Short List Of Reasons To Live.

This week was kinda tough people.

I'm like a sponge... I absorb whatever energy is flowing around me. And this week, there was a lot of bad energy flowing around. I have several friends on the verges of break-ups in their relationships. Work was immensely high-energy and busy this week; as well as peppered with woes. I am tired. I am sore. And until an hour ago, I was caffeine deprived. (I caved and got a cappuccino with a shot of espresso in it. Everything in moderation.)

So, in honor of a crappy week, I feel I need to script a short list of reasons to live. Here they are:

1. I start my 30-day Bikram yoga challenge tomorrow.
2. The Husband and I are trying the new restaurant in our neighborhood, banQ.
3. I get to spend a some time in Bed Bath and Beyond picking out some new sheets.
4. I may start my Spring Cleaning this weekend.
5. There's a Bacon Eating Contest tomorrow, and I am looking forward to hearing how much the winner eats.
6. There's only five more full days till the finale of Project Runway airs.
7. Sophie Kinsella has a new book out. I have to get it.

That's enough for now.

"That's Just Disrespectful To Bacon."

In case you haven't heard, Atwood's in Inman Square is having their 2nd Annual Bacon Eating Contest tomorrow.

I was intrigued by this, and sent the information for the contest to my co-workers and boss this afternoon.

Now, Mr. Sports (my boss) refuses to eat any animal ass. No roast. No ham. (Or so he alleges.) But he LOVES bacon.

"How much did last year's winner eat?" he inquired.

"I think it said seven ounces," one of my co-workers recalled.

"No way!" I said. And Mr. Sports agreed with me. "That's like half a package of bacon. That's nothing."

So I went to Google and researched last year's contest. Turns out, the winner only ate 6.5 ounces in 5 minutes. We were all shocked.

"That's just disrespectful to bacon!" I exclaimed.

And really, it is. If you are a true lover of bacon, you need to be able to take down more than that in five minutes. Don't you think?

LOST: Best Damn Episode, Possibly Ever.

How awesome was last night's episode of LOST?

I'll answer for you... "It was unbelievably, incredibly, super-duper awesome!"

I can't even pinpoint exactly why this episode was do good. Maybe because it moved the storyline along in an action-packed and trippy kind of way? I mean, do the writers of this show have physics degrees? It's insane...

Tackling a topic like time travel can't be easy. There are so many loopholes you have to be aware of, and also be prepared to answer for. And happy was I when Desmond made his call to Penny at the end? It was so hopeful.

If you didn't get to watch the episode last night, go to ABC.com and download it to watch for free. This is such a great TV show. I've been watching since the first episode premiered 3.5 years ago.

Who Is Advising This Guy?

I've always thought Bushie was a moron. But I figured on some key issues, he at least had intelligent people advising him and keeping him up to date. But I guess the economy isn't one of those things...

Why? Well, because the President refuses to admit that the country's economic situation is "bleak."

"I'm concerned about the economy," he said. "I don't think we're headed to recession. But no question, we're in a slowdown."

Then, when asked about the news that gasoline costs could rise to $4 a gallon this summer (which is something I read two days ago), the President said, "That's interesting. I hadn't heard that. ... I know it's high now."

Why is he not up to speed on an issue (like gas prices) that directly affects consumers?

I sent the article I found on MSNBC to The Husband, and his response was:

"I will actually defend him on this. A President can never say we are headed into a recession. He/she needs to be the biggest cheerleader for the economy and must seem confident in its prospects (whether they believe it or not)."

Which is so true. But still...

I guess I am just so used to calling a "spade" a "spade" that I don't believe in sugar-coating or "cheerleading." Say what you mean. And do your best to mean what you say.

Otherwise, I will betch slap* you.

*Not really. I haven't betch slapped someone since Danielle Purcell in the 7th grade. It was after a cheerleading session for our school's basketball team. She called me a "bitch" during the game, under her breath. (I was captain of the cheerleaders, and she didn't like some decision I had made.)

So I felt entitled to walk up to her after the game (in the locker room) and say, "I heard you called me a bitch." Then I slapped her - hard. "If you ever call me that again, you'll get more than a slap."

She ran out of the locker room crying. Really though... She should have fought back. She could have taken me. She out-weighed me by like 15 pounds.

It's All In Your Ass.

I'm only moderately sore today... I know I will be painfully sore tomorrow.

Why?

Because I am a masochist.

I decided to go to a Core Fusion class last night at Exhale. (Those classes really, REALLY work your bum. After just a few repetitions of an exercise, your thighs and ass are burning.) During the class, the instructor (who also teaches PranaVayu yoga at Equinox) was instructing us to "lock down" our core.

It took me a few minutes to figure out what she meant... But the easiest way, I learned, to lock it down is "just squeeze your ass muscles."

Then, that got me thinking about my Pilates instructor. (Well, not about him. More about the instruction I get.) He, too, tells me to "engage" my core muscles during our sessions. And by that, he also means, "just squeeze your ass muscles."

Then, this morning, I was working out with my physical trainer. She decided to give me MUCH heavier weights to work with today.

"We're gonna do basic exercise, but you're going to be lifting much heavier weight," she told me. "So you're going to have to pull your navel to your spine, and use your core."

"You know," I told her, "Why don't you just say, 'squeeze your ass muscles?' Because that's actually what you want me to do - in addition to pulling my navel to my spine."

She laughed.

"Yep," she said. "The butt muscles are the most under-used muscles. Everything you do outside of our workouts really goes the opposite way of the butt muscles. Especially when you're sitting at a desk all day. It's really important to engage them to strengthen your back and the rest of your body."

So ass will be really sore tomorrow. And so will my upper back muscles. And my biceps. And Triceps. And shoulders.

And I pay for all this torture?

Project Runway: A Hairy Situation.

I'm so happy Rami made it into the final three for Project Runway. I liked Chris's designs during the season... But his collection for the runway really creeped me out. Human hair???



Um, no thanks.

But Rami's pieces were divine.



I still think Christian is going to take the whole thing in next week's finale.



I can't wait!

It's A Sturdy Coat Tree.

I finally got around to finding a coat tree I like.

After nearly a year of searching, I finally found one on Overstock.com that looked like it would suffice.

And now, here it is, in my living room... Holding winter coats.



It's the simple things in life that make me happiest. A coat tree... Sunny days... Baths... And Scrabulous... (Which really isn't simple... But it does make me happy.)

What I'm Craving Now: McQueen Skull Print Scarf.

"There's nothing chicer than a black suit with a skull scarf."

These beautiful words were spoken by Writer M, a co-worker. We were out one recent Saturday afternoon and found ourselves in Barney's. We were checking out the scarves and cames across a collection of McQueen skull scarves.

And I while I am an incredible sucker for skulls, I couldn't bring myself to purchase one. Though, I am still craving them... Especially after seeing this magenta one over at Net-a-Porter.



A-dorable!

Starbucks: THE Place To Meet People?

I decided to pop into Starbucks this morning for a DECAF cappuccino. Last night, all Starbucks were closed from 5:30pm to 8:30pm for training. So I wanted to stop in today and see if there were any changes. There were.

I got my cappuccino about five minutes after I ordered it. And this is much better than yesterday... Because I waited around for 10 minutes yesterday. But while standing in line, there was a woman and man (not a couple) having a discussion...

"My new book is actually going to be about how Starbucks is the only place to meet new people," said the woman.

"Do people meet new people in Starbucks?" asked the guy. "What about bars?"

"No one meets in bars," said the woman, confidentially and arrogantly. "When you go to a bar, all you do is talk to your friends that you are there with."

"I met Allison at a bar," said the guy. (I don't know who Allison is.. But it's obviously someone he met at a bar and is still with.)

"Yeah," said the woman. "But that was 'back in the day.'"

I don't think I've ever met new friends at Starbucks. When I go there, I'm in and out as quickly as possible. And at the Starbucks in the South End, it's damn near impossible to get a table most of the time. So I don't agree with the woman that Starbucks is the "only place" to meet good people.

And another thing... I met my husband at a bar. It was January 2001. I was drunk from being at another bar. And about two years later we were engaged. And another year and a half after that, we were married. And now, we've been married nearly four years. And the only thing we fight about (ever, really) is that he sometimes chews too loudly for me.

So I do think bars can be a good place to meet new people. But it just depends on what kind of a bar you are at. And sure, Starbucks can probably be a good place to meet people too... I mean, The Husband and I did have our first date at a Starbucks.

I still think that woman writing the book is a bit of a bitch though.

The Devil (Was Supposed To) Wear Weitzman.

Let me just start with, "I loved the film 'Juno.'" It was a very enjoyable film. I know no one who didn't like it.

But you know what (or, rather, whom) I don't like? I don't think I like Diablo Cody, the writer of Juno.

Apparently "el Diablo" got herself in a tizzy prior to the Oscars when she found out shoe designer Stuart Weitzman was using her for free publicity.

See, Diablo Cody was one of the Academy Awards attendees that was asked to wear a $1 million pair of shoes designed by Stuart Weitzman. And she was upset (and refused to wear the shoes) when she realized that Stuart Weitzman (the brand) gave them to her in hopes that she would be asked about them on the red carpet.

Does she not understand how the whole "perks" thing works in Hollywood? Seriously?

See, Diablo, when designers give you (or let you borrow) free shit they expect to get some publicity out of it. Likely, it's publicity that takes no effort on your part to gain. So why are you bitching?

"Cajones" Versus "Cojones."

Last week sometime (can't recall which day exactly), we got a Staples delivery in the office.

One of the things on the list was an extra mobile filing cabinet. The spare box was tucked away near a desk, with the intention of only being taken out when someone needed a new filing cabinet. However...

While walking by the box last week, I noticed the printing on the box was written in Espanol. Now, despite having a father who's first language was Spanish, and despite growing up in a town so close to Mexico that illegal border crossers are captured every few days; I know no Espanol. (Nothing more than "Dónde está el bebé?") But something written in Espanol caught my eye...



"Why does it say 'cajones' on that there box?" I asked, with my voice piercing the silent office of 20 people. "Doesn't that mean 'balls'?"

People began to laugh. But I was serious. I mean, the box does in fact say "cajones" on it. Turns out, though, that with this spelling, it means "drawers." Not "balls." "Balls" in Spanish is (are?) "cojones."

We put that discussion to rest, thinking that it was done. Till today...

My boss, Mr. Sports, came back from a trip today. He was gone all last week, and missed out on all the "cojones" talk. He too walked by the box today, and pointed out to us that it read "cajones" on it.

So we had the discussion all over again.

Sometimes, it's good to circle back to topics... It was reassuring to know that I wasn't the only one who spotted the "cajones." I'm not the only sick-minded one.

Cake Of The Week: Chocolate Ecstasy!

Woohoo! Finally!

The weekly cake arrived here in the office a little while ago. And we finally were sent the Chocolate Ecstasy Cake!



I must confess... I lasted a whole 2.5 days on my detox. I had to cave for chocolate. (And chicken soup!)

This is the best cake so far. I punched it a few times in honor of my stressful day yesterday.*

I wish every cake of the week could be Chocolate Ecstasy Cake.

*In the weekly "Cake of the Week" series, no actual harm comes to the cakes from my physically punching it.

Weekly Poll: The Taxes Are Done!

Wow!

I always thought The Husband and I were uber organized about getting our taxes done quickly... But it seems like we're not the only ones. Most of you, 56% in fact, have gotten them done already.

Good for you!

A new poll is up... And it was born from my detox attempt for this week. I want to know what would be the easiest thing for you to give up in your diet?: wheat, gluten, dairy, sugar, caffiene or alcohol

Detoxing...

My head hurts so much right now. I don't know if it's from staring at obscene amounts of data all day, or if it's just from the lack of caffiene.

Ugh.

Boston.com: Can't Distinguish Between Neighorhoods.

I'm in total bitch mode today... Between everything I have to do, the piece of shit computer problems I am having today and the detoxing... I am a tour de force bitch today. (So deal with it people!)

But right now, I'd like to direct my bitch-tasticness towards this headline from Boston.com...



Newsflash Boston.com... Aria ain't in the South End. It's in the Theater District. It says so right on their site. But in case you don't know the difference, I decided to quickly put together a map of the area for you...



I mean... I know my neighborhood (The South End) has had it's fair share of shootings and muggings and what-not lately... But I would appreciate it if, Boston.com, you could at least get your information correct.

NOT ALL NEWS-WORTHY CRIMES HAPPEN IN THE SOUTH END, SOUTHIE, ROXBURY, WEST ROXBURY OR DORCHESTER. SOME DO HAPPEN DEEP IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN.

Mother Fucking Technology.

Busy, busy, busy, busy, busy morning. Have to do eight million things... And my computer is being a total dickweed.

Simply said, "I hate PCs. They suck Paris Hilton's ass... And let's be honest... Who knows where that's been."

P.S. This probably isn't the week to be going without caffeine and sugar. But oh fucking well.

Space And The House.

Because I have been without any true source of caffeine pulsing through my body in the past few days, I crashed last night. Seriously, I went to bed about 7:45pm... And didn't really get back up till 9am today.

I was tired.

But, all that rest really helped me log some serious REM sleep. And serious REM sleep means serious dream activity. I had two separate dreams last night...

The first one was me in a space ship. I was in outer space, in a small ship by myself. I was supposed to fire something from my shop to a star millions of miles away. If I didn't accomplish this task, something bad was going to happen. I didn't know what... But it had something to do with human life.

In my dreams though, I never have any fear. I was able to hit the star, no problem.

The second dream I had was a mix of different things... It started off with me sitting at a desk. A long desk. My co-workers were sitting next to me. We were working, and I see a huge hot air balloon with jet engines on it float by.

The next thing, I am in a big house. It's a beautiful house. It's a house I have dreamt about many times before. I know all the short cuts and secret places in the house. And I have to go to the bathroom. So I run to the bathroom to go, and when I get there and sit down on the toilet, I only go a little. I look over in the bathtub and see the bathtub filled with water. And then I notice there's a man in there, under the water. It looks as if he's drowned. But his eyes suddenly open, and I yank him out of the water.

"You're Jonathan!" I say to him. "Why are you trying to drown yourself!"

"It's 'Jon,'" he said. "I was just resting. Not drowning."

Then, I go to another part of the house. It's a closet. In the closet is a bookshelf. I start to climb up the bookshelf. That's when I notice on every shelf are flat boxes that all read my first and last name on them. I open on of the boxes while climbing the shelf. Inside it is another shelf that I could put into the bookshelf, if needed.

I don't need them though. There are plenty of shelves for me to climb up. I get to the top of the bookshelf and see a small opening into the attic. I know that I can climb through the opening. But, I see a delicate spider web covering the opening. And a small spider. And for some reason, I am freaked out.

"I can't disturb that spider!" I decide. So I decide against climbing through the opening.

Extremely weird, huh? But, believe it or not, the symbolism behind the two dreams relate to each other.

The space ship, star and space all relate to creativity and independent thinking. So my brain is telling me there is a lot more I can be contributing to the world with my creativity. (I personally think this blog is a good start. But I guess it's not enough.)

The hot air balloon, the house, attic, book shelf, bathtub of water and going to the bathroom all are representations of my spiritual mind and my soul... And my quest for spiritual fulfillment... The releasing and cleansing of my body for spiritual fulfillment. However, the spider web and the spider blocking my entrance to the attic represent a blockage. For some reason, I am either not ready or not allowed to enter the next phase of my spiritual path in life.

What I'm Craving Now: Marc Jacobs Nix Check Dress.

I an on the hunt for a new dress. Why? No reason in particular. But I had a vision recently of me wearing a one-shoulder dress... But I can't seem to find one online that I like.

So far, the only thing I have been able to find to satiate my craving is the Marc Jacobs Nix Check Dress.



Gorgeous, yes? But I just am not sold yet. I really do want a one-shoulder dress.

I'll keep looking for now.

Tea Time!

I have had no caffiene today. No coffee. No espresso. No diet cokes. All I have had today is pomegranate green tea and water. And I am quite proud of this.

And now, I am settling down for afternoon tea to drink some more.



I could soon be ready for a small cat-nap at my desk.

God Bless VPN.

I got up at 6:45am today. I showered. Fixed my hair. Put on my make-up. (Did a really good job with my eyelashes.) Got dressed. (Marc Jacobs' Wranglers, Vince Cardigan, White J. Crew Tee, Uggs.)

Then I ate some breakfast and looked at my mobile. A co-worker sent me a message...



I logged into my work computer while listening to the weather report. Turns out it is supposed to start snowing heavily at noon and go through the evening commute.

Now, I don't live far from work at all. On nice days I walk. Or I can take the 43 bus or the Orange line to get there. But I have VPN on my laptop. So that means I can log in and work from anywhere. And I really just didn't want to have to deal with the idea of going into work and then trying to figure out when to leave to get home at a reasonable time in the snow.

So I decided to stay home and work. And you know what I discovered????

My wireless connection at home is faster than it is in the office!!!!!

I was able to do what it takes me 45 minutes to do in the office (which includes having to connect to remote servers) in about 25 minutes.

So I don't feel bad about working from home today.

Bikram 30-Day: How To Prepare.

Someone left me a comment this evening on a post I did last year. They wanted to know how I prepared myself for a Bikram yoga 30-day challenge. And I figured that since I am starting one the Saturday after next, this would be a timely post to do.

The first time I did a Bikram yoga 30-day challenge, I quit my job. I know... That's extreme. And to be honest, I didn't intend to quit it right away. (I gave two month's notice and they refused to accept it. Dumbasses.) But it actually ended up being the best thing. I was able to move on with my life right away. And one of the ways I moved on was to just throw myself into a 30-day challenge.

However, I do not recommend that approach to most people.

So what do I recommend? Well, here you go...

1. Start training yourself NOW how to take down plenty of water before class. Yes, it takes training to learn how to drink lots of water... If you're not used to it. Start with eight classes a day. Then try and get that up to 12. STOP drinking water about an hour and a half before class. (Otherwise, your body could still be processing the water when class starts. And you'll have to leave to pee.)
2. Plot out when you are going to go each day. Seriously... You gotta schedule the classes in to your day before you start the challenge. If you think you can't get to class right after work on week days, then try to shoot for morning classes.
3. Make sure you get plenty of sleep during the challenge.
4. Get a bikini wax. Seriously. If you like to wear short-shorts, just make a clean start with your "maintenance." And you won't have to worry about razor burn.

Now, those are my suggestions for "how you should prepare." Here are things that I think you should expect when you are doing a 30-day...

1. Expect to feel overwhelmed on day one. You'll be half-way through class and realize, "Shit! I still have 29 and a half classes to get through!" But you shall go on... And by day 14 you realize, "I'm almost halfway through! I can totally go another 16 days! Why give up now?"
2. Expect to feel really exhausted by about class 11 or 12. I remember on my 12th day during the first challenge (I've done three), the teacher asked me what was wrong at the start of class. "I'm so exhausted!" I said. He said, "Yes. That happens halfway through. In about three days, you'l be full of energy though." AND HE WAS SO RIGHT!
3. Expect to not practice in the same space every day. Switch it up! If you are normally a front, far-left corner kind of person, switch it up and stand front and center... You know, where it's ridiculously warmer. This will challenge you even more.
4. Expect your clothes to smell like the Bikram studio even when you're not in there.

Because this is will be my fourth challenge (in a year and a half), I am going to prepare before I start it with the following:

1. Giving up caffeine. I did well today. I drank only a Diet Coke, at lunch. But other than that, I only had water. So I don't "need" coffee.
2. Detox Diet! On Monday (six days before I start the challenge) I will avoid: wheat, gluten, dairy, alcohol, meat, chocolate, sugar... So what can I eat? Fruits, veggies, herbal teas, complex carbs (brown rice), rice milk, nuts... I wanto detox and cleanse my body before I start the challenge.
3. Sleep. All I plan to do when I get home each evening next week is get to bed by 9pm.

I'm looking forward to this!

Hmm... Bone Marrow-y Goodness.

I totally bagged on going to Bikram yoga last night. I had to... I couldn't get out of work in time for class.

So at 5:15pm, when I was still sitting at my desk digging through data, a co-worker reminded me that a few people were going to No. 9 Park for cocktails.

"You in?" she asked.

"Sure!" I said. "Why not? But I can't stay long."

If you've never been to No. 9 Park, there's one thing you need to know before you go... The food is fantastic. And it is hard to go there for "just a drink." The cocktails and wine list are excellent... But the food is just phenomenal. And on they have a $45 prix-fixed bar menu... And it's incredibly well-put together.

I started with something I had never tried before... Bone marrow. Now, when I ordered it, I figured it would just be one bone and some toast. But nope... That's not what I got.



I know it's a really blurry picture... But they served me THREE huge bones. I could only get through one of them. Bone marrow is super rich-tasting. Delicious, but rich. I don't think I'll ever order it again.... Because what you're eating looks like a meat jelly, and you have to dig it out of the center of the bone with a spoon... The scraping of the spoon against the bone's inside was creepy. (Sorry all you vegetarians! My apologies!)

After the marrow, I had some pasta bolgenese... Which is always a classic. Then for dessert I got a chocolate croquant, which was served with star anise ice cream.

Very yummy.

However, I am super tired today. I was out till after 11pm, and I had to get up at 5am to meet my trainer at 6am today. But No. 9 Park is always a lovely treat. And so worth it.

"Where've You Been?"

Sorry guys!

I know my postings have been on the light-side this month. Work has been super busier lately. (For good reasons.) So at the end of the day, if I can manage to find the energy after a workout, I blog. But I haven't had a whole lot of energy lately. The work day drains me... Then my workout drains me. Then all I want to do is go home and sleep.

Should be getting back to my usual schedule in a few days. Though, I will be starting my 30-day yoga challenge in about a week and a half. So who knows what my energy will look like then.

Cake Of The Week: Cinnamon Sour Cream Cake.

I got to work this morning to see the brown shipping box the cake comes in on my desk.

Yay!

I guess because of President's Day (which I didn't take off), the shipping and mail schedule is all screwy.

This week's cake is one we have had before... Cinnamon Sour Cream cake.



This one is a favorite of everyone in the office. It's quite tasty. I had a small slice with my decaf coffee this morning.

Cake and coffee! The breakfast of winners and win-lessers!

(I punched the cake good this morning. A nice solid "one-two" to the top of it. As you can see, no damage was done.)

Raven Mckenzie Jeans!

Oh how I am loving my new Raven Mckenzie jeans!



I've worn them like three times in the past week and a half. Inky dark... Comfy... Pant legs not too wide...

These jeans are supreme.

No Cake Yet!

Hmm...

It's damn near 1pm, and so far, there is no sign of this week's office cake.

I'm a little worried that we might not be getting them anymore. And that would be a major bummer... As part of the highlight of each week for is getting to punch the cake.

I'll keep you posted. Keep your fingers crossed that it arrives today. Otherwise, I may have to start punching other things.

Al's State Street Cafe.

I've worked here in downtown for over a year now. Prior to working down here, I lived across the street for two years (from 2003 to 2005). In the time that I have had downtown Boston as part of my life, I never once knew about Al's State Street Cafe... Until last week.

Such a dilemma I face each day at work! Around 11:15am, I begin to wonder what I should get for lunch. If it's too cold out, I walk just down the street to the McDonald's for a Happy Meal. And if it's not too cold, I walk to the Asshole Convention for some soup. And if it's really not too cold out, I'll wander over to Quincy Marketplace and search for some food. However, The Husband (who apparently has been frequenting Al's for years) told me about Al's.

"You can get a sandwich, bag of chips and a soda for less than $6," he informed me.

"Why have you never shared this information with me before?" I demanded to know.

He didn't know why. But I went there last Friday to try a sandwich. I got the State Street Special... And it cost me $4.50. And it was a huge sandwich. (Here's a tip if you go there: The small sandwiches are large. Don't order a large unless you are looking to save half of it.)

Some co-workers have tried Al's now too, because I told them about it. They seemed really pleased, though they didn't appreciate the "barking service" they got.

See, if you go into Al's anytime after 11:45am, you better have your shit together. It's kind of like the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld. You go in, you tell them what you want right away. About 15 seconds later, you have your sandwich. You pay the nice lady at the register (who genuinely wishes you a "nice day") and then you get the fuck out of the joint. They like to move people in and out of there as quickly as possible. If you don't follow these instructions... Or if you pause, not knowing what you want, then they start to get mad at you.

So, if you want to go there, I recommend you look at the online menu before venturing out. The sandwiches are tasty and cheap, as well as quick.

Weekly Poll: It Takes A Woman To Stimulate...

... The economy. Or so you voters feel. You voted that Hillary Clinton was the Presidential candidate most prepared to deal with the economy.

One person left a comment this past week that pretty much said, "Doesn't the Fed control the economy?"

The answer to that is, "No. Sort of."

The Federal Reserve controls interest rates. In order to help stimulate the economy, they lower rates. However, this is a short-term thing.

The reason why the President matters to the economy is because they need to know how to balance trade policy, tax policy, and spending policy. These three things are critical in dealing with an economy.

Trade policy is dealing with other countries; import-export taxes, and regulations around trade with other countries. Tax policy deals the how much the government takes from you. Taxes can stimulate or stall the economy. Spending policy is how the government spends the money they take from you. Experience is needed to ensure American voters that there will be responsible and wise spending.

New poll is up for this week. Non-political though.

Rain , Sliced Thumb & Bugs.

I think I may pack it up and work from home today.

While on my way to work (and yes, I do have to work today), I sliced my thumb while trying to close my umbrella. And if you are in the Boston-area, you know how ridiculously warm and rainy it is today. (Sixty degrees and windy-rainy? This is Winter?)

Then, once I got to work... We discovered more huge ass bugs in the ladies room. Four dead ones... And one live one, which we saw scurry under the toilet.

I am dying for a pee. But I am too afraid to leave myself vulnerable to a live roach.

Coffee? You Lose!

What is with me? I can NOT seem to tolerate coffee lately.

Each time I have gone to drink a cup in the past few days, my tummy ends up hurting... It feels "full" all of a sudden. And then I feel like puking.

I have concluded it must be the magic dolls.

But I will not be giving them up. I must weigh my options... Coffee? Or clear skin? Coffee? Or clear skin?

Sorry. Clear skin wins. Coffee loses.

Time For Another 30-Day Challenge?

Yes... I think it maybe time for another 30-Day Bikram yoga challenge.

The last one I did was in August/September 2007. And now with some of the craziness at work finally died down (a reason why I haven't posted much this past week), I think it is time to head back to the studio and spend some quality time in prayer/meditation.

March would be the perfect time for me to do this too... I have no travel planned. The Husband will be out of town sporadically for about two weeks in March... So I will have time. And work (hopefully) won't be too crazy.

I think it is a good habit (for a yoga novice like myself) to do at least two 30-day challenges a year. Sure, every piece of workout clothing you own ends up smelling like a Bikram yoga studio... But your body just gets tuned back with the spirit. They reconnect. I mean, whenever I do a 30-day challenge, the following happens:

1. By the end, I have so much energy.
2. I sleep better than I have in months prior.
3. I eat better. (Or suffer the consequences in class, by feeling like I am going to puke.)
4. I dream more vividly.

And I just feel so accomplished after I hit day 30. Anyone else feel up to the challenge? I begin Saturday, March 1st. And I end Sunday, March 30th.

Pigalle: The Best Upscale Place In Boston.

Seriously... Could I have had a more luxurious dining experience than what I had at Pigalle tonight?

It had been over a year and a half since I last dined at Pigalle. Eating there is insanely expensive... But so worth it. The Husband joked that we could now "not afford the flat screen LCD TV we want to buy" after eating there. (At least, I think he was joking.)

Pigalle is what most restaurants should strive to be (most "upscale" ones, anyway)... The food was superb. The service refined and attentive. The atmosphere had a good energy. The restaurant was not crowded, but not dead, for our 7:30pm reservation. No one rushed us through our meal. The portions were resonably sized... Nothing ridiculously big.

And, of course, there was dessert.

I had, what is probably, the best dessert I have had ever... In my life. It was a chocolate molten cake with coffee ice cream and a strawberry gelee. It was warm an tasty. And I "shared" it with The Husband. (Though he only got about four bites before I commandeered the plate. Seriously though... It's chocolate. WARM chocolate. WITH ice cream. He's lucky he got what he got.)

It was a wonderful Valenetine's Day treat, to go there. Hopefully we will be able to get there again before we move to Toronto in 2009. If you're ever looking for an incredibly tasty and romantic meal, Pigalle is a great place to go.

Keith Olbermann Is On My List.

If you don't know which list I am referring to, you need watch an episode of friends from 1996.

Why do I love Keith Olbermann?

Because of this:


(It is a long clip... But so good to watch.)

I saw it last night while watching his show. Keith calls Bush a "facist." Love it. LOVE IT!

Project Runway: It's Four Who Are "In."

Holy cow!

I have to say... In last night's episode, Christian totally rocked out.



He is the best, no question about it I have thought so since the beginning of the season.

I did like Jillian's outfit too...



And Chris's wasn't that bad...



But Rami...



and Sweet P...



... were disasters.

Personally, I thought Rami should have been sent packing with Sweet P, based on last night's challenge. But, after having gotten a sneak peak of the runway show during fashion week, I am quite certain that it was he who made it to the the final three.

My vote, however, is that it will be Christian who takes it all. So much talent (and cockiness) there. I heart him so much.

V-Day Flowers!

Lucky girl that I am... I've gotten flowers from two different men this morning!

The first one was a long-stem red rose from my work building's doorman. But he gave them to all the ladies in the building. (Not the men though... Which garnered cries of "How sexist!" from the men in the office. Can't really blame them.) And then I got a really nice floral arrangement from The Husband.



Yay Valentine's Day!

I've Gained Lots Of Muscle!

I had a fitness "check-in" with the trainer this morning. That just means that before we do our workout, she pinches me with the body composition pinchers to see how much fat versus how much muscle I have. And boy have I gained some muscle!

My weight hasn't changed much since I started working out with her nine months ago. To be honest, I haven't changed my eating habits (not that I have tried, because I haven't)... I just wanted to get into the habit of working out.

You know... Being able to get up each day and say to myself, "Time to go workout!" That was my goal. And now, between yoga, pilates and training.. I workout about seven times a week.

"This is excellent," exclaimed my trainer. "This means when you do decide to change your eating habits, any weight you don't want is going to drop off much quicker."

"Why is that?" I asked.

"Because you've built up so much muscle, which in turn raises your metabolism," she explained. "So if you do switch to focusing on proteins and carbohydrates (good ones), your body is going to burn through them more efficiently and weight will drop."

She also added that if I had adjusted my eating habits at the beginning of our training, the weight would not have come off quickly.

"You need to build up muscle to efficiently and more permanently keep weight off," she said.

It all makes sense to me. I'll have to figure out what I am going to adjust the habits to though.

Since she realized how much progress I had made on the muscle-creation, she decided it was time to kick the training session up a notch... This meant heavier weights and more aerobic "bursts" between each weight exercise.

So today, I got to jump rope and do a mountain-climber type exercise in addition to switching to 20 and 22 pound weights.

I am a weight-training machine. But you won't see me downing protein shakes... Not ever.

Yay fitness!

I Love iPod Touch!

My last post was done via my new iPod Touch, which I went and picked up this evening (along with some Taco Bell) from the Cambridgeside Galleria.

Here's a picture of me approving a comment left by Legally Brunette just a little while ago!



This thing is so cool. I just can't say enough cool things about it. And I happen to LOVE that it does NOT have a phone. Why? Well, because I prefer email. I never use my phone. (In fact, I can't seem to locate my phone right now. I think I left it at work.)

iPod Touch.

This is me posting from my new iPod touch. 

No Stimulus For Me. :(

The stimulus package was approved today. Bushie signed off on it. Yay! Well, actually, "Yay" for everyone else. "Boo!" for me. Apparently there will be no stimulating of my package.

Why?

Well, here's how the stimulus package breaks down:

• The majority of individuals will receive $600.
• The majority of couples will receive $1200.
• If you got a kid, it's $300 PER CHILD that you get back.
• If you make at least $3000 and owe little or no taxes, you get $300 for singles and $600 for couples.

But, if you make $75k or more as a single OR $150k or more as a couple, you don't get shit. Well, you do get something... But it's $50 LESS per $1000 OVER that $75k or $150k limit. The Husband and I will get nothing back though. I've already calculated it out.

So no one in the U.S. government will be stimulating my package. Or The Husband's. Or many people living in Boston, I imagine.

I Love My New Dolls.

A poem off the top of my head...

Oh magical dolls
How i love you much
Aside from the nausea,
Sore boobs and such...
Already I can feel my skin clearing
And for that, to me, you are endearing

Magical dolls, I will never do away with you
Magical dolls, I will always be true to you

Yes, I'm on my new dolls now... One thing to note, though... I really do feel good except for when I drink coffee. For some reason, coffee has made my tummy hurt the past few days.

If these new dolls clear up my skin, adjust my 'mones AND get me to give up coffee.... Well then that means these things are even more magical than I already think they are.

It Is Official.

I am moving to Toronto in May 2009.

Discuss.

UPDATE:
Let me give y'all more background info... Because while I've been talking about this in my offline life, I've mentioned very little of it in my online life.

We are moving for The Husband's work. But, he is originally from Toronto anyways. I have been to Toronto a handful of times and do love the city. It's a nice cross between NYC and Boston.

We will be leaving in downtown Toronto... In a neighborhood known as "The Annex." We will likely buy a townhouse in that hood. If we decide to have children some day, it would be an good neighborhood to raise them in. I am not a suburb person by any means. (City or country... Love both... Suburbs? No way.)

There is a chance that I could stay with my current job when I move. But that's still almost a year and a half away. So who knows what would happen between now and then.

New iPod Needed.

Well people... Looks like I will finally have to cave in and get a new iPod.

Why?

Because the Nano I bought nearly 2.5 years ago has decided crapped out on me. It's not allowing me to download any music on to it. No, it's not that it's full... It's completely empty. It's just decided to stop downloading stuff on to it.

All I have to say though is, "I had a good run."

With my Nano, which I purchased in October 2005, I did a lot of stuff. The fact that I managed to have it last me more than a year was actually quite amazing. Those things used to only last me 11 months.

I'm gonna think about it for a few days... But I am thinking about buying an iPod touch.

How Easily Offended Do You Get?

Just curious to know...

I'm not easily offended myself... Because what I get offended by passionately doesn't happen very often. And when I'm offended and angry, you'll know because I don't speak. I shut the hell up and pretty much say not one word to you. I usually walk away too. Because I don't want to explode on that person.

And when I'm super-duper angry, I hyper-ventilate and cry. And then get quiet. And walk away. (And no, I don't think there's anything wrong with crying. It's better to have me cry at you then rip your fucking face off.)

Stuff I find annoying but don't get offended by easily includes:

• Every-day hassles... Like standing in lines. Waiting for trains.
• Someone telling an off-color or sexist joke.
• Stupid people you encounter who just don't know what they're talking about.
• People who chew with their mouth open.

Stuff I DO get easily offended by includes:

• Someone telling me what to do in a tone that is condescending. (FYI: I won't do what is asked.)
• A racist joke.
• Someone trying to control you by telling you you aren't doing a good job, even though you 100% are. (I call this one "verbal jujitsu.")
• Being excluded. Blatantly. Purposely.

So, readers, what do you most easily get offended by? And on a scale from 1 to 10 (10 being the highest), how easily offended are you? (I rate mine at a 3...)

Valentine's Day.

Valentine's Day is in two days. The Husband and I decided to just go out to dinner this year... No gifts. (Though, he is gifting me with a trip to Tuscany in June. But that's V-Day, B-day and Anniversary all rolled into one.)

For dinner this year, we have decided to go to a place we have only been once before and loved - Pigalle. (Probably the best meal I have had in Boston ever.)

However, we are not going on Valentine's Day. No, no, no.... For people who actually like savoring their food (a "foodie," as my co-worker said), you know the cardinal rule of not going out to a super nice restaurant on Valentine's Day in Boston.

Why? Well, because you will get ripped off.

Prices can be way out of control at local places. And, they make you order off a prix fixed menu.... Which just ain't cool.

If you're going to spend an ass-load on a meal at a high-end restaurant, you should be able to order whatever you damn well please on the menu. Plus, many restaurants will make you put a credit card down for the reservation on a holiday like Valentine's.

So my suggestion? Wait till Friday or Saturday night this week to go out. The meal will be better... And the reservation will be a little easier to get.

I can't wait to hit Pigalle again. I hope it is as good as it was last time.

Cake Of The Week: Lemon Cake WITH Sprinkles.

Wow... Our cakes are getting fancy on us!

I came into work this morning to find our weekly cake delivery from Boston Tea Cakes on my desk, just waiting for me.

I quickly ripped open the shipping box and saw that in it was a "Lemon Cake"... Which we have had before, and is quite tasty. But today's cake had something extra special on it... Yellow sprinkles! (Or as people from Boston sometimes call them, "Jimmies.")



I did punch it, while it was still in the wrapping. The sprinkles splattered a little. But most of them are still on it.

I may dig into it later today. But with all this cake lately, we really should get a covered cake plate... Like grandma used to have.

Strollers (& Babies) Not Welcome.

Oh my... The battle between the mummies and their urban strollers against the childless population wages on and on across the country... Particularly in urban areas.

Someone was telling me about a situation that happened recently. They were in an establishment in the city of Boston, where they witnessed a mummy with a baby tell the establishment's owner to "quiet down" because they were disturbing the baby.

Now, this wasn't a bar. It wasn't a loud establishment by any means. In fact, every time I have been in this establishment, it's fairly quiet.

I don't what the owner's reaction was. But I personally would have bitched the lady with the baby out.

Then, this weekend I read this article from the Styles Section about an uprising in Brooklyn. It seems strollers and children aren't welcome at the Union Hall bar. And to be honest, I totally side with the establishment's owners.

Yes, despite once wanting babies myself (not anymore though) and thinking that children shouldn't prevent you from doing most things, I severely draw the line at bars. Children don't belong in bars.

Restaurants - possibly. Bars? No.

My favorite part of the story was this bit: One former attendee, Christen Clifford, a writer and actress who now lives in Jackson Heights, Queens, proudly recalled breast-feeding her son, Felix, at the bar before ordering a martini.

Ha! Ha! So inappropriate! First of all, I am very opposed to breastfeeding in public. If you cover up, fine. But busting the booby out and shoving your nipple in the kid's mouth in public without coverage? Umm... No.

And doing it at a bar? Very bad judgement.

So I am sorry people... Strollers do not belong at bars. Nor do children. Cafes and restaurants... Sure. (As long as you do you best to to get them to keep their traps shut in the really nice ones, like Clio and Sibling Rivalry.)

But bars are sacred ground for adults. And if you're a parent and want to visit this sacred ground, please hire a sitter and leave the kid at home.

Weekly Poll: Jackie Moon & The Perfect Beer For Blowing Out The Pipes.

You have spoken... You have decided that the funniest Super Bowl ad this year was the Jackie Moon Bud Light ad...






A new poll is up for this week... And, yes, it's a political one.

Stout Cupcakes.

Two co-workers of mine had b-days recently. So I decided to make some cupcakes over the weekend and bring them in to celebrate.

But I didn't want to make just any old cupcakes... I wanted something a little different. Something with a little kick. So I chose to make Stout Cupcakes.



And are they yummy!

And yes, they do have Guinness in them.

The original recipe called for an entire bottle of stout. But when I did a test-run of the cupcakes, they were just too "stout-y." In fact, I got drunk just smelling them bake in the oven. So I decided to omit most of the stout the second time around. I only put in 3/4 of a cup.

That was enough to give them a hint of stout.

My next alcoholic cupcake adventure will be to make margarita cupcakes.

Bugs, Bugs, Everywhere.

So, "eww!"

I get to work this morning... And on of my co-workers comes running up to me and someone else telling us there is (basically) a "huge-ass cockroach in the ladies room."

"You couldn't even kill it with a shoe," she claimed.

I had to see this for myself. So I took off for the bathroom.

Now, I am afraid of roaches. Have been all my life. Will be for the rest of my life. I just don't do roaches. I opened the ladies bathroom door and saw something that terrified me.

She wasn't lying. It was a huge-ass cockroach. And it had wings and strong little legs... So you just know that it could jump and fly.

I immediately closed the bathroom door and had two other co-workers go in there and remove the bug. But later on, when I had to pee, I was still afraid of going in the stall that was closest to where the bug had been found.

Then, a little later, I was sitting at my desk drinking my coffee. Now, I had decided to bring my coffee to work today, in my traveler mug. I was down to the last few dregs of coffee when I took the top off and noticed something...

A little black bug, floating in the water.

I drank about 85% of my coffee with a big in it. Eww!

I told my boss, Mr. Sports, about the bug. His response was, "Hey, at least it's protein."

Which is true. But I think I may pick up my coffee tomorrow from Starbucks. I don't know where the bug came from, but I have a feeling it was in there before I poured the coffee in.

Perhaps It's Time For A New License?

I haven't lived in Arizona for nearly eight years. I haven't lived in NYC in nearly five years. Yet, for some reason, I have managed to not get a new driver's license or cell phone number in that time.

My cell phone number is still a Brooklyn number, and lies in the area code of 347. My driver's license is still the one that was issued to me when I was 22 and living in Tucson.

I haven't updated my cell phone number because there's no real point to. Long distance rates don't apply to cell phones. And my family and friends all had my number... So why change it if it still worked?

But my license... Well... I have a reason for not updating that too. Actually, a couple of reasons... Which include:

• I don't own a car anymore. I don't drive regularly. So why update it?
• It doesn't expire till I'm 65 years old. So why update it?

No lie people. My driver's license does not expire till I am 65 years old. In Arizona, when they issued it to me long ago, they automatically set it so that it wouldn't expire till I was 65. Don't believe me? Look for your self...



It doesn't expire till April 12, 2042.

I probably won't be eligible for social security payments at that age... But I will have to get a new license, finally.

However, I have now come to the conclusion that I need to get a Massachusetts license. No, I'm not planning on buying a car. It's just that it keeps getting harder to buy wine with my Arizona license.

Some establishments always give me a hard time, when I am carded, while buying alcohol. Restaurants, grocery stores, wine stores... You name it. First they see the Arizona logo on the card... Then they notice the expiration date. And I can't really blame them when they become skeptical.

I'll probably hold on to the license for a few more months. We may be moving (if our landlords decide to move back to Boston) this Spring. What's the point of changing it if I am going to have to update it again soon?

Project Runway: The Winner Is Male.

Was online looking for spoilers for Project Runway... And found this: Victoria Beckham revealed the sex of the winner.

And it's male!

So... My bet is it is definitely Christian. But it could be Rami. Jillian is out though.

Project Runway: My Prediction.

What we DO know:

• The Project Runway Fashion Show was held this past Friday.
• Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham was the celebrity guest judge. (And she wore a fab orange draped dress.)
• Five contestants (Sweet P, Chis, Christian, Jillian and Rami) showed collections.
• Allegedly, two of the three contestants showed collections only to not reveal who the final three contestants are.
  

While reading my fashion news over at the NY Post this morning, I saw that they had pictures of pieces from each of the five contestants' collections. Based on the showing order (Sweet P and Chris went first) and another tip online, here is who I think were in the final three:

Jillian


Rami


Christian


My favorite, and who I think wins (based on the pictures) is Christian... Who has been my favorite since the beginning.

I'm so freaking excited! And the finale doesn't air for a few more weeks. Argh!!!!

Three Ladies From Three "Ends."

Those "ends" being: The North End, The South End and the end of Back Bay at Comm Ave. and Mass Ave.

I met up with two friends tonight at Barlola in Back Bay. It was a charmed little circle for a few hours. Three ladies chatting about work-related issues. It was a good time to de-brief and chat... Most "girls nights" are.

More importantly... The "Three Ladies from Three Ends" night gave The Husband the opportunity to stay in and clean the house while I was out. And for once, he actually accomplished getting the list completed that I gave him.

See, each week I give The Husband a list of chores he needs to do... Like "buy a new garbage can for the back porch" or "sweep and mop the floors in the kitchen and living room." And each week, only part of the chore gets done... I get excuses like...

"Well honey, I tried to purchase a garbage can, but the selection at hardware store wasn't very good. It'll be better in the Springtime." Or... "Oh! You wanted me to mop the floors in addition to sweeping them? I just thought you wanted them swept, see... And then I vaccummed them on top of that. So they're really clean."

Well, hallelujah! Tonight there was a miracle. The Husband got done not only with my list of chores... He also did a few extra ones on top of that. And was I surprised!

In fact... I totally wasn't expecting him to get any of it done. As soon as I walked through the door tonight I said the following to him:

• "How'd that sweeping if the apartment go tonight?"
• "Did you get done washing the dishes in the sink?"
• "And don't forget, you have to empty the dishwasher."

Well, apparently all of this was done. This and more.

If he's going to be this productive when I have a "girls night," then I am going to go out more often.

Hear! Hear!

Oceanic Six.

I just finished watching last night's episode of LOST.

We know that three of the "Oceanic Six" are Kate, Jack and Hurley. But I know who the fourth one is...

If you want to know, highlight the space below to reveal who the fourth person is.

Sayid

You Just KNOW You're Going To Have A Crappy Bikram Class...

... When you haven't had a chance to really hydrate all day. I've only gotten down about 42 ounces of water today. Ugh.

Bikram tonight is going to be painful.

UPDATE:
Decided not to go. Work has been crazy busy this week. I could not get away in time.

Posh Spice & Project Runway Finale?

Hmm...

Well, I had heard (on Wednesday's Today Show) that the Project Runway Fashion Show was going to be taking place on Friday (today)... And now, Perez Hilton is reporting that Victoria Beckham (Posh Spice) was spotted at the Parsons School (where they shoot Project Runway), getting her make-up touched up.

She DEFINITELY has to be the celebrity judge on the final episode. And how perfect! I can not wait for the finale in a few weeks.

Hmm....

My Short List Of Reasons To Live.

Last night, The Husband and I went to Elle and Male's place for (what I keep calling) "Fondue Fun-Do" night.

Elle and Male made us yummy Spanish-inspired (I think it was Spanish-inspired) fondue. Afterwards, we had these rich and pretty chocolate pots that Elle made. (She's a chocolate guru, in my opinion.)

While finishing dinner, Male and I were chatting about blogging. He told me about a blog he used to do a few years back... And one recurring post he would do was called (something along the lines of) "Short List Of Reasons To Live."

I found this to be hilarious, and wanted to do (as a tribute to Male) "my short list of reasons to live"... And here we go...

My Short List Of Reasons To Live:

1. I am getting a facial tomorrow afternoon, and that will be relaxing.
2. I am picking up my new jeans (hopefully) this weekend, and will have something kick ass to wear when I go out to dinner with girlfriends on Saturday night.
3. I have not yet watched this week's episode of LOST, and will be watching it tonight with The Husband when we download it from ABC.com.
4. I just bought two magazines (Women's Health and SHAPE), and would like to read them while sipping coffee on Saturday afternoon, before my facial.
5. I've only burned 2100 calories this week so far from exercise. I still have another 1400 to get through in the next three days.
6. I've only had the $14 hot dog at The Butcher Shop once in my life. I need to have it a second time.
7. Project Runway is new again next week, and I can't miss it.

That's my list for this week. What about you? What would be on your short list of reasons to live?

Dream: Puppies, A Lizard & Home.

Woah...

I was so exhausted by the time I tucked into my bed last night. (Up at 5am for an early training session... Followed by nine hours of looking at Meta data and numbers... Followed by yummy "Fondue Fun-Do" night with friends.)

So exhausted was I that as soon as my head hit the pillow, I began to drift off. (I think The Husband tried to sleep with his arms around me... But I wouldn't allow that because I was so tired and just wanted to sink into bed obstruction-free. Sorry, honey.) I drifted off and began a night of active dreaming.

While I don't recall what I dreamed in the earlier part of the night, I do recall what I was dreaming about in the last part...

I was living at my parent's house... The one we lived in on an Army base in Arizona. Only it has a bigger yard in the front that took up the space where the carport used to be. There was a momma doggie on the ground. (Looked like a yellow lab.) She had a bunch of little puppies running around her. One of them was nursing on her. I picked up one of the little puppies with both of my hands, and I began to zoom it around in the air... Like it was flying. Then the puppy turned into a lizard.

Then I heard singing in my ear, and I woke up.

According to the online dream dictionary I use, these elements mean...

Puppies: To see a litter of newborn puppies in your dream, is indicative of the amount of time that an idea has been developing or will take to develop. Look to the number of puppies to give you that approximate amount of time. (There were at least six.)

Lizard: To see a lizard in your dream, signifies your primal instincts and reactions toward sex, food, etc. and your anxieties toward these feelings. On a more positive note, the lizard also symbolizes emerging creativity, renewal, and revitalization. It may also suggest that you are well-grounded.

Childhood Home: To see your childhood home in particular, suggests your own desires for building a family. It also reflects aspects of yourself that were prominent or developed during the time you lived in that home.

Nursing: To see someone nursing or dream that you are nursing, suggests that you are nurturing a hidden aspect of yourself.

My deciphering of this dream:
I have had an idea developing in my brain since childhood. (I think it's pretty obvious what it is.) I've loved writing since I lived at this particular house when I was a child. I think I received my sign. It's time to get ridiculously serious about my writing. And perhaps it'll be a few more months (maybe six?) till I am able to narrow down my idea and be able to write it out.

Either way, I'm on the right path. And things are getting going.

Jen, I'd Vote For "Clibama."

Jen from Jen's Flaws did a posting this evening that included the question (and I'm para-phrasing here), "If Clinton and Obama became the super-candidate ticket, what would the be called?"

And I choose "Clibama."

It just flows. Yah know?

Project Runway: No More Tears!

Wow! We're down to the final five on Project Runway!

In last night's episode, the remaining six designers had to design wrestling outfits for the divas of the WWE. And I have to admit... I had two favorites.

Chris



and Christian



I really couldn't decide between these two outfits. They were just amazing. I also loved Jillian's sporty outfit too.


But the disasters were definitely Sweet P



and Ricky...



I was glad to see Chris win. And SO HAPPY to see Ricky lose and have to go home.

Beautiful Skin, Oh How You Elude Me!

But not for long, baby!

In the past three and a half years, I have had skin issues. (Funny enough they started AFTER I got married. Coincidence? Maybe. And then it got worse when I decided to dabble with Clomid, even though I didn't need it.) My body appears to have a surge of hormones passing through it that have made getting clear acne-free skin impossible for me. And I have tried everything to combat it, including:

Regular facials with enzyme peels - These are gentler peels than usual. And they're meant to take off the top layers of the skin (it's not painful) and allow what's trapped underneath to get out. The only thing they made me do was break out even more.
Pro-Activ - I know so many people claim this worked for them... All I have to say to these people is, "If you're breakouts are caused by hormones (like mine), then Pro-Activ is not for you." It's for people whose break outs are superficial and on top of the skin... Not deep down. Pro-Activ also made things worse for my skin.
Began using mineral make-up - I still use it. But I originally started using it because I didn't want to clog my pores. Figured that would help. It didn't. But, mineral make-up DOES cover up my acne problems much better than anything I have ever used.
Cool laser therapy - Along with my facials and peels, I have used cool laser therapy. And this does help calm things down. But it's expensive. And it still only kills the bacteria in the dermis. It doesn't help from the inside out.

And I guess that last sentence is what the problem has been with my skin. Because my acne is from a hormonal imbalance (too many androgens) and not superficial, none of these treatments are going to work to resolve the problem. They can't get inside my body. So what's the solution???? (Other than drinking more water...)

Ortho Tri-Cyclen.

Yep, I'm going on the birth control pill. Why? For various reasons... But I am going on this particular combination because of its success rate at kicking acne's ass. I can't wait to start the pill in the coming weeks. Hopefully clear skin will be on it's way shortly thereafter!

Another Reason Not To Ever Get Pregnant...

And I complain about things as they are now... But sweet lord! I would HATE to have boobs this big!



Poor Christina. She's channeling Anna Nicole Smith! (May she rest.)

Now, I know the big boobs won't stay like that forever... But I would never want to see them that big on me. And I would never breast feed a child (or pump the milk)... So there would be no need for me to be that big.

So if there was ever a reason to add to the list of reasons not to ever get pregnant, gargantuan boobs is one of them.

Bank Of America, You're Un-American.

And you're a big old jerk too!

So, I have made two payments on my Bank of America credit card this month. On the first of February, I made a payment of $300 for a rental car The Husband and I used in December. Then yesterday, I received an expense check from work and paid off a purchase I made for them on the card in December as well.

The only thing left on my card to pay off was my trip for Tuscany. I put both my colleague's and my expenses on that. She wrote me a check for her half last week. It cleared this week, so I wanted to go ahead and pay off the remaining balance on my credit card.

Well, apparently Bank of America isn't "down" with that. This was the message I got from them after I clicked "Schedule Payment"...



There's a maximum number of payments you can make in a month? So Bank of America is preventing me from paying off my balance? WTF?

You would THINK that with all the defaults on credit card payments people are making lately, they would want to see someone paying off their balance.

It's un-American to forbid people from electing to pay off their balance.

But then again, it's VERY AMERICAN for businesses to try to screw and squeeze every last dollar they can out of the consumer.

Fuck you Bank of America. If you didn't have so many branches so easily accessible to me in this state, I would not be banking with you. In a year and a half, when I move to Toronto, I'll be glad to kiss your ass "good-bye."

But then, I should be grateful. At least you're not "shitty-Bank."

Latin Grooviness.

My fitness goals lately include burning at least 1000 on three days during the week. Today was one of those days.

I had my usual Tuesday morning training session. Then I had a Pilates session after work. I followed that up right after with a Latin Groove dance class. And it was in that class where I burned half of my calories (500) for today. Woohoo!

I was describing the Latin Groove class to someone recently. They mentioned they would be hesitant to try a class like that because they are not as "coordinated." Well, when it comes to a dance class, neither am I people. But Latin Groove is different.

If you're new to the class, you easily get intimidated by the few who seem to anticipate the instructor's every dance combination before she even demos it. That's because they have been coming faithfully every week for MONTHS. They too were once less "fancy" with their dance moves. But the instructor repeats combos every week. So eventually, you find yourself becoming more coordinated.

And that was me tonight. I was still a little forgetful with some combinations... But I could feel my old cheerleading skill of "KEEP THE EIGHT-COUNT!" coming back to me while dancing. And it made it way easier to do the whole routine. And when you're able to do the full routine while giving 100% (instead of bumbling around lost), you burn more calories.

One chick couldn't handle the class though... Which was such a shame, because she was doing well. She seemed to just give up about a third of the way into the class.

I never leave a class. Even if my ass is getting kicked and I can't move, I will just stand there and wait till I can move again. And I won't leave the room. I can't give in.

It's a kick ass class. And a lot of fun!

Water, Water Everywhere...

And every drop I have drunk!

Sweet lord. Drinking the amount of water I am supposed to is tough. I've gone through 82 ounces so far today. And I am peeing NON STOP. My hands are now chapped and rough from all the hand washing.

And I'm sure I will have at least another 24 ounces before the day is over.

Argh!!!! I have to go pee again now!

Where Are Her Freckles?

So.. Lindsay Lohan is on the cover of March's Harpers Bazaar magazine. Why? I don't really know... But that's not what I am concerned about.

What I want to know is...



... What happened to her freckles?!?!?!

Seriously... They over-did it on the airbrushing. Girlfriend DOES have freckles. And they're cute! Why take them out?

So disappointing.

A Milestone Today...

Just wanted to point out that I have worked at my current job for a year, as of today.

Time has FLOWN by. If I make it to another six months, I'll have put in more time here than at my last agency job.

Yay! I deserve a cake! But one that I don't want to punch.

Perez Hilton & The Missus Endorse Hillary.

Wow...

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that Perez and I feel the same way about the presidential primary. I enjoy his views on many things.

The reasons he is endorsing her are similar to the reasons I mentioned yesterday.

Don't get us wrong... We both like Obama, and find him inspirational. But our guts tell us Hillary is the person for now.

Cake Of The Week: Cranberry Cream Cake.

This week's cake was received 20 minutes ago via FedEx. This week's flavor is: Cranberry Cream Cake.



It does NOT look appealing. And I will NOT be having any of it. It looks like it has rabbit "droppings" on it... But really, those are cranberries.

And yes, I did punch the cake. I punched it good and hard. I was upset that the flavor sucked for this week. So I double-fist-punched it. And then, just to mess with it, I punched it again.

No damage done. These cakes could survive nuclear winter. Which is probably a sign I should not eat them... Unless we get that Lemon Cake again.

Ahh... Lemon cake.

Weekly Poll: Super Bowl Ads.

Yes, I actually watched the Super Bowl last night... For once in my life. (My friend M. got a new TV... It was fun to watch it on that.)

One of the highlights of the game, of course, was the ad-watching we did. So for this week's poll, I want to know, "Which was your favorite ad?

Below are the commercials for you to choose from...

Charlie Brown Coke Ad


E*Trade Baby Ad With The Clown


Will Ferrell's "Suck One" Bud Light Ad


Justin Timberlake's Pepsi Ad


Bridgestone Squirrel Ad