Category Archives: blogging

August 19, 2010 · 7:06 PM

Another 50 Things

Song Lyric of the Day:

When I met you / I didn’t know what to do / But I noticed that I didn’t really feel / Now you’re away / You write home everyday / I don’t beg, I don’t borrow / I steal

Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson/ “Relator“

It’s been awhile since I wrote one of those goofy filler posts/”about me” lists. (You can read the first one here, the second one here, and the previous one here.) It’s been three years, actually. So here’s some more insight into what makes me tick. Or just ticks me off.

  1. I loathe “reality” TV. It’s getting our country closer to becoming a real-life Idiocracy.
  2. I can’t wait until the day I get to visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
  3. As many social media things as I’m into, I don’t see the appeal of Foursquare. I really don’t like the idea of people literally knowing where I am at any time — too stalkerish.
  4. I am determined to be far better organized in our new house than we were in our last house.
  5. I finally made it to the Toronto International Film Festival last year. I’d like to hit the Tribeca Film Festival next.
  6. I adore my puppy Troubadour even though he’s (1) 2 1/2 years old and (2) an asshole.
  7. I still fit in my honeymoon bikini (even pregnant). Not sure yet about documenting that with a photo.
  8. I’m currently working on two books and a personal essay, all of which I’d like to get published. Preferably while I’m still alive.
  9. I wish I had half as much writing confidence in myself as my friends Caren and Elaine have in themselves.
  10. It took me more than a year after my dog Snoops and cat Yum Yum died to be able to even say their names without bursting into tears.
  11. I’ve never been to a music festival.
  12. I’m not a die-hard vampire fan, but I love True Blood and Being Human.
  13. I recorded, watched, and was bored to sleep by Twilight. I also found myself wanting to slap Kristen Stewart so she’ll get that deviated septum fixed and breathe with her mouth shut.
  14. I can’t wait until our A-frame sells so we can start working on projects at the new house.
  15. It depresses me that people like Kim Kardashian become celebrities because they made a sex tape. Having a Sealy Posturepedic mattress imprint on your back does not qualify as a talent.
  16. It’s easier for me to blog than to e-mail everyone I know. This is your one-stop shop to find out what’s going on with me.
  17. One of these days I’ll learn more HTML code than the codes for italics, bold, and other piddling style things.
  18. I’m hoping to take a photography course next year now that I finally have a DSLR.
  19. I’ve read more mommyblogs than is probably healthy for any individual to read for several years now.
  20. This year I was Event Chair for the Downtown Knoxville American Cancer Society Relay for Life. I never thought I’d be an event chair for anything. (You can still donate!)
  21. I love that I get to look at house and food p0rn all day as part of my job. I get great decorating ideas while becoming ravenously hungry.
  22. I own almost as many chick flicks as I do horror movies.
  23. As much as I’d like an iPhone, I refuse to switch to AT&T. I’ll wait until Verizon offers it.
  24. I miss the jalapeno bread Harris Teeter sells. Haven’t had it since we lived in Chesapeake.
  25. I love, love, LOVE our new house and am glad we didn’t have the money to impulse buy one of the money pits we saw before finding this house (we thought we found our dream house at least two or three times before this). That would’ve sucked.
  26. Resting my ear against my cat Buster’s purring body is one of the best feelings in the world, in no small part because he is The World’s Happiest Cat.
  27. I don’t read political blogs or watch any talking heads on TV because I don’t see the point. I can make up my mind about issues on my own.
  28. I’m leaning toward painting my home office a burnt orange, a la the orange in the Mode office on Ugly Betty.
  29. I know our friend Caren is going to be a wonderful godmother to Coraline. She’ll have the kid leading yoga classes by the time she’s in elementary school.
  30. When I think about someday going back to school, I realize I have no idea what I’d study. Writing? Photography? Forensics?
  31. I need some new authors to read.
  32. My MacBook accidentally slid off my lap desk just now. Obviously, it’s OK.
  33. Rich confirmed that I will indeed be receiving a 10th anniversary wedding ring this year. Now I need to figure out a really kick-ass gift for him that’s not an iPad.
  34. I want the Alex from IKEA for my home office. Wonder if anyone I know is heading to an IKEA in the near future …
  35. It both annoys and impresses me that Troubadour’s barking sets off the glass-shatter sensors of our home alarm system. That half-beagle has mad skills.
  36. I prefer silver or white-gold jewelry over yellow gold.
  37. Our new house has an offensive (to us, anyway) amount of gold fixtures. They don’t know it, but their days are numbered.
  38. I’m OCD about sorting my hardcover fiction books alphabetically by author and chronologically under each author. So much so that I have a spreadsheet to help me keep them in order.
  39. Living close to a wider variety of things is awesome. We loved South Knoxville, but now we have a lot more choices.
  40. More than 20 years later, I still vividly remember how affected I was when I visited the Dachau concentration camp in Germany.
  41. Almost 20 years later, I still vividly remember how creepy it was to tour the Paris Catacombs with my mom.
  42. I’ve eaten more red meat during my pregnancy than I have in the past two years combined. The kid’s a total carnivore.
  43. I’m proud of how hard Rich has been working to get our A-frame ready for sale. I only wish I could’ve helped more myself.
  44. In a perfect world, I’d get to see both my nephews every day.
  45. I hope to meet more of the local bloggers I follow.
  46. Being on bedrest has only reminded me how much happier I am when I can be productive.
  47. Our only slated project for the new house: painting the nursery.
  48. I’ll have to visit The Cupcakery again soon. Need a cupcake fix.
  49. If I had unlimited funds, I’d hit a bookstore almost every day.
  50. I am beyond excited to meet Coraline — in due time, of course.

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January 11, 2010 · 6:00 PM

To Post or Not to Post

Song Lyric of the Day:

According to you / I’m difficult / Hard to please / Forever changing my mind / I’m a mess in a dress / Can’t show up on time / Even if it would save my life

Orianthi / “According to You“

There were grand plans for this blog over the Christmas break. My awesome, website-designing hubby was going to come up with something nice and custom for me. It was going to go along with my shiny new URL I bought and everything. Alas, Christmas break came and went and I’m still using this hideous Blogger template. Not that I’m blaming the hubby — we were busy running around town and having fun with family and friends. And to me, that was most definitely worth the tradeoff of waiting a bit longer for a custom website.

So now that I’m back from the Land of the Holiday Dead, my big dilemma is whether or not to bother posting all the posts I had written for/over Christmas break that I’d hoped would be going live on a new blog. As usual, I hadn’t written anything earth-shattering, but it was still stuff I’d looked forward to sharing. What to do …

Regardless of whether or not those posts ever end up seeing the light of day, I’m going to try to update regularly this week. So much nonsense to spout, so little time.

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October 20, 2009 · 12:00 PM

Uncomfortably Lucid

Song Lyric of the Day:

The moon is shining on your face / And I finally think it’s found its place / Cuz maybe baby / I just wanna do you, do you / Do you wanna do me, do me? / Underneath the moonlight, moonlight

Dylan / “In the Moonlight (Do Me)“

I’d really hoped to blog over the weekend — I almost never do that anymore, save for the occasional Eye Candy post or Photoblogging. My vacation posts were a special occasion, of course.

Even though it’s now Tuesday, I still feel like I’m coming down from the weekend. Rich and I were more social this past weekend than we’ve been in a long time. It all started Friday night when we got dressed up and enjoyed the S&W Grand sneak peek downtown.

Rich and yours truly in front of the S&W’s grand staircase.*


Saturday morning, we enjoyed a tour of our new office building, which is still under construction. (We’re told we’ll be moving there early Q2.) Behold the new building, a mockup of our future cubicles, and the third-floor space where my department is scheduled to reside:



Saturday afternoon, I was off to a showing of Paranormal Activity (SO glad I never sleep with my foot out from under the covers. If you’ve seen it, you know why.) Saturday evening, Rich and I hosted Samantha and Michael and baby Stephen for a belated birthday celebration for Michael. We cooked chicken cacciatore and oven-roasted root vegetables and played a lot of Rock Band. Hearing his aunt and uncle and dad “playing” instruments while his mom gamely sang (ahem), baby Stephen was motivated to crawl a couple of feet. Probably to try and leave the room to escape the musical cacophony.

Sunday morning Rich and I hit the Alcoa Greenway for a bike ride. What did I get out of that bike ride? An overwhelming desire for very padded pants. Like baboon-ass-padded pants. Late Sunday afternoon we were off to Rich’s parents house for a delicious dinner; we also took Caleb along to visit his cousin Happy, whom he hadn’t seen in a very long time.

Last night we hosted one of Rich’s college roommates, his wife, and their adorable 17-month-old daughter when they came by the house for a visit (they were only in town for about a day and a half and I’d never met them before).

And all those activities are why this old woman is tired and needs a nap.

*I’m trying really, really hard to let myself be photographed a bit more. Because I always hate the way I look in photos, I’d much rather be on the operating side of the camera. I allow myself to be photographed about as often as a rare, purple, singing, pizza-eating bird that lives deep in a wild, yet-to-be-discovered jungle. Maybe even a bit less.

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August 26, 2009 · 5:30 AM

Community

Song Lyric of the Day:

I can feel it / I conceal it / I can feel it coming, the beginning of the twist / We get along well / We talk a lot / I made some promises, I guess that I totally forgot / Forgive me, my mind is else where

The Futureheads / “The Beginning of the Twist“

I read a lot of blogs. A lot of blogs. Local blogs, well–known blogs, blogs I’ve stumbled across. Blogs friends recommend. More than could be considered healthy, probably. Obviously. I really enjoy the sense of community blogs have created, that feeling that makes us readers think that if we met that blogger in person, surely we’d get along — we have so much in common, right? I’m talking specifically about how just by reading someone’s innermost thoughts, reading about their experiences, discovering their opinions, mourning their losses, we feel like we’ve made new friends. Friends we may or may not ever meet. (I’m still lamenting the fact I don’t know any Toronto-based bloggers. Not that I know of, anyway.)

While the blogosphere is generally a pretty happy, fun place in which I occasionally spend way too much time, there’s a subculture I don’t quite get — the blogger-on-blogger haters. I’m not talking about any here, per se, since I have a grand total of 17 followers (see what I did? I added a reader), but they’re out there: The bloggers who complain about the bloggers who’ve made it big, gotten books published, were interviewed on national TV, could afford to quit their day jobs. And I really don’t get it. Well, OK, on the most basic level, I do get it — it’d be fantastic if I could make a really good living just off my blog, but that’s not going to happen. Which I’m fine with. But do I waste time or energy writing about how I resent the bloggers who do? Nah. I don’t get the point. That and I don’t actually resent or hate any of them. Lots of bloggers have also gotten books published based on their blogs. And you know what? I think that’s great. They put it all out there and got book deals out of it, either through hard work on book proposals/material or sheer luck that an agent stumbled across their site. (FYI: The stuff I’m writing? Fiction — I’m giving the characters I’ve made up much, much more interesting lives than the one I lead. So if any agents out there are interested in a dark, dark comedy about … well, drop me a line. I never said I was above self-promotion.)

I’ve blogged about my favorite porn movie titles (newest fave: Titty Titty Bang Bang – ha!), having the puppy from hell, ridiculous conversations with the spouse, grief, adventures in home improvement, my family, what I’m watching/listening to/reading, and lots of other, all-over-the-place topics. And that’s the course I’ll continue to follow, since that’s what works for me. I’m an inherently negative person (the glass isn’t just half empty, it’s FULL OF POISON), and that’s something I constantly struggle with. So while I voice my opinions here, I do have to work to not come across as flat-out hateful (and I know I’ve failed at times) depending on the topic. I am my father’s daughter in that regard. That, and the talent for inventing curse words.

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August 19, 2009 · 7:00 AM

Still 99% Hook Free!

Song Lyric of the Day:

You’re yes then you’re no / You’re in then you’re out / You’re up then you’re down / You’re wrong when it’s right / It’s black and it’s white

Katy Perry / “Hot N Cold“

When I started ye olde blog here almost five years ago, I didn’t have a hook, an angle, a gimmick, anything that differentiated my blog from any of the other five trillion blogs (that might be up to six trillion now) out there. I wasn’t a mommy blogger. I wasn’t a Sex and the City wannabe dating her way through a string of eligible men (you know Rich just went “damn straight!”). I wasn’t a tech geek who knew the ins and outs of the latest gadgets. I wasn’t an armchair politician. I wasn’t a fitness blogger. And I’m still not any of those things, which I’m perfectly fine with. The closest categories I think I fall into are that I’m one half of a DINK couple and I’m a pet mommy. Oh, and I’m a dork. A dork who loves photography with all her heart. A dork who loves to read and longs to write more. A dork who loves her TV shows and scary movies. And, most importantly, a dork who enjoys every summer sans pants. (Go on — Google “pantsless pattie” and see what pops up.) But then again, you knew that.

I started blogging to keep our family informed about what was going on in our lives. We were still living in Virginia at the time, and all our family was here in Tennessee. Now it’s the opposite: We live near our families and our friends read my (and Rich’s) blog to keep up with us — what we’re doing, what we’re watching, what we’re reading, what we’re listening to. And somehow in between my sporadic, all-over-the-map posts, I’ve actually managed to attract a handful of readers who’ve subscribed via various blog readers/RSS feeds (howdy, new peeps!). Which is nice. I like to think they think I’m somewhat interesting, in the same way I enjoy reading blogs written by total strangers who I find interesting. As long as no one says they think I’m “fascinating” in that same tone of voice my former therapist used during one of our sessions: “I think you’re just fascinating.” I like to imagine she meant that she thought I was an interesting individual, but deep down I’m pretty sure she meant it in an “I think you should be in a case study” kind of way. Kind of like when Rich looks at me after I’ve tossed one of my non sequitors out into the wind and all he can think to say is, “You’re not right.”

But I digress. Bottom line is, I’m happy that I can’t be easily pigeonholed into a category. Being on the outskirts is where I’ve spent most of my life, and it’s still a great place to be.

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March 25, 2009 · 7:00 AM

Life AFK

Song Lyric of the Day:

Save me, I’m lost / Oh lord, I’ve been waiting for you / I’ll pay any cost / Just save me from being confused

Carolina Liar / “Show Me What I’m Looking For“

I’ve decided to blog only when I have something worth saying. OK, worth saying in my opinion, anyway. So I’ll only be posting when I feel I have something to say, want to share my interest in something, want to express my opinion about things, want to document events in my life, feel like sharing something fun and so on. Basically, I’ll be maintaining my status quo and will be posting as infrequently/intermittently as I always do. This is just my way of letting myself off the hook. I’m never going to be a prolific daily blogger. At least, I don’t think I ever will be. This is a hobby for me, one I enjoy, but one I’m giving myself permission not to obsess over. To wit, I’ve been enjoying my real life lately, the one I don’t live online; trying to manage my stress level has been key. For instance:

  • I’ve made time to work on my book and even started a new one.
  • I hosted my sister’s baby shower this past weekend (little dude is due in the very near future).
  • I celebrated my puppy’s 1st birthday by buying him a cake from River Dog Bakery. He was thrilled (and so was big brother Caleb).
  • I’ve been catching up on TiVoed shows (Damages has been great this season — of course — and Castle is light but a lot of fun).
  • I’ve continued on my organizational bender in my neverending quest to bring more order to our house.
  • I stopped following certain bloggers and Twitterers because their negativity and hypocrisy was bringing me down. I feel much better for it, too.
  • I updated my wish list. Why? Because I have Borders gift cards burning a hole in my wallet and I want to be prepared next time I’m in the store. I’m that senile already.
  • I went to our friends’ charity basketball game (which I actually Twittered about).
  • I’ve spent less time on Facebook and Twitter (despite the previous basketball-related Twitter mention).
  • I swore off curse words for Lent. Why’d I do that? Because as a non-practicing Catholic I still like to exercise willpower every now and then. (Typing curse words doesn’t count, right? Only spoken ones do, right?

And that’s what’s going on in my world these days. Now it’s time to go write.

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July 16, 2008 · 5:58 PM

21 Days Later

Song Lyric of the Day:

There’s only one me in the galaxy / I am an endangered species / This kind of flower don’t grow on Earth / Just lettin’ you know for what it’s worth

Little Jackie / “The World Should Revolve Around Me“

I didn’t mean to go dark for so long after Yum Yum died. (Thanks to everyone for the comments, emails, and cards, and to my family for the flowers — they were the exact kind Yum Yum would have loved to eat.) But my baby cat’s passing, combined with some other things, had me in a very dark, very depressed place. As it was, the week before Yum Yum died, Rich and I had rushed Troubadour to the animal ER to get stitches after a tug-of-war game gone wrong; the cone he ended up wearing alienated Caleb because his little beconed brother scared him so badly. We’re still working on mending their relationship now that the puppy is cone-free, which has been very stressful; those of you who know Caleb know he remembers every single thing that scares him for the rest of his life. And the possibility that my oldest dog, Snoops, might have cancer was one of the worst things I could have heard so soon after losing another pet (we still don’t know for sure, but her arthritis medicine is at least working and she’s more mobile than she’s been in weeks). And that’s just the stressful, pet-related stuff.

Still, not everything of late has been awful. A quick rundown of recent goings-on, both big and small:

  • The Relay for Life was a great success (and it’s not too late to donate)
  • I excavated my half of our home office in an archaeological dig-scale undertaking, leading to the discovery of the Long-Lost Futon of South Knoxville
  • We now have air conditioning again on the third floor — HUZZAH!
  • I’ve lost the 13.6 lbs. I started gaining after my Thanksgiving ’06 kick-off free-for-all
  • Rich and I bought two new sofas; our dog nephew, Moose, will inherit Frankencouch© upon their delivery
  • Rich’s art-school friend and her adorable 4-year-old son visited us for a weekend during which we visited the Smoky Mountains
  • My remaining cats, Belle, Buster, and Finn have been super-snuggly with me of late
  • Our Florida room will soon be worked on and completed
  • I got my first acting job through my talent agency, as an extra in a national TV commercial (airdate TBA)
  • I’m helping plan my sister’s baby shower
  • I finally got around to updating my blog again

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February 20, 2008 · 7:50 PM

Wednesday Randomosity

Song Lyric of the Day:

Some may say I’m crazy / I may say that’s true

Chrisette Michele / “Work It Out“

9:52PM.
Ctrl-Alt-Del
I know our trip to Uruguay is just around the corner, but, God, it cannot get here soon enough. I need a break. From everything.

I’ll Finish … Someday
I am the queen of the unpublished post. It’s a direct result of working on a computer all day, day in and day out. By the time I get home most nights, I don’t even want to look at a computer, much less log on. So I’ll start a post, get tired, and leave it saved and unpublished. And I don’t even remember the last time I uploaded pics to my Flickr account. Because lord knows, I have a lot of new ones to add.

Walking & Getting Nowhere
Rich and I bought a treadmill last Friday after work. And it’s the most fun piece of exercise equipment we’ve ever owned (built-in fans, stereo to plug the iPod into). Whereas I was ready for a heart attack after 10 minutes on the stationery bike, I can power-walk on this baby for a half hour and barely break a sweat (and burn 130+ calories per session). Of course, the treadmill scares the bejesus out of Caleb. He smiles and then barks his head off as he slowly backs away and runs back upstairs. Snoops could give a rat’s ass, as is her naturally cool disposition. The treadmill is in the Florida room, which is nearing completion thanks to Rich and the invaluable help of his dad, Doug (and a nice assist from Ken the other day). We’re aiming to blow the room out and get everything finished as soon as we get back from our vacation.

Raise What’s Left of the Flag for Me
I’m listening to the Flogging Molly album Whiskey on a Sunday as I blog this. And wishing I were in an Irish pub enjoying a sing-along. Must go back to Irish Times soon… Man, how awesome would that be if Flogging Molly played Knoxville? Hey, I can dream.

Left to His Own Devices
Caleb started his own blog the other day, The Amazing True Tales of Caleb, the Pitiful Bull. And he’s already kicking my ass with updates. Go figure.

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