There are just too many jokes here: Bush to Be Sedated for Colonoscopy

posted at 6/28/2002 03:36:00 p. m.

"The hills are alive... with the sound of music!"

Today is Richard Rogers' 100th birthday. He is famous for writing (with Lorenz Hart and later Oscar Hammerstein) so many of those familiar Broadway musicals like Sound of Music and Oklahoma as well as countless waltzes. We all grew up with his music and knows the words (whether we admit it or not) to many of the songs.

Happy Birthday and thanks for the music!

posted at 6/28/2002 10:20:00 a. m.

Click on the butterfly!

posted at 6/28/2002 12:40:00 a. m.

College Board adds handwritten essay to SAT

I think this is a good idea. Writing skills don't seem to be emphasized in school anymore but "multiple guess" is since that is how standard testing is now done at all levels. Plus, the SATs are bulls**t as they stand right now. They don't test any skill except the ability to learn tricks in order to guess better. I know because I took a PSAT prep course and they spent the whole time teaching us tricks instead of the actual verbal and math skills needed. Do you know I did worse on the test AFTER the course than I did before (and messed up my chances of being a National Merit Finalist)?? Their stupid tricks actually made me second guess myself. Fortunately, the following year, I followed my own instinct, used my brain and scored well enough on the SAT to earn some scholarships.

How about you? Did you take any test-taking courses and did they help?

posted at 6/27/2002 05:14:00 p. m.

Interesting article on the Oxford English Dictionary:
"As part of his job, Jesse Sheidlower has pondered what it means to 'whack' someone, and spent time considering where 'blunts' might have come from. At other times, "bitch-slaps" have been the focus of his attention. He's best known for the attention he's given to the ultimate four-letter word. The F-word."

I can also recommend a great book that details the beginnings of the Oxford English Dictionary - it really isn't as boring at it sounds! It's a good, quick read and it's fascinating because it details how a completely insane man was the dictionary's most prolific contributor. Check out The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of The Oxford English Dictionary.

posted at 6/27/2002 11:03:00 a. m.

Yet another Mirror Project submission (my 7th)... I took this one this past weekend at a bar Downtown. I like to call it "Spooky".

posted at 6/26/2002 01:11:00 p. m.

I am honored to have been personally invited by Lynn to be part of her first Wednesday What? so here goes!

1. WHAT comes to mind when you hear the word "annihilate"? War.
2. WHAT do you do when you see a child alone and crying? I look around to see if they are really alone and then go check on them if I don't see anyone that seems to be with them.
3. WHAT smells, or sounds evoke pleasant memories? I don't know why but I like the smell of fresh-cut grass and the smell after a rainstorm.

posted at 6/26/2002 09:47:00 a. m.

I signed up for the Texas "No Call Lists" service. Hopefully my telemarketer calls will be somewhat reduced by September 1st...

If you are in Texas, sign up on-line. It's less than $5 to be put on two lists for 5 years.

posted at 6/25/2002 01:37:00 p. m.

Time again for This-or-That Tuesday:

1. Spam...the lunch meat. Um...no.

2. The traffic light is green as you approach, but by the time you get there, it has turned yellow. Stop or go-go-go? Totally depends on how busy the intersection is, what time of day it is and how much traffic is around...

3. You are taking a trip...you have to decide whether to fly or take some sort of ground transportation. High or low? Flying if the road trip takes me more than 6 hours.

4. Someone asks you a question about why something is, and you don't know the answer. Try to find out *Why* or just say *I don't know*? Again, depends on the subject matter. If it's something I'm interested in, I'll research it on the internet. If not, then I'll just answer that I don't know (and don't care).

5. You are at the mall, and you spot someone who tortured you when you were in high school. Hello or goodbye? I say nothing and ignore them.

posted at 6/25/2002 10:30:00 a. m.

The picture below is the result of spending a lazy Sunday afternoon on the couch with my husband and my dog. The camera was nearby so I thought I would document our laziness. Turned out way cuter than I could have imagined! The laziness continued into today therefore the lack of posting. Still, I guess I'll give you guys a quick synopsis of my weekend...

Friday: Usual dinner and drinks with friends. This time we incorporated some karaoke at a horrible little dive bar we had never been to - we were trying to be adventurous - but quickly ran after we heard a friend sing (She was not why we ran - we ran to escape the rednecks). Ended up at a more familiar bar and had fun discussing our favorite movie stars.

Saturday afternoon: My old college roommate, Michelle, came into town with her dog Darbi and we spent the day doing errands and attending the H-Town Blogs picnic (go to the site to see pictures). We had a good turnout and Kenny did a great job getting the grill to work and eventually becoming the cook (using a flattened beer can as a spatula). All in all, the food was good, the weather was great and the group was entertaining!

Saturday evening: Went downtown for drinks and met up with a friend at the second bar. At that point we split and my half of the group went to the club South Beach to meet another old college friend (whom I hadn't seen since '96) and to dance. I had never been here and was happily impressed. Good music, cool fog machine (literally - it would cool the dance floor area down about 20 degrees for a few minutes) and my blistered feet (wrong shoes for this unexpected night of dancing) and sore muscles were proof.

Sunday: Lazy, lazy, lazy. Lunch at IHOP, evening excursion to see The Sum of All Fears. Did absolutely nothing besides this.

Today, I have continued the lazy trend here at work (boss is out of town)... *yawn* Is it quittin' time yet???

posted at 6/24/2002 04:44:00 p. m.

I love my dog Ginger.

posted at 6/24/2002 08:03:00 a. m.

Bored at work, waiting for the weekend to come?

Then waste some time with perpetual bubblewrap!

posted at 6/21/2002 12:57:00 p. m.

World Cup Update - Well, the USA team played well but not good enough:
Germany edge out valiant USA.
(That's OK. The US soccer team still rocks!)

We are not alone is our misery though. England also lost their match:
Brazil end England's dream

posted at 6/21/2002 08:24:00 a. m.

ABCNEWS.com : Erections Get Insurance; Why Not the Pill?

This has been a hot topic for a few years - are they finally listening? I'll believe it when I can finally stop paying $30/month for these tiny pills. Since in reality only 21 of those miniature pills are active (the last 7 are placebos that some women use to stay on track and not miss a day) do the math and you'll see that that's more than $1/pill!

I just can not believe that they would rather have me get pregnant where they would then have to pay for the prenatal care, the birth and all the kid's future health care than just pay for a monthly pill that would be cheaper to them than it is to me.

They would also rather pay to help an 80-year grandfather get it up - now when did this become a health concern and why the disparity??? It probably has something to do with the fact that most of those insurance lobbyists are aging males...

posted at 6/20/2002 03:25:00 p. m.

I saw an African serval (see picture to the right) last night at the local coffee shop. I was there for my book group and noticed a guy sitting out on the patio with one of these beautiful cats.

Her name was Zoom and she was completely tame. She was essentially a house cat who was used to the attention and seemed to be a very happy cat. Her owner said she shared her home with a normal domestic cat so she can't be too ferocious or her housemate would have been dinner a long time ago.

I still question whether or not the City of Houston would be too thrilled to hear he had the animal within city limits though... but then again, I couldn't find any specific rule outlining he couldn't either.

posted at 6/20/2002 08:06:00 a. m.

I see a pattern in the last 3 tests... they keep claiming I am "cheerful" and "fun", "nice" and "kind".

See, these darn tests all lie.

posted at 6/19/2002 02:52:00 p. m.

Click Here To Find Out Which Symbol You Are

So which letter of the alphabet matches YOUR personality, huh?

(both links thanks to Poodlecircus)

posted at 6/19/2002 02:14:00 p. m.

.: You are . . . :.


'What kind of Wing are you?' by. Xera

(link thanks to Kymberlie)

posted at 6/19/2002 10:23:00 a. m.

Well, it's quitting time and I'm outta here. I'm heading home and plopping down on the couch to watch a new show that showcases my city...

Houston Medical: A poignant six-part, non-fiction hospital series, documents the lives that flow in and out of Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, Texas. At times both touching and compelling, the series combines the daily dramas of real medical personnel and their patients with a unique behind-the-scenes look into their lives.

It's going to run a full season...It looks interesting so check it out if you get a chance and see what Houston is all about! It will be showing on your local ABC affiliate every Tuesday night.

posted at 6/18/2002 06:03:00 p. m.

Ginger's new pet step came in yesterday. We bought her the 3-step version like the picture and we've got it against the bed so she can now get on and off the bed at her leisure.

Before we moved, we had a shorter bed that had no box springs and the room was carpeted so jumping up was not a problem. Now we have a huge king-size bed with box springs and there is no way she can get up there. Couple this with hardwoods and she can't even get up on the old bed anymore!! Anyway, it was rather cute to see her timidly check it out (although the treat waiting for her at top helped encourage her). She is till a bit unsure and hesitant about it but she was already up and down it a few times this morning. I think she is enjoying her freedom since she can now get down when she is thirsty or feels like wandering while before she would have to wait till one of us woke up and took her down. We feel better too because it should help keep her back in good condition - dachshunds are infamous for their back problems and although she has shown no signs of any problems, it's always nice to be preventative.

{And for those of you who don't know Ginger personally, suffice it to say that having her not on the bed is just not an option. She is nine years old and has been sleeping on the bed with my husband since she was less than a year and she is just too old to break of her habit (she would whine all night). Personally, I wouldn't want to anyway. She is a comfort to me and I have a hard enough time without her when we travel for very long! I mean, how can you resist a face like this?}

posted at 6/18/2002 10:04:00 a. m.

Time for Tuesday'sThis-or-That:

1. Popcorn at the movies: buttered or not? Sure, but just a little bit.
2. Sometimes you feel like a nut..sometimes you don't...Mounds or Almond Joy? Neither - I hate coconut in general and I hate nuts in chocolate.
3. Chips or pretzels? Either. I prefer salty snacks to sweets so chips and pretzels are both good to me.
4. Milky Way or Snickers? Milky Way
5. M&M's or Reese's Pieces? M&M's
6. McDonald's or Burger King? Burger King, definitely.
7. Vanilla Coke or Pepsi Twist? Neither. Just give plain old Coke (or Pepsi)
8. Hostess Twinkies or Cupcakes? Cupcakes
9. Hershey's Kisses or Hugs? Either is fine with me!
10. Original Mountain Dew or Code Red? Original Mountain Dew

posted at 6/18/2002 09:31:00 a. m.

Hope everyone had a good weekend... Mine was busy but nice. Friday night had a good time over at Spencer's house and the cat allergies stayed at bay so I was still breathing by the time we left!

Saturday Kenny & I left to go to Austin for the day. Kenny's great-aunt (his grandfather's sister), Eda Dell, lives there and we had promised to visit with her. We were also going up there to visit with Kenny's great-uncle's side of the family. Marvin was PaPa and Eda Dell's brother but he passed away several years ago. His wife, Ruth, and two daughters, Leslie & Marvis, were visiting Eda Dell as well though and Eda Dell wanted us all to meet and spend the day together. If you were able to keep you great-aunt and great-uncles straight, I'll be impressed! Needless to say, we had a really good time getting to know each other and look forward to keeping in touch with Leslie and Marvis.

Here is a group picture of all of us in Eda Dell's backyard:
Top, left-to-right = Leslie, Ruth (Leslie & Marvis's mother), Marvis
Bottom, left-to-right = Eda Dell (Kenny's great-aunt, PaPa's sister), Kenny & me

Made it home arund midnight Saturday. Sunday was spent running errands (my snake got fed, my fish tank got new plants and a water change, the floors got swept, the sheets got washed and the lounge got a new rug from Pier 1 thanks to a gift card we had). It felt like a lazy day because I got a good 2 hour-nap in but I actually got some stuff done!

posted at 6/17/2002 10:03:00 a. m.

And the USA continues forward in the World Cup!!
"The USA played with great determination to overcome a disappointing Mexico team - and secure a place in the last eight for the first time since 1930."

The USA team plays Germany next...

posted at 6/17/2002 09:07:00 a. m.

Hee, hee! I got my sixth Mirror Project submission in: Still-life with Visor.

Wanna see the rest? Go to my "Links" page, scroll down till you see the Mirror Project banner and follow the links to each submission.

posted at 6/16/2002 11:42:00 p. m.

In response to Hanna finding a smiley for me, here is one for tonight!

(found at Jenny's blog)

posted at 6/14/2002 03:52:00 p. m.

LOL! Again, thanks to Robert, I have another "Boobka Original Toon", this time featuring my wonderful Ginger admiring some artwork...

posted at 6/14/2002 10:18:00 a. m.

World Cup Update: *Whew!* We barely made it but we did and that is what counts!!
The United States progressed to the second round despite being outclassed by Poland.

posted at 6/14/2002 09:24:00 a. m.

Below is a "Boobka Paintshop Original Toon" that Hanna & I requested he do for us last night.
I really like the froggies on my side & Hanna's blue eye shadow but the grins frighten me.
(you should check out his site fo rhis other random cartoons - they're pretty fun!)




*** BTW, here is the original photo. ***

posted at 6/13/2002 04:28:00 p. m.

What a nice surprise! The boss invited us out to lunch at Cafe Express. He is a really nice guy and not because he buys us lunch. He's actually a very kind family man. Still getting used to the work tasks but he makes it easier because he is such a good boss to work for. (:

posted at 6/13/2002 02:15:00 p. m.

Had a nice time last night at the H-Town Blogs Happy Hour. We met up on the patio at Little Woodrow's and endured the heat which was easier to do because of a surprising lack of mosquitoes. I'm very proud of the interest shown by the members! We had about 15 people there out of 40 members! Our next event is picnic at Memorial Park in a few weeks. I am looking forward to it.

Thanks to everyone who came out and thanks to Kathy for sharing a burrito with me! Hanna posted some pictures of the evening already.

posted at 6/13/2002 11:35:00 a. m.

Woohoo!
The USA are on the verge of recording their best finish in the World Cup since making the second round in 1984.

posted at 6/12/2002 02:40:00 p. m.

Ever felt like this? I have.

posted at 6/12/2002 01:18:00 a. m.

The only weekly meme I seem to manage to do on a regular basis... yep, it's time for This-or-That Tuesday:

-- Regular or electric/battery operated toothbrush? Regular.

-- Shower or bath? Shower, definitely!! The running water on my back is so relaxing!! If I'm under the weather, I'll take a couple per day.

-- Automatic dishwasher or hand-wash dishes? Dishwasher. We haven't had enough counter space to put up a dish rack so we just load the dirty plates in the dishwasher and run it every few days when it gets full.

-- Paying bills: online or write out checks? I still write checks. I trust the security of the internet and do a lot of on-line buying but I don't trust the merchants or the bank with my bank account number since I never have enough in there if a big mistake was ever made.

-- Laundromat or your own washer/dryer? Thanks goodness, a washer/dryer. We rented a set while we were in our last apartment and when we moved to the house we were able to take advantage of the reasonable "rent-to-own" option and keep them.

-- Electric or gas stove? I've always had electric until this house where we have gas. Haven't noticed too much of a difference excepts things heat up faster.

-- Subscribe to magazines/newspapers or buy at newsstand? I read newspapers on-line (help cut down on wasted paper). It depends on the magazine. I just subscribed to Reader's Digest but only buy People off the newsstand occasionally. That reminds me, I need to start back up my subscription to Time.

-- Alarm clock...music or buzzer? Buzzer.

-- Go grocery shopping yourself, or order stuff to be delivered? I tried Grocery Works once and really liked the concept but never used them again for whatever reason and know I don't believe there are any viable grocery delivery services in town. So, it's back to the grocery store but usually with hubby in tow (I don't like to go by myself).

-- On workdays...pack a lunch or eat out? Half & half. Have to save some money but I also need to get out once or twice a week. Here at my new office no one ever goes out though so I am still adjusting my routine and trying learning what's nearby on my own.

posted at 6/11/2002 09:35:00 a. m.

Another Monday morning at work and as always on the weekend, I just never got the energy to blog...

Friday night had a good time eating Thai and catching up with friends at Kelvin Arms. That night I also spent a girl's night over at Hanna's place up in Humble. We spent Saturday doing errands before heading all the way down to Sugarland for a couple's bridal shower. Had a nice time there and got a small group together to go dancing at Rich's. We had a good time for the most part but unfortunately, someone in the party screwed up royally and the night ended badly for a good friend. Enough said.

Sunday I had totally unplanned and it stayed that way. I had plenty of stuff to do on the computer and even some housework that could have been done but the morning started with a nice thunderstorm and it continued to rain till the early afternoon so Kenny and I decided to make it a lazy Sunday. I took cat naps on the couch, he played a new computer game and we only ventured out to the grocery store where we spent a ton of money stocking the pantry and fridge back up. In the evening we continued the couch trend and watched Vanilla Sky. It was very good (good acting) and now I want to see the original Spanish verion, Abre los Ojos or Open Your Eyes who was made by the same man who created The Others with Nicole Kidman that I saw last week.

My list of things to do did not get shorter but at least I spent some time on myself. It was a guilty pleasure. :D

posted at 6/10/2002 09:43:00 a. m.

My Bloginality is INTP (Introverted, iNtuitive, Thinking, Perceiving). What are you?

posted at 6/07/2002 02:16:00 p. m.

Further amusement to alleviate the typical Friday Boredom and/or Procrastination Syndrome... I spent a while on this site yesterday playing with all the pretty things!! Be sure to click or pull on everything you see including all the little circles and squares - they affect the image in different ways. All are interactive and many follow the mouse movement so play around and have fun!

My favorites - "flora_1", "flora_2", "fishy", "boing" and especially "butterfly" (click on the butterfly)!!

Go lose yourself by clicking on the squares at the top: [ uncontrol ]

posted at 6/07/2002 11:22:00 a. m.

Check this out: Eric Doeringer's modern toy sets for urban youth.

These are really well done!! LOL! (link thanks to lura.net)

posted at 6/07/2002 10:51:00 a. m.

SimilarMinds.com Compatibility Test

Your match with Hanna you are 79% similar

How Compatible are You and Your Friends?

posted at 6/06/2002 05:45:00 p. m.

Yay! It may be a while but it looks like the Houston highways will go back to 70 mph! As I always said, most people, myself included, want the pollution issue to be taken care of but the idea that slowing us all down would help was ludicrous. Our pollution problems arise from our time sitting in traffic and by the large number of oil refineries down in the south of Houston. Plus, the newer cars have been designed to run more efficiently at higher speeds so slowing us down really doesn't have the affect they said it would have. Take care of the congestion and tighten up regulations on the real polluters - the big plants that are spewing chemicals into the environment at rates thousands of times higher than your average commuter. I will do my part by driving a fuel efficient car (I love Hondas) and by paying the new fees necessary to get my car's emissions inspected yearly to ensure that is within the strict standards. Hell, I may even buy a hybrid for my next car.

By the way, here is the article:
Environmental panel shelves 55-mph limit

posted at 6/06/2002 11:28:00 a. m.

My collaborative blog, H-Town Blogs, got a little blurb in the local newspaper (scroll down the listings, we are near the bottom):

"Never let it be said that Houstonians are behind the tech curve, for here, in all its beauty, is Houston's very own blogging community. If you missed the 2002 Art Car Parade, there are some good pictures of it on one of the sites."

Short but nice nonetheless!

posted at 6/06/2002 10:18:00 a. m.

Need a nice new screensaver? Check out the art exhibit: Refresh - The Art of the Screen Saver. I've got Miriam Dym's All-Spin 2000 installed here at work.

posted at 6/06/2002 09:26:00 a. m.

O.K. The dreams can stop now. Last night I dreamt that my husband was diagnosed with a terminal illness (I have no clue what) and although he still seemed healthy, he left me earlier than I thought. For the rest of the dream I kept breaking down as I realized he was gone forever. My emotions were so conflicted since at some points I felt like I was strong and could handle it but then reality would hit me and I would be upset at myself for assuming we would have more time as well as overwhelmed with grief that he was gone.

Needless to say, I gave him a big, tight hug this morning. He is a really wonderful person and a good husband and I am a very lucky woman! I love you Honey! *s.w.a.k.*

posted at 6/05/2002 11:01:00 a. m.

an alarm that never went off because it was accidentally turned off
+
1 stalled truck in inbound lanes
+
1 car-18 wheeler accident in outbound lanes
= yours truly, 35 minutes late to work

Mornin' everyone!

posted at 6/05/2002 10:06:00 a. m.

Haven't done of these in a while. Time for Tuesday's This-or-That:

-- Laptop or desktop computer? Desktop. Can't type worth sh*t on a normal keyboard, imagine me on a laptop!

-- PC or Mac? PC.

-- DVD or VHS? DVD

-- Cell phone or regular phone? I use both but use the cell-phone for long distance calls.

-- Satellite or cable TV? Cable.

-- X-Box or PlayStation? Playstation. We've got the old original PS and I use to kick ass in Tekken 3 as Nina!

-- Netflix or video store? Store - Hollywood Video - hooray for 5 day rentals!

-- Wide-screen or regular TV? Regular

-- Film or digital camera? Digital for "party-pics" and colored shots, film for my black and white prints.

-- Dial-up or high-speed internet connection? That's a stupid question. High-speed of course!

posted at 6/04/2002 12:01:00 p. m.

I'm still around - I've just gotten busy here at work so I don't get a chance to blog as easily as before and when I finally get home, I usually catch up on e-mails instead. I've also been really busy with my web projects. I was working on a friend's wedding site last week that I think came out great and I've also got tons to do on some other sites. My book group needs an urgent update (I am months behind), my Traveling Women's group needs a newsletter for June (hopefully that will be done tonight) and my Explore Europe is about to get a major a major facelift (I'm struggling with a new template). Even H-Town Blogs has been hopping with about 10 new sites added in only the last few weeks and lively discussion about how to go about getting further publicity (newspaper vs. TV).

In other news, the weekend was nice. Friday night went to Drink Bar with friends and had some yummy, fruity martinis. Saturday I had a dentist appointment (yay, no cavities!) and then a baby shower down in Kemah (near Clearlake). Robert and Lisa hit the jackpot in the gift department and it was just nice to catch up to some old familiar faces. Afterwards, Robert K., Kenny and I headed to the Kemah Boardwalk for some dinner on the waterfront. The drive to and from the area was horrendous though due to lane closures on I-45. It took us 1 1/2 hours to go 5 miles at 11:30 PM! It was worse for the boys since they were on their motorcycles. Needless to say, we area avoiding South Houston and Clearlake for a very long time...

Sunday evening was spent babysitting a friend's 2 kids so he could go out to a play with his girlfriend - a much deserved break that they both needed! Kenny & I were lazy and entertained the kids by taking them to see the new Disney heartstring tugging movie, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. Beautiful animation but my gawd, is it required that they wring tears out of my eyes every time!?? I think I prefer the happy-go-lucky movies like Antz, Toy Story and Shrek.

So, here it is, another week and my head is swamped with list of things to do and in reality, just not having enough time to do it!!! Ack! Wish me luck as I try to get back on track, especially on my web-site updates!!!

posted at 6/04/2002 09:56:00 a. m.