or is that PEE-EEW?!? lois' friend, lily, is here and redoing her nails. ugh! i don't know how you can put up with that nauseating odor for more than a few seconds...
lily is one of lois' good friend's who started out as her manicurist...left the industry...but still comes over a couple times a month to do her nails. however, i'm usually not around when she gets here; i remember why now.
ever hear people who try to outdo each other when they talk about how poor they grew up? well, lois has a friend who used to compete with her, saying, "When I was little, we were so poor..." you know what i mean. well, that friend (nor lois) have nothing on lily. she has horror stories of growing up destitute in communist Romania that will just elicit anyone to say, "Okay, you win. You grew up WAY poorer than I."
i din't grow up poor, i just had parents that wouldn't spend any money...and we would have been foolish to ask ;)
Saturday, February 19, 2005
Thursday, February 03, 2005
celebrate with a wedge...
with the good news of the dentist visit, i am making sure that last night's pizza doesn't feel lonely ;) not great pizza though...but it was free...which usually makes for better tasting pizza. regardless of their ads, i don't see how their better ingredients make for better pizza. if that's the case, then NY Pizzeria and Anthony's have cornered the market on sublime ingredients because their crust, sauce, and flavors just kick ass all over the competition.
Yak & Yeti huh? isn't that an Indian/Nepalese restaurant? if i'm ever in that part of town, i'll make sure to try it. there's nothing like some Nepalese momos...mmm.
Yak & Yeti huh? isn't that an Indian/Nepalese restaurant? if i'm ever in that part of town, i'll make sure to try it. there's nothing like some Nepalese momos...mmm.
a good sign...
just got back from the dentist...with good news! ya see, last week, i had a dull pain in my lower right jaw...which is not usually a good sign. the last time i had pain there, i had found out that one of my molars had cracked and was starting to abscess. you guessed it, root canal and crown. i think i could've found something much more fun to do with that $1500. ah well, at least i still have all my teeth.
so...the visit today determined that i may just have an anaerobic infection that arises on occasion with root canals. the verdict? i gotta go out and get this prescription filled...whew!
isn't it funny how you expect the worst when you have dental problems? thank god when everything comes up negative!!! yay
so...the visit today determined that i may just have an anaerobic infection that arises on occasion with root canals. the verdict? i gotta go out and get this prescription filled...whew!
isn't it funny how you expect the worst when you have dental problems? thank god when everything comes up negative!!! yay
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
no way...
i just checked my counter and this creaky ol' blog still averages 7 visits a day. i really didn't think people stopped by anymore. that stat may just give me a little oomph to post more often. i guess i come away a bit empty if i go to someone's blog, only to find that it hasn't been updated in quite some time...now i'm getting the message ;)
i should update you on the pizza date that i had with a goddess last week...i even got to meet a friend of hers. just between you and me, the goddess is much better company; i find the friend to be a slightly annoying and insecure conversationalist.
still, it was a nice night out. we met at the NY Pizzeria by my house. i swear by their pizza...although it was not up to par that night. it seemed that the slices were lacking sauce and that slight chewiness that epitomizes their perfect crust. ah well, you can't be on top of it all the time, eh? i think the next time we meet there, i'll opt ordering a small pizza instead of the slices. i just don't get it though...the last few times i was there for two or three slices, they were phenomenal.
talked movies and british comedies (aka, 'brit-coms')...two of my favorite topics ;) we went on for a couple hours giving general recommendations for our next rentals. wow...goddess and her friend are PROLIFIC movie watchers. i simply cannot sit through a trifecta of movies on a regular basis - i'm just too wimpy ;)
i was only too happy to chat about 'Allo, 'Allo and other shows that i watched over the past 12-14 years on PBS. i can readily admit that i was once an 'Are You Being Served?' junkie for a few years. i tell you, this Britcom has a huge cult following here in the states. if you mention british comedy and PBS in the same sentence, i bet more than 2/3 of the people would say, 'Like Are You Being Served?'
who else likes quirky shows like...Mr. Bean, Red Dwarf, Fawlty Towers, Open All Hours, The Thin Blue Line, or Keeping Up Appearances? in a way, these series could be formulaic, or even cliche-ish, as the majority of most American sitcoms are now, but there's something special about britcoms that i can't put my finger on. maybe it's the sight gags or the accents. for some odd reason, the humor of these shows seems more refreshing... perhaps someone can elaborate on what i'm trying to say in this vague diatribe.
anyway, the past couple years, i've been trying to catch episodes of Waiting For God, Two's Company, and The Last of the Summer Wine (which is the British equivalent of Gunsmoke or 60 Minutes in terms of longevity - 30 years).
i'm glad that they're making many of the abovementioned shows available on DVD though. now, if i could just find 'em all on eBay for dirt cheap ;)
i should update you on the pizza date that i had with a goddess last week...i even got to meet a friend of hers. just between you and me, the goddess is much better company; i find the friend to be a slightly annoying and insecure conversationalist.
still, it was a nice night out. we met at the NY Pizzeria by my house. i swear by their pizza...although it was not up to par that night. it seemed that the slices were lacking sauce and that slight chewiness that epitomizes their perfect crust. ah well, you can't be on top of it all the time, eh? i think the next time we meet there, i'll opt ordering a small pizza instead of the slices. i just don't get it though...the last few times i was there for two or three slices, they were phenomenal.
talked movies and british comedies (aka, 'brit-coms')...two of my favorite topics ;) we went on for a couple hours giving general recommendations for our next rentals. wow...goddess and her friend are PROLIFIC movie watchers. i simply cannot sit through a trifecta of movies on a regular basis - i'm just too wimpy ;)
i was only too happy to chat about 'Allo, 'Allo and other shows that i watched over the past 12-14 years on PBS. i can readily admit that i was once an 'Are You Being Served?' junkie for a few years. i tell you, this Britcom has a huge cult following here in the states. if you mention british comedy and PBS in the same sentence, i bet more than 2/3 of the people would say, 'Like Are You Being Served?'
who else likes quirky shows like...Mr. Bean, Red Dwarf, Fawlty Towers, Open All Hours, The Thin Blue Line, or Keeping Up Appearances? in a way, these series could be formulaic, or even cliche-ish, as the majority of most American sitcoms are now, but there's something special about britcoms that i can't put my finger on. maybe it's the sight gags or the accents. for some odd reason, the humor of these shows seems more refreshing... perhaps someone can elaborate on what i'm trying to say in this vague diatribe.
anyway, the past couple years, i've been trying to catch episodes of Waiting For God, Two's Company, and The Last of the Summer Wine (which is the British equivalent of Gunsmoke or 60 Minutes in terms of longevity - 30 years).
i'm glad that they're making many of the abovementioned shows available on DVD though. now, if i could just find 'em all on eBay for dirt cheap ;)
Thursday, January 27, 2005
wow...
my sister's eldest daughter, Natalie, is celebrating her 21st b-day today. i cannot believe it. well, i hope you're enjoying it immensely, Natalie, because it's all downhill from here ;)
heck, i know she's living it up...Miami, FL is not exactly a quiet city. methinks it's time to drop in on her...before the year is out.
sigh.
always thinking of travel. yesterday, i perused through an old guidebook that we used for Bolivia and Peru in 2001. however, instead of reminiscing about that trip, i found myself reading the Ecuador section, feasting on its turbulent history. did you know that from 1931 to 1948, Ecuador saw 21 presidents ultimately resign from the 'coveted' post? it was probably better to be the shit sweeper for the country's fattest, stinkiest pig.
oink.
heck, i know she's living it up...Miami, FL is not exactly a quiet city. methinks it's time to drop in on her...before the year is out.
sigh.
always thinking of travel. yesterday, i perused through an old guidebook that we used for Bolivia and Peru in 2001. however, instead of reminiscing about that trip, i found myself reading the Ecuador section, feasting on its turbulent history. did you know that from 1931 to 1948, Ecuador saw 21 presidents ultimately resign from the 'coveted' post? it was probably better to be the shit sweeper for the country's fattest, stinkiest pig.
oink.
wired...
was in Cindi's stompin' grounds this afternoon. lois had an appointment with her eye surgeon this morning at 11:00. this time, it was at his west location, which is near I-70 and Wadsworth.
yep. lois is not finished with eye stuff... you'd think that after the two cataract surgeries last summer, that'd be enough for a lifetime. nope. turns out that she had a quarter of her (right side) retina detach last week. she was seeing a little shadow in her right eye and knew that it needed to be taken care of.
i guess that people who have had cataract surgery/lens replacement run a 3% higher risk of retinal detachment. this is one stat that you don't want to be in the top 3%...
so...she has been resting up since yesterday's procedure. are you familiar with it? go to this site for details...
in her recovery, she had to sleep propped up on a bunch of pillows. and after today's follow up, which revealed a touch of fluid build-up, she'll be able to sleep lying down, but must cock her head to the right for a couple days during her waking hours to facilitate the liquid dissipation. weird. looks like she has a really bad crick in her neck or sumpin'.
anyway, it shouldn't be more than a couple days for the swelling and fluid to go down. she makes a really cute prizefighter though ;)
oh yeah. i'm wired because we stopped at the *$$ on 55th for some caffeine before heading up to one of our fave Middle Eastern restaurants, Damascus, on 65th for the best hummus and pita in town.
*GASP*
it's gone. we drove up there and found a 'Grand Opening' sign over our beloved Syrian refuge. sigh. i guess Mahmoud sold it to some Vietnamese/Chinese restauranteurs. as if there aren't enough in this city...
ah well. luckily, the first Damascus is still on south colorado, not far from PCL. it's a helluva lot closer than the wadsworth store, but the service is spottier...and the parking SUX. it's in a strip mall with three other restaurants, Moroccan, Persian (i.e., Iranian), and Lebanese. four restaurants and no parking...you get the idea.
crestfallen, we headed back down wadsworth and stuffed ourselves with breakfast at IHOP. mmmm...peach pancakes. almost as good as Damascus' creamy hummus and light and chewy pita. thinking of it just makes me drool. i can see them bringing out the bread out of the pizza oven, hot and steamy heaven.
speaking of pizza ovens...looks like i got a date w/ Cindi and her BFG at the NY Pizzeria by the house. hands down the best in town. what makes their pizza so great? it's the chewiness of the crust and the slightly sweet sauce that makes you lust for more. sure, it'll kill your blood sugar levels, but it's a legal high! ooh, i can't wait. i'm supposed to meet them in a couple hours...
yep. lois is not finished with eye stuff... you'd think that after the two cataract surgeries last summer, that'd be enough for a lifetime. nope. turns out that she had a quarter of her (right side) retina detach last week. she was seeing a little shadow in her right eye and knew that it needed to be taken care of.
i guess that people who have had cataract surgery/lens replacement run a 3% higher risk of retinal detachment. this is one stat that you don't want to be in the top 3%...
so...she has been resting up since yesterday's procedure. are you familiar with it? go to this site for details...
in her recovery, she had to sleep propped up on a bunch of pillows. and after today's follow up, which revealed a touch of fluid build-up, she'll be able to sleep lying down, but must cock her head to the right for a couple days during her waking hours to facilitate the liquid dissipation. weird. looks like she has a really bad crick in her neck or sumpin'.
anyway, it shouldn't be more than a couple days for the swelling and fluid to go down. she makes a really cute prizefighter though ;)
oh yeah. i'm wired because we stopped at the *$$ on 55th for some caffeine before heading up to one of our fave Middle Eastern restaurants, Damascus, on 65th for the best hummus and pita in town.
*GASP*
it's gone. we drove up there and found a 'Grand Opening' sign over our beloved Syrian refuge. sigh. i guess Mahmoud sold it to some Vietnamese/Chinese restauranteurs. as if there aren't enough in this city...
ah well. luckily, the first Damascus is still on south colorado, not far from PCL. it's a helluva lot closer than the wadsworth store, but the service is spottier...and the parking SUX. it's in a strip mall with three other restaurants, Moroccan, Persian (i.e., Iranian), and Lebanese. four restaurants and no parking...you get the idea.
crestfallen, we headed back down wadsworth and stuffed ourselves with breakfast at IHOP. mmmm...peach pancakes. almost as good as Damascus' creamy hummus and light and chewy pita. thinking of it just makes me drool. i can see them bringing out the bread out of the pizza oven, hot and steamy heaven.
speaking of pizza ovens...looks like i got a date w/ Cindi and her BFG at the NY Pizzeria by the house. hands down the best in town. what makes their pizza so great? it's the chewiness of the crust and the slightly sweet sauce that makes you lust for more. sure, it'll kill your blood sugar levels, but it's a legal high! ooh, i can't wait. i'm supposed to meet them in a couple hours...
lying low...
not really any exciting news to report...
after we got back from Vegas, i've felt even less motivated to blog. i wish i could get over these non-bloggin' blues.
i think one of the things that set me on the lazy path was coming back and finding an obituary of one of my friends. geez...not a good way to start the new year. i'm really gonna miss her. we had been pals in high school and had just gotten back in touch a couple years ago, when we saw each other at an annual 5K walk/run that's held in memory of one of our classmates who succumbed to brain cancer in '98.
anyway, KB was a great person. she had a million dollar smile that would light up the whole room. she always had encouraging words for others and passed out hugs like candy. it will be totally surreal without her at the race this year.
man, life is too short to waste with lame bickering and petty differences. although i never make new year's resolutions, i vow to let fewer things bother me and to live it up with my friends more...that's just how it has to be ;) and yes, i will try to be a better blogger because i know only posting every three weeks sure gets on some people's nerves...heh.
after we got back from Vegas, i've felt even less motivated to blog. i wish i could get over these non-bloggin' blues.
i think one of the things that set me on the lazy path was coming back and finding an obituary of one of my friends. geez...not a good way to start the new year. i'm really gonna miss her. we had been pals in high school and had just gotten back in touch a couple years ago, when we saw each other at an annual 5K walk/run that's held in memory of one of our classmates who succumbed to brain cancer in '98.
anyway, KB was a great person. she had a million dollar smile that would light up the whole room. she always had encouraging words for others and passed out hugs like candy. it will be totally surreal without her at the race this year.
man, life is too short to waste with lame bickering and petty differences. although i never make new year's resolutions, i vow to let fewer things bother me and to live it up with my friends more...that's just how it has to be ;) and yes, i will try to be a better blogger because i know only posting every three weeks sure gets on some people's nerves...heh.
Thursday, January 13, 2005
at least...
Cindy still comes to my blog. I guess I've lost all my readers from non-blogging periods. So, to keep Ms. Bryant from coming over here and gluing my butt down to the chair (kinky!), here goes...
xmas was pretty smooth. everyone liked their gifts. i got new rear brakes for my car and assorted dvds and cds as well as Target gift cards...and even a King Soopers gift card. lois scored with another dvd player, movies, a pump espresso machine, a media tower (i.e., dvd/cd/vhs bookcase), a watch, and a brand spanking new luggage duo (22" and tote).
as for the xmas dinner. that was surprisingly without drama. see, the past three years, it has been at the 'favorite' son's house. no big deal. he's usually a great host, but has a short temper and is known as the martyr of the family. so you get the picture...
also got to see a friend afterwards. Armando and Lisa live a couple miles east of favoriteson. geez, we hadn't seen them in a couple years. Mando was one of my best friends in high school. we double dated, shot pool, and went to concerts together. he moved away during our senior year and i didn't see him again for almost another five years, when he stopped by the house while on leave from the Navy. well, we had lost touch for another decade when he found me through his wife's classmates.com account. so, we've been in touch for the last three years...way cool. he was definitely a keeper as friends go ;)
it was great to catch up with them that night. they have two beautifully behaved kids, Nicholas and Haley. we even got to see their WILD italian greyhound (don't recall his name). whew! that guy is fast! he just whizzes around the house like a roadrunner. it was great fun to hang out and watch the kids try to catch the dog ;) hopefully, we can have them over for dinner this month or next. and they can watch the polar opposite of their dog; a fat, old, female silky terrier ;)
one note: we brought over a candy cane pie that we bought at Village Inn. ugh. don't bother. the cream topping tasted strangely artificial and buttery. and the filling? wa-ay too sweet. picture a whacked out french silk on acid...
off to Vegas the next morning...
remember, when i blogged about getting a cheap 4-night package to the Luxor in late october/early november? well, it was between 12/26 and 12/30 (lois' best friend, Peggy, had a surprise b-day party for her husband, Brian, on the 29th.
it was a bit tough to get up at 4:30 and get ready for our 7:00 flight. usually, if we've got a 6:00 flight to Mexico City, i stay up and sleep on the plane. it was strange to tell ourselves to go to bed early on xmas night...
not too much hassle getting there, with the exception of finding parking. for the past seven years, we've used diavaluepark at 32nd and airport blvd. they're open 24 hours, have both covered and uncovered parking (even though they used to have an indoor heated facility ;( and drop you off right at level five. for about $6-$8 a day, it's a much better deal than paying $15/day for DIA's garage or $5/day for the satellite lots that are a couple miles away and with too few shuttles.
well, the hassle this trip reared its ugly head when we tried showing up without a reservation. we weren't thinking that it was the day after xmas...duh. so, we were turned away at the gate. and the alternative? paying $15/day at the garage or missing our flight while we sought out a space at another parking company.
so...we bit the bullet and parked at the airport. we even got through check-in and security with 30 minutes to spare - whew!
Vegas was great...
got to see my friends, Earlene and Al. they used to live in Denver, but moved to Vegas for the lower altitude; Earlene has pulmonary problems.
shopped at the Aladdin marketplace(?) nice, but jam packed and the decor was too much like the open air shops/eateries/casino at the Paris.
stopped in at the Fashion Show Mall for a dress shirt and a couple ties. THAT mall (next door to the New Frontier) is really nice...and huge. it's like four levels and has 200 stores. a tiring day indeed.
slogged through the rain for a couple days...wotta muddy mess. Vegas actually gets cold and rainy...windy too. it's not a perpetually warm/hot place that people perceive it to be.
found a great Thai restaurant, Lotus of Siam. it's even in Las Vegas' Zagat Survey...which is pretty major.
saw Cirque du Soleil's second newest Vegas production, Zumanity, which is showing at NewYork, NewYork. two words...don't go. of the five Cirque shows that we've seen (Mystere, Dralion, Alegria, and Varekai, are the others), this wasn't that great. stunts weren't spectacular. and the emcee was a drag queen. weird. btw, i have nothing against drag shows, it's just that i would never spend $91.25 for one ;)
the newest Cirque show is at the MGM. it's called KA and tix are $150...right! next time, i'll have to get tix for the Blue Man show or Penn&Teller.
and now to the dinner...FREAKIN' WOW!
it was at Charlie Palmer Steakhouse, which is in the Four Seasons Hotel (within Mandalay Bay). geez! Peggy must've blown a few thousand dollars on this fete. exquisite appetizers, copious amounts of wine (pairings with each course too!), surf and turf (i.e., filet mignon and lobster tail)...with a generous tip, the bill was easily $3000 for our party of 20. and that was after drinks and appetizers earlier in the day at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville...which was $600. must be nice to have money like that to burn...especially on us lushes heh.
god, i wonder what her husband is gonna do for her on her 50th... regardless, consider us there ;)
that's all for now, folks. i promise it won't be another three weeks and a reprimand from Cindy. and cindy, thanks for keeping me in mind...when are we going for philly steaks or pizza?
xmas was pretty smooth. everyone liked their gifts. i got new rear brakes for my car and assorted dvds and cds as well as Target gift cards...and even a King Soopers gift card. lois scored with another dvd player, movies, a pump espresso machine, a media tower (i.e., dvd/cd/vhs bookcase), a watch, and a brand spanking new luggage duo (22" and tote).
as for the xmas dinner. that was surprisingly without drama. see, the past three years, it has been at the 'favorite' son's house. no big deal. he's usually a great host, but has a short temper and is known as the martyr of the family. so you get the picture...
also got to see a friend afterwards. Armando and Lisa live a couple miles east of favoriteson. geez, we hadn't seen them in a couple years. Mando was one of my best friends in high school. we double dated, shot pool, and went to concerts together. he moved away during our senior year and i didn't see him again for almost another five years, when he stopped by the house while on leave from the Navy. well, we had lost touch for another decade when he found me through his wife's classmates.com account. so, we've been in touch for the last three years...way cool. he was definitely a keeper as friends go ;)
it was great to catch up with them that night. they have two beautifully behaved kids, Nicholas and Haley. we even got to see their WILD italian greyhound (don't recall his name). whew! that guy is fast! he just whizzes around the house like a roadrunner. it was great fun to hang out and watch the kids try to catch the dog ;) hopefully, we can have them over for dinner this month or next. and they can watch the polar opposite of their dog; a fat, old, female silky terrier ;)
one note: we brought over a candy cane pie that we bought at Village Inn. ugh. don't bother. the cream topping tasted strangely artificial and buttery. and the filling? wa-ay too sweet. picture a whacked out french silk on acid...
off to Vegas the next morning...
remember, when i blogged about getting a cheap 4-night package to the Luxor in late october/early november? well, it was between 12/26 and 12/30 (lois' best friend, Peggy, had a surprise b-day party for her husband, Brian, on the 29th.
it was a bit tough to get up at 4:30 and get ready for our 7:00 flight. usually, if we've got a 6:00 flight to Mexico City, i stay up and sleep on the plane. it was strange to tell ourselves to go to bed early on xmas night...
not too much hassle getting there, with the exception of finding parking. for the past seven years, we've used diavaluepark at 32nd and airport blvd. they're open 24 hours, have both covered and uncovered parking (even though they used to have an indoor heated facility ;( and drop you off right at level five. for about $6-$8 a day, it's a much better deal than paying $15/day for DIA's garage or $5/day for the satellite lots that are a couple miles away and with too few shuttles.
well, the hassle this trip reared its ugly head when we tried showing up without a reservation. we weren't thinking that it was the day after xmas...duh. so, we were turned away at the gate. and the alternative? paying $15/day at the garage or missing our flight while we sought out a space at another parking company.
so...we bit the bullet and parked at the airport. we even got through check-in and security with 30 minutes to spare - whew!
Vegas was great...
got to see my friends, Earlene and Al. they used to live in Denver, but moved to Vegas for the lower altitude; Earlene has pulmonary problems.
shopped at the Aladdin marketplace(?) nice, but jam packed and the decor was too much like the open air shops/eateries/casino at the Paris.
stopped in at the Fashion Show Mall for a dress shirt and a couple ties. THAT mall (next door to the New Frontier) is really nice...and huge. it's like four levels and has 200 stores. a tiring day indeed.
slogged through the rain for a couple days...wotta muddy mess. Vegas actually gets cold and rainy...windy too. it's not a perpetually warm/hot place that people perceive it to be.
found a great Thai restaurant, Lotus of Siam. it's even in Las Vegas' Zagat Survey...which is pretty major.
saw Cirque du Soleil's second newest Vegas production, Zumanity, which is showing at NewYork, NewYork. two words...don't go. of the five Cirque shows that we've seen (Mystere, Dralion, Alegria, and Varekai, are the others), this wasn't that great. stunts weren't spectacular. and the emcee was a drag queen. weird. btw, i have nothing against drag shows, it's just that i would never spend $91.25 for one ;)
the newest Cirque show is at the MGM. it's called KA and tix are $150...right! next time, i'll have to get tix for the Blue Man show or Penn&Teller.
and now to the dinner...FREAKIN' WOW!
it was at Charlie Palmer Steakhouse, which is in the Four Seasons Hotel (within Mandalay Bay). geez! Peggy must've blown a few thousand dollars on this fete. exquisite appetizers, copious amounts of wine (pairings with each course too!), surf and turf (i.e., filet mignon and lobster tail)...with a generous tip, the bill was easily $3000 for our party of 20. and that was after drinks and appetizers earlier in the day at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville...which was $600. must be nice to have money like that to burn...especially on us lushes heh.
god, i wonder what her husband is gonna do for her on her 50th... regardless, consider us there ;)
that's all for now, folks. i promise it won't be another three weeks and a reprimand from Cindy. and cindy, thanks for keeping me in mind...when are we going for philly steaks or pizza?
Thursday, December 23, 2004
freezin'...
sorry about the eleven day lapse...
my weather pixie says it's -4 degrees right now. and weather.com shows a -15 wind chill.
i do not want to go out. however, it may not be avoidable. see, like a dummy, i haven't finished my xmas shopping. i may go to a couple places in the early morning tomorrow, but i also have the chance to not fight any crowds if i do some late night spending today. Foley's is open 'til midnight and there's usually not that many people if you go there after 9PM when they're doing the 'open late' thing.
damn watch.
i bought a cute watch for lois that has all her 'good watch' qualities: large face, no frilliness/teeny diamonds, and either a stainless steel band (she's allergic to nickel) or leather strap. it's ready to go...not.
of course, i bought the damn thing without tooling around with it. now, had i done that, i would have found out that this 'good' watch has a really shitty pin to adjust the time. it's totally slick and nearly impossible to turn. so...i gotta take it back. sigh
really though, i'm not short that many gifts. just a few. easily doable...for someone motivated ;) it'll get done...even if i have to pay someone else to do it heh.
hope you're all staying warm and entertained because this posting sure ain't curing cold temps or boredom.
see ya.
my weather pixie says it's -4 degrees right now. and weather.com shows a -15 wind chill.
i do not want to go out. however, it may not be avoidable. see, like a dummy, i haven't finished my xmas shopping. i may go to a couple places in the early morning tomorrow, but i also have the chance to not fight any crowds if i do some late night spending today. Foley's is open 'til midnight and there's usually not that many people if you go there after 9PM when they're doing the 'open late' thing.
damn watch.
i bought a cute watch for lois that has all her 'good watch' qualities: large face, no frilliness/teeny diamonds, and either a stainless steel band (she's allergic to nickel) or leather strap. it's ready to go...not.
of course, i bought the damn thing without tooling around with it. now, had i done that, i would have found out that this 'good' watch has a really shitty pin to adjust the time. it's totally slick and nearly impossible to turn. so...i gotta take it back. sigh
really though, i'm not short that many gifts. just a few. easily doable...for someone motivated ;) it'll get done...even if i have to pay someone else to do it heh.
hope you're all staying warm and entertained because this posting sure ain't curing cold temps or boredom.
see ya.
Sunday, December 12, 2004
not hungover...
just parched. PCL's xmas party was last night. luckily, susie's husband was driving, allowing lois and me a bit more imbibing ;)
it was at the downtown hyatt...a couple hundred people...mostly old friends...good food (rare roast beef, chicken, salmon, caesar salad, huge dessert spread) although not as varied as years past.
three bartenders...two were great...the gal in the corner though? poor thing, she may as well have not had arms - she was SO slow :(...AND she had the shortest line!
wTf? what am i doing up at 7 in the a.m. blogging about this stuff? more water and back to bed ;)
we'll continue this chat sometime this afternoon...
it was at the downtown hyatt...a couple hundred people...mostly old friends...good food (rare roast beef, chicken, salmon, caesar salad, huge dessert spread) although not as varied as years past.
three bartenders...two were great...the gal in the corner though? poor thing, she may as well have not had arms - she was SO slow :(...AND she had the shortest line!
wTf? what am i doing up at 7 in the a.m. blogging about this stuff? more water and back to bed ;)
we'll continue this chat sometime this afternoon...
Saturday, December 04, 2004
so full...
i'm about to burst. yep, we finally made the turkey that had been hogging up the freezer for a couple weeks. add some peas, yellow squash, wild rice stuffing, a baked yam, jellied cranberry sauce (my favorite), and you have one happy and stuffed spencer. now, where's the pumpkin pie?
wow. i can't believe that i neglected my blog for more than three weeks. sorry. i know i get into non-blogging funks for a week or two. and i know i've gone three weeks before, but i don't recall going more than that...
well, have any of you started yer holiday cards? unbelievably, i had this year's cards, addressed and ready to fill, prepared immediately after last xmas. i had a few extra boxes of cards and started on them when i took inventory of who returned a card. i know that sounds funny, but after a couple years of sending them to just about everyone in my address book and only getting a percentage reciprocated, i decided to take inventory. there's about three dozen who will be my 'permanent' list. as for the rest, it means i've saved about five minutes of my time and 37 cents postage.
i'm very particular when i write holiday cards. i try to personalize each one to the recipient and talk about the things that are important in their lives as well as the common things that we base our rapport. i abhor nothing more than a generic card that is sent to everyone, detailing the things that the Smiths did this year...ugh...barf. why don't you just blog about it and send us the url? to me, i find it incredibly insensitive and lazy...
so, i did manage to finish about a dozen cards that i'll send out tomorrow. just two dozen more...
they'll hafta wait until tomorrow though...i hear a wedge of pumpkin calling me.
wow. i can't believe that i neglected my blog for more than three weeks. sorry. i know i get into non-blogging funks for a week or two. and i know i've gone three weeks before, but i don't recall going more than that...
well, have any of you started yer holiday cards? unbelievably, i had this year's cards, addressed and ready to fill, prepared immediately after last xmas. i had a few extra boxes of cards and started on them when i took inventory of who returned a card. i know that sounds funny, but after a couple years of sending them to just about everyone in my address book and only getting a percentage reciprocated, i decided to take inventory. there's about three dozen who will be my 'permanent' list. as for the rest, it means i've saved about five minutes of my time and 37 cents postage.
i'm very particular when i write holiday cards. i try to personalize each one to the recipient and talk about the things that are important in their lives as well as the common things that we base our rapport. i abhor nothing more than a generic card that is sent to everyone, detailing the things that the Smiths did this year...ugh...barf. why don't you just blog about it and send us the url? to me, i find it incredibly insensitive and lazy...
so, i did manage to finish about a dozen cards that i'll send out tomorrow. just two dozen more...
they'll hafta wait until tomorrow though...i hear a wedge of pumpkin calling me.
Tuesday, November 09, 2004
somethin' to do...
following cindi's path...albeit a week late ;)
Name THREE of your...
* Pet Peeves: asshole drivers, rude people, the growing cavalier attitude of the general population (howzabout some humility?)
* Favorite Sounds: music, laughter, rustling leaves
* Favorite Flavors of Candy: ANY dark chocolate, gummi bears, reese's peanut butter cups
* Biggest Fears: failure, dying in a fire, health of parents
* Biggest Challenges: fear of failure, procrastination, staying focused
* Favorite Department Stores: Target, Foley's, does BigLots! count?
* Most Used Words: "whatever, you moron"
* Favorite Pizza Toppings: sausage, mushroom, pepperoni
* Favorite Cartoon Characters: Tom & Jerry, Bugs Bunny
* Movies Recently Watched: Bourne Supremacy, Shark Tale, Motorcycle Diaries
* Favorite Fruits: pears, cherries, watermelon
* Favorite Vegetables: corn, peas, carrots
Name THREE of your...
* Pet Peeves: asshole drivers, rude people, the growing cavalier attitude of the general population (howzabout some humility?)
* Favorite Sounds: music, laughter, rustling leaves
* Favorite Flavors of Candy: ANY dark chocolate, gummi bears, reese's peanut butter cups
* Biggest Fears: failure, dying in a fire, health of parents
* Biggest Challenges: fear of failure, procrastination, staying focused
* Favorite Department Stores: Target, Foley's, does BigLots! count?
* Most Used Words: "whatever, you moron"
* Favorite Pizza Toppings: sausage, mushroom, pepperoni
* Favorite Cartoon Characters: Tom & Jerry, Bugs Bunny
* Movies Recently Watched: Bourne Supremacy, Shark Tale, Motorcycle Diaries
* Favorite Fruits: pears, cherries, watermelon
* Favorite Vegetables: corn, peas, carrots
Saturday, November 06, 2004
overrated...
alright cindi, went to Pat's yesterday and was a bit disappointed. food was good, but the prices were a bit high and the guys working the counter were acting like they had much better things to do than serve lowly me a small mushroom and cheese philly. methinks we need to meet at Taste of Philly for our next foodie outing ;)
BigLots is a baa-aad place. you walk in for one thing and end up buying five or six bags of things you 'can't live without.' granted, that often happens wherever you go, but the buying spree is compounded by the lower prices.
ah well, i don't care. i know i can use those 75% off halloween knicknacks...next year. ooh, i did get a box of halloween truffles that were half off. mmm...they're orange. i love chocolate truffles. strange is that the same truffles were being sold in red and green wrappers...as xmas truffles...but remained orange flavored.
what a great day! i wish this weather would stick around for another month. i'm never ready for cold and/or snow. still, i could think of worse places...
oh yeah, we did finally get in a cheapie last night. we caught the last showing of the BourneSupremacy. it was good. plenty of action although some of it was jaw rattling. sometimes it's difficult to watch a movie when the camera is shaking so hard. car chase at the end almost rivals that of the FrenchConnection. sure, i bet there have been some pretty cool ones in recent movies, but this one didn't look like anything was computer generated. then again, they're good at faking that too ;)
ooh, more cheapies. ManchurianCandidate...I,Robot...and Shrek2 again. pass the popcorn.
BigLots is a baa-aad place. you walk in for one thing and end up buying five or six bags of things you 'can't live without.' granted, that often happens wherever you go, but the buying spree is compounded by the lower prices.
ah well, i don't care. i know i can use those 75% off halloween knicknacks...next year. ooh, i did get a box of halloween truffles that were half off. mmm...they're orange. i love chocolate truffles. strange is that the same truffles were being sold in red and green wrappers...as xmas truffles...but remained orange flavored.
what a great day! i wish this weather would stick around for another month. i'm never ready for cold and/or snow. still, i could think of worse places...
oh yeah, we did finally get in a cheapie last night. we caught the last showing of the BourneSupremacy. it was good. plenty of action although some of it was jaw rattling. sometimes it's difficult to watch a movie when the camera is shaking so hard. car chase at the end almost rivals that of the FrenchConnection. sure, i bet there have been some pretty cool ones in recent movies, but this one didn't look like anything was computer generated. then again, they're good at faking that too ;)
ooh, more cheapies. ManchurianCandidate...I,Robot...and Shrek2 again. pass the popcorn.
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
bright lights...
big city.
well, not that huge.
yes, we finalized the plans for our post-xmas trip to Vegas. although it's not one of our usual destinations, it'll be nice to get away and see some friends. if you don't recall, lois' friend, Peggy, has planned a 50th b-day party for her husband at CharliePalmer steakhouse, which is located in the Four Seasons Hotel, right above Mandalay Bay.
and after a week of research and deciding, we got a four night package for $299 through worryfreevacations.com. we'll be staying at the Luxor, which is right next door to Mandalay Bay. i'm glad we settled on the Luxor though. for the money, it was probably the best deal with convenience thrown in. i guess i'll have to stay intrigued with the $175/night specials that occasionally are offered for Treasure Island's Tower Suites...or the Orleans $60/night mini-suites for a bit longer ;)
well, not that huge.
yes, we finalized the plans for our post-xmas trip to Vegas. although it's not one of our usual destinations, it'll be nice to get away and see some friends. if you don't recall, lois' friend, Peggy, has planned a 50th b-day party for her husband at CharliePalmer steakhouse, which is located in the Four Seasons Hotel, right above Mandalay Bay.
and after a week of research and deciding, we got a four night package for $299 through worryfreevacations.com. we'll be staying at the Luxor, which is right next door to Mandalay Bay. i'm glad we settled on the Luxor though. for the money, it was probably the best deal with convenience thrown in. i guess i'll have to stay intrigued with the $175/night specials that occasionally are offered for Treasure Island's Tower Suites...or the Orleans $60/night mini-suites for a bit longer ;)
i wish...
i forgot to tell you about a recent trip to the ATM. a couple weeks ago, before we went to Santa Fe and Monte Vista, Lois and I stopped by what used to be the Bank of Cherry Creek (i don't know its new name) and got some money from their drive up ATM.
well, you know how some people inadvertently leave their receipt. in a hurry...don't want to be bothered with another sheet of paper...etc. during the transaction, i pulled this person's receipt out and handed it to lois - nothing out of sorts - and she put it in my glove compartment.
last week, i was pulling out my trusty film canister of quarters out of the glove box when i came upon the long forgotten receipt. apparently, this person ain't hurtin' for anything. i looked at his/her balance and had to do a double take. whomever has an account ending in 6828 at this bank, has $152,838.39 left. geez, must be nice...
well, you know how some people inadvertently leave their receipt. in a hurry...don't want to be bothered with another sheet of paper...etc. during the transaction, i pulled this person's receipt out and handed it to lois - nothing out of sorts - and she put it in my glove compartment.
last week, i was pulling out my trusty film canister of quarters out of the glove box when i came upon the long forgotten receipt. apparently, this person ain't hurtin' for anything. i looked at his/her balance and had to do a double take. whomever has an account ending in 6828 at this bank, has $152,838.39 left. geez, must be nice...
you cain't always get whatchu want...
and i want that big eared smirking chimp outta office. gawd, we are so screwed... we can only hope that he can't possibly do any worse the next four years. gee, mebbe he can add another zero to that half trillion dollar deficit; seems like the biggest deficit is between those massive ears...fu-uck!
other than that, at least everything else i voted for...passed. i'm really psyched about FasTracks. it's something that we should have tried to implement about ten years ago, when the population started exploding around here. we are in such need of a rapid transit system. i only wish we had some super fast trains like the bullets in japan and europe; riding the train between Madrid and Seville was so cool...and smooth. look at the subway system in mexico city - cheap, fast, and convenient. trust me...in a metropolitan area with about 20 million people, driving is a TOTAL nightmare. their Metro is one of the best things about the city...
hey cindi, what about those Jeffco voters? i cannot believe that they finally came through on the school bonds and mill levies? i bet you had a total sigh of relief this morning when the numbers came out...yay!
best thing about today being the 'day after'...no more freakin' ads. hallelujah! hell yessssssss.
other than that, at least everything else i voted for...passed. i'm really psyched about FasTracks. it's something that we should have tried to implement about ten years ago, when the population started exploding around here. we are in such need of a rapid transit system. i only wish we had some super fast trains like the bullets in japan and europe; riding the train between Madrid and Seville was so cool...and smooth. look at the subway system in mexico city - cheap, fast, and convenient. trust me...in a metropolitan area with about 20 million people, driving is a TOTAL nightmare. their Metro is one of the best things about the city...
hey cindi, what about those Jeffco voters? i cannot believe that they finally came through on the school bonds and mill levies? i bet you had a total sigh of relief this morning when the numbers came out...yay!
best thing about today being the 'day after'...no more freakin' ads. hallelujah! hell yessssssss.
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
where's the line?!?
earlier this afternoon, i took my parents to vote. boy, what luck! there weren't but a few people ahead of them. WTF! when i went to vote early last week, i waited more than two hours!!! of course, it was the first time i voted early. i should've known that the lines would be much shorter today since there are more polling precincts...hee haw.
ah well. at least all those damn campaign ads will go away after today. they were really starting to get on my nerves...three weeks ago! there was just no escaping this mudslinging gala, ugh.
ah well. at least all those damn campaign ads will go away after today. they were really starting to get on my nerves...three weeks ago! there was just no escaping this mudslinging gala, ugh.
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
like...totally
get out there and check out the total lunar eclipse. it'll be the last (total) one until March 2007. it's going to peak from 8:23 PM until 9:45 PM for those of you in the Mountain Time Zone...
gonna be that spooky red color...just in time for Halloween!
gonna be that spooky red color...just in time for Halloween!
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
like a morgue...
in here. sorry about that. you guys didn't miss much anyway ;)
yes, we did go to Santa Fe and returned through Monte Vista. a quick couple days, but well worth it.
on saturday night, Antonio wasn't available so we hung out in the room for a bit and watched a dog show on the telly. i think it was like the Eukanuba nationals or something. geez, it was long - 3 hours. we only watched the first two hours and finally headed out for dinner at Castro's.
ha...right.
before we set out, i checked the phone book for their phone number...(505)438-0146...and address...997 W. Rodeo Rd.
and that's where things went wrong.
i called to see how late they were open - 9PM - giving us roughly 50 minutes. however, trusting the yellow pages listing, i didn't confirm the address, which is really 3512 W. Rodeo Rd.
yep. i drove for nearly twice as long, looking for the wrong address. by the time we called them (and they answered), they were 15 minutes from closing. we relented and ended up eating at a Carrow's (a Denny's type joint with better food) on the way back to the motel.
grrr...of course, i had jotted down the correct address in a notebook that i had brought, but left in the car. talk about adding insult to injury.
so, it wasn't meant to be. the next day, when Antonio returned our call, we found out that Castro's was about a ten minute drive from the motel. we even passed by it! but look at the numbers...Rodeo Rd. runs east/west, so we were looking for the restaurant on the north side, since it ended in an odd number...when its location is on the south side of the road (3512). ah well, Antonio told us that it still may have been hard to find because they don't always have their sign on...
even screwier is that Yahoo! has Castro's listed at the incorrect address as well. i found the correct address before we left...on Mapquest.
anyway, we did hang out with Antonio for a few hours on Sunday. he stopped by the room and we chatted for about an hour before we headed to Guadelupe Cafe (since Castro's is closed on Sundays), in downtown Santa Fe. not as good though, even though you would think so since we waited a half hour for a table. the red chile, while HOT as hell, didn't have much depth. it was just extremely garlicky and pure fire.
Cindi, we did pass by yer favorite place though. Antonio said he had never been to Tecolote's, but that he'd try it and update me ;)
yes, we did go to Santa Fe and returned through Monte Vista. a quick couple days, but well worth it.
on saturday night, Antonio wasn't available so we hung out in the room for a bit and watched a dog show on the telly. i think it was like the Eukanuba nationals or something. geez, it was long - 3 hours. we only watched the first two hours and finally headed out for dinner at Castro's.
ha...right.
before we set out, i checked the phone book for their phone number...(505)438-0146...and address...997 W. Rodeo Rd.
and that's where things went wrong.
i called to see how late they were open - 9PM - giving us roughly 50 minutes. however, trusting the yellow pages listing, i didn't confirm the address, which is really 3512 W. Rodeo Rd.
yep. i drove for nearly twice as long, looking for the wrong address. by the time we called them (and they answered), they were 15 minutes from closing. we relented and ended up eating at a Carrow's (a Denny's type joint with better food) on the way back to the motel.
grrr...of course, i had jotted down the correct address in a notebook that i had brought, but left in the car. talk about adding insult to injury.
so, it wasn't meant to be. the next day, when Antonio returned our call, we found out that Castro's was about a ten minute drive from the motel. we even passed by it! but look at the numbers...Rodeo Rd. runs east/west, so we were looking for the restaurant on the north side, since it ended in an odd number...when its location is on the south side of the road (3512). ah well, Antonio told us that it still may have been hard to find because they don't always have their sign on...
even screwier is that Yahoo! has Castro's listed at the incorrect address as well. i found the correct address before we left...on Mapquest.
anyway, we did hang out with Antonio for a few hours on Sunday. he stopped by the room and we chatted for about an hour before we headed to Guadelupe Cafe (since Castro's is closed on Sundays), in downtown Santa Fe. not as good though, even though you would think so since we waited a half hour for a table. the red chile, while HOT as hell, didn't have much depth. it was just extremely garlicky and pure fire.
Cindi, we did pass by yer favorite place though. Antonio said he had never been to Tecolote's, but that he'd try it and update me ;)
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