Monday, April 27, 2009

Bouncy Birthday Bash


Samuel Morse's Birthday
 
Ya gotta wonder about that guy over at Google who's making the daily Google Logo.  Today's Samuel Morse's birthday?  Brilliant.  I find many of them to be quite lovely, sometimes even amusing, and yet all that work for just a moment of "hmm clever's" around the globe.  Though I suppose, many of us don't even get that daily moment... especially at work.  But I guess they have a larger pool of eyes and the added bonus of it not being important enough to hear the complaints if when its boring either.   
 
 
 
There are so many Swine Flu someecards I don't know what to DO with myself!! Knowing my penchant for illnesses and my impossibly weak immune system... I better steer clear of Mexico.  Speaking of which, I would really like to go to the Jungle... anyone want come with me?
 
 
In tribute to Bea... CLASSIC.
 
 
 
It took me until now to have a bouncy house party and in attendance were two people from when I was 5… funny how life works out huh?  For this diatribe I’ll provide some images on the off chance that like my brother, you are protesting the facebook: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=119397&id=703236350&l=fe2051c069  Mo had the brilliant idea of having relay races through the obstacle courses in which every adult would grab a kid, form two teams, and run through the course together, starting when you saw someone before you at the top of the slide.  I had the forethought of stealing Morgan as my partner early.  The first time around I was still trying to get the lay of the land…. Army rolling it instead of leaping over tunnels, crawling instead of running, pushing stead of dodging obstacles, but hey… that was a okay b/c Morgan explained where adults could take advantage before she miraculously sped away not to be seen until we were sitting down.  When finally my sister made me trade partners, I think a couple people were angry that I had been hording the speedy Gonzalez… but I was perfectly fine pairing with Kyle b/c you could literally toss him over and across and up to take the lead.  When I switched again and Briana got Kyle she had to clarify “now, I can just toss him?  Really?” Yes, Really. (are you taking notes?  You’ll need this info if you’re ever going to compete professionally or even just to be on my team at the next party.)  After the first race I think one and all were surprised at the rigorous work out a silly relay could be, and I should have rested in between instead of running around the other houses, but who wants to miss out on any fun??

My trainer used to always tell me that the key to exercising was finding an activity that you enjoyed.  The fact that on my initial paperwork I had written that I hate exercise presented to him a personal challenge… and it wasn’t until he started having me jump and skip through some “ladder” thing did I finally admit that I could enjoy exercise.  If I could be happy doing that on a gym floor… image my bliss when presented with a bouncy house!  Someone has to create an adult gym entirely made out of blow up obstacle courses… sitting on gold mine Trebek! 


b/c it's been a while since I complained about how cold it is, I am feeling a need to complain about how hella hot it gets around here.  I know... I'm never satisfied.  Although, on a side note, as I was switching windows with screens around the house with my dad yesterday--a task that his skills far exceed mine btw--It struck me that he has been changing these same windows for the last what? 37 years?  I wonder what that's like.  (Not the act of changing windows for that long though.. ugh)...but of having something for that long that you know all the ins and outs, the idiosyncrasies, that you don't just possess something, you "own it." I'll probably never know b/c frankly, that requires some commitment capabilities I don't just not "own" but I don't even think I've possessed them yet. 

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to complain about licensee's that I'm working with so let's just say I had some issues with company "B" on Friday.  It was the first time (and I know, those who have worked with me will be SHOCKED to hear this" that I realized not only to I act like a total female sometimes at work... when I was disappointed Friday morning I actually sent an email to company "B" entitled "Sad Face" and had to stop short of sending Will Farrell's SNL "I wish you weren't such a liar" skit.  And like in any relationship when one party knows they've been naughty, I got a "We still love you." to which I sarcastically laughed and said "uh huh."  I'm not proud of my reactions, but I think recognizing and admitting my faults are the best way to fix them... don't you? 

It's a new day... Hope you're all doing well...and you have a fantastic week  :)

Monday, April 20, 2009

Chilly Today


As I reflect on the insular attributes of a cardboard room, I must tell you that today was the second day that my train car lacked heat.  I would venture to say it was colder in the car then my walk to work.  For those of you who are not familiar with the concept of taking a train to work... people tend to have routines.  They stand by the same door, sit in the same cars, same seats.  They get up at the same time every day (either 10 minutes before it stops to get off first, or calmly arising when the train pulls into the station.)  You can set your morning and afternoon by this pattern.  The chick that looks like Hagrid's Girlfriend?  She sits in one car back from me... but tends to leap ahead of my right before the stairs on our way out (long legs you know.)  The granola chick that has a folding bike?  She sits backward everyday and gets out at 125th.  The guy who either has OCD or some kind serious medical issue (I'm dying to know), he sits next to me.. very distracting.  You get the drill... so when we sat down to a freezing cold car we of course said something -- to each other that is.  Like "I'm not about to change my routine."  "If we move, then we'll just be messing up someone else's routine, and they'll look at us like we would if they came into our car. " I would rather moan about it."  "Its better than last week when the heat was blasting to 120 degrees and we had to open the windows and it was so loud."  "Ya! and we didn't get up then either!"  There's something so comforting by this camaraderie.  Like we're all in this together.  Like if that conductor shakes his head as he sees us shivering in our seats, I know that's he's shaking his head at all of us.  We'll probably never know each others names, or where we go once we leave GCT.  But every day we get a head nod or give a smile--and when the thermostat on our little car goes wacky, we'll persevere in our crazy together. 
Sorry so sparse today.. I actually have lots to tell you all but I'm a bit frazzled.  I'll get back to you later this week.

Monday, April 6, 2009

#2 HB 2 Me


As you know... I love my birthday.  I love the attention, and the thrill of that attention is not dampened in any way b/c I had to beg for it for weeks in advance.  I have wondered if one of the main drives for making friends is so that you'll have people to wish you a "Happy Birthday" on that one day that unequivocally tells you whether or not you are loved depending on how many "HB"s you get. The guy at security yesterday stopped to wish me a HB.  His name was Hank, and he is most definitely a part of the count. I love the entire month of April, just seeing a date starting with 4 makes me tingly with anticipation of my favorite birthday month.  Though I don't particularly like getting older b/c we all know
 
 
(but I've got a plan for that) and I don't particularly enjoy the awkwardness of being sung to while wax sticks are burning in front of me, but I'll endure that uncomfortable moment of unease where you don't know where to look and you kinda want to sing so that you can be more apart of the group than the one being stared at-- all so that I can get that one beautiful wish that is surely more likely to come true than any other wish on one of the 364 un-birthday's.  Like..

 
Oh wait... I have FRIDAY OFF!!  Now I can free up my birthday wish for something else like wishng that I could say that I will be using that day to catch up on sleep... but instead I'll be partying it up with the German's.  (YAY!) I am so sleepy though...
 
 
why do you ask?
 
 
I took this card to heart on Friday when my flight that was supposed to leave at 6:30PM was late, and then they actually misplaced the plane, and then the Weisman's arrived to Orlando before I even left NY, and the finally did not walk into the hotel room until nearly 4 am.  I made it a point to be obnoxiously up beat and entertaining during my wait at JFK b/c I find that one of the quirks of my personality is that the influence of increasing anger in others has a direct effect on the increased calm and humor I find within me.  I think this phenomenon will eventually be the death of me... or at least a good punch in the face.  Totally worth it. 
 
Disney Highlights:
Despite my charming influence, Zach did not want to get mickey and minnie BFF pins.  And while I was all sad that Nate was too sick to play with us yesterday, Zach helpfully mentioned that I couldn't get Nate to hang out with me even with Disney World as a bribe. 
I am now making it another "life goal" to find a shirt that says "Hug Me."
I almost saw MC Hammer in concert--but as Lucas said apparently we were not "2 Legit" as we gave up waiting for him to get on stage and left the park.
The Mummy ride, was once again awesome, and two seconds of seeing Brendon Frasier made me want to see Mrs. Winterbourne again.  Ricky Lake and Brendan Frasier = CLASSIC.
Turns out that no matter how many times I visit Disney, I can never remember the rides, which is nice, b/c every thing is new and exciting... proving once and for all that I am indeed related to Dawne. 
 
Another similar trait that we have is our power of persuasion over wee people which we proved last week when we tried to get my nephews off of the trampoline b/c it was clearly our turn to play.  After asking nicely, logically explaining my arguments, and then using my sternest voice I finally had to resort to yelling "MOM!" --two seconds later, Grandma had those kids by her side and Dawne and I were bouncing off the tinge of failure and blissfully enjoying the pleasure that is a trampoline. 
 
My old boss just texted me an HB... its all going towards the count.  2 more from facebook friends that I probably wouldn't recognize if I saw them on the street... that's 4 baby. 
 
And for those religious types... Happy Easter and Passover and whatever other holiday that has the potential to steal attention away from my birthday month... :)  I can't sign off before giving you these two cards which seem like they were meant to be paired: