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Ringy dingy
Hey guess what!? Today I helped Christine and set up a new webring for sites who are guests over at Blogomania. So if you're a Blogomanian and would like to join us, head on over to the ring site, fill out the form, and I'll get you added in! The link is also over in my sidebar with the other webring links.
posted at 08:19 PM | link-

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Like a Friend
Ever had a song come on that makes you you pause and think, "Man I wish I could break up with _______ all over again just so I could send them this on a mixed tape..." (Yes, I liked "High Fidelity" way too much.)

"Like a Friend"
by Pulp

Don’t bother saying you're sorry.
Why don’t you come in?
Smoke all my cigarettes. Again.
Everytime I get no further --
How long has it been?
Come on in now;
Wipe your feet on my dreams.....

You take up my time
Like some cheap magazine.
When I could have been
Learning something.....
Well, you know what I mean.

I’ve done this before;
And I will do it again.

C’mon and kill me baby,
Whilst you smile like a friend.
Oh and I’ll come running.....
Just to do it again.

You are that last drink I never should have drunk.
You are the body hidden in the trunk.
You are the habit I can’t seem to kick.
You are my secrets on the front page every week.

You are the car I never should have bought.
You are the train I never should have caught.
You are the cut that makes me hide my face.
You are the party that makes me feel my age.

Like a car crash I can see,
But I just can’t avoid.
Like a plane I’ve been told
I never should board.
Like a film that’s so bad,
But I’ve got to stay ‘til the end.

Let me tell you now;
It’s lucky for you that we’re friends.

And if you've got one of those songs, post the lyrics and knock us all out!

UPDATE: You can find a list of the songs that were gathered here.
posted at 03:44 PM | link-

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Tuesday, afternoon, I'm just beginning to see...
Checking the calendar...yep, it's Tuesday. Time for Ashley's "This or That"!

Which is worse: a driver riding your bumper or someone pulling out in front of you with their car? I'd have to say pulling out in front. Todd doesn't pay attention to the road like he should, and things like that have caused more near-misses... At least if they're on your bumper, you can screw with them repeatedly -- especially if they're penned in. And if they hit you, it's two tickets for following too closely and rear-ending. Not that Todd would know anything about that one...
Can you do 10 push ups? Nope. I was the queen of the "flexed arm hang" and chin-ups on the Presidential Fitness Test -- but I've never been able to do push-ups -- even in my sports days.
Do you bathe/shower in the morning or in the evening (or at all)? Usually either mid-afternoon or late-night. When I worked, it was in the morning though.
Michael or Janet Jackson? Neither.
Which do you enjoy most? Your bedroom or living room? Depends on your definition of enjoy. I'll be dirty-minded and say bedroom.
Bathroom or kitchen? In our old apartment we had a "garden" bathtub that literally went up to my knees (and I'm 5'10") and it was BLISS. I'd take baths that would last almost an hour. Here though, plain ol' boring tub. So I'd have to say kitchen. The one in our house is HUGE and it's the first time we can both be in there together without constantly bumping into one another.
Crayons or markers? CRAYONS!
Leaves falling or flowers blooming? I'd have to pick leaves falling because we never get to see that down here -- flowers bloom year-round.
Fred and Wilma or Barney and Betty? Barney and Betty.
Fame or fortune? Fortune. Who cares about the fame if you've got the money baby?

posted at 02:07 PM | link-

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Stick a needle in my eye
That thing turned out to be one hell of a voodoo doll! (Article from CNN.)
posted at 02:01 AM | link-

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Shining, gleaming, steaming, flaxen, waxen
Worried about going bald? How about forking over $49.95 for an initial hair collection kit -- and $10 for an annual storage fee -- so Hairogenics Inc. in San Francisco can preserve the strands in a climate-controlled vault 14 feet below a Portland, Oregon, hair salon until science finds the cure for baldness. (Link from MSNBC and CNN.)
posted at 01:51 AM | link-

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Back in the saddle again
I snagged this one from Daypop: Inside sources at CBS say Bill Clinton is being seriously considered to replace the retiring Bryant Gumbel on "The Early Show".

"America's love affair with Bill Clinton started in the summer of 1992, when candidate Clinton whipped out his sax on Arsenio Hall's late night talk show." Then quickly ended (for some) when he whipped out his sex and cigars in the Oval Office...

"Bill even bragged, unlike Bryant and most broadcasters, he does not need a teleprompter. He said, 'I gave the State of the Union and they didn't have a teleprompter. I had to stand up there and fake it for 15 minutes before a hundred million people. Some people think I faked it for eight years before a hundred million people.'" And we all know I learned how to fake it from the master. Hillary's obviously been doing it for years...

If Bill gets this gig, I may actually get up and watch TV in the mornings! I can just squint really hard and pretend he's President again. A girl can dream, can't she?
posted at 04:32 PM | link-

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Do not pass Go. Go directly to Jail.
Well all I have to say is it's about damned time. It was not a comforting thought knowing we were driving on the same city streets as this man (since they never could seem to actually KEEP him under house arrest or in treatment programs). I'm all for second chances -- but some people just don't want to change -- or are so far gone down the spiral that they can't. Toss in a little "but I'm a celebrity and the rules don't apply to me" in the mix, and well, I don't feel the judge had any other recourse but to send him to prison for awhile.

Buh-bye Darryl, and good luck. Don't drop the soap.
posted at 04:10 PM | link-

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It feels like the first time
Here's this week's Monday Mission by promoguy.net.

When was the last time you pampered yourself? I would have to say this weekend. I rarely clothes shop just because money is so tight on one income. So to walk out with two pairs of pants, four shirts, and a bit of make-up was a huge splurge for me...
When was the last time someone pampered you? Todd did this weekend by not waiving the bank statement in my face as I did so...
Describe the last time you recall really feeling loved (other than from children or pets). This past weekend as Todd told me over and over how happy he was that he took a long weekend just so we could spend more time together and snuggle.
Has your use of the computer ever caused any arguments? What's the story there? We're both addicted to our computers, so since we don't have to share, not really...
What's the most embarrassing thing your Mom ever did? She reads this, so gut-check... But I'd have to say showing up 10 minutes before our wedding -- totally missing me getting dressed, all of the pre-pictures (the photographer had to come back and do more with her), flower delivery, and such. My friends and Todd's mom played the mother of the bride role until she got there -- but she still had to change, so we barely made it out the door on time. To her credit, her wake-up call was late that day.
I've met some adults who've never learned to swim, and others who never learned how to ride a bike.. Is there anything that you never learned as a child that you probably should have? Not so much as a child, but I never learned to drive a stick-shift and it really bugs me.
I have no idea who said it (and I spent all of two minutes trying to research it), but "someone" once said, a picture is worth a thousand words. Post an image that says more than words. Or instead, describe a picture you recall which touched your heart.

I guess this would go with #5, because it just goes to show that no matter what goes wrong on your wedding day (and something will always go wrong be it major or minor), the minute you see each other all will be forgotten -- and all will be right with the world. This photo was the first picture taken after we stepped inside following our vows (my mom snapped it and we didn't even know it), and it gives me goosebumps each time I look at it. I still look in his eyes almost six years later and feel that way each and every time!

BONUS: What's love got to do with it? It may seem to you that I'm acting confused when you're close to me...
posted at 03:24 PM | link-

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Dell schmell
Apple unveiled unveiled its first personal computer designed exclusively for schools, the eMac, today. It's cute (kinda like the old iMacs), but I'd feel ripped off for not getting to play on a new iMac if my school bought them! (Article from CNN.)
posted at 02:33 PM | link-

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The Diet Coke of evil - just one calorie
Don't have the time or intelligence to create the best evil plans? Let the Evil Plan Generator do it for you! "You can come up with any number of plans in no time at all to wreak havoc upon the world!" (Link from fark.com.)
posted at 02:30 AM | link-

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I'm here to remind you...
Dear Alanis,

I realize it's your signature look and all, but there comes a time in everyone's lives when they must simply cut their hair. Seriously dude, you're pushin' Crystal Gayle status now. Step back from the Conair hot sticks and crimping iron and slowly walk away...

Love,
Robyn
posted at 01:46 AM | link-

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I'm too sexy for this shirt
So it took me two days of shopping this weekend to find two pair of pants and a few shirts to go with them for spring/summer. This is not because I particularly enjoyed hitting two malls and three outlet malls, or because Todd was having a grand ol' time tagging along and doing the driving. I really don't want to think it's because I'm pushing 30. In college I would have thrown just as big a hissy fit if faced with the current trends that I saw more than enough of this weekend. Shirts that won't even touch the top of my waistline aside, finding anything that looked new proved to be the big problem. For example, the following outfit was the typical fare at Abercrombie & Fitch and The Gap (total $73.50, before tax, for t-shirt and jeans):

The first new trend which was everywhere...taking a pair of scissors for no apparent reason and making a v-neck out of a regular tee, as pictured above... But instead of stitching the cut through the neckline, it was au naturel. Well I'm sorry, but there ain't no way I'm forking over almost twenty-five bucks on a t-shirt that will have a slit to my navel after 3 washings because the new look in fashion is going a little shred-happy, without needle and thread to back it up. (Coming soon to a $3.99 bin near you, I'm sure!) And next...what's up with the "dirty jeans and pants look"? If I wanted what looks like dirt and grease ground into my pants, I would hit Goodwill rather than forking over almost fifty bucks a pair.

Hating both of these looks has nothing to do with weight-issues or body images. It's just plain crap. Have designers at ~~fashion houses~~, errrr sweatshops in Indonesia, grown so bored that they think we won't notice them ripping and dirtying up perfectly good clothing and charging the same high prices? (Derelicte in Zoolander wasn't so far off!) Or do people just not care? I don't get it, and won't attempt to try. (Please note: I did not buy the items shown above.)

Thank goodness for the Banana Republic outlet store -- they seriously prevented a "fashion victim" nervous breakdown! Of course, finding the MAC and Bobbi Brown outlet store right around the corner didn't hurt...
posted at 10:04 PM | link-

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To the pain
"Hello. I am your calves. You might remember me from such life events as New York City, the French Quarter, Disney World and Washington D.C. Ain't I a bitch?"
posted at 12:21 PM | link-

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Prize Patrol
Check out Chris Pirillo's blog -- very cool! I'm in 'lite company with Cheyenne and Christine tonight...
posted at 02:06 AM | link-

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When I dip you dip we dip
Did you miss me?

We had a great time today, and I'm happy to report all's well on the medical front! They don't want to see me again until OCTOBER. (For comparison's sake, when we first moved here they would reschedule me every 2-3 months.) Tomorrow it looks like we're heading over to Orlando to do lunch at Sonic -- doesn't hurt that there's a Gap Outlet next door. And then tomorrow night we're joining Stacy and Daniel for TexMex and most excellent company. While I'm gone, don't do anything I wouldn't do (which as we all know gives you lots of wiggle-room)! Happy weekend everyone -- it finally got here!
posted at 11:37 PM | link-

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Freaky Friday
Well ~~tomorrow~~, errrrr today, might prove to be a little bit slow around here. I have another fun doctor's visit in the day planner (just "routine") -- and since it's an hour to north Tampa, and an hour back, Todd is just going to take the day off and play hookie with me!

So behave while I'm gone. Talk amongst yourselves. I will give you a topic: The Holy Roman Empire was neither holy nor Roman nor an empire. Discuss.
posted at 03:22 AM | link-

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The fires of hell are too cold for this man
I've kept mostly silent about all of this fallen-priest hubbub that's been floating around the blog world lately. There are some things you just see with your eyes that hurt you so very deeply as a human being, you almost have to close your eyes and breathe deeply or the pain and blackness will consume you. This is one of those topics for me. As someone who's tried desperately (with the help of medical science) for several months to conceive a child -- each time being told "no" or "not right now" by God -- the thought of the very clergy I would have baptise and help raise that child harming them -- well I just can't bear it. I can't even make it through a news story on abused children. My heart literally sinks. That people could take such a precious gift, always unobtainable for me...

But then I got to this story on CNN. Now I am beyond shocked, bewildered and hurt. I am so angry I feel I could become violent if I stood with this man face-to-face. There is no earthly punishment good enough -- and the thought of a "Godly punishment" one day isn't good enough either. A man of the cloth should know better. And I don't buy that "we're only human" bullshit they sometimes toss around. I am human. I am not versed with years of theology. I only have a bachelor's degree in history. But the DAY I hit puberty I knew it was WRONG to touch someone who hadn't. That is human instinct. That is what separates us from the animals. And these bastards are lower than any form of prison life I've ever come across. In prison they don't try so desperately to hide and cover up their sins, and protect their own regardless of the cost to anyone else. They make you their bitch over them. It's getting to the point we need to extend Megan's Law to warn of priests living in your area.

Why am I so riled up? Select quotes from the CNN article include:

"Much of my life these last few years has been choosing not twixt good and evil, but the less of the two evils ... my God, I've even taught kids to shoot up properly."

"One of the first things I do in a new city is to sign up at the local clinic for help with my VD."

"The documents also show that church leaders were worried about allegations that Shanley spoke at the opening session of the North American Man-Boy Love Association, known as NAMBLA, which advocates sexual interaction between men and boys."

"MacLeish has alleged that at least 30 youths were abused by Shanley."

I still have my faith...but right now I just don't know how it's staying there...
posted at 02:28 AM | link-

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Come and knock on my door...we've been waiting for you...
Ok...quick refresher course for the newbies... My new UPS guy up here in the 'burbs and I have a hate-hate relationship. He hates people. All people. And I hate having to play hide-n-seek in order to find my packages. The man does not know what it means to knock on a door or ring a doorbell. Human interaction is a foreign concept to him. When I "bust" him -- and believe me, I always bust him thanks to a certain cocker spaniel -- I always shout out a nice little "hello!" or "thank you!". I am met in return by the revving up of his engine as he takes off. Would it kill the man to at least nod back once in awhile?!

To illustrate my point, this is what he spent two (yes, I clocked him) minutes constructing outside of my front door today -- as my dog went nuts while I tried to calm her down (so I know he heard us inside): Exhibit A

And this was the size of the box he was delivering. You can see it here on my dining room chair not even taking up a quarter of the seat. It measures a whopping 6"x3"x4" and contains soap and face cleanser: Exhibit B

Is anyone buying that the latest look in home decor and security is a doormat propped half-way up a doorframe? Who the hell is he fooling...and would it really kill him just to knock? And by the way, just for the record, he knows we have a very friendly cocker spaniel. One day he had the misfortune of pulling up when I was outside with Claire while talking to a neighbor. She tried to give him a kiss. So it's not like he's afraid of coming face-to-face with a rottweiler or anything if he did ring the doorbell... Lazy ass.
posted at 05:42 PM | link-

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"I'll have the salad"
I found this over at cc-chapman.com and know Ashley will get a kick out of it:

Atkins diet author home after cardiac arrest

Not related to the diet? Well thanks for playing Robert...but I'll stick with my carbs, thankyouverymuch. Oh yeah, get well soon and stuff.
posted at 04:42 PM | link-

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And there was much rejoicing

Public Service Announcement

Well after being taken to task for it here, I decided if you can't beat 'em...beat your head against the keyboard repeatedly instead...

What does this mean?

It means line paragraph breaks are now enabled in my comments. Go wild. You no longer have to use <BR> and <P> (unless of course you just want to). A carriage-return in your comment will equal a new line/paragraph when it posts.

Now don't say I never did nuthin' for ya', mmmm...k?
posted at 02:32 PM | link-

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From CNN...
Damn. As if the post-traumatic stress nightmares weren't bad enough in Manhattan already...
posted at 01:41 PM | link-

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She's got <style>
Guess who has a birthday today?! I hope you have a wonderful cake-filled day Kristine! Must be a great day to be born -- our niece Alexus turns 9 today as well...

posted at 01:05 PM | link-

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No gnus is good gnus
I hate registering for news sites. I'm picky that way. Especially when they make you login for each article you want to read. So this site from tonight's Screen Savers is one I'm going to bookmark. It will generate a randomly assigned username and password ("bogus" of course) so you can view New York Times articles online.
posted at 02:01 AM | link-

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Look! A fixed iBook!
Hey guess what?! Remember this and this regarding the problems I was having with my iBook? Well now I have reason number 10,947 to love my husband. He didn't give up 'til he fixed everything for me! He details his solution here -- basically it was a problem with Mac fonts gone bad. There's still a blog or two we can't view because of CSS issues, but everyone I've talked to running OSX and IE 5.1 has problems with them. It's not just me. For now I'm happy though -- I can finally surf imdb.com on my iBook! Thanks schmoopie! And thanks to everyone who wrote with suggestions and helped point him in the right direction!
posted at 01:06 AM | link-

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Spreadin' those wings
Did you know Todd's cousin Susan has a blog? Well if you didn't, now you do! Why am I bringing it up? Because I just skinned her site tonight. Right now there are only two options to choose from, but now I can flip-flop between blonde/red designs for me and brunette designs for her. Whew -- I feel better now!
posted at 10:42 PM | link-

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I want to be the girl with the most cake
My iBook is sadly lacking in MP3s, so I spent a great deal of the afternoon building up my "chick rock" selection. Wanna copy of the playlist?

Letters to Cleo: I Want You to Want Me

Juliana Hatfield: Spin the Bottle

Veruca Salt: Number One Blind

Liz Phair: Supernova

Breeders: Cannonball

Hole: Take Everything

L7: Shitlist

Tori Amos: Siren

Letters To Cleo: Dangerous Type

Garbage: Cherry Lips

Hole: Miss World

Nelly Furtado: Turn out the Lights

Siouxie and the Banshees: Peek-A-Boo

Breeders: Divine Hammer

Fiona Apple: Criminal

No Doubt: Spiderwebs

Belly: Gepetto

No Doubt: Just a Girl

Go-Go's: We Got the Beat

Alanis Morrisette: You Oughtta Know

Catatonia: Road Rage

Veruca Salt: Seether

Poe: Hey Pretty

Alanis Morrisette: Still

L7: Pretend That We're Dead

Pink: Get the Party Started

Garbage: Special

Belly: Super Connected

Sheryl Crow: There Goes the Neighborhood

No Doubt: Bathwater

Hole: Celebrity Skin

Juliana Hatfield Three: Spin the Bottle

Letters to Cleo: Here and Now

Garbage: Dumb

Blondie: Heart of Glass

Neneh Cherry: Move With Me

No Doubt: Hey Baby

Tori Amos: Cornflake Girl

Elastica: Connection

Go-Go's: Our Lips Are Sealed

Jennifer Trynin: Better Than Nothing

PJ Harvey: Down by the Water

Siouxie and the Banshees: Kiss Them For Me

Letters to Cleo: Awake

Eurythmics: Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)

Madonna: Rescue Me

Hole: Doll Parts

Blondie: One Way Or Another

Blake Babies: Cesspool

Sinéad O'Connor: Jump in the River

posted at 05:21 PM | link-

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Horror-scope
I rather like it when my horoscope for the day (from astrocenter.com) concludes with: "A male visitor might come to your home at some point, perhaps to help with some work that needs to be done. This promises to be a very exciting day, Robyn, with a lot of stimulation that could keep you occupied late into the night!"

I kid you not. So e-mail with your photos and address requests! Heh.
posted at 12:44 PM | link-

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Mr. Elmo goes to Washington!
"The red, furry friend to toddlers everywhere gave evidence before the Education Appropriations Subcommittee to urge more spending on music research and musical instruments for school programs." Now that's a Congressional Record I'd like a copy of! (Article from CNN.)
posted at 01:55 AM | link-

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Equal time
Linh sent me another great celebrity photo link -- only this time boys are the eye candy. Enjoy -- and thanks Linh!
posted at 01:29 AM | link-

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Now that's one way to get hits
This has to win the title of "most amusing link-back to me". Ever. Too bad he forgot to use my maiden name, too!

posted at 12:55 AM | link-

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This nature thing ain't all it's cracked up to be
Remind me again why "backing up to a nature preserve" was actually a selling point for this house? We've had a 3-foot snake crawl up out of the toilet. We've had a tall pine tree fall over the fence, barely missing the house. And now, some forest creature snuck in our yard and stole our two koi fish out of the fish pond...

I guess I should state from the start I'm not a nature gal. I like looking at photos of nature. I like having scenary other than parking lot out the back window now. And I like the beach. That's pretty much where my love and adoration of the great outdoors starts and ends. I scream like a little girl if any bug larger than a ladybug makes it inside. It's why I got married -- so I don't have to kill them. I don't like long walks in the woods. I don't go camping. My version of roughing it involves staying at Motel 6 and ending up with two towels that look more like washcloths. Ironic that I, of all people, ended up with Lyme Disease (from a tick bite), no?

So I don't know why in heaven's name a house with a fish pond was actually a selling point for me. No we didn't get lucky enough to have a real pond (with even more snakes) here. It came with one of those plastic eco-system ponds that aren't, which you see poor husbands with that defeated "yes dear" look on their face lugging out of Home Depot each weekend. While these things may sound like a fabulous idea, having one in south-central Florida where the sun always shines is NOT a good idea. Ever heard of algae? Ever seen it bloom? Not a pretty sight (or smell)... Last fall we went and got ourselves one of those big, ugly algae-eater fishies. Worked great, until he just vanished out of the pond one day. During the winter the two koi were holding their own and keeping things in check.

That was until one day a few weeks back when I went to feed the fish and couldn't find them. Todd's "man answer" in the form of a question? Well maybe they're just hiding? This was his answer for approximately 10 days. Anyone who has ever had and fed fish knows they do not hide for almost 2 weeks when waiting to be fed. They practically leap out of the water for those little processed, dried pellets from heaven. So one day he gives in and believes me. The fish are gone. Right about this time, it also decided to rain for about five days straight in Tampa Bay. Rain followed by endless sun minus two koi equal the dreaded algae bloom. Only this time it didn't just "bloom". Oh no. It freakin' exploded. At which point we finally tossed our hands in the air and accepted defeat.

The pond was drained this evening after we both hacked back the plant life in and around it. Soon it will find a nice new home in our garage, where it will remain for approximately 4-7 years collecting dust -- until we finally get fed up enough with all the crap we never use and throw a garage sale. Right now our attentions are focused on the front yard anyway. This past weekend we sprayed to kill everything out front, which just started dying today. Next weekend we'll till everything up (or rather Todd will as I direct, heh), spread topsoil, and reseed from scratch. And the neighbors all rejoice! Nature can bite my.......
posted at 08:37 PM | link-

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Using my powers for good and not evil
Hoopty hinted here that he'd like a new celebrity skin for his site...so I thought what the hey and gave him an image I'd been saving up for somethin' special. You can sneak a peek now here.
posted at 04:39 PM | link-

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Hooked on phonics worked for me!
Raising Hell has a great question of the week -- "What are your favorite children's books?"

My answer: "No little hellions around here yet, either...but we have a whole bookshelf full of children's books just waiting for the day. One of my favorites is The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka. My favorites as a kid included the Madeline series, Charlotte's Web by E. B. White, all Shel Silverstein books, and Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. We have all of these already. And one book that I recently bought on eBay is one my mom read aloud to me as a kid and I always loved it -- Miss Pickerell Goes to Mars by Ellen MacGregor."
posted at 03:37 PM | link-

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An Apple a day...
Here's a cool "new to me" site -- The Apple Collection. They have a lot of cute desktop pictures and startups to choose from, including ones for the iBook and the iMac.

Psssst... There's also a nifty little Mac Erotica section with pin-up girls. (I just don't suggest opening the page at work.)
posted at 02:56 PM | link-

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'Til Tuesday
Time again for Ashley's "This or That Tuesday".

Is your mouse pad plain or decorated? Don't need one with a laptop.
Do you own a web cam? Yes or no? Yes, an Intel -- but we never use it.
Which do you do use more often online: email or search? I'd have to say right about 50/50, but if I had to give an edge, it would be to email.
Do you use HTML coding, WYSIWYG editor, or something else to create your web pages? I create all of my pages in Notepad or BBEdit Lite by longhand. I've never used an editor other than my brain since day one.
Do you forward chain emails? Only if the person has sent them to me in the past, and then all bets are off and payback is a bitch.
Do you forward those mushy stories that take 20 minutes to read? HELL NO! I think I was guilty of forwarding one patriotic 9-11 story, and haven't sent anything like that since.
How large is your monitor: 14", larger, or smaller? I have a 14.1" on my iBook, and Todd has a 17" on his PC.
Do you have a mouse with a scroller, one with two buttons, one with three? No mouse needed with a touchpad...
Do you listen to music while surfing the web? Yes or no? During the day when Todd isn't home (except during CFH)...yes. But the bastard flips my speakers off the second he walks in the door at night.
How often do you clear your cookies, or cache? Pretty often. At least 1-2 times a week.

posted at 01:04 PM | link-

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Devil in a pink dress
Somehow I just don't expect this one will go flying off the shelves at Christmas...

But it's no joke -- you really can buy your very own Osama cross-dressing doll (and George W. action figure) at HeroBuilders.com. (Link from MSNBC.com.)

posted at 12:29 PM | link-

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Oh no, it go, it gone, bye-bye
Every once in awhile people will write and ask me where I get the celebrity pics I use in my skins. I ran across a new (to me) site while hunting for Reese Witherspoon photos on Monday, so I thought I'd pass it along as well -- The Actress Archives.
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Glitter on the highway
Well you didn't think I would leave well enough alone did you? Thanks to Kristine's great CSS tutorial, I spent a little bit of my free-time today tweaking my first CSS skin. Now it looks like this:

If you want to play around with it, or others, you can reskin the site here.
posted at 09:46 PM | link-

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On a Mission to cure my lonely condition
And now for something completely different...today's Monday Mission.

Ever had a love that you still think of as "the one that got away?" What's the story there? Yes, Todd all throughout college when we were "just friends". I dated another guy long-distance my junior and senior years, but I think it was always long distance somewhere deep in the back of my mind...because Todd...wasn't. The story began on October 19, 1995 when I made it my one and only goal in life to never let him get away again.
What was the last book that you finished reading cover-to-cover? Do Vogue and InStyle count as books? They're as thick as one these days... I plowed right through both over the weekend.
Did you ever get up and walk out of a movie? Which one and why? Honestly not that I can ever recall. Although I wish we had for Vanilla Sky!
If we were to go out dancing, what song would you want me to ask the DJ to play as I slipped him a $20? "Something In My House" (Mortevicar Mix) by Dead or Alive, "Male Stripper" (Out of the Ordinary Techno Mix) by Paul Zone and Man to Man, "White Lines" (70s Club Mix) by Duran Duran, "Kiss them For Me" (Kathak Mix) by Siouxie and the Banshees, or "I Sit On Acid" (just about any mix will do) by Lords of Acid.
What was the coolest toy you had when you were a kid? Oh how lame for me to admit...but my Barbie Dream House. I was the envy of every girl on the block.
When was the last time you felt lonely? The first full day in our new house when Todd went back to work again after the move. He had joined me for lunch every day since the day we moved to Tampa Bay, but now we live too far up in the 'burbs for him to do so.
Do you have any minor anal-retentive character traits? Too many to list here -- just ask poor Todd. I'm a perfectionist with borderline obsessive-compulsive mandates concerning where each and every little thing goes in the house. It moves an inch, I know it (and move it back). Monica on "Friends"? That's me, but without the obsessive-cleaning and scrubbing fits. Well...sometimes at least.

BONUS: Can't you see what I mean? Ooooh, I hate it when I screw it up and miss the bonus questions!
posted at 03:50 PM | link-

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Time to raise a little hell...
So Michelle and Melly, two of the mommies I most admire -- along with Mig of Feral Living -- have started a new blog called Raising Hell. They describe it as:

"A new perspective on family life. If Erma Bombeck and Ozzie Osbourne had a bastard child and added caffeine, it would look a lot like Raising Hell. Raising Hell looks like a typewriter and sounds like a lawnmower. Raising Hell is red meat at a vegetarian restaurant. It's the dispeptic hippopotamus at the tea party. Raising Hell is about finding love and beauty in chaos and panic. Raising Hell: a new genre of parenting.

Stop by and give it a read. I can pretty much guarantee with 110% certainty that you won't be disappointed!
posted at 12:01 PM | link-

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Now that's good eatin'
I just put up another tasty recipe at The Red Kitchen -- this time for Bow Tie Pasta Romano. It's a quick, easy favorite of ours.
posted at 01:53 AM | link-

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WTF?
It's been awhile since I've posted strange Google searches -- and I get a lot of 'em here. But today I've had two doozies hit my site.

Uhhhhhhhh...
1. college boys getting cavities filled
2. no better feeling than chinese in your lap

I can neither confirm nor deny #2, but then again, I'm always willing to try new things!
posted at 08:24 PM | link-

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Where's a "celebrity death match" when you need one?
And in other "I will literally do anything to keep my name in the headlines since that whole boxing thing didn't work so well" news...
posted at 08:05 PM | link-

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Do you wanna see me down on my knees?
Heads up -- there's another new skin to choose from! It's my first "guest skin", designed by Dave at Acerbia. It's supah-fly, so don't forget to check it out. Thanks Dave!

Also, Todd has tried all of the suggested fixes for the OS-X / IE 5.1 problem I've been having (originally outlined in this entry). Thank you so much to everyone who gave us suggestions to try and offered their trouble-shooting advice. Unfortunately we're still back where we started from. Anyone else wanna give it a whirl?
posted at 01:50 PM | link--it | mail it | (11) shout it

She's got Bette Davis eyes
Here's one for the girls out there... I'm in search of a beauty product, and I'll be your new best friend if you can find it for me. It's Jane Cosmetics' Brow Beaters tinted brow groomer in "naturally henna". To be honest, I'm not even sure if Jane still makes this -- I haven't needed it for several months. But now that I'm a redhead again, and the tube is nearly gone, I'm starting to panic. In the past I've only been able to find it at Wal Mart -- but recent searches at Wal Mart, Tarjhet, and Walgreen's have all left me empty-handed.

It's perfect for me for two reasons. One, my eyebrows are white-blonde and this not only puts them in place, it also tints them lightly to match my hair color. And two, when my white-blonde roots start poking out in between dye-jobs it works great as a quick touch-up product for my part-line. Bobbi Brown and Chanel have similar products that I will try if desperate -- but Jane's works great and comes in at about $13-20 less a tube. Biiiig difference, no?

So all this leads me to a sort of "meme" I guess... What five beauty-related products would send you running out to stockpile if you found they were discontinued tomorrow? They can be high-end and/or drugstore brands. If you answer in your blog, make sure to let us all know in my comments here -- and if possible, state your skin color and hair color as well. Thanks, and here are mine! (I have very fair skin. My natural hair color is blonde, and currently it's dyed medium-dark auburn.)

NARS blush in Orgasm. Not just for the name but for the way it looks on my pale skin. It's a color that goes with everything.
MAC Studio Fix in NW15. I live in south-central Florida. Liquid foundations are just not an option. And this doubles as a foundation and powder in one.
MAC lipstick in Viva Glam II. It's the perfect neutral lipstick. Although it's a nude-pink in the tube -- it completely changes looks if I wear it over MAC's Spice lipliner or Chanel's Nude lipliner. (By the way, perfect doubles for MAC Spice and Chanel Nude are Wet 'N' Wild's #712 and #666, respectively).
Stila "Pink Shine" lipgloss. It's a great little dot of shimmer to blot on the center of my bottom lip after I put on my lipstick. Perfect "pouty lips".
Chanel Sculpting Mascara (Extreme Length brush). I have it in two colors and love them both. Bronze for when I'm a blonde. Copper for when I'm a redhead. I've never found an adequate substitute. It never clumps.

posted at 02:23 AM | link-

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Another one bites the dust
Seatle police found the partially decomposed body of Alice In Chains front man Layne Staleyn in his home, according to CNN. Sigh. (Also spotted this evening at davidgagne.net, A Small Victory, Bliss, and redsugar muse.)
posted at 12:21 AM | link-

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Oh happy day!
So I'm flipping through the new May Vogue...and my 2002 has been made! "Say goodbye to your belly button: high waistlines are back. Say goodbye to low-riders. Bigger, slouchier bottoms ground the look. Empire-waist dress raises the bar..."

What does this mean? I won't have to flee Old Navy screaming because the jeans that won't even go over my hips when zipped also land 4" below my ass-crack. Pant legs might actually fit over my thighs without envoking water balloon jokes. We won't be forced to see every 12-year old in the mall's belly ring whether we want to or not. God bless fashion. I knew this day would come again. I never gave up hope!
posted at 03:52 PM | link--it | mail it | (17) shout it

He is, he is, he is Superman

And he can do anything!

The Dallas Cowboys have just selected an Oklahoma Sooner - Mr. Roy Williams - as their first round draft pick. You go Royeeee! You will notice upon close inspection of the above photo that Roy's legs are not visible. That's because he was airbound. You will also notice that Chris Simms is facing the wrong way in his own endzone. That's because he was just about to complete a perfect "pass" to OU's Teddy Lehman for a Sooner touchdown. Roy's going to be a thing of beauty to watch in the NFL. Keep your eye on 'im!
posted at 01:49 PM | link-

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In the good ol' summertime
I just submitted my mom's recipe for funnel cakes over at The Red Kitchen. Bon appétit!
posted at 12:29 AM | link-

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Gonna dress you up in my love
"He does a lot of nice things for me."

"Girl, I know he used to do nice stuff for you, but what has he done for you late-leeeey?"

Well there's your answer. Can you feel the love tonight?

posted at 07:57 PM | link-

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Shrinky dinks
Ever want to reduce a huge image on your site so it loads faster, but just don't have the graphics program or know-how to do so? Adobe to the rescue! You can upload the image off your own harddrive, and they will "optimize" it for you -- giving you a few different options/sizes to choose from. You can also pick .gif, .jpg, or both. Then just right click and save the image you like best after Adobe has worked their magic. It even gives approximate download times on a 28.8 connection. Try it out!
posted at 07:23 PM | link-

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Baby steps
In order to make David happy, I've decided to finally tackle CSS as I can... There's a new beach skin up now that's pretty bare-bones and plain as far as my skins go -- and so far I've only figured out how to make it pretty in 1024x768. But if you're on a slow modem, moving everything out of tables should start to speed things up for you. So have at it if you so desire!
posted at 05:26 PM | link-

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You're in good hands with Alstott
Finally good news out of the Bucs camp, rather than news of yet another cut...it appears we've signed Mike Alstott to a new 4-year extension on his contract. Look out -- the A-train is about to roll on!
posted at 02:25 PM | link-

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"Get Your Buddha on the Floor"

Abercrombie & Fitch has a lot more to deal with than irate customers over their nudie-catalogs these days. Their latest t-shirt campaign, pictured above, is causing quite an uproar. The shirts have caricatured faces with slanted eyes and rice-paddy hats, and such slogans as, "Wok-N-Bowl -- Let the Good Times Roll -- Chinese Food & Bowling."

Well "White or Wong", in this day of political correctness, what kind of dumbass approved these for mass-print? "We personally thought Asians would love this T-shirt," said Hampton Carney, with the public relations firm where Abercrombie referred a reporter's call. Get yours on eBay while supplies last! (Link snagged from Daypop.)

Coming soon, the Abercrombie & Fitch American Indian tribute: "Red Cloud's Barber Shop - Shave and a Scalping, 2 bits." -and- "My chief sold Manhattan and all I got were these lousy beads."

posted at 07:19 AM | link-

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Rotten Apples
From day one I have had problems with IE 5.1 auto-closing on certain sites on my iBook (running OS-X). Poof! Everything's just gone at once. For example, I've never been able to open imdb.com on here since the first day we brought it home. Ever. IE just crashes and closes before the page even loads.

I know it doesn't have to be this way. I'm the only person having this problem I've ever run across. Most people roll their eyes like we're insane and tell us we're just using it wrong. That Macs never crash. But they don't tell us how to use it right. And since my husband is a Windoze expert, he's stumped and isn't exactly willing to dig deep to help me find a solution. That is until I throw a mega-sized hissy fit over a $1800 computer in my lap that I can't use properly...and make him post this. If you're a Mac user/expert, please HELP! And don't suggest Opera as a quick-fix. He can't even get that to open, much less run, for me on here... THANKS in advance!
posted at 09:56 PM | link--it | mail it | (17) shout it

Pour some sugar on me
So that's my problem! Mosquitoes prefer blondes and redheads. Who knew?! I should have tested that theory with the pink though...
posted at 05:13 PM | link-

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I'm still the king of me

I'm gonna soak up the sun
Gonna tell everyone to lighten up
I'm gonna tell 'em that

I've got no one to blame
For every time I feel lame,
I'm looking up...

I'm gonna soak up the sun
I'm gonna soak up the sun
posted at 03:12 PM | link-

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Again?
Ugh. A lawsuit was just filed in the Tampa one...
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Mo' money mo' problems
My Puffy mailbox was starting to pile up and get out of control, so I've put up new entries starting here a bit earlier than usual. Select quotes from this latest batch o' mail include:

"...You people are such big fucking haters. P. Diddy is the best around you probley just jealous because he beat all them stupid old shit crappy music back then. Stop hating just because he look good got the money and can sind better that you plus dress better than you doesn't mean you gotta hate...."

"...stop hating on p diddy.........YOUR A BIG FAT UGLY BITTER HATER. Just cause you won't ever be able to achieve what p diddy has doesn't mean you have permission to hate. But p diddy loves people like you because I bet p diddy is ALWAYS on yo mind..."

"...Your just mad puffy get get more girls and money then you(yes i meant girls) And Don't you know hate kills! it killed biggy, pac and all the people in the world trade center. Hate needs to be stopped, and although making an anti puffy site isnt exactly gonna kill, hate will. So I think speaking for myself and millions, ur a grown women for crying out loud. Get a life and a man or sumthin to occupy your time(and if the guy in the picture with you IS your man, I Pity u)..."

I'll let you read the rest for yourselves. I take great pride, and find much amusement, in the fact that this site was created in 1998 as a joke -- and except for the mailbag -- has been updated exactly once since then when Puffy changed his name to P. Diddy. And the hate mail still keeps pouring in... I must be doing something right! I won't take it down as a matter of principle now.
posted at 01:51 AM | link-

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That's six! Six lovely blog entries! Ah, ah, ah!
And I was afraid I'd have nothing to say today... I don't believe I've had a chance to pimp the Scripty Goddesses yet. All sorts of cool tips and tricks for your blog/site. Like this one by Kristine on how to put the code to syndicate your site through Wander-lust right in your Movable Type "MTEntries tags". The Wander-lust icon is over in the sidebar now -- and you'll also notice I added an XML link as well. Might as well use it since MT generates it anyway. Thanks Kristine!
posted at 11:05 PM | link-

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Goin' to the chapel
Kathy just sent me the link to an old pal from college's site. Hannah lived in the OU Honors Dorm the same year that I did (and the year after Todd did). Ironically, she's chosen wedding website design as her career path, too -- but she kicks my l'il fledgling arse at it! Stop by her site at aboutthewedding.com. And if that's not enough "wedding" for you, look through this photographer's wedding portfolio. Stars spotted were Christina Applegate and Jennie Garth. Very beautiful work there!
posted at 08:39 PM | link-

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If a tree falls in the rain forest
Heads up to Amazon.com affiliates... They have just introducted an XML Platform! "By putting Amazon.com XML directly into your hands, you'll now have the flexibility to display dynamic product information in any way you choose. XML gives you the power to:

Choose which product attributes to display

Control how product attributes appear

Perform multiple product line searches

Build lists from multiple product categories…and much more!

Eventual features include price and availability information, different image sizes, authors and artists, customer ratings, and the ability to specify the number of products and select attributes you want to receive." They're even looking for help from developers to expand and build their XML platform, so check it out if you are so inclinded.
posted at 05:33 PM | link-

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Money, money, money, mon-ay
Whoo hoo -- Todd will be happy when he gets home tonight! We just got paid by two advertisers at WM! (one new, one a renewal) for multiple 90-day contracts. Go check out "A Custom Engraver" and "GetawayWeddings.com".
posted at 04:10 PM | link-

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Just like riding a bike?
It's too early to be thinking. Last week I was going to bed right about now. Looking over the week before last's archives, I sit here wondering just how I managed to write so much crap each day. Where did all that time come from? Yesterday might as well have been 2 hours long for all I seemed to accomplish. Ahhhhh...to be reminded there is life going on outside these four walls, and then have it snatched from your grasp much too soon... Excuse me. I think I need to look over my beach photos again.
posted at 08:02 AM | link-

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To be continued...
May sweeps and season finales are almost upon us, so E! Online put together a quiz to test just how much you recall.
posted at 07:35 AM | link-

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April Featured Wedding
The new April "Fifteen Minutes of Fame" wedding is online! This one is just beautiful, if I do say so myself...
posted at 09:56 PM | link-

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May we see your photos please?
Kathy sent copies of her vacation photos today, so there are two new categories at Shutterblog now (16 new photos total).
posted at 06:35 PM | link-

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Pork rinds or sardines?!?
Easin' back into regular-daily blogging with the new "This or That Tuesday".

Do you eat food if it hits the floor? Yes or no? I also follow the 10-second rule. Besides, what are a few extra minerals?
Chinese food or Italian? Tough call, but gotta pick Italian for the cheese-factor.
Ice cream or yogurt? We all scream for ice cream!
Do you eat breakfast? Yes or no? Not usually. Stomach isn't settled enough yet.
Have you ever eaten a bug? Yes or no? Not on purpose, but they say the average human eats 6 lbs. worth of them in a lifetime. Ick.
Soft drink from a can, bottle, or glass? Depends on the drink. Diet Coke from the 16 oz. bottle. Ginger ale in a glass.
Do you consume 5 fruits and vegetables a day? Hate veggies. Blech. So no. Try to eat fruit often, but 5 a day is a bit much...
Apple or orange? Why, Apple, of course! Orange sucks!
Pork rinds or sardines? Are you on crack, Ashley? Ewww! Ewww! Ewww!
Caviar or grits? I have tried to like grits. Honestly. But no matter with sugar, syrup, butter, cheese, whathaveyou -- never could learn to like 'em no matter which way I tried. And caviar is just plain ol' stinky.

posted at 01:43 PM | link-

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The day after the night before
I hate that "empty" feeling in the house after company is gone. Kathy's visit was much too short -- a true whirlwind four-day weekend. Todd even got so bored tonight that he cleaned the inside of the washing machine with a toothbrush -- the boy needs help! And poor Claire must have snuck into the guest room a good 25 times before buying that Kathy really was gone. I just snapped this pic of her in the computer room and the flash didn't even make her flinch.

Does anyone else get that way after company leaves? On one hand it's nice to have your house back and know a more normal "daily routine" is on the horizon. But on the other hand, it's so much more fun just to play. Kathy and I haven't had this much time together since late high school and early college. (She went to New Orleans for our wedding but I was in such a blissful daze that weekend I really don't remember much that wasn't photographed or on video.) I really hope we'll be able to do it again soon!

Our dance card won't be empty for long though... One of Todd's friends from high school gets in town later this week on the 18th. Then Joy and Ryan will be here in early May. And after that, Robbie has rescheduled his visit for mid-May. Good thing we've got a vacation coming up in August. I'm going to need a vacation from everyone else's vacations. That's one great thing about living in Florida though. Eventually everyone will come and see you!

posted at 01:30 AM | link-

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Back to life, back to reality
Well Kathy was leavin' on a jet plane earlier this evening, meaning things are slowly getting back to "normal" (or at least as close as we'll ever get to it) around here. I'm sure I'll be updating, revamping and tweaking this a lot more as time goes by...but for now...here's my new project. All of the photos from this weekend can be found in "Shutterblog". Enjoy!
posted at 12:01 AM | link-

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Having a wonderful time...

posted at 01:33 AM | link-

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"I drank WHAT?"
Well today was a very mellow day. I'm feeling last night so we pretty much ditched all of our plans and put them off 'til tomorrow. We went driving around the mansions on Bayshore and Hyde Park, then to the International Plaza for a short run, and ate dinner at California Pizza Kitchen. A quick stop by ABC and it was homeward bound again... I'll probably be in a coma next week, but it's well worth it! See the entry just below this one for photos!
posted at 11:20 PM | link-

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Ain't nuthin' but a G-thang
It's late as you can see by the time-stamp, so no witty commentary. I'll let the photos speak for themselves. Especially the second one! (I give you photo 1 and photo 2.) More to follow later...after sleep!
posted at 04:17 AM | link-

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Soooooo...
You know your husband feels like he's in for a wonderful weekend when your own mother leaves the following comment in this old entry : "Don't forget how Kathy always helped you with your Victoria's Secret fetish too! ;)"

Oh yeah, this should be fun! *evil grin* Have a great weekend!
posted at 02:46 PM | link-

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Damaged goods?
This will be short 'n' sweet as Kathy gets here in just a few more hours...but remember this entry? Well, good news -- I "passed" (or is it flunked?) -- and don't have to deal with that for another four years (unless my condition improves). At least the weekend is starting off on a good note! Have a great weekend everyone! Hopefully we'll have all sorts of photos for your viewing enjoyment soon.

posted at 07:20 PM | link-

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She rocks!
I'm listening to Cheyenne on "Call For Help" right now -- she just won a fully registered version of the new Photoshop 7.0! Whoo hoo! Congrats Gnome-Girl!
posted at 05:49 PM | link-

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El scorcho
Ahhhh man... No more nicotine lollipops and lip balm. I swear, the man is always trying to keep me down! (Please note: No Robyns were actually harmed in the making of this blog entry.)
posted at 03:21 AM | link-

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Get the party started

I will do the German dance for you
It's fun and gay and tra-la-la.
I hope you will enjoy my dance
Fiddle-e-aye, fiddle-e-aye ay!

Todd and Chris know what I'm talkin' 'bout...and soon you will, too! w00t!
posted at 02:01 AM | link-

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Beach Bum
Ok, I have to ignore the fact that Anne Heche is the model...but I think these are just the cutest things! I wish someone *ahem* didn't burn so I could hit the beach more often in them!
posted at 12:20 AM | link-

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A whole new meaning to "Scooby snacks"
You've gotta love it when "news of the weird" happens just around the block!
posted at 04:00 PM | link-

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Hacky sack
Want to tweak MT to add smileys and post the current temp in your area? Check out the new hacks located here!
posted at 02:43 AM | link-

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For better or for worse...to have and to strangle...

Tonight I ran across this cake topper again and thought I'd share since the spring and summer wedding season is just about upon us. It features the bride strangling the groom -- something all past, present, and future brides can relate to after being nose-deep in wedding planning for months on end! The price is right, too, as far as cake toppers go... Definitely one I'd have picked out if given the option!

posted at 02:28 AM | link-

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Tuesday means...
It's time for Ashley's "This or That"!

Do you answer the phone on the first ring? Yes or no? No. We wait for Caller ID to show up first. We're lazy like that.
Which is worse: door-to-door salesmen or telemarketers? Door-to-door salesman. I hate slamming doors in people's faces, but won't think a thing about doing that with the phone (after saying "put me on your do not call list"). You can also turn the ringer off -- the doorbell will ring regardless of whether or not you answer it.
Which is worse: the phone company or the oil company? The oil company. But ask me again after our next Verizon bill...
Cordless phone, cellular phone, or corded phone? All three. Cordless for the house. Cellular for Todd on the road to and from work. And corded because with summer storms in Florida, you've got to have a non-electric-reliant option on hand.
Phone number: write it down or remember it? WRITE IT DOWN! (And then lose it most likely...sigh...)
When you tell a date, "I'll call you", do you mean it? Yes or no? Sure do. Unless my health gets in the way...
Do you own one phone? Two? Three? More? Three in the house and one cell phone.
Have you purchased anything by phone? Yes or no? Yes. I do a lot of our shopping online and via catalogs since I can't always get out.
Have you ever called someone and then hung up before you spoke? Yes or no? The most embarassing time this happened was right after Todd and I started dating. I still had his parents' house in my memory -- one off from my Gma. When his dad answered, I recognized the voice and what I'd done and promptly hung up without saying anything. Wouldn't you know (this was 1992) they had JUST got Caller ID for the first time and were just itching to bust someone. I could have DIED. I still don't know if Todd really believes it was a mistake. LOL!
Do you own an answering machine? We have voicemail through our phone company so a message can still be left if we're on the phone.

posted at 11:33 PM | link-

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N'awlins nuptials
Spotted on the web: An article linking our New Orleans wedding information site!
posted at 08:50 PM | link-

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I once got busy in a Burger King bathroom
Kathy will be here in two more days -- I can't wait! (She's been one of my best friends since we were 15 years old.) While doing a little digging online about Tampa Bay, Kathy discovered that Digital Underground ("The Humpty Dance, here's your chance, to do the hump") are going to be at Empire Friday night. The question is...are we that brave?
posted at 06:08 PM | link-

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It's the little things
Here's a cool free tip from today's "Call For Help": Sick of trying to type out long URLs in e-mails and what-have-you? Visit TinyURL.com and it will help you create a short redirect to that site you can then add to your browser's toolbar. You can also use it to redirect to any page at your website if you are burdened with a long URL -- or hide URLs you don't want seen by others!
posted at 05:08 PM | link-

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Grrrr baby, very grrrrr
Well it looks like MGM and United Artists have finally come to their senses and will allow the new Austin Powers flick to be titled "Goldmember". I was most-amused by the list of alternate titles in the works though: Live and Let Shag, You Only Shag Thrice, Never Say Member Again, and License to Shag
posted at 04:54 PM | link-

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This blog entry brought to you by...
Well I've had a boring, but productive, afternoon. I updated my WM! advertising page so that a banner ad can be purchased instantly via invoice. Ahhh c'mon. You know you want to go look at my cute little shopping carts!

posted at 04:15 PM | link-

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This should make the folks at PETA happy
Just when you think you've seen everything on the Internet, you find a CNN article that says cows are now getting their own water beds because "happy cows are more productive cows". Well ok then...
posted at 03:08 AM | link-

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Reason #4762 why I hate Hollywood
So "Bridget Jones's Diary" is on Starz right now. We're watching out of sick curiousity I guess. I seriously darn-near went postal during the commercial previews phase for the film in 2001, as listening to Renee Zellweger butcher her English accent was extremely painful on the ears. But there's nothing on TV tonight...so here we landed.

It's probably going to be difficult for me to get past any redeeming qualities for the film - if there are any - after the start of Bridget reading her diary aloud ("Weight: 136. Goal: lose 20 lbs.") Granted, I'm 5'10". But after reading interview after interview about all that weight Miss Zellweger gained for the film (and what a miracle it was that she lost it again so quickly in order to get back to the standard Hollywood size 0-2) - I'm sorry - but I just don't see where she was so vulgar and disgusting "with the fat on". In my wedding photos I'm at, what I consider to be, my "ideal weight". And can you believe I weighed in at an ungraceful 145 lbs. in those photos, "with a bottom the size of Brazil", according to Bridget? The horror!

Hollywood blows.
posted at 08:53 PM | link-

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On the cover of the Rollin' Stone
In case you missed it last week during the blog-outage, "Wholly Matrimony!" was featured on the 04.03.2002 Lockergnome Windows Daily! Thanks again, Chris!
posted at 07:21 PM | link-

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But I look at your pants and I need a kiss
I'm moving my "what songs turn you on" thread over here now, in case you didn't get a chance to participate and would still like to (also added the link to the original in my sidebar). For a list of my "top 25 oooh baby songs", just click the "read more" link.

In no particular order...

Closer by Nine Inch Nails. (I can't even begin to count the number of times I've been approached and bought drinks after enjoying that song on the dance floor.)
Anything Michael Hutchence sings (INXS or solo). Yes, anything. (He had a "do me" voice that will never be matched.)
Bad Girl by Madonna. (That's pretty self-explantory.)
Bittersweet Symphony by Verve.
At My Most Beautiful by REM.
Jump in the River by Sinéad O'Connor.
Supervixen and Vow by Garbage.
Bathwater by No Doubt.
White Lines (cover) by Duran Duran.
Add It Up by the Violent Femmes.
The entire "Fumbling Towards Ecstacy" CD by Sarah McLachlan (I agree 100% Susan)!
The entire "Disintegration" CD by The Cure.
Is Your Love Strong Enough by Bryan Ferry.
Crazy by Patsy Cline.
Try a Little Tenderness by Otis Redding.
Son of a Preacher Man by Dusty Springfield.
Hobo Humpin' Slobo Babe by Whale.
Sometimes by Erasure.
Naïve by KMFDM.
Stripped and Black Celebration by Depeche Mode.
Dancing Barefoot, Numb and Until the End of the World by U2.
Hey Pretty by Poe.
Laid by James.
Slip Slide Melting by For Love Not Lisa.
Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon (cover) by Urge Overkill on the "Pulp Fiction" soundtrack. (They're amazing to see live!)

posted at 05:02 PM | link-

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Great BeneFit
BeneFit Cosmetics, one of my favorite brands, is giving away a $150 BeneSpree if you register through their site and win. (Link at bottom left of page.) But if you win, you have to share with meeeeee!

posted at 04:03 PM | link-

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Monday Mission
Here's this week's Monday Mission!

When was the last time your computer crashed? What happened? That would be the Dell story...and...I bought a Mac! True "final straw" moment.
Recommend a movie (new or old) for us to watch. I'll recommend a new and old. If you like b&w movies, my favorite of all-time is "Jezebel" with Bette Davis and Henry Fonda. As for new, we just watched "Zoolander" over the weekend. Although I expected to hate it, I laughed all the way through.
When was the last time someone told you that you were attractive (and you actually believed them)? That would probably be my wedding day. It's the last day I actually felt attractive (meaning, I wasn't sick yet).
Do you like to sleep in or wake up with the chickens? SLEEP IN. That's a no-brainer. My mom always said I was the only toddler on the block that knew Johnny Carson by sight.
Are you gay, straight or bi? Ever been tempted to go the other way? Straight - and never been curious, although I've been propositioned. It's just something I've just always "known" in my own case.
What will be the next computer-related purchase you will make? Hopefully an AirPort so I can finally go wireless!
I soak up affection like a sponge. But in my current relationship, sadly, I am the giver. The only hugs I get are the ones I initiate (and those become fewer and fewer). I tell you, I would be putty in your hands if you were to be affectionate to me. What is your role when you are in relationships? A giver, a taker, or is it an equal balance? In our marriage, it's very much an equal balance. Although I was insecure throughout several of my earlier relationships and I was almost-always the giver.

BONUS: Would I lie to you? Now would I say something that wasn't true? I'm asking you sugah...
posted at 02:30 PM | link-

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You knew this one was coming
Here's a site (from Daypop) full of slang from the 1990s. I shall now demonstrate:

What up, G? Tell that fart-knocker to quit icing my grill or I'll open up a can of whoop-ass on the mofo. Peace out.
posted at 02:55 AM | link--it | mail it | (3) shout it

I'm #1! I'm #1!

Time to break out those foam #1 fingers and shout "Robyn's number one"! I finally replaced Robyn Hitchcock as the number one result for Robyn, if only for a short while! And they said it couldn't be done...
posted at 01:34 AM | link-

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Who you tryin' to get crazy with ese? Don't you know I'm loco?
So what exactly does moving ten existing blogs, creating one new group blog, and moving seven different domains -- all in less than a week -- do to a girl? See for yourself!
posted at 11:20 PM | link-

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Check yourself before you wreck yourself
Well it looks like my blog is back to normal now (or at least as close to normal as it will ever get. The skins are working. The search is working. And links in the sidebar should take you to the proper entries now. If you happen to catch a glitch, please let me know! *knock on wood* Things are ready to roll for the upcoming week -- have a great one everyone!
posted at 10:54 PM | link-

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Showin' some skin (a.k.a. I did it all by myself!)
Dig it -- I got the skins back up and running at my blog. Go pick yours out now! w00t -- I'm back, baby! (Thanks to Christine for getting the .htaccess file added the other day which made this possible.)
posted at 09:11 PM | link-

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That deluxe apartment in the sky
Hey -- welcome to the new digs! There are going to be some bugs for the next few days until the DNS catches up with me. The ~~skins won't work~~. The ~~search won't work~~. And links to individual posts in the sidebar ~~will take you to the wrong place~~. But at least here I'm online. So buckle up. The ride may be bumpy...but it's filled with panties! Thanks for being patient. And have a great weekend!
posted at 01:52 PM | link-

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Hey, I've never seen the sun come up in the west
Well once again, an incredible night of friends and fun awaited us in Lakeland. As you can see by the time-stamp here, Stacy and Dan truly are the hosts with the most. (And Stacy is quite the cook!) I'm proud to say that I reigned supreme in the "Battle of the Sexes". Now...we sleep! Catch you all ~~tomorrow~~, errrr, later today.
posted at 05:36 AM | link-

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So tip up your cup and throw your hands up...
We're out of here in a bit to run errands, and then head over to Lakeland later tonight for dinner and fun at Stacy and Daniel's. Don't do anything I wouldn't do tonight! (Which means you can get away with just about anything. Well, almost...) And don't forget to "spring forward" with your clocks.
posted at 02:56 PM | link-

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Center for kids who can't read very good
So we rented Zoolander tonight. I'll start off by saying that I wanted to hate it, and I refused to see it in the theater. But we caught ourselves busting out laughing all the way through (and might I add that no alcohol was involved in the making of this DVD review). They had me at the "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" gasoline fight. Throw in a few Finnish dwarfs, and Todd was hooked, too. And any movie with Gwen and Gavin has my vote. You'll have to be in a silly frame of mind before you pick up a copy, but if you are, definite two-thumbs-up from us. Did you see it and hate it? Wanna have a walk-off?
posted at 11:41 PM | link-

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She's running out again

I don't care if it hurts
I want to have control
I want a perfect body
I want a perfect soul
I want you to notice
When I'm not around
You're so fuckin' special
I wish I was special

But I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo.
What the hell am I doing here?
I don't belong here.....

posted at 02:05 AM | link-

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I will hug it and squeeze it and call it George
Figures that I finally get my blog back and I don't have any time to really post here or there. I have a feeling I'm going to be mumbling "allow comments...convert line breaks..." in my sleep here in a bit between moving five blogs to a new server last weekend, and helping Christine with the Blogomania migration this week. I'm also falling very far behind on my "reads" list. So don't think I don't love you... I should be back to my regular self, oh say, by Saturday night when we get ripped with Stacy and Daniel!
posted at 10:55 PM | link-

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Go Robyn! Go Robyn! It's your birthday!
WAHHHHHHHHHHHH freakin' HOOOOOOOOOOOO! I have a blog! I'm so overjoyed, I just may have to hug the monitor. Let me have a "moment" and I'll get back to you...

P.S. Don't forget to check for me at "Blogaholics Anonymous" for the next few days. We're moving servers and you know how funky DNS redirects can get. I'll be doing most of my blogging there until the server move is complete, because anything posted here most likely won't make the move.
posted at 03:14 PM | link--it | mail it | (7) shout it

Love is in the air
Hey Christine -- Roger on Tech TV's "Call For Help" is using match.com to try and find love online. Now's your chance!
posted at 05:49 PM | link-

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The Mayor of Simpleton
So let me get this straight... You elect a stripper as your mayor, but then you're appalled when she (*gasp*) bares her breasts in a bar? Shocking.
posted at 05:24 PM | link-

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And in other news...
From MSNBC.com: It appears there is now a petition online (with over 50,000 signatures) to get September 11th declared as a national holiday. [editorial mode on] This could be just me, and I might get flamed for saying it, but I think you should have every body accounted for and buried before you rush off declaring national holidays. Not to say there isn't a place in our calendar, or our history books, for such a holiday. I just think the timing is rushed when we haven't even celebrated the first anniversary of the event yet. [editorial mode /off]
posted at 05:11 PM | link-

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My my, how can I resist you?
How on EARTH did I miss this? There's an entire musical devoted to ABBA songs, and it's coming to Tampa Bay. As a child, I loved ABBA. There, I said it. And in college, it was often the CD of choice to accompany 'tasty beverages' at "The Farm". Then Erasure's ABBA-esque CD took it to a whole 'nuther level. (Even Todd is a closet-fan of that one!) So now there's a musical? I'm not quite sure how I feel about that. Has anyone out there caught the show yet?
posted at 01:35 PM | link-

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Bribery will get you everywhere!
Todd's cousin Susan rocks! If you're not reading her new blog yet, start. Now. But here's the reason for this entry. When I realized I was facing a multi-server and multi-blog move this weekend, I joked to everyone not to give me any shit about it. I told them all to speak quietly, not complain, and toss lots of chocolate in my general direction... So what does Susan go and do? Well just take a look. Yes, she got that big honkin' box of candy across the country from Seattle to Tampa Bay from Friday to Monday! I may end up being 700 lbs. at Gnomedex now, but I'm gonna have lots of fun getting there! Thanks Susan!
posted at 12:45 AM | link-

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Your call is important to us - please continue to hold
If I owe you e-mail, I want to apologize! Normally I'm bad about writing back anyway...but this weekend it got more backed up around here than Malfunction Junction on the Friday of Labor Day weekend. Over the weekend, in my spare time, I moved five domains - and five blogs - to a new server. I also had to do all the last-minute stuff with the April Fool's Project (THANK YOU to everyone who participated). Then today, Todd was home...I was blogging in four places (plus Todd's for Jamese so really five)...and my WM! monthlies needed to get up online. Sooooooo, tomorrow is "reply to e-mail" day. I promise. Maybe.
posted at 12:14 AM | link-

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Costa Rica, cha cha cha
The "Destination Wedding of the Month" for April 2002 is up now, as well. They were married at the La Mariposa Hotel in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.
posted at 11:31 PM | link-

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Dress of the Month
In case you've been waiting not-so-patiently...here is the April 2002 (Wedding) Dress of the Month!
posted at 10:32 PM | link-

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Will the real 'Slim Shady' please stand up?
Whew, that was fun -- happy April Fool's everyone! Finally, it's Robyn doing the typing once more... I'll let each of my Fools for the day "out" themselves. What? You don't think I'd have just one, do you?

Thanks for a most-amusing day! Several entries caused snort-laughs, that's for sure! And my mom to panic that my hair really was blue...priceless.
posted at 07:33 PM | link-

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My Idol (April Fool's)
Thanks to Martha Stewart, I finally know how to make the perfect ice cube.
posted at 03:22 PM | link-

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There's a snake in the toilet! (April Fool's)
If I wasn't using Moveable Type I'd be using:

posted at 03:13 PM | link-

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Don't you, forget about me (April Fool's)
Ladies and gents, since I am the one true pantie blog I have decided to start up a gallery of girlies in panties. No, scratch that, too mundane and similar to the rack project. On second thoughts I want pictures of guys in panties for my gallery. That is all, thankyou.
posted at 01:14 PM | link-

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Monday Mission 2.13 (April Fool's)
From PromoGuy:

1. When was the last time you wanted someone to take you seriously but they just humored you?
It was my husband Todd. I told him "I love you", and I was totally serious about it, but he kinda brushed me off with a "Yeah, whatever... I love you too".

2. If you were going to get a vanity license plate for your car, what would it say? (Or if you already have one, what does it say?)
It really doesn't matter, because my car is up on blocks in the front yard.

3. What was written in the sweetest love note you were ever given? What's the story there?
It was the lyrics to the Backstreet Boys song As Long As You Love Me, because Todd knows what a huge fan of them I am. He's such a charmer!

4. What is your ethnic background?
Mostly Irish, with some German, Italian, Swedish, Danish, Dutch, Mongolian, Greek, and Martian thrown in there.

5. What, if any, is your personal exercise routine?
Every 30 minutes or so, I get up from my computer chair to get another beer from the fridge. And then I do as many sets of 12 oz curls that I can.

6. Have you ever had any "one night stands?" How did that come about and how did you feel the next day?
Only the ones I paid for. The next day, I'd feel sorta bad, but then I'd feel better by swiping the towels from whatever Motel we were at.

7. What is your fondest Easter memory?
I don't really celebrate Easter, since I've been a Buddhist my entire life.

BONUS: Who am I to disagree?
I'm not sure, but I'd love to have sex with you.
posted at 12:26 PM | link--it | mail it | (3) shout it

In Love with The Wolf (April Fool's)
Watched the movie Pulp Fiction again last night. I have to say this - Harvey Keitel is such a hottie! The way he carries himself... his screen presence. He's just so sexy! I could watch that scene over and over, and never get tired of it.
posted at 11:43 AM | link-

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Divorce! Divorce! Divorce! (April Fool's)
The friendship is over! I knew Todd was seeing Colin Powell behind my back, but Christine too?!
posted at 10:23 AM | link-

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Super Kirin Kirin Robyn! (April Fool's)

At Todd's insistence, due to his love of Japanese anime movies I have made a slight adjustment to my hair color. I also have to talk very fast and open my eyes very wide whenever I can to keep him happy. In return he's promised to let me court Chris whenever I feel like it.
posted at 08:26 AM | link-

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In Local News... (April Fool's)
Man Bitten By Radioactive Sloth Does The Lying-Around-All-Day Of 10 Normal Men
CENTRAL CITY—Laboratory assistant Brent Barker, bitten by a radioactive sloth last week in a freak lab accident, now possesses the relative loafing powers of 10 men. "Could someone pass me some more crackers?" asked the media-dubbed "Crimson Lump," speaking from his titanium sofa, the only known object that can withstand his superhuman lethargy. "I can't reach them from here." Scientists are likewise baffled at Barker's uncanny ability to remain motionless while watching amounts of television that would kill an ordinary mortal. (story stolen from this week's Onion)
posted at 03:05 AM | link-

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