we sleep inside of this machine

I got an unexpected call from China yesterday (the country - not the wrestler). It sounded like my old acquaintance was calling me from a giant tin can. It turns out he was calling me on his laptop. We talked about culture shock and strange edibles (he had recently dined on chicken feet, which I figure is no worse than pickled pigs feet or the equally unpalatable hog maws...), and traveling. He asked me how things were going here, in between my responses of "What? I didn't catch that..." when the static got bad or what he said came out all muffled, and I gave him all of the most recent gossip and happenings. It was a nice chat. Like I said - quite unexpected.

This was on Cuteoverload today. It's hard to believe that sweet precious little cub will grow up to be a beautiful natural born killing machine.


I don't have plans this weekend. It's a shame. But maybe lack of plans will bring about motivation. Then again, that doesn't seem to be the case every other weekend. I am starting to see a busy couple of months ahead of me though. My boss agreed to let me go to a seminar in March, which is also when M and I are playing hooky and going to Orlando for a concert and a bit of fun (I got the tickets this past weekend, by the way). Lately I have found myself watching 30 Rock after Scrubs (was I the only one a little disappointed by the much hyped musical episode last night?) . I love the character of Kenneth - of course, it recently came to my attention that Jack McBrayer pretty much played the same character in Talladega Nights. And as far as that movie is concerned, the best parts were the kids, especially the little red headed boy playing "Texas Ranger" (one of my favorite lines: "I'm all jacked up on Mountain Dew!"). Changing the subject now, I have a strong inclination to go out this weekend and look for the new album by the band Brand New, titled The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me. They'll be in town for a show in April. Time to rally my posse of peeps. What? You mean I don't have a posse of peeps? Well...can I borrow yours? I'll make sure I give them back in one piece...

The breakdown

I'm having a terrible day so far. It started with the incident involving a thermos full of milk, the new carpet in the living room and the cat. Needless to say, I had to clean up a mess. Which made me late for work. Then, as I was tossing the towels I used to clean up the milk puddle out onto the back porch, the dog (who is badly in need of a good bath) decided that she desperately had to go out right at that moment, and brushed up against my leg as she was storming out the back door. Leaving a huge swath of dust and sand across my left pant leg. So. I had to change not only my pants, but my top and shoes as well. Making me even more late for work. Add to that the fact that one of my co-wokers is out for several days due to a family crisis, and my boss is looking for a letter he had her format before she left - which is probably locked in her desk. And she has the key. He doesn't seem very happy with our desk locking culture. I tried to explain that confidential information has to be made secure, but it didn't seem to help his mood much. I think things overall are starting to get ot him. And I think to myself "Join the club...".

M is feeling sicky, so she's not here. If she doesn't feel better later we won't go on our adventure to Weedon Island this evening. The good news is: For the time being I'm all alone here. And "Fully Alive" is playing on my computer.

Hate, rage and venom keep me looking young and feeling great.

My co-worker was supposed to order me a ream of legal paper. Instead, she ordered a case of letter size paper. And seems confused about how it happened. I'm having one of those days. The kind of day that brings on an eye-twitch and an Excedrine headache of massive proportions. If the boss gives this person the job full time I think I'll have to commit hari-kari & go total office ninja all over the place.

But anyway...My new obsessions: Pandora (it's free, and better than Launch), and the band Flyleaf. It reminds me of the kind of music I would have made had I been the lead singer of a band in high school. I'm currently reading Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. It's full of dry British humor. And a lot of references to tea.

Evil has a new...oh, never mind.

My husband is watching the 60 Minutes feature on President Bush. I have never realized what an ill-spoken mush-mouth that man really is, but it really seems to come to the surface when he's giving an unscripted interview. He comes off as a red-neck good old boy through most of it. An ivy league educated good old boy from a family of priviledge, of course. An incongruous combination. Oh, he just referred to himself as the "Educator in Chief". So that explains the sorry state of our public education system! Really - cows mooing sound more intelligent. Sorry if I just insulted some cows...


I spent a small fortune on books last week. I just finished reading Reliquary by Lincoln Child and Douglas Preston. I had part of the ending figured out by the middle of the book, and this one was a lot more greusome than Relic was - but overall it was an entertaining way to pass some of my free time over the last few days. I have two more books in my unread pile, as well as The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy that I'm still working my way through, slowly. I'm glad to have a three day weekend - we've gotten a few things accomplished around the house and I've been able to relax a little, too. I have to enjoy it, since we won't have another holiday until May. But coming up I have my 5th wedding anniversary (I gave strong hints that I'd like to go out to dinner and to a hockey game that night), and some activities planned with M. Another co-worker is leaving - got a promotion into another department, somehow. She wants to go to lunch, since we never were very social. Uh huh. There's kind of a reason for that, but I tend to think that the statement was meant more as an empty gesture and I won't have to feel obligated to have lunch. At least, I can hope.

Interlopers!

The new Governor is making his new official non-state-capitol office in my building. Basically right over my head. They had to scurry and move some people out of the second-floor President's suite with the lovely water views, to make room for him and his staff. This development will bring press attention, and possibly protestors. Won't that be fun?! So everyone should be on their best behavior. Whatever your best behavior may be...

We went out to dinner with one of my husband's friends last night. They embarass the crap out of me sometimes, but it was a nice change and it was funny seeing his son make my son erupt into spontaneous fits of giggles.

And my nominee for silly yet intruigeingly (or however that is supposed to be spelled) innovative idea of the millenia is whoever came up with this:
"Stamps released in China to celebrate the Year of the Pig taste of sweet and sour pork.When you scratch the front of the stamps, they smell of the popular Chinese dish. When the back of a stamp is licked, it tastes of the dish too.The stamps are on sale in China ahead of their New Year on February 18" (source: iol.co.za)

*More ninja style then samurai style, and a little on the long side. And the conclusion is a little...messy. But otherwise, do you ever have one of those days? I know I sure do...

Er...ahem - not that I'm advocating workplace violence. Nothing of the sort.