Puppy Cuteness

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If I can't have a puppy, this is the next best thing. As my husband says "Oh! For Cute!" Seriously -- puppy TV?! This is genius.

New favorite blog

The Writer's Almanac

Visiting and reading this blog always makes me a little happier each day. If you try it and like it, then definitely get his book "Good Poems". It'll make your brain feel good.

Frugal Cartoons

Ouch. I think this guy cut through all the BS and media hype surrounding this plumber sitch and hit a nerve. I mean, who likes taxes? But, as Randy Newman sings, 'This is my country, these are my people.' So we should take care of America and we should take care of AMERICANS. Maybe I'm only a bleeding heart liberal because I live teetering above the poverty level, and understand that government is sometimes necessary to HELP people. That's what I want from my government! And that's what I expect out of our leader.

Now, I understand this country is in the fiscal shitter, but I know that the government needed to step in with taxpayer money to dig these douchebag bankers out of the potty or else soon we'd be renting out our concrete patio as an 'outdoor sleeping oasis' just to make ends meet. We, as Americans need to start living within our means! I for one didn't step up to buy a house I couldn't afford. I don't have thousands of dollars in credit card debt (only school debt, tee hee). I cut coupons, take public transport to work, don't buy plastic water bottles, and buying a drink at a bar nearly sends me into a writhing, foaming-at-the-mouth seizure like state. What I'm saying is, my husband and I basically live within our modest income and we try really hard to be frugal. But I do work, I try to give a little back to my community, I save what I can and I pay my taxes!

Oh, Colin Powell...you fickle, but well-spoken man!

My dad showed this to me this morning. I don't think anyone has laid out such a logical explanation for why McCain should not be president. This speech is so fantastically lucid. It cuts through all the crap that the political pundits spin day in and day out. I'm so glad MSNBC gave C. Powell airtime.

GOBAMA!

OK, L.A., you win!

I am about to eat my words. Last week I complained about the weather here in the city of angels, but this weekend has totally won me over. It's been BEAUTIFUL in Los Angeles this weekend. Crisp, breezy, clear. Very fall-like for a 'right coaster' like me. Now if I could only get the leaves here to change color and for the cast of 'Friday Night Lights' to live in my neighborhood.....

Also, Brad and I got together with some of my college friends for an un-Homecoming and 5 year reunion for those Furman '03 grads that live in L.A. We headed to Venice to this GREAT barbeque place called Baby Blues. The food was A-mazing. Brad and I sat at the bar while we waited for the friends I hadn't seen in 5 years. They serve PBR in cans, which is just how we like 'em. I got the sweet tea just to make sure it was authentic (it was). The woman who was plating meals at the grill showed us the greatest hospitality by treating us to several little nibbits of food. The mac'n'cheese? Out of this world buttery and downright terrible for you. But that's what you want in southern mac'n'cheese. Am I wrong? A sweet potato mash that will make you slap your momma. Oh, and she grilled us some shrimp that could kick your ass and take your lunch money. The ensuing meal was equally as good.

The reunion was fun and just the right size - only four of us showed up! But it was great to see people again and remind myself that I have a lot to do to use my education to it's fullest potential (damn overachievers!). Hope everyone at real Furman Homecoming had as much fun as we did here in L.A.!

Jumping the Shark

Uhhhggg! I've had it. I have to break up with them. All of them. Those crappy things I've been devoted to that just aren't producing.

I'll start with the one that bugs me the most: Blender Magazine. This magazine disappoints SO much that I actually groaned when I opened the mail box today. And you know why I groaned BEFORE I open the mag? Cause they put Miss I-don't-own-a-pair-of-pants Katy Perry on the cover. E-gads fellas. I know you're owned by Maxim and have a line item in that contract to put hotties on the cover, but Pink doesn't wear pants, rocks harder than Katy Perry and has a new album out. Plus, she's way quirkier and I'm almost SURE she's kissed a girl, she just doesn't have to sing about it. The other reasons I'm done (READ: FINISHED!) with Blender is that they have lost most of their quirkiness that makes them so damn likable. Where are the brilliantly silly captions? Where are the random song lyrics scrolling the bottom of each page? What about the latest celebrity arrests? But honestly, it's the captions I miss the most. Wherever the old caption guy went -- get him back! He was genius! That's about 85% of the reason I renewed my subscription. When you get him back, I might think about reading you again.

Heroes. I'm done. Can't watch. They have absolutely jumped the shark. I understand that it's hard work making good TV. But come one! You can do so much with super heroes! I got miffed last season when you just kept introducing new characters just to have them killed off by Sylar. Whatever happened to the girl from New Orleans? Was that a lame attempt to get a more diverse viewing audience? Heroes -- you make me sad. And I just can't have that kind of negativity in my life right now. I'm sorry, but it's over.

Fall Heat. Gross. So sue me-- I'm not in love with SoCal weather. I'm from the east coast and really enjoy Fall. I would go so far as to say it's 1 of my top 4 favorite seasons. Colors. Swetta Weatha. Chilly mornings and football games! It's going to be 96 in LA tomorrow! Jeesh! Shame on you L.A. for making me sweat when I'd rather not.

Ham Butter

So while researching a recipe for biscuits to make with dinner I stumbled upon this:

Biscuits with Ham Butter

"'Whether as a finger food or brunch dish, these are a great way to use leftover ham,' advises Andrea *&#^@ of Unionville, Tennessee."

Can anyone please think of a good joke about ham butter?

Plant Thieves

I woke up this morning to take my CBEST test and as I was leaving my house I noticed that someone had swiped one of my potted plants right out of it's pot! It wasn't my favorite plant, but COME ON!

Maybe one of the regular 'Can Collectors' took it. Those are the peeps in my neighborhood who come by EVERY morning with their shopping carts looking through our recycling bins trawling for cans and plastic bottles. And as annoying it is to have a shopping cart rumbling along the concrete sidewalk right outside your bedroom window at 6:30 in the morning, I am all for those can-trepeneurs. At least the stuff gets recycled! Brad and I took our recyclabes in the other day and got $5 back. Hootenanny! That's like 2 apples at Whole Foods or 5 double cheeseburgers at McDonalds!

I vote for Cute!

See why I want Tina Fey to be my friend?

3z

Three Names you go by:
1. Mrs. Sroka (not yet really…..)
2. Bee
3. Bibbs

Three Things That Scare You:
1. Falling on my face and breaking my teeth
2. Someone I love dying unexpectedly
3. Being bored for the rest of my life

Three of Your Everyday Essentials:
1. Stretching
2. Cold drinking water and my Sigg
3. Laughing

Three Things You Are Wearing Right Now:
1. My wedding ring
2. Pants! Pants! Pants!
3. Inevitably, something from The Gap

Three of Your Favorite Songs Right Now:
1. Conor Oberst – Either ‘Sausalito’ or ‘Danny Callahan’
2. Rhianna – ‘Disturbia’
3. Miley Cyrus – ‘Breakout’ (I’m embracing my inner 12 year old)

Three Things You Want in a Relationship (other than Real Love):
1. Humour (with a ‘u’)
2. Empathy
3. Uplifting-ness

Three Truths:
1. I don’t like purists
2. The more I learn, the more I don’t know
3. I am responsible for my own happiness

Three PHYSICAL Things about the Opposite Sex that Appeal to You:
1. Smile
2. Kind eyes
3. GREAT calves. Mmmmm.

Three of Your Favorite Hobbies:
1. Home Ec (I’m not kidding)
2. Being silly
3. Walking

Three Things You want to do really badly right now:
1. Work on television. Not on, but behind. You know what I mean.
2. Get a dog!
3. Leave my ‘job’ and Find my place.

Three Places You Want to go:
1. Home
2. Jerusalem
3. Brazil

Three Things You Want to Do Before You Die:
1. Grow my own food
2. Have children with Brad
3. Vote for a Presidential candidate that wins

Three Ways that you are stereotypically a Girl/Guy:
1. I have a lot of shoes
2. I like my husband to take out the trash
3. I cry at ‘The Notebook’ (damn you, Nicholas Sparks!)

Three Famous People You’d Like to Be Friends With:
1. Ellen DeGeneres
2. Tina Fey
3. Will Smith