Thursday, October 30, 2008

Another Thursday Night

So I have no clue what "normal" couples talk about, but Jeff and I talk about topics like these. Who are the five celebrities that we would allow each other to sleep with should the chance ever present iteself? My list expands and evolves through the year as I am exposed to new and tasty treats and it is always a challenge to narrow said list to five. So, without further ado (I always ado way too much), here is the five as of Friday (yeah, I know the title says Thursday. I am tardy.):

1. Jake Gyllenhaal. A hold-over from last year. Still so adorable and buff and vulnerable and sweet. A wicked combination of sweetness and darkness that just begs for a bit of corruption.

2. Chase Crawford. A choice based solely on looks. So sue me. This year's Tom Welling. For those of you (everyone who reads my blog) who don't watch "Gossip Girl", he is the tasty nugget that I refer to as "the really ridiculously good looking one" so that Jeff can reply "Which one is that again?"

3. Seth Green. A choice based solely on a wicked sense of humor he seems to possess, as I think that he would be incredibly fun and . . . experimental. 'Nough said.

4. David Duchovny. It feels opportunistic now, but witness the following excerpt from a conversation between Jeff and me while he was watching "The X-Files" a couple of months ago. Me: "I would so sleep with David Duchovny." Jeff: "Really?" Me: "Oh yes. He is smart-hot (one of the best kinds of hot) and underneath that there is something more going on. That man has a huge kinky side. I can tell by looking at him." Now I look like a freakin' genius because not two weeks after this conversation, Duchovny went into treatment for "sex addiction." Okay, I feel a bit bad about this inclusion during a painful moment in his personal history, but I would be looking to have an experience, not start a relationship. I think he would definitely be an experience.

5. Sendhil Ramamurthy. The lovely Mohinder Suresh of "Heroes." Just don't expect me to call out his name during coitus.

Honorable mention: Zachary Quinto. Oddly drawn to him, but he barely misses the list because of the rumor that he is gay. I hate to waste a spot on someone who wouldn't want to do it with me. If he isn't gay, though, I'll have to reorganize.

I know it is a sad venture to have to leave celebrities off of the list, but there is only so much room. If you are a celebrity and would like consideration for next year's list, please submit an application and photograph to this blog. Thank you.

Oh, and, as always, thanks for reading, Mom.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

One Is The Sulliest Number

Saturday was Sullivan's birthday. He is one year old, but wearing it well and he doesn't look a day over 10 months. We celebrated here with a small party with family and it was a gorgeous day so we were able to have an outdoor party. We have more family than living room so this arrangment worked out well.

Sully is actually getting more adorable every day. This is not just a mother's prejudiced opinion; I have photographic evidence:



Jude is doing well, too. He is ever-inquisitive and is being a very good big brother. He has taken to playing with his brother. Yesterday he was walking quickly from room to room and Sully was crawling behind him, right at his heels and they were both laughing. I love that laughter; I wish there were a way to bottle it.




I've been at work for almost 2 weeks now and haven't cried on the job -- not even once! I hope that is a good sign :)

Song of the Day: "Central Reservation" by Beth Orton.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Music To My Ears

Sitting at my desk at work today, I was approached by a coworker inquiring about the music I was playing (a CD; I wasn't strumming a guitar at my desk or anything).

This is not uncommon. Generally when I am approached, the next words I hear are "What is that atrocious noise? Please cease playing that vile crap immediately as our ears are bleeding."

But today's exchange was different. Unexpected. The words were "You're a Tori Amos fan, too?" This lead to an actual conversation with a coworker regarding Tori Amos and music. I was very excited about this.

Do you realize what this means? If you just said "You're a geek," then you are correct.

Speaking of music, the music from Halloween (the movie) is the spookiest music there is. That John Carpenter created theme always makes me think of watching the movies and October is my favorite horror movie watching time.

When I was much younger, I was lying in bed and I heard the strains of the Halloween music. It was dark in my bedroom and late and I tried for three or four whole minutes to ignore the sounds, but I couldn't, so I wandered out of bed into the living room. A family friend named Scott was living with us then and he was lying on the couch watching Halloween 2. I told him I wanted to watch the movie, too, even though maybe I was a bit (okay, a lot) too young to be watching it and he told me no and tried to send me back to bed. But I didn't want to go to bed. I wanted to finally see Halloween 2. Eventually, he relented and I sat on the floor and watched the movie. It scared the crap out of me.

So, now whenever I see Halloween 2, it makes me think of Scott. He died this week. He was 48. It is a sad time for my family.

Song of the Day: "Northern Lad" by Tori Amos.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

You've Got To Be Starting Something

Under some serious pressure from Jeff at Dung! I am doing my list of 5 must-watch shows. In keeping with my infamous gift of procrastination, I have been mulling over the list and still haven't been able to narrow it down. So I will go with whatever is in my head tonight and then will revise it later as necessary.

I actually started this blog about four days ago but I plan to finish it tonight (Sunday).

In no particular order, here are my five favorite shows to catch every week:

1. Pushing Daisies. It is so pretty to look at and I love the narration. A very sweet show that appeals to my sweet side. Quirky. I am a sucker for quirky. And I love Olive. And the aunts.

2. The Office. This is one show that Jeff and I watch together every week. Love it. Funny stuff. And yes, I love Creed. Blah, blah British version is better and all that. I still love it.

3. House. Hugh Laurie is awesome. Interesting medical mysteries and a twisted, conflicted main character. Definitely on my must-watch list every week.

4. Psych. Hilarious. Love it. It has some of the best lines on tv, lots of silly little inside jokes. My favorite show to quote. And since it is not currently on the air until January, it shouldn't even count as a choice, leaving room for:

4.5. Robot Chicken. I laugh myself silly at the idiocy of this show. I love it, though I feel immature for loving it.

5. Skins. I was actually torn between two shows, but this show got bumped up onto the main list due to last week's episode, which actually made me say OMFG outloud. I even had to describe it in detail to Jeff who doesn't really watch and who doesn't even know the names of the characters. So when I said that Tony finally told Michele that he loves her and that she is the only one for him after all of the horrible stuff he did and then he got hit by a bus, Jeff actually said, "What?" He translated it as such: "About a Boy guy (since the guy who plays Tony is the same kid from the movie About a Boy only grown up now and quite nicely) told Cute Girl With Accent (they all have accents, Jeff!!!) that he loves her. . . " And there is a beautiful scene at the end with Sid and Cassie finally meeting up again (translated by Jeff as geeky guy with glasses and hat and girl who almost died). Well, I guess Jeff watches it more than I thought.

Reaper also shouldn't count as a selection because it isn't currently on. Not until mid-season. So, it doesn't count, but I would definitely throw it on the list, too. Sock is very funny and Andi and Sam are both cute, but the show belongs to Ray Wise. He is so funny and seems to enjoy his role so much that he is half the reason that it will make my list when it reappears on air.

Apparently I have to pick my favorite show because the Nazi I live with is insisting upon it, which is totally bogus. If I only could choose one to watch every week, it would definitely be one of these five. Yep. Definitely one of them. How about making me pick my favorite child next? I think it might be The Office, though. Hilarious. But all the other shows are good, too.

There isn't room for them on the list but How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory would likely tie for a spot if something else fell off. They both make me laugh and I really like the casts of each.

So, there it is. My tv list (for now).

I have also recently started a new writing project. I love new writing projects, especially a new novel. I love the idea. Yes, technically that brings the grand total of novels I am workng on in one way or another to four (4) and none of them ever seems to get finished, but I am great at starting them.

Now, let's see if I can see one through to the end.

Song of the day: "97 Bonnie and Clyde" The Tori Amos version of Eminem's song is very eerie.

It is mid October so movie reviews for the rest of the month will be horror movies. Go Halloween!

Monday, October 6, 2008

I Have Found Me A Home

One of the benefits of being so behind in my blogging is that there is a never-ending amount of material from which to draw.

When we last left me, I was working for therapists and telemarketers. Those jobs last three days and two days, respectively. I quit when I was offered a full time job at a law firm. Despite my rather vocal reluctance to work in the legal field again, I couldn't turn down the chance to quit being a telemarketer. I was offered the job last Wednesday and started last Thursday.

My new place of employment is in a beautiful old house converted into an office. The entire top floor (upstairs) is attorneys' offices and the bottom floor (downstairs) is the staff area. It is a big open area (living room?) with many desks and files. I love the office. I have my own work space, a big desk sitting out in the open, but not touching anyone else's desk. And files. There are files everywhere. But organized neatly.

There is a tiny kitchen, functional but not fancy. Beautiful hardwood floors in the main reception area. And a tiny little staff bathroom with a blue toilet and a blue sink. I must say, that makes me feel like home. (Except at home I have a pink sink.)

I love the building. It is downtown, but not part of a fussy new downtown infrastructure. It has history and beauty. Oh and people. There are people there, too.

They seem nice.

Song of the Day: "I Have Found Me A Home" by Jimmy Buffett, not that it is a favorite song because it is just an okay one, but because I stole the title for my blog.

DVD Review of the Day: I'm watching the first season of Dexter and am really, really digging it. Yes it is morbid, but so clever. Plus, I like morbid.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

What's My Age Again?

(This post is a week overdue, so if it contains old info, that's why.)

I started a new job -- two actually. One is a day job, working as a receptionist for an office of therapists. (Please feel free to insert your own "need for therapy" joke here.) I like it very much. Two whole days in and I haven't cried on the job once. (That's not my only qualification for enjoyment of the job, but it is a definite bonus!)

My other job is a night job that I am in training for currently. I am/will be in telemarketing. What fresh hell is this? Most of the people I am training with are significantly younger than I am. A handful are exactly half my age. I am trying to approach this job training as an anthropological experiment instead of the sad mid-life setback that it is. I am an observer, watching lives unfold. I'm even witnessing a possible budding romance between a cute emo kid and a very cute (and slightly out of his league) preppy girl. They sit. They flirt. I observe (as a writer, not as a voyeur).

I'm 34, surrounded by 17-year-olds (or is that old's -- what do you think, Brian?) and I have no idea how to talk to them. I'm even less sure than I usually am about the adults who surround me. I prefer my teenagers in fictionalized form. On television, I have become enamored of those kids from "Gossip Girl". It is definitely a guilty pleasure. I can't help it; I really like that darn show. I got sucked in and now I watch every week. I've also become quite involved in the lives of the fictitious British teens on the show "Skins" on BBC America. Now that show I really love. I'm not sure why; maybe some bizarre vicarious thrill. I would never want to be a teenager again. I wasn't good at it the first time. I think I make a better adult. But lately I have been surrounded by teens in fiction and I am enjoying it. I even read "Twilight" last week. For those of you living in caves (and thus without the required internet connection to access this-here blog) it is the story of a teenage girl, Bella, who falls in love with a vampire. I was filled with a little bit of self-loathing as I read it because I really enjoyed it.

Remember Rob Lowe's character from "St. Elmo's fire"? No? I do. I don't want to be that person. I want to be the grown up, surrounded by other grown ups.

Song of the day: "What's My Age Again?" from Blink 182 because I stole their song title for my blog title.

Movie Review. . . . "Clerks 2" A funny movie about growing up. I love the end shot of that movie. Some funny and immature stuff in the film, but ultimately about growing up. Perfect movie for someone in his or her 30s (or was that 30's, Brian?)