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C'est la vie
 Just e-mailed to Ryan and Chel...sigh...

Well I got all of 2 hours sleep last night. It ain't happenin' for us today. Todd put it best -- "If you go, we need to know the quickest route to Tampa General." I'm sad and pissed about it. Stupid morning events... But he's right, and I don't think there's any way I could do all of the walking that will be involved. So have fun and get drunk/rowdy for us. We're livin' vicariously through you today. Thank goodness the Knight parade is at NIGHT!

So let that be a lesson to ya'. Don't be jealous of me being home all day every day. This is the end result. Make sure to check Ryan and Chel's blog this weekend for photos of all we missed!
posted at 07:39 AM | link--it | mail it | (9) shout it



Insomnia schnomnia
 Yeah, you know how you have all these good intentions of going to bed on time and actually sleeping...and uhhhh...well...yeah again... That 45 minute nap sure was great! Ooooh boy, I'm going to be a walking corpse in the morning.
posted at 01:29 AM | link--it | mail it | (3) shout it






Gasparilla or bust...literally
 Well folks, we're taking our Geritol and are actually going to attempt to be in bed by midnight on a Friday night. *gasp* Why, you might ask? Well because tomorrow is Gasparilla!

We actually have to be in downtown Tampa before 10 a.m. tomorrow (a.k.a. dawn to me) to meet up with everyone, or they'll start closing off the streets and we'll have to sell our house to park. So be good over the weekend. If you are, I just might send you a shiny new set of beads (if you ask nicely)! And no, I won't earn them. Different town, different time I'm 'fraid...
posted at 10:53 PM | link--it | mail it | (1) shout it



Yeah whatever...
 The Anti-Bloggies are here! The Anti-Bloggies are here!

Dawn explains it best...
posted at 06:47 PM | link--it | mail it | (2) shout it



Destination wedding of the month
 The new February 2002 Destination Wedding of the Month is up now. This month's location? Walt Disney World, Florida!
posted at 06:29 PM | link--it | mail it | (0) shout it



I can't believe I watched the whole thing
 Another great "fix" from Call For Help today: Have you been jonesing for commercials since ad critic went belly-up? Just in time for Super Bowl weekend there's AdReview and AdForum!
posted at 05:08 PM | link--it | mail it | (1) shout it



Bloggers Anonymous
 Hi, I'm Robyn. And I'm addicted to blogging. I couldn't post new entries -- or have comments left on old entries -- all night last night due to excess-bandwidth errors. (Big thanks to Christine for fixing everything for me!) Now today, I finally sit down at my computer, and I can't connect because a router is suddenly down in my area. I might actually have to do something today. The horror!

Todd can connect to my blog from work, however, so I'm sending him this entry and letting him post it for me. Almost as pathetic as posting to your blog from a cell phone, but not quite... If you haven't had a chance to check out Todd's new digs, his blog changed names and domains last night. Stop by and give 'im some sugah.

And if you haven't had a chance to see the new February Dress of the Month, it's up online now as well! Off to make sacrifices to the Internet gods...happy Friday everyone...
posted at 03:26 PM | link--it | mail it | (6) shout it






Did we really need this show?
 How to tell cable TV has really gone in the toilet (pun intended)...last night Todd was surfing around and came across, I kid you not, a show devoted to the World's Best Bathrooms. Never fear! If you missed it, the program will run again on February 3rd. And in case that isn't enough for you, you can also vote on what you feel is the most important quality for a public bathroom. Sponsored by Charmin. *shudder*
posted at 07:03 PM | link--it | mail it | (4) shout it



And another shameless plug...
 Chris Pirillo just pimp'd the audience-voted best online freebies winners on Call For Help. Categories include Free Email, Free Net Access, Free Newsletter, Downloads, Instant Messenger, Photos, Greeting Cards, and more.
posted at 05:22 PM | link--it | mail it | (4) shout it



No taxation without (online) representation
 Seen at Chris Pirillo's: Electronic tax filers could get extra 10 days to file. "To encourage greater electronic tax filing, President Bush wants to give e-filers an extra 10 days to get their returns in and begin designing a system allowing more people to file directly to the IRS via the Internet for free."
posted at 04:02 PM | link--it | mail it | (1) shout it



And how, pray tell, did they put you through college?
 Coupons! Valentine's Day is rapidly approaching, so if you have a bit of online shopping to do, make sure to check out these sites first to see if any 'net coupons exist for the merchants (or shopping categories) you're thinking about: SlickDeals.net, Amazing-Bargains.com, and MyCoupons.com
posted at 02:48 PM | link--it | mail it | (4) shout it



As Heaven Is Wide
 Take it back, I dare you, take it back
No you can't, you should have thought of that
What's inside a man that goes so wrong?

Choke on guilt, that's far too good for you
Say one word, I'll laugh and bury you
And leave you in the place where you left me...

-- "As Heaven Is Wide", Garbage

Sometimes being an adult means knowing when to walk away from people, places and things and never looking back. I have made that choice. I would ask that you finally respect me (and my requested privacy) and do the same. You are not going to find what you are (or are not) looking for -- parts of my life are now forever off-limits to you. Just so we're clear on that. Please devote your time and attention to the one thing you already have that others continue to pray for daily, and spend your time looking at photos of your own life rather than mine. And now back to your regularly scheduled programming...
posted at 02:32 PM | link--it | mail it | (0) shout it



What he said
 *polite opera claps* from the pink haired twit to the right...no, your other right...
posted at 01:30 PM | link--it | mail it | (3) shout it



Show me your...
 Whoever came in searching for Gasparilla boobs (I'm #1 baby!), I suggest checking with Ryan later this weekend. I'm pretty sure he won't disappoint... Because this is about all I have to offer (rated PG-13).
posted at 12:52 PM | link--it | mail it | (0) shout it



Well ok then
 Should more than 10 very low fly-by's by a helicopter over our house in the middle of suburbia in the last 5 minutes be cause for concern...hmmmmm...
posted at 12:08 PM | link--it | mail it | (5) shout it






There's always Paris?
 As expected, the Bloggies were a Wil Wheaton love-fest and the rest of us didn't stand much of a chance if up against him. Oh well, it was an honor just being nominated, right? However, there is absolutely no justice in this world that Dawn didn't totally sweep her category! Suddenly I wear a very evil grin that Christine's name/URL will forever be on the donor's list! Tee hee!
posted at 11:13 PM | link--it | mail it | (18) shout it



Just call me 'Suzy Homemaker'
 It's a nuthin' fancy bare-bones design (with my favorite postcard), but I wanted a category page to group all of the recipes I've posted over the course of the last few months. Expect more soon!
posted at 09:50 PM | link--it | mail it | (3) shout it



Phone Call Transcript
 (5:38 p.m. EST, 01.30.02) Riiiiing...
Robyn: Hello?
Todd: Hey I just thought of something!
Robyn: Yes?
Todd: You know why "West Wing" sucks so much this season? They won't let the writer guy do his coke and 'shrooms any longer. They can have their widescreen back if they'll just give us good story lines again.
Robyn: *giggle*
Todd: That's all. See you soon! I love you.

Ahhhhhh...marriage!
posted at 05:45 PM | link--it | mail it | (5) shout it



LMFAO!
 Todd and I tease each other back and forth about our stat-totals every day. This afternoon I mentioned that my hits had really dropped off now that voting links for the Bloggies had shut down. (Winners are announced later tonight so my day in the sun is gone.) His reply?

"Your weblink burned out long before your legend ever did..."
He never fails to make me smile!

At least my partner in crime donated to the awards fund to get her URL front and center!
posted at 05:13 PM | link--it | mail it | (5) shout it



Now let me get this straight...
 “We've searched the [San Francisco International Airport] terminal. It’s safe and secure.” Yet the guy had explosive residue on his shoes. “When they went to ask the gentleman some more questions he was not there anymore. He was lost in the crowd...The passenger was described as a white male in his 40s...” Well gee, that narrows it down doesn't it? “Officials did not know whether the check on the man’s shoes was random or the man raised suspicion. Airport officials were unsure if video cameras at the checkpoint captured the man’s image.”

I am so with Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon on this one -- do your airport security job, bitch, and we'll throw you a pizza party! Higest state of alert, my ass. The more things change, the more they stay the same...and I stay on the ground... <rant mode /off>
posted at 03:28 PM | link--it | mail it | (4) shout it






Just in under the wire
 I barely finished in time for Ashley's This or That Tuesday! It's the day of meme.

  1. Soap operas or operas? I hate to choose soaps, but I'm not an opera kinda girl.
  2. Flowers or chocolates? Mmmmm...Godivas!
  3. Kiwi or strawberries? Strawberries, but I like both.
  4. Netscape or IE? IE, although I hate having to use Bill's stuff.
  5. Mac or PC? Both now! But switching to Mac slowly but surely...
  6. 800x600 resolution or higher? 1024x768 here, too.
  7. NBC or ABC? NBC.
  8. House or apartment? Finally I can say house!
  9. The word "apathetic" or the word "complacent"? I don't care. No really, apathetic. Maybe. ;-)

posted at 11:40 PM | link--it | mail it | (0) shout it



Food for thought
 Besides that "100 things about me" list being massively huge, and not really expecting you to get all the way through it -- I also realized it barely scratched the surface of my freaky eating habits. I understand exactly why and how Meg Ryan orders her food in "When Harry Met Sally", and I'm not ashamed to say so. Just in case you're reeeeally bored, here are my top 20 food neuroses. I'm sure Todd will think of a few others later!

  1. I don't eat ANY vegetables other than corn, potatoes, and green beans. (And very small diced onions cooked in things.)
  2. I like pancakes but not waffles.
  3. I like ketchup on my hashbrowns but not on fried okra like Todd. (Yes, my Gma was a Southern cook and I like fried okra. And fried pickles from Classic 50s in Norman, OK. Sue me.)
  4. I cringe when Todd puts syrup on his Egg McMuffins. I like syrup, but c'mon!
  5. I always pull bread out of the bag from the middle slices, like somehow it will make it "fresher".
  6. I love pickles -- all kinds and flavors. When I was 3 or 4 years old, I went into the kitchen of a guy my mom was dating and ate his entire jar of pickles. And I didn't get sick.
  7. But I hate cucumbers.
  8. When I eat at Subway I want white bread for a meatball sub, but wheat bread for a ham and turkey sub.
  9. I love ketchup, tomato sauces, and the like -- but hate fresh tomatoes.
  10. Nothing makes me want to vomit more than ordering something with no tomatoes, getting the item with tomatoes, asking the restaurant to remove them, and instead of getting a new item back -- I get the same one with icky tomato slime still left on top (or worse yet soaked into the bun).
  11. Vanilla pudding and lemonade make me phlegmy and therefore I do not like either and won't eat or drink them.
  12. I will drink lemon juice out of the bottle, however.
  13. The smell of sauerkraut has always made me physically ill. I cannot even walk by the Germany section at Epcot without holding my breath.
  14. I don't like coconut, but I love pina colada wine coolers.
  15. When eating chips and salsa, I don't want onion and pepper chunks on the chips -- just the "juicy" part of the salsa. Which is made of...tomatoes. (See #9.)
  16. Swanson chicken and turkey pot pies give me migraine headaches. Red wine does the same.
  17. I love chocolate but hate Cocoa Pebbles.
  18. I like chocolate gravy on my biscuits. If the thought makes you wanna hurl, you've obviously never had it. Just ask Todd and Nikki who are both fans of the recipe. And e-mail me if you want it.
  19. I don't like pecans plain, but love them in desserts. Then again, I don't like pecan pie.
  20. I won't drink white milk - only chocolate. And I'll only use regular milk on my cereal if it's less than 3 days old from the store. Otherwise, it starts to taste funny.
So there you go... And you just thought I was strange before now!
posted at 10:33 PM | link--it | mail it | (13) shout it



No worries!
 I like it. I like it ahhh-laaahhht.
posted at 08:48 PM | link--it | mail it | (0) shout it



Now I want one tooooooo!
 Make sure to check out Christine's new Pixelog if you haven't already! She and Jennifer did a fab job on the design and functionality of the site!
posted at 06:22 PM | link--it | mail it | (0) shout it



More than you never wanted to know...
 This was a lot harder than it looked! But thanks to Ashley, Nikki, Angela, Cheryl, and a few other blogs near you...I followed suit with 100 things you may or may or not know about me.

  1. I've had three last names and I've never been divorced.
  2. I was born Robyn [edited for safety].
  3. I was adopted by my step-dad as [edited for safety].
  4. And I married Todd to become Robyn [edited for safety].
  5. Even though I'm from Oklahoma, I haven't worn cowboy boots since I was 5.
  6. I was raised an only-child until I was 9 years old.
  7. I was brought up Southern Baptist, and I was saved on Easter Sunday. I was baptized on Mother's Day. I no longer consider myself Southern Baptist, but rather a Christian. We still haven't found a church we like in Tampa Bay.
  8. My half-sister Jennifer is nothing but a full-blooded sibling in my mind.
  9. I have three other half-siblings I didn't meet until I was 21.
  10. My grandmother owned a children's specialty clothing store, which meant as a child I had all of the free Izod, Guess, Ocean Pacific, etc. clothing I could ever want.
  11. My friends hated me for it.
  12. I was a Duranie.
  13. I was a cheerleader.
  14. My photo has appeared in Sports Illustrated. I knew Mark Price when he played for Georgia Tech, and was photographed with him. He went on to play for the Dream Team II that won gold in '94.
  15. I wore a fork around my wrist, stolen from the cafeteria, in high school.
  16. My little sister wore a spoon around her wrist when she went to high school almost 10 years later.
  17. I was voted Honor Society secretary, sophomore class president, and participated in student council.
  18. I attended three different high schools in three different towns.
  19. I was a Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) delegate -- any others out there? I went to the national congress in Baltimore in 1989, and served as the Oklahoma Alumni secretary for four years.
  20. I got mono when I was 15 and have fought chronic illness ever since.
  21. Even though I was on the yearbook staff my senior year, my name is misspelled in the 1991 Po-Hi yearbook 3 different times.
  22. Three of my boyfriends in high school came out of the closet after graduation.
  23. My friends never let me live it down.
  24. I have kissed a girl. I was then, and still am, straight.
  25. I went to OU on a full "tuition, books, and fees" academic scholarship.
  26. I lived in the Honors Dorm, but couldn't have beat any of the residents in a game of Jeopardy.
  27. I noticed Todd a full year before noticed me.
  28. I don't do well with the subject of Botany. I flunked it the first time, trashing my honor roll average at OU, and made a D the second time (barely passing).
  29. I still managed to keep my GPA high enough to keep my scholarship.
  30. And I made a B+ the following semester in Physical Geography.
  31. Todd and I only dated six consecutive weeks in college, but were friends my last three years at OU.
  32. Our engagement story has been published in this book.
  33. I was elected "prom queen" at the 1994 El Pollo del Mar Ball.
  34. I made it on national TV three times during OU football games when I was in college -- once for having the ABC logo painted on my stomach (while wearing a sports bra).
  35. I also appeared in a local Channel 5 sports commercial.
  36. I've had to file a restraining order against someone.
  37. I have never smoked a cigarette in my 29 years.
  38. I didn't take my first drink until just before my sophomore year of college.
  39. I quickly made up for lost time.
  40. I can't stand the taste of beer. Any beer. I was a "girl-drink-drunk".
  41. I have never used 'illegal' drugs.
  42. All of my friends in college did though.
  43. I went to two OU/tx games in college and OU lost both of them.
  44. I think there is a special swingin' lounge in hell reserved for boy bands.
  45. I'm still not over the grunge era being over.
  46. I miss flannel shirts.
  47. I still wear Doc Martens.
  48. I own over 30 bras in various designs and colors.
  49. I wear Comptoir sud Pacifique's Vanille Abricot and Obsession perfume.
  50. Todd drives me legally insane when he wears Obsession for Men.
  51. I am a natural blonde, and no, you can't check. Just ask Todd.
  52. I cried the day I learned Michael Hutchence had killed himself.
  53. I'm addicted to Schweppe's Ginger Ale.
  54. I don't like eating at Chili's or Applebee's, but Todd does.
  55. I had never turned on a PC until the Blizzard of '96 in the Philadelphia area.
  56. I graduated college using an Apple IIE and friends' Macs.
  57. I am entirely self-taught with HTML.
  58. I do all of my coding in Notepad.
  59. I don't even know how to use Dreamweaver or Frontpage.
  60. I think Photoshop is the greatest thing since sliced bread.
  61. My favorite movie is "Jezebel" with Bette Davis and Henry Fonda.
  62. My favorite actor is Cary Grant.
  63. My favorite actress is Katharine Hepburn.
  64. I never seem to be able to reply to e-mail in a timely manner.
  65. I'm a really good cook.
  66. My mom has been married four times, but has finally found love.
  67. I don't speak with my former step-dad.
  68. My biological father only seems to show up for big life events, and I haven't heard from him since shortly after our wedding when we moved to Florida.
  69. My husband doesn't have contact with his biological father either.
  70. We didn't become homeowners until we'd been married five years.
  71. We still don't know our neighbors.
  72. We met our closest friends in Tampa Bay online.
  73. Yes, that bothers me, because I've always made friends easily no matter where in the country I've landed.
  74. I miss driving. I haven't driven a car since 1996 and unfortunately don't see that changing any time soon.
  75. I used to take off for cross-country trips by myself "just because".
  76. My favorite vacation destination is New Orleans.
  77. We ran off there to get married with about 30 friends and family, and scrapped our 400+ guest wedding. I wouldn't do it any other way.
  78. I still look at my husband when he's asleep and feel that "rush" of falling in love all over again, over 5 ½ years later.
  79. My happiest time of day is when I wake up to see "I love you" from Todd on our private forum each and every morning.
  80. I didn't step foot inside of a Disney park until I was 25, and then we got annual passes.
  81. I didn't step foot on a beach until I was 22, and two years later we moved to Florida.
  82. I'm the whitest shade of pale, but I don't sunburn.
  83. I am at least 1/8 Cherokee but I can't claim it because my relatives didn't go on the rolls.
  84. I am 3/128 Choctaw and I am a card-carrying member of the tribe, blonde hair and all.
  85. I like the smell of gasoline.
  86. I hate the smell of cut grass.
  87. Even though I'm 5'10", I have never played basketball.
  88. This visibly crushed guidance counselors when I would enroll at a new school.
  89. I played softball and soccer instead.
  90. John was my favorite Beatle.
  91. I think more things in life should have chili and cheese on top. Right Christine, Ashley, and Tara?
  92. The first places I want to go when I step foot back in Oklahoma are always Braums and Sonic.
  93. My favorite ice cream flavor is Braums peppermint.
  94. I'm a horrible speller with poor grammar.
  95. The TV is constantly on but I rarely "watch" it.
  96. My favorite waste of time is InStyle Magazine.
  97. I am a Democrat and darn proud of it.
  98. I'm getting tired of thinking up things for this list.
  99. I'm wondering if you're even still reading...
  100. I'm so vain, I do think this blog is about me. Don't I. Don't I.
For a list of my top 20 food neuroses just click here.
posted at 05:23 PM | link--it | mail it | (19) shout it



If you're sedated and you know it, clap your hands
 It looks like Jeb's daughter was jealous that Jenna and Barbara are the ones who get all the tabloid action! (Thanks Todd!)
posted at 01:15 PM | link--it | mail it | (2) shout it



All in the name of cheap plastic beads
 Well I'm up at almost 5 a.m. because I can't sleep which sucks, but what doesn't suck is the upcoming annual Gasparilla pirate invasion here in Tampa Bay. We were just issued our official day parade invitation for the festivities this coming Saturday -- and in addition to meeting Ryan and Chel there, we've also managed to talk Stacy and her husband Daniel into tagging along.

Gasparilla is Tampa Bay's version of Mardi Gras -- a multi-week celebration of debauchery, parades and plastic beads that officially kicks off this Saturday when a flotilla of pirate ships invades the city for the day parade. And if you just can't wait 'til then for the photos, here are a few from the Sant' Yago Illuminated Knight Parade last year... Anyone else wanna join us?
posted at 04:48 AM | link--it | mail it | (2) shout it



Things that make you pause and reflect
 I went to one of my new reads tonight and found this story about a young blogger, 18 years old, who was killed over the weekend in a car crash along with her boyfriend. This girl's last post was a joke of sorts, and the comments have now turned into a lovely memorial. Really makes you stop and think about how each word you type very well could be your last, and never to take the mere fact you are alive and breathing for granted... I had never visited your site until tonight, Becky, but may you rest in peace, and both of your families and friends find comfort.
posted at 01:20 AM | link--it | mail it | (8) shout it






I'd like a million of them all 'round my cell
 Since I've started blogging (and we got a digital camera) I've been absolutely awful about archiving our photos. So if you're coming to the party late, and want a quick-rewind of what you've missed, here are the new photo archives (link also located in the sidebar). Hopefully someday soon I'll get around to actually setting up an MT photo-blog, but 'til then, deal with it.
posted at 10:53 PM | link--it | mail it | (1) shout it



It don't mean a thing if you aint got that ping
 Remember last week when MT users were having trouble pinging weblogs.com? Ben has posted a patch for the problem. (Thanks to Christine and Kristine for the tip!)
posted at 04:51 PM | link--it | mail it | (3) shout it



Tobynopoly
 Have you ever seen our main Tobynopoly site? Then you'll understand why I get a very big kick out of these!
posted at 04:26 PM | link--it | mail it | (2) shout it



I gave him a Shiner
 If you're wondering why I've been so quiet today, I was helping my husband through an early mid-life crisis. He was starting to wonder why he didn't feel "smart" anymore, so I made him a simple flowchart to illustrate why!
posted at 02:44 PM | link--it | mail it | (10) shout it






Now serving #647
 I get a lot of e-mail requests that say "where do you get the images you use on your blog?" A great place to start is the Absolutely Celebrity Network -- you can literally spend all day combing through the various image archives there. Just keep in mind that I almost-always Photoshop-polish the images you see here first, so they won't exactly be as-is.
posted at 08:30 PM | link--it | mail it | (4) shout it



Goin' to the chapel?
 For those of you who are about to be married and like using pin-ups for your blog designs, I ran across an artist with a few bridal hotties today...
posted at 07:47 PM | link--it | mail it | (0) shout it



Karma Chameleon
 As expected, I played around with the site skins a bit more today, and added two new ones (one with a white background and one with a black background). I'll let you be surprised -- there are 5 total choices there now. Have fun!
posted at 07:34 PM | link--it | mail it | (4) shout it



Anything more than a handful...
 This one courtesy of Nikki: "Groom Killed By Stripper's Boobs". So let that be a lesson to ya'!
posted at 04:26 PM | link--it | mail it | (4) shout it



Gimme some skin
 Hey guess what? Thanks to Christine you can now skin this site (over in the sidebar)! Look for me to go a little crazy as I understand all this a bit more -- but for now you can go crazy, too, with the last couple of designs I had. THANK YOU SCHMOOPIE!
posted at 02:37 AM | link--it | mail it | (8) shout it