How Old Are You, Really?

I'm taking a poll:  when someone asks you how old you are....does it bother you?  If not, how old are you really, and how old should you be?

I know that techincally it's not supposed to be polite to ask a lady how old she is, but it doesn't seem like such a big deal anymore.  I don't care, really, if someone asks me.  Although I gotta say, I always have a strange feeling inside when I answer:  42.  I feel like I'm lying or something.  Isn't that wierd?  How in God's name am I 42?  I remember my MOM being 42, I can't be 42!  Inside I feel more like 30...and when I hang out with my nieces, it's more like 20-something.  I mean, I'm a self-admitted dork who likes stuff like Glee, for Pete's sake!  Oye.  

Freedom Through Captivity

It was only a matter of time and that time was today.  Brake Job.  (cue the register "ch-ching" in the background)  Well I'm glad it's done.  We've already had one icy morning and it's nice to be prepared for winter.  Now about that raise we were talking about yesterday, Lord...

Anyway, spent the better part of the day at the car dealer waiting for my car.  I knew I was having a semi-major service (didn't know about the brakes) so I came prepared.  I had my own coffee, a good book, and my earphones should I wish to listen to music, cruise the internet, or watch a movie on my iPhone (one of God's greatest inventions). 

I know it may not sound like fun to most folks, but being forced to sit quietly for 3 1/2 hours in a comfy, deep leather chair in a quiet room with fresh fruit, free internet, and a good book...well...it was delightful.  I mean, I couldn't go anywhere, they had me captive there, but I was free to stop the merry-go-round of life and just sit and be still.  I could even think deep thoughts if I wanted.  If I were at home I certainly wouldn't have allowed myself such luxury.  I'd most likely insist that I do something productive like finally pulling up the dead tomato plants, cleaning, laundry, balancing the checkbook, working on work... There was one other lady there and she fell asleep.  She looked tired - I imagine she really needed that nap.  No doubt she wouldn't have taken one if she were at home.

So thanks, Honda...I think.  I wasn't planning this large of an expense right before Christmas, but at least I got a day off.

The Countdown Begins

A few things I'm counting down to:

10.  Less than 6 months 'til I'm 43.  (Not sure how I feel about that - I should be 35)

  9.  43 days until Christmas.  ('Tis the season to drink gingerbread lattes!)

  8.  34 days until Niece #2 turns 13 and we see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 for the SECOND time (at least).

  7.  About 33 days until I find out if I get raise this year.  (Would be so nice, Lord)

  6.  13 days until Thanksgiving.  (Wow, how can that be already?)

  5.  4 days until I've lived in my house 1 year.  (and what a year it's been)

  4.  7 days until the nieces and I see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 for the first time.

  3.  Less than 7 hours until I need to be awake again.  Why am I not in bed?  (I sense a New Year's resolution in the making)

  2.  3 minutes before this post is past its deadline and I fail NaBloPoMo. (hurry, push post!)

  1.  Any moment my computer will fail to reboot and will die it's final death.

Because I Was Afraid of Worms, Roxanne!

I have a disease.  I'm fairly certain it's not curable.  I've learned to live with it over the years.  Most times it's really annoying, but occasionally it can be fun, like today.

I have chronic earworms.

Earworm (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia), a loan translation of the German Ohrwurm, is a portion of a song or other music that repeats compulsively within one's mind, put colloquially as "music being stuck in one's head."

The Official Earworm Synonym List includes alternative terms such as "music meme", "humsickness" , "repetunitis", "obsessive musical thought" and "tune wedgy." (a personal favorite)

People with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are more likely to report being troubled by ear worms - in some cases, medications for OCD can minimize the effects.  (Hmmm, does this mean I'm OCD?  This could explain a lot...)

Earworms should not be confused with endomusia or musical hallucinations, a serious affliction, through which a sufferer actually hears music that is not playing externally.  I'm not quite this bad off, but I find I am able to dance to my own tune...

Earworms are a feature of the Shaun Keaveny Breakfast Show on BBC 6 Music, when listeners are asked to phone in with tunes that are stuck in their heads when they wake up.

If the song is annoying, this is a brutal affliction.  It does have its benefits, though.  When I was singing in choir I was able to memorize songs in like a day...I mean, it's hard not to when your head radio is on repeat rather than shuffle.

On today's playlist (all together now):

        You.  make.   me.
        feel like I'm livin' a
        teen.  age.  dream.
        the way you turn me on
        I.  can't.  sleep.
        let's run away and don't ever look back, don't ever look back...

And So It Begins

Sorry for another dog picture, but really this one is more about the white stuff under Henry's feet.  Woke up to sheets of snow falling.  Seriously, sheets.  Didn't last long or get very deep, but there it is all the same.  Hello, Winter.

This will be the year I try skiing.  Is 42 1/2 too old for such nonsense?

Is that a Whomping Willow?

Couple things:

1.  A very odd thing happened this morning.  I took the guys outside and I heard water running.  This would be bad since the sprinklers are off for the winter.  I look around....it wasn't water running, it was the sound of leaves falling off the tree.  It was really cold (high 20's) but not windy at all and sunny.  The tree was just standing there minding it's own business dripping leaves by the handful.  Like...it was raining leaves, but only just right there.  The tree was still green and full of leaves as of last Friday and I was enjoying the color change that started Saturday.  By the time I left for work they were 90% gone and in a heap at the base of the tree.  It's completely bare now.  Reminded me of the scene in Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets when the Whomping Willow just flicks itself and drops all its leaves...or was that Prisoner of Azkaban...I should know this.   Anyway, it was just like that.




2. Which reminds me - only 10 days until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1!!!

Lastly, for Michelle, a current picture of the guys.


Dave & Henry



On the Fringe

First, I want it noted that I'm posting before 8:00 pm.  This is important because tonight is the first time I've been home from work before 7:00 pm in a looooong time.  I told Dave that I wanted this noted on my performance evaluation.  Oh, anyone who reads this probably knows who Dave is 'cuz there's only a handful of you, but juuuust in case you don't, let me introduce you...



Yeah you've seen this picture a million times (and it's fairly old - He's all white-faced now), but it's my favorite.



I don't have anything earth-shattering to share today, so I thought I'd tell you about one of my favorite TV shows - Fringe.  Anybody watch it?  I wasn't a watcher of X Files, but I'm told it's sort of X Files Next Generation.  It's about a division of the FBI that investigates weird "events" that involve fringe science (alternate universes, time travel, etc.).  J.J. Abrams created it, so right there you know it's good (except I find his current "Undercovers" to be a dud).  Each episode has something delightfully disgusting in it - like removing someone's brain or people spontaneously combusting...I don't like gory movies, but I love this show.   It doesn't hurt that Pacey is on it (Joshua Jackson...I wasn't a big Dawson's Creek fan, but...he's kinda sexy as a grown up) and the main character, Olivia (Anna Torv) looks like a grown up version of my niece.

She's only 14, but I could totally see her kicking some other-worldly criminal butt someday. 

So there you go, it's on Fox Thursday at 9:00.  DVR it and see what you think.

Oh, almost forgot the answers from yesterday are:

1. Princess Bride
2. The Big Lebowski
3. Shakespeare in Love
4. Friends
5. Pirates of the Caribbean
6. The Hangover
7. National Lampoon's Animal House (filmed on the U of O campus, thankyouverymuch)
8. Airplane!
9. Scrooged (one of my favorite holiday movies)
10. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the original, BEST version)