put my feet up. we got back from Colorado Mills (Mall) about a half an hour ago. man, we have some tired legs...
nothing spectacular about the shopping experience though. it's more of a mecca for shopping if you're under the age of 20 or have a youthful mind yerself - maybe i'm just a fogey now ;)
it is a nice layout though. very spacious. good lighting. did i mention freakin' huge too? perhaps i'm just not one for shopping in malls anymore. i guess i can find more 'perfect' gifts through mail order, eBay, or online.
so what'd we buy? very little. lois found some Cuddleduds (camisoles) at the Maidenform store and i got a soccer ball at Gart Sports.
for me, getting the soccer ball was good because i have one phase of shopping out of the way. every year, lois and i pick handwritten ornaments from xmas giving trees at either King Soopers or Target. you know, they're for kids that are in shelters...
this year, the ornaments at our King Soopers had wishes from the Denver Children's Home. the two that i picked wanted a soccer ball (James, 15) and art supply kit (Ramon, 15). go see what i got them...Ramon's and James'. i hope they like them! i sure wanted to open the art set and try it out - looks really cool.
lois' selections were from Andrew, who wants a Target Gift Card, and Michelle, who wants a flannel sheet set. last week, we got a nice beige flannel sheet set at Foley's. we went to Target first, but the only flannel sheet sets they had were seasonal xmas prints. we weren't sure if a 14 year-old girl would like them though; beige can be used a lot more than a snowman print...
any of you ever see the movie, 'Dark Days'? it's a documentary about the homeless who lived underneath the Amtrak Penn St. Station in NYC. the filmmaker, Marc Singer, spent two years making this film, chronicling the lives of many of these people.
one of the most touching moments in the movie was near the end, when, after being evicted from their squatter village, many of the people are put into housing by the Coalition for the Homeless. one of the subjects, a middle aged female who became homeless through her substance abuse, is shown making her bed for the first time in her new apartment. you can see an ear-to-ear smile on her face, as she carefully tucks everything in and falls into the bed with a heavy sigh.
you know, we take really take for granted simple necessities like having yer own bed and clean sheets. so, when we saw what Michelle wanted on her paper ornament, we immediately snatched it off that tree. THAT is a gift that we couldn't pass up. besides, we were already avoiding the ones that said 'boom box' or 'portable CD player.' hey kiddies, it says $20 limit ;) well, hope someone with more money can accomodate those kids...
Friday, November 28, 2003
Sunday, November 23, 2003
stolen...
no, make that 'lifted' from Dy, who got it from the almighty blog queen herself, Nelle.
1. List five things you'd like to accomplish by the end of the year.
-- Clean the basement.
-- Take a trip somewhere...mebbe Vegas or Tampa.
-- Finish winterizing the house.
-- Sort through my stuff and make a couple boxes for Goodwill.
-- Drop AOL as my ISP and switch over to AT&T.
2. List five people you've lost contact with whom you'd like to hear from again.
-- Robert Nguyen
-- Cecilia Esping
-- Scott Smith
-- Nathan Kimbrough
-- Laurie Neufeld
3. List five things you'd like to learn how to do.
-- Play the drums.
-- Documentary filmmaking.
-- Swim again.
-- Become literate in Chinese and fluent in Cantonese.
-- Blog more often.
4. List five things you'd do if you won the lottery (no limit).
-- Give money to friends and family, making sure that the parents were well pampered...now that they're in the twilight of their lives.
-- Travel to Thailand, New Zealand, all of Latin America, and Indonesia.
-- Buy a house.
-- Buy a new car.
-- I would work in archaeology and the travel industry at my leisure.
-- I'd probably give my fellow bloggers a couple grand to do whatever they wish.
5. List five things you do that help you relax.
-- Listen to music.
-- Go to the bookstore.
-- Start a jigsaw puzzle.
-- Play word games on the computer.
-- Blog...even though I may get worked up about certain topics ;)
1. List five things you'd like to accomplish by the end of the year.
-- Clean the basement.
-- Take a trip somewhere...mebbe Vegas or Tampa.
-- Finish winterizing the house.
-- Sort through my stuff and make a couple boxes for Goodwill.
-- Drop AOL as my ISP and switch over to AT&T.
2. List five people you've lost contact with whom you'd like to hear from again.
-- Robert Nguyen
-- Cecilia Esping
-- Scott Smith
-- Nathan Kimbrough
-- Laurie Neufeld
3. List five things you'd like to learn how to do.
-- Play the drums.
-- Documentary filmmaking.
-- Swim again.
-- Become literate in Chinese and fluent in Cantonese.
-- Blog more often.
4. List five things you'd do if you won the lottery (no limit).
-- Give money to friends and family, making sure that the parents were well pampered...now that they're in the twilight of their lives.
-- Travel to Thailand, New Zealand, all of Latin America, and Indonesia.
-- Buy a house.
-- Buy a new car.
-- I would work in archaeology and the travel industry at my leisure.
-- I'd probably give my fellow bloggers a couple grand to do whatever they wish.
5. List five things you do that help you relax.
-- Listen to music.
-- Go to the bookstore.
-- Start a jigsaw puzzle.
-- Play word games on the computer.
-- Blog...even though I may get worked up about certain topics ;)
I so hate dial-up...
i actually had gotten off my lazy ass and had a pretty good post going when i was disconnected. really, i should hate AOL more. even after reading Nelle's 'Why You Should Cancel Yer AOL' blog, i have been too complacent to leave the bastards. well, no more. if anything, i'm gonna make AT&T my internet provider. sure, i know that there are cheaper ISPs out there, but AT&T Worldnet has a pretty good incentive for American Airlines frequent flyers - 500 miles a month. not great, but i may as well get something back for spending $21.95/mo. for internet service. moreover, it's still better than getting a mile per dollar spent on my credit card. and 6000 miles is still 6000 miles... i could use a few more to get the free ticket to Hawaii or the Caribbean. if i save up my miles, i may have enough for Europe or another trip to South America, this time next year.
anyway, before i was unceremoniously booted off, i was blogging about the dreaded annual xmas shopping season. i know that many people would rather get major dental work than face shopping during the holidays. personally, i abhor the crowds and parking mayhem as well...but i DO love shopping.
what is it about the giddy spending sprees that we embark (on) for our loved ones? is it the feel-good rush of finding that perfect gift for someone? nah. it's the fact that you fought off ten other people for that 75% off windbreaker at the break of dawn on the day after Thanksgiving. never mind that the colors of the windbreaker make yer loved one look like some psychotic Ringling Bros. escapee. by the way, that warm feeling you're experiencing is not from the season spirit either. it's actually coming from that third diet coke you had in the food court, which is ruining yer bladder lining as we speak. buying someone a $40 retail item for $10 reeks of glee, especially when that other $30 can be blissfully spent on yer selfish self.
i have a brother that would do shit like that. it really sucked because not only would he and his wife would scour the after xmas sales and buy HID-E-OUS things for the next christmas, but he is the favorite son as well. talk about a freakin' double whammy...our complaints would always fall on our parents' deaf ears. i distinctly remember getting two clothing items that made me cringe. one was a shirt that may have doubled for a vomit design; a blind person would have picked something nicer. another was a sweater that looked okay...provided that you overlooked the hole in the front and that it was a size too small. family christmases with that brother got to the point where he was complaining about having to buy so many gifts...this coming from a guy that makes a six figure salary - CHEAP ASS. what was even worse was that he and his wife would blow probably a grand or two on his in-laws. one year, we got our usual crap, while he bought his wife's sister and her husband $800 bikes EACH. we were so fucking tired of being treated like second class citizens or xmas afterthoughts.
the solution? we tried to even do the pick names and buy one really nice gift. of course, while everyone was spending a good $100 on the picked sibling, this brother still bought crap...valued between $30-$50. i thought i either had some xmas curse or that the 'game' was rigged when he picked my name two years in a row...WTF!
you know, it's not the money thing either. i really don't care what you spend, as long as you have put some thought into the gift and purchased something appropriate. the years they were buying $10 too small, blemished, vomit sweaters in the basement of May D&F, i would have been much happier with a gift certificate from Wal-Mart or Blockbuster...hell, just gimme the cash!
i guess shopping for the perfect xmas gift is one of my few good attributes ;) about september of every year, i turn on the ears and wait for someone to mention in casual conversation about how "I wish I had this" or "I really need to buy a..." you know, if people just listened a little more or even paid attention a bit to their surroundings, fewer gifts would be returned... and we wouldn't have to worry about beating the shit out of the fellow shopper for a discontinued dish set that's missing a plate and has chips and cracks because you and a fellow shopper dropped it in the massive struggle for control of the box.
so, we have now reached an agreement that they no longer have to buy gifts for anyone...nor will we have to waste our money on them. unfortunately, there's still one small stipulation that we just buy something for the kids. yep...even the childless ones couldn't get out of this one.
that's okay though. i don't mind buying xmas gifts for their children - they're so cute. i just adjust my hearing and buy some 'perfect' gift. what Highlands Ranch nine year-old niece wouldn't like the 25th anniversary edition of 'The Exorcist'? look, it even comes with a lifelike, split pea soup spewing, Linda Blair doll. and for my six year-old nephew, i got a phenomenal book on the Maya culture - in Spanish. so what's the problem? the fuss? i put some good thought into these gifts! hey, i would LOVE to get these for xmas! and besides, at least i paid RETAIL...sheeyit!
anyway, before i was unceremoniously booted off, i was blogging about the dreaded annual xmas shopping season. i know that many people would rather get major dental work than face shopping during the holidays. personally, i abhor the crowds and parking mayhem as well...but i DO love shopping.
what is it about the giddy spending sprees that we embark (on) for our loved ones? is it the feel-good rush of finding that perfect gift for someone? nah. it's the fact that you fought off ten other people for that 75% off windbreaker at the break of dawn on the day after Thanksgiving. never mind that the colors of the windbreaker make yer loved one look like some psychotic Ringling Bros. escapee. by the way, that warm feeling you're experiencing is not from the season spirit either. it's actually coming from that third diet coke you had in the food court, which is ruining yer bladder lining as we speak. buying someone a $40 retail item for $10 reeks of glee, especially when that other $30 can be blissfully spent on yer selfish self.
i have a brother that would do shit like that. it really sucked because not only would he and his wife would scour the after xmas sales and buy HID-E-OUS things for the next christmas, but he is the favorite son as well. talk about a freakin' double whammy...our complaints would always fall on our parents' deaf ears. i distinctly remember getting two clothing items that made me cringe. one was a shirt that may have doubled for a vomit design; a blind person would have picked something nicer. another was a sweater that looked okay...provided that you overlooked the hole in the front and that it was a size too small. family christmases with that brother got to the point where he was complaining about having to buy so many gifts...this coming from a guy that makes a six figure salary - CHEAP ASS. what was even worse was that he and his wife would blow probably a grand or two on his in-laws. one year, we got our usual crap, while he bought his wife's sister and her husband $800 bikes EACH. we were so fucking tired of being treated like second class citizens or xmas afterthoughts.
the solution? we tried to even do the pick names and buy one really nice gift. of course, while everyone was spending a good $100 on the picked sibling, this brother still bought crap...valued between $30-$50. i thought i either had some xmas curse or that the 'game' was rigged when he picked my name two years in a row...WTF!
you know, it's not the money thing either. i really don't care what you spend, as long as you have put some thought into the gift and purchased something appropriate. the years they were buying $10 too small, blemished, vomit sweaters in the basement of May D&F, i would have been much happier with a gift certificate from Wal-Mart or Blockbuster...hell, just gimme the cash!
i guess shopping for the perfect xmas gift is one of my few good attributes ;) about september of every year, i turn on the ears and wait for someone to mention in casual conversation about how "I wish I had this" or "I really need to buy a..." you know, if people just listened a little more or even paid attention a bit to their surroundings, fewer gifts would be returned... and we wouldn't have to worry about beating the shit out of the fellow shopper for a discontinued dish set that's missing a plate and has chips and cracks because you and a fellow shopper dropped it in the massive struggle for control of the box.
so, we have now reached an agreement that they no longer have to buy gifts for anyone...nor will we have to waste our money on them. unfortunately, there's still one small stipulation that we just buy something for the kids. yep...even the childless ones couldn't get out of this one.
that's okay though. i don't mind buying xmas gifts for their children - they're so cute. i just adjust my hearing and buy some 'perfect' gift. what Highlands Ranch nine year-old niece wouldn't like the 25th anniversary edition of 'The Exorcist'? look, it even comes with a lifelike, split pea soup spewing, Linda Blair doll. and for my six year-old nephew, i got a phenomenal book on the Maya culture - in Spanish. so what's the problem? the fuss? i put some good thought into these gifts! hey, i would LOVE to get these for xmas! and besides, at least i paid RETAIL...sheeyit!
Wednesday, November 19, 2003
really?
now i gotta go out and rent it...
You must like to spank or be spanked, because your
romance is reminiscent of Secretary. A truly
modern love story, it shows that you don't need
to be conventional to be normal. You're
probably the type that owns a whole lot more
leather than what's upholstering your car or
sofa. Yeah, you know what I mean.
What Romance Movie Best Represents Your Love Life?
brought to you by Quizilla
i'm glad 'Identity' wasn't one of the choices. last night, we watched it and the ending really stuck with me. i figured it out about two-thirds through the movie, but didn't want to believe it. if you guys haven't seen it, you should definitely rent it...pretty creepy.
You must like to spank or be spanked, because your
romance is reminiscent of Secretary. A truly
modern love story, it shows that you don't need
to be conventional to be normal. You're
probably the type that owns a whole lot more
leather than what's upholstering your car or
sofa. Yeah, you know what I mean.
What Romance Movie Best Represents Your Love Life?
brought to you by Quizilla
i'm glad 'Identity' wasn't one of the choices. last night, we watched it and the ending really stuck with me. i figured it out about two-thirds through the movie, but didn't want to believe it. if you guys haven't seen it, you should definitely rent it...pretty creepy.
Tuesday, November 18, 2003
and another thing...
why isn't our volleyball team winning more games? we are a very talented team, individually, but it seems like our chemistry (as a team) does not gel. we are the second worst out of nine teams. we'll kill a team the first game and it just unravels from there...sigh. we almost feel like Charlie Brown and his football...or kite...or the little red haired girl. rats!
argh. trying to come down from the beer and wine that i had tonight. as usual (if we play early matches), we'll head on over to Hemingway's and play the last couple rounds of Trivia Face Off. and...as usual...i'll have a couple of beers.
however, on occasion, i'll hang out with our team captain at her house after the trivia. see, our captain, is also our chauffeur on these nights; we have agreed to all chip in and either buy her beers or a tank of gas since she has been so good to let us carpool and meet at her house. and as an added bonus, we can use the HOV lane and not be bothered with the typical rush hour traffic...
so, tonight, we hung out and shared a large (1.75 liter) bottle of wine that she had out. twas good...smooth. she really prefers Bella Sera wine. Sangiovese was the flavor ;) tonight. whew...good thing that i poured more than drank; she didn't have to drive home like i did.
lots of conversation...four hours passed like that (snap). we mainly talked about our families and how it is being the youngest. it's always a good time when i get to hang out and jab with Barb. too bad i have the day off tomorrow (today) and she'll inevitably have to call in sick HEEHEE!
afterwards, it was off to Taco Hell. i just missed out on getting some chili dogs at the Hamburger Stand - their drive-thru closes at 2AM on weekdays. so, my options are limited to:
coming home and making the effort to cook something (ha, right)
going to Denny's (not sure if i can stay up that long)
the 24-hour Burger King (fries and whoppers get old)
Taco Hell (still go there even though i once broke a tooth on a burrito supreme in '99...at least they paid for all the dental work)
the three tacos, spicy bean burrito, and nachos supreme eventually won out in the end. so here i am, trying to type in between shortened burps and mini farts...greaaat. what the hey though. Taco Hell is better if eaten while listening to Style Council (which is playing in my CD right now)...or any other 80's music. it would even taste good with Culture Club... btw, i scored poorly (i.e., less than 50) on the 80's music quiz that Derbs got us all to do last week. anyway, Taco Hell with Eurythmics...Bananarama...Duran Duran, is still better than a bean burrito eaten to the sounds of Metallica or Slayer. trust me, i know these things ;)
argh. trying to come down from the beer and wine that i had tonight. as usual (if we play early matches), we'll head on over to Hemingway's and play the last couple rounds of Trivia Face Off. and...as usual...i'll have a couple of beers.
however, on occasion, i'll hang out with our team captain at her house after the trivia. see, our captain, is also our chauffeur on these nights; we have agreed to all chip in and either buy her beers or a tank of gas since she has been so good to let us carpool and meet at her house. and as an added bonus, we can use the HOV lane and not be bothered with the typical rush hour traffic...
so, tonight, we hung out and shared a large (1.75 liter) bottle of wine that she had out. twas good...smooth. she really prefers Bella Sera wine. Sangiovese was the flavor ;) tonight. whew...good thing that i poured more than drank; she didn't have to drive home like i did.
lots of conversation...four hours passed like that (snap). we mainly talked about our families and how it is being the youngest. it's always a good time when i get to hang out and jab with Barb. too bad i have the day off tomorrow (today) and she'll inevitably have to call in sick HEEHEE!
afterwards, it was off to Taco Hell. i just missed out on getting some chili dogs at the Hamburger Stand - their drive-thru closes at 2AM on weekdays. so, my options are limited to:
coming home and making the effort to cook something (ha, right)
going to Denny's (not sure if i can stay up that long)
the 24-hour Burger King (fries and whoppers get old)
Taco Hell (still go there even though i once broke a tooth on a burrito supreme in '99...at least they paid for all the dental work)
the three tacos, spicy bean burrito, and nachos supreme eventually won out in the end. so here i am, trying to type in between shortened burps and mini farts...greaaat. what the hey though. Taco Hell is better if eaten while listening to Style Council (which is playing in my CD right now)...or any other 80's music. it would even taste good with Culture Club... btw, i scored poorly (i.e., less than 50) on the 80's music quiz that Derbs got us all to do last week. anyway, Taco Hell with Eurythmics...Bananarama...Duran Duran, is still better than a bean burrito eaten to the sounds of Metallica or Slayer. trust me, i know these things ;)
i know...i know
i feel bad that all of you in my immediate circle of bloggers have all done gloriously well in posting over the last few weeks. of course, in bucking the trend, i have failed miserably in keeping up. i guess that i usually have something to say, i just don't always make the time to speak up and put it into words...am i making any sense?
been catching up with everyone and have found out that:
1) Laura and Lois are two of the most animated haters of Thomas Kinkade.
2) Denny works too hard...still
3) Rachel needs to lend us her personal Santa; a printer AND digital camera - where do we sign up?
4) Nelle has some serious morons who sit in the back of the class, disrupting and being general assholes. Well, you have my permission to kick 'em in the balls. Don't want the hassle? Tell me where the class is...I'll do it.
been catching up with everyone and have found out that:
1) Laura and Lois are two of the most animated haters of Thomas Kinkade.
2) Denny works too hard...still
3) Rachel needs to lend us her personal Santa; a printer AND digital camera - where do we sign up?
4) Nelle has some serious morons who sit in the back of the class, disrupting and being general assholes. Well, you have my permission to kick 'em in the balls. Don't want the hassle? Tell me where the class is...I'll do it.
Monday, November 10, 2003
yes...just like "American Beauty"
remember what Kevin Spacey's co-worker says when Annette Bening and her lover pull forward to the drive thru window that they're manning? she says, "You are SO busted."
and that's how i feel about not blogging. of course, i usually only get going when the blog queen herself (aka, Nelle) busts me and either tags me with 'abandoned blog' or 'ZZZZZ.'
so, to the handful of readers who have just about given up on me ever blogging again, here goes...
nothing really new and exciting lately. some potential archaeological work in Virginia that we were hoping would come through...fell through. so, for the past three weeks, i've been helping out at PCL Construction (where Susie and Lois work) - mainly in the mail room and in accounting.
it's been interesting though. before this little temporary stint, i had never worked in a 'traditional' office setting. i was always either in field, a museum, or a restaurant. some of the odd things that go on in this office is full of poison. i tell ya, some people have way too much time on their hands... what i can't figure out is why the lame ones keep their jobs. there are a couple individuals who are just wasting space and should be fired on the spot; it would save SO much money. unfortunately, many are kept on because of their stellar ass-kissing skills. and that is one thing that i abhor, mind games in the workplace (or even in general). i refuse to kiss ass. there is way too much work to do instead of getting caught up in the gossipy personal affairs of other people. HEAD GAMES = TOTAL WASTE OF TIME. 'nuff said.
lemme see here...i think i have some more rants...just a sec
sigh. some of my colleagues are gathering in Chicago next week for the national anthropology meetings. yeah, Chicago is not the best place to gather, especially in November...but the conference is always in November or early December. i just wish that they would opt for a warm locale. the cycle for the last ten years has been:
1994: Atlanta
1995: Washington D.C.
1996: San Francisco
1997: D.C.
1998: Philadelphia
1999: Chicago
2000: San Fran
2001: D.C.
2002: New Orleans
2003: Chicago
these are all great cities...the wide array of gastronomic delights and the cool places to visit are downright amazing...BUT couldn't you have it in Phoenix, Miami, or even Houston? D.C. and Chicago every two or three years keep us one step away from defrosting completely between meetings. i will never forget the '95 meetings. we had just left a snowstorm in Denver...only to have it find us again in D.C., but with heavier snow and bone chilling humidity. we did get lucky in Philly though...the weather was an unseasonal 60's and 70's. unfortunately, i packed wool suits and thick sweaters :(
well, this year, i ain't goin'. i'm gonna miss my best friend, Antonio, who is Curator of Ethnography/Ceramics at the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture and my mentor, Ruben Mendoza, who teaches at Cal-State Monterey Bay. yeah, my boss is going too...so he can have some extra drinks for me.
i guess i really wasn't in the mood to buy a ticket to Chicago when fares were less than $200 (around Labor Day), so i blew it off. and even last week, when Delta had me drooling over a $79 (+ tax) fare sale that they had from Denver to Chicago - ROUND TRIP! of course, by the time i found out about it, all those seats were gone. perhaps, i wasn't meant to go this year. ah well. as a consolation, i'll be saving not only a fare, but an additional $600-$800 had i gone. it would be even better if a huge storm were to hit all those hapless anthropologists while the meetings were in full swing HEH.
some good things too...
tonight, as numerous other people, we stopped by our local Cub Foods, whose Going Out Of Business sale has prices slashed by 50%. it was a mad house! the parking lot was simply bulging at the seams. shopping carts were hard to come by. i had to run out and fetch one from the parking lot when we arrived. people were fighting over the greeting cards that are now 3 for $1. somehow, i didn't find 33-cent Passover, Halloween, and any stupid freakin' rhyming cards for all occasions, to be that shrewd of a buy. still, you should have seen the people who were just about pouncing on the half priced frozen turkeys LOL. it was like the entire poultry shortage of the century had culminated in the frozen food section of the Glendale Cub Foods. damn, people! there will be other turkeys to buy...don't you realize that Cub is selling everything at retail? half off is not ALL THAT.
still, we were caught up in the pandemonium. Susie and I were swooping down on the really good buys, like baking goods...ethnic spices...dog food...frozen dinners...and basic junk food. all in all, we nearly killed our poor cart...filled 15 bags past sensible capacity...and lightened our wallets by $133 for our booty. now, i just wanna know how long it's gonna take to eat all the stroganoffcerealpuddingbiscuitmixsoupfruitmeatloafbottledwateretc., especially when we probably didn't have enough space in the fridge or pantry in the first place.
ah well, Lois (and all other Texans) have a saying, " Having a full pantry is like having money in the bank. " too bad i'm only rich in Corned Beef Hash, eh? what does that get me? a bigger coronary? maybe a super sized embolism...
and that's how i feel about not blogging. of course, i usually only get going when the blog queen herself (aka, Nelle) busts me and either tags me with 'abandoned blog' or 'ZZZZZ.'
so, to the handful of readers who have just about given up on me ever blogging again, here goes...
nothing really new and exciting lately. some potential archaeological work in Virginia that we were hoping would come through...fell through. so, for the past three weeks, i've been helping out at PCL Construction (where Susie and Lois work) - mainly in the mail room and in accounting.
it's been interesting though. before this little temporary stint, i had never worked in a 'traditional' office setting. i was always either in field, a museum, or a restaurant. some of the odd things that go on in this office is full of poison. i tell ya, some people have way too much time on their hands... what i can't figure out is why the lame ones keep their jobs. there are a couple individuals who are just wasting space and should be fired on the spot; it would save SO much money. unfortunately, many are kept on because of their stellar ass-kissing skills. and that is one thing that i abhor, mind games in the workplace (or even in general). i refuse to kiss ass. there is way too much work to do instead of getting caught up in the gossipy personal affairs of other people. HEAD GAMES = TOTAL WASTE OF TIME. 'nuff said.
lemme see here...i think i have some more rants...just a sec
sigh. some of my colleagues are gathering in Chicago next week for the national anthropology meetings. yeah, Chicago is not the best place to gather, especially in November...but the conference is always in November or early December. i just wish that they would opt for a warm locale. the cycle for the last ten years has been:
1994: Atlanta
1995: Washington D.C.
1996: San Francisco
1997: D.C.
1998: Philadelphia
1999: Chicago
2000: San Fran
2001: D.C.
2002: New Orleans
2003: Chicago
these are all great cities...the wide array of gastronomic delights and the cool places to visit are downright amazing...BUT couldn't you have it in Phoenix, Miami, or even Houston? D.C. and Chicago every two or three years keep us one step away from defrosting completely between meetings. i will never forget the '95 meetings. we had just left a snowstorm in Denver...only to have it find us again in D.C., but with heavier snow and bone chilling humidity. we did get lucky in Philly though...the weather was an unseasonal 60's and 70's. unfortunately, i packed wool suits and thick sweaters :(
well, this year, i ain't goin'. i'm gonna miss my best friend, Antonio, who is Curator of Ethnography/Ceramics at the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture and my mentor, Ruben Mendoza, who teaches at Cal-State Monterey Bay. yeah, my boss is going too...so he can have some extra drinks for me.
i guess i really wasn't in the mood to buy a ticket to Chicago when fares were less than $200 (around Labor Day), so i blew it off. and even last week, when Delta had me drooling over a $79 (+ tax) fare sale that they had from Denver to Chicago - ROUND TRIP! of course, by the time i found out about it, all those seats were gone. perhaps, i wasn't meant to go this year. ah well. as a consolation, i'll be saving not only a fare, but an additional $600-$800 had i gone. it would be even better if a huge storm were to hit all those hapless anthropologists while the meetings were in full swing HEH.
some good things too...
tonight, as numerous other people, we stopped by our local Cub Foods, whose Going Out Of Business sale has prices slashed by 50%. it was a mad house! the parking lot was simply bulging at the seams. shopping carts were hard to come by. i had to run out and fetch one from the parking lot when we arrived. people were fighting over the greeting cards that are now 3 for $1. somehow, i didn't find 33-cent Passover, Halloween, and any stupid freakin' rhyming cards for all occasions, to be that shrewd of a buy. still, you should have seen the people who were just about pouncing on the half priced frozen turkeys LOL. it was like the entire poultry shortage of the century had culminated in the frozen food section of the Glendale Cub Foods. damn, people! there will be other turkeys to buy...don't you realize that Cub is selling everything at retail? half off is not ALL THAT.
still, we were caught up in the pandemonium. Susie and I were swooping down on the really good buys, like baking goods...ethnic spices...dog food...frozen dinners...and basic junk food. all in all, we nearly killed our poor cart...filled 15 bags past sensible capacity...and lightened our wallets by $133 for our booty. now, i just wanna know how long it's gonna take to eat all the stroganoffcerealpuddingbiscuitmixsoupfruitmeatloafbottledwateretc., especially when we probably didn't have enough space in the fridge or pantry in the first place.
ah well, Lois (and all other Texans) have a saying, " Having a full pantry is like having money in the bank. " too bad i'm only rich in Corned Beef Hash, eh? what does that get me? a bigger coronary? maybe a super sized embolism...
Saturday, November 01, 2003
hell yeah...
stopped by Derbs' place and thoroughly enjoyed reading about the wench (with whom she once worked) that recently got busted for mail fraud. too bad she can't be busted for robbing that nursing home patient blind.
yes. i am one spiteful mutha... there are WAY too many people out there who aren't getting their just desserts...most often at the expense of others. it's a great feeling when i find out some jerk has gotten exactly what he deserves.
to quote the great Lowa, "Heh."
yes. i am one spiteful mutha... there are WAY too many people out there who aren't getting their just desserts...most often at the expense of others. it's a great feeling when i find out some jerk has gotten exactly what he deserves.
to quote the great Lowa, "Heh."
would you care...
if i decided to blog a ton and change the date? i really was wanting to blog about all sorts of stories in commemoration of the 'holiday'. after all, what other day do we use for telling stories?
anyway, would it be any different if i put some stuff down today and changed the date to the 31st? of course, for all that to make sense, i would have to also delete this steaming piece o' crap...
anyway, would it be any different if i put some stuff down today and changed the date to the 31st? of course, for all that to make sense, i would have to also delete this steaming piece o' crap...
in these non-blogging times...
i admit that i am guilty. you did not see me at the post office for most wanted...most non-blogging...but maybe most boring blog.
damn those trick o'treaters! we bought all this candy and not one showed up...braving the cold...in hopes of abscessing that little tooth even further. we were hoping for even a few tough ones, promising to give huge, heaping handfuls of candy.
what now? we have to eat ALL that candy - life sux ;)
still, i don't think that lois' Halloween reputation will ever recover from her giving out pencils one year. i'll never forget the look of horror on one kid's face when he saw what she dropped into his bag. it was even more pained when he called out to his mom, "Awwww mom, she's giving out PENCILS!!!" lois didn't even cackle or bat an eye, she just said (point blank), "Shaddup! That other stuff will just rot yer teeth!" luckily, no one egged or teepeed the house the following week.
so now, we load up on candy that we ultimately have to eat ourselves...and i'm already out of the dark chocolate. guess it's time for a Butterfinger...
damn those trick o'treaters! we bought all this candy and not one showed up...braving the cold...in hopes of abscessing that little tooth even further. we were hoping for even a few tough ones, promising to give huge, heaping handfuls of candy.
what now? we have to eat ALL that candy - life sux ;)
still, i don't think that lois' Halloween reputation will ever recover from her giving out pencils one year. i'll never forget the look of horror on one kid's face when he saw what she dropped into his bag. it was even more pained when he called out to his mom, "Awwww mom, she's giving out PENCILS!!!" lois didn't even cackle or bat an eye, she just said (point blank), "Shaddup! That other stuff will just rot yer teeth!" luckily, no one egged or teepeed the house the following week.
so now, we load up on candy that we ultimately have to eat ourselves...and i'm already out of the dark chocolate. guess it's time for a Butterfinger...
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