is broken. How many days until we fix it?

Click here to see a couple of pictures of the disaster.

More to come...

Weekend Warrior

Things I did this weekend:
1. Went to the Ink Slingers meeting (it was awesome--Travis and Mark liked my story and said that, for a girl, my dialogue is hard-boiled). Candas responded well to our feedback and I think we gave her some useful suggestions for her story.

2. Alan and I shopped at Kohl's and got some wicked good deals. Took care of Mel and Shawn and bought some Santas. One thing I noticed about Christmas time and shopping--people are impatient. Isn't the whole meaning of Christmas about Jesus and remembering his spirit? Isn't that why it's called the "spirit" of Christmas? Shouldn't we focus on being forgiving and loving? I think people misinterpreted the meaning of Christmas to mean a time of forgiving to be a time for giving.
3. We ate lunch at Panera with Mel and Jim and then went to a candle show. Ate French onion soup. Yum yum.
4. Met Heather and Travis at the movies--Enchanted for me and Heather, The Mist for Travis and Alan. Good times.
5. Dinner at Fish Daddy's. More yumminess. Travis tipped back a few. Laughed at his assload of whip cream.
6. Finished Gone, Baby, Gone. It was great. I'm starting The Poet next. Then Red Tent.
7. Watched a crapload of movies--Shrek the Third, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Live Free or Die Hard, Next, Ocean's 13, Waitress
8. Took a 2-hour nap.
Life is good. :o)

Oprah and her favorite things

What a crock! She doesn't even pay for her "favorite things". The manufacturers of the products donate all the gifts to her show. She believes that people will run to the nearest Best Buy and wait in line to buy a $3500 refrigerator simply because it's one of her favorite things. That's pretty damn arrogant, if you ask me. She gave away cleaning supplies. She doesn't even clean. She admitted it on the show. (The only reason I saw the show is because I was at my sister's house and she was watching it.)

The people in the audience were ridiculous. They were raising their hands in the air, thanking God for their fortune. Do they honestly believe God has anything to do with their matierialistic greed? How were they supposed to get all that crap home? What if they got there by bus? What if they flew to the show and couldn't fit everything in their suitcases?

Oprah (code for car manufacturer) gave away cars. People acted like she was nothing short of Mother Teresa. Funny thing is, most of the people couldn't afford to pay the tax, title, and license, so they had to give the cars back. It's like a pyramid scheme: Look at all this loot that could be yours for the low, low price of one of your kidneys, and possibly a lung. You lure them with the big prize and then make them mortgage their lives to pay for the prize.

You want to do something good Oprah? How about donating your $50,000,000 home to the widows and kids of service men and women who lost their lives to give you the ability to have a show and favorite things? How about you help the poor and homeless here rather than in other countries? How about teaching people to be practical? Do people really need a TV in their fridge and $1200 pajamas?

My favorite things: waking up next to my hubby, my cat sitting on my lap, finishing a good book, a good meal, a good song, a good cry, selfless people, a smile, writing in my journal, the smell of rain, knowledge, music, being alive.

Cat Wake Up Call

Seriously--this is Gizmo. End of story.

What are you afraid of?

The news media
Ignorance
Loved ones dying
Being alone
Having nothing to say/write
Losing my hearing
Never fulfilling my dreams
Going to Hell
Senseless violence
Confrontation
Evil

Them's fightin' words

So Alan and I have a bet going - who can lose the most weight by January 1. Looks like he is well on his way to winning as I couldn't resist a sweetened iced coffee with cream. I think Starbucks and Target have cornered the market on smells. I'm pretty sure Target strategically emits a smell, an aroma if you will, that causes our phermones to go into spending overdrive. I go in there with a list (two items) and leave with a heaping basket. I get home and realize I forgot one of the items on my list. Gee...do I have to go back to Target? If I must.

I wonder why I get brave about diets when I'm reclined, watching Bones, and fuller than a tick. I need to make diet bets when I'm famished and have a Hideaway pizza sitting in front of me. That's motivation.

Tuesday's rock. Bones. House. Could it be any better? What is it with me and one-word shows? Then Thursday's I'm all about the two-word shows - Ugly Betty and Grey's Anatomy. Hmm...

Life or something like it

I laughed today.
It's been too long.

I had forgotten how good it felt.