(Figurative) Kitchen Table Conversations

One of the most enjoyable things on earth, for me, is a good kitchen table conversation.

A kitchen table conversation is, loosely translated by moi, an informal type of gathering with friends, family and/or strangers that promotes deep conversation and rewarding socialization. It doesn't have to take place at a kitchen table, it can happen anywhere - around a campfire, at a restaurant, in someone's living room, on a nature walk.

The unspoken rules are that people are allowed to finish their sentence/thought/point without interruption, opinions can be challenged respectfully, and the spirit of community remain throughout the conversation. No name calling is tolerated, and agreeing to disagree is a wonderful way to end a heated point. Yeah, things can get heated....especially if it's a point one feels passionately about. But heated doesn't mean argumentative. Heated can just be equal amounts of passion on conflicting viewpoints.

Oh, and no electronic devices. Yup, no texting, iPadding or the like unless the person is expecting an important call. Giving your full attention to someone is the ultimate compliment, and it's respectful.

I've been having these kinds of conversations with a new friend, and it's been unique in that we're both alumni of the professional counseling program at our alma mater. That said, we have learned how to communicate well, how to listen, and this helps to facilitate a thoughtful, respectful and engaging exchange.

We by no means agree on everything - our political and spiritual viewpoints are very different, but we've been able to express our thoughts on certain subjects and learn from each other without feeling the need to defend or submit. We talk, we listen, we learn. We've been able to leave the "ego" out when discussing the more hot topics - our talks never feel didactic.

It's knowing I can have this kind of conversation that makes me okay with muddling through or walking away from the less-rewarding ones.

Enough

Allergies or cold, whatever is making me so snuffily is gettin on my last nerve.

My run today was sub-par, due to more mouthbreathing than I like.

I'd better be over this by the weekend, or else. Got me some good plans.

Gonna crash out and watch a movie and get some good sleep to kick off tomorrow right.

Early bird

I was planning on getting up at 4:30 to do Insanity before running.

Woke up at 3:45, feeling wide awake and ready to go. So I did.

I took advantage of the time and started some laundry, had a banana and cleaned one of my bathrooms.

Then did Insanity. (If you're not familiar with Insanity, it's titled appropriately. I love the plyometric workout, and it's great for crosstraining. Also, the trainer is really engaging and makes you feel like he's talking right to you.)

Then ran 2.5 miles.

I love mornings like this.

Oliver does not. He's a creature of habit, and likes his routines.

Too bad. Human trumps dog.

I've officially kicked this day's ass, and it's only 6:30.

Dating Do's: Bring On The Pitfalls

I read this great article the other day on how overconfidence and paranoia can become self-fulfilling prophecies. There is some validity to this, especially if you've ever worked for/with someone you know is completely unqualified for the work they do, but because of their overconfidence and other things like charm, connections, etc., they continue to be successful.

Overconfidence may work on the job, but when it comes to relationships, it can backfire. There's a not-so-fine line between having a healthy, justified dose of confidence and being overconfident to the point of arrogance. This goes for paranoia as well. As much as a women can overanalyze, we can also recognize when something is amiss.

I once dated a guy who had appealling swagger, but tried to back it up with the wrong stuff. In the first few "get to know you" dates, he was very vague to the point of coming across as shifty about what he did before getting into his very respectable and fulfilling job in finance. I had to employ some subtle super sleuth communication tactics in order to get him to finally spill the beans.

At first, he said he worked in the "entertainment industry." Okay, that can mean many things, some of them Disney and some of them skank, so I pushed him for more and got a more flavorful answer of "my years with the bar" - huh? Okay, we were getting somewhere.  The way he had worded it made it sound as if he owned a club or maybe was a partner, so I then asked flat out "what bar did you own?" Instead of answering, he started the Q&A game...did you grow up here? Did you used to go dancing? Ever go over to Illinois to dance?

All of his questions lead to one answer in my mind - The Oz, which was a dance club on the "East Side" that my college friends and I went to throughout 1991, on occasion, after seeing a band or a party so we could continue the good times. It was what it was - somewhat seedy, skanky, but it played the music we liked and was open very late, so it served a purpose.

Turns out, he didn't own the Oz (of course) but he was a bartender there for many, many years.

There is absolutely no shame in this. And this information would've been no big deal but the fact that he hemmed and hawed and danced around this part of his past said a LOT about how HE felt about it, so then I didn't feel so great about it.

Had he just come out with it, in a direct manner, I probably wouldn't have ended up feeling skeevy about his past.

His inability to admit it made it feel skeevy to me.

This is where overconfidence would've served him well. Instead, his paranoia about how women would perceive this part of his past became a self-fulfilling prophecy - he though women would be turned off, and due to his delivery, I was.

Learning about his past wasn't the reason I stopped dating him. He was a nice enough guy, but let's just say I knew there wasn't a chance for long-term here.

So I guess the lesson here is there's no sense in withholding important details - they'll eventually come out, and better sooner than later. It might not be an even playing field, but knowing the pitfalls and obstacles will help with navigation down the line.

What skeeves....

1. Bow ties - probably because of how Orville Redenbacher looked on the cover of my grandma's popcorn tin. Either way, ew.

2. Skinny jeans. On both men and women.

3. The following words - panties, moist, chunk, loaf. Especially in the same sentence.

4. Maxi dresses. Not sure why. Probably a 70's Barbi-related childhood issue. We won't go there.

5. Goatees that look like merkins. You know the kind...when a man has a completely baby soft, clean-shaven face and then a LARGE SHOCK of dark, bushy hair lodged between their lower lip and bottom of their chin. Why??? Trim it, shave it, make it less of what it is or I'm not going near it.

6. White pants on men. Seems dirty. I think my repulsion began with this guy:

However, it's okay if THIS guy wears all white, all red, or whatever the heck he wants:

7. Tapioca pudding at a Chinese buffet. I don't trust it. The chocolate pudding is fine - it's a mainstay, totally belongs there, just feels right. Tapioca in NO WAY belongs there. It's a sticky vat of wrong.

8. Sitting with my back to the door in a restaurant. It's a gangster thing.

9. Old-fashioned men's long underwear bottoms. Saggy butt and ankle cuffs. Ugh.

10. Oil of Olay face cream. The smell, the consistency is off to me.

11. Unblended lipliner.

12. When people lick and/or suck their fingers after/while eating. Gross, uncivilized, and if you think you're touching me with that hand later you're sorely mistaken. And no, I don't want any of your spitty popcorn. Ugh.

13. Garlic breath.

14. Used dental floss.

15. The watery stuff that comes out of the mustard bottle before the mustard. WTF is that????

16. When men unbutton too many of their shirt buttons. Oh, oh, oh so skeevy.

17. Sharing gum, as in when someone takes a portion of the gum they're already chewing and gives a chewed part to someone else. IS THERE ANYTHING MORE UNSANITARY? I think I'd rather lick a toilet seat at Walmart. Well, maybe not.

18. Trying on swimsuits at the store. Because you know someone already tried it on WITHOUT UNDERWEAR. Ew. I buy, wash and hope for the best.

19. Hotel room chairs/couches. I think they're dirtier than the bedspreads. If I have to sit, I towel it.

20. Hotel room bedspreads.

21. Bowling shoes. An evil necessity, I know.

22. Walmart. I saved the best for last. :-)

The nose knows...

Perfume.

Women buy it because it smells good, but about a minute after we apply it we can no longer smell it. However, anyone in our immediate vicinity can, and sometimes that's not a good thing, especially for me.

My sense of smell rivals that of a bloodhound. I'm super sensitive when it comes to fragrances, and have often had to stifle the reaction that so easily comes to my countenance when faced with a scent that feels like it's trying to kill me. Like Happy, Red Door or Poison.

That being said, I rarely wear perfume - I opt to go the soap or lotion route, which I find is far more pleasing to the probiscus palette. Once in awhile I wear jasmine oil, and if it's a special occasion, Issey Miyake or Perscriptives Calyx.

When I was married, I sometimes wore patchouli or sandalwood oil at the request of my husband. I wasn't super hippy, but I did't mind it in light doses. We used to burn so much incense all the scents used to meld together. Good times.

I have also, at the request of people I dated, worn a fragrance I wasn't fond of - no harm to me as I usually didn't smell it, and if it made them happy, why not?

Despite my super sniffer, I am a sucker for a good cologne on a man. My favorite? Acqua di Gio by Armani. It's my catnip. Pair it with a waffle slub tee or crewneck and some fitted jeans and I'm your gal.

Shazam.

Quick-n-Dirty Movie Reviews

Below are a few condensed movie reviews for your reading pleasure.

                                                           Rogue River (2012) Rated R

Should be rated D for Dumb. Seriously. I had high hopes as Bill Moseley, one of my favorite b-Horror movie actors, plays a baddie. Sadly, the story is just too sucky for him to overcome.

Terrible concept. Terrible acting by the victim. Terrible ending.

Even if you're a Moseley fan, skip it. Really. Spend the money on Repo! The Genetic Opera or House of 1000 Corpses. Or even Roadhouse.

Everything you need to see is in the trailer:





                                                                    ATM (2012) Rated R

Not terrible. Interesting concept, much like P2 (the parking garage horror movie). Without giving anything away, it's a "wrong place, wrong time" kinda flick. Decent acting. Basic storyline. Ending was more intricate and gave better backstory than most movies, but felt flat. Worth $1.29, but that's about it.


                                                              The Intruders - (2011) Rated R

My main reason for seeing this was Clive Owen. Adore him. My second reason was Kerry Fox. A very underrated, not-much-seen British actress (see Shallow Grave...classic).

It had a fairly cool concept - spooky villian, maybe real or maybe a figment of collective imaginations, a bit of history thrown in, and some scattered but pretty cinematography. It

Clive Owens does consternation and incredulity superbly. Plus he could recite Beowulf to me and I'd be in heaven. Slurp.


                                                    The Darjeeling Limited (2007) Rated R

I love Wes Anderson. I love every one of his movies, even Fantastic Mr. Fox, which initially turned me off as it's a cartoon, but once I let it in it's become one of my favorite cartoons of all time.

I'd seen Darjeeling in the theater, when the short movie "Hotel Chevalier" preceded the feature. I sae it was a choice in the IFC Free Movies on Charter. One of the few perks of Charter.

I'd forgotten how sad and boyish it is. Loved rediscovering it.

Adrien Brody initially threw me off - to me, he's such a formidable presence that I felt he'd alter the dynamic too much. He didn't. His performance was very understated, which fit his character well.

This film just smacks of loveliness. Watch it now.

Weird milk does a body good

So in my quest to eat healthier, I've been thinking about essentials aside from my usual intake of supplements. I take vitamins (women's multivitamin, A, B6, B12, folic acid, C, D, E, zinc, calcium) but one nutrient that I know is difficult to incorporate into a diet are omega-3 fatty acids, or EFA (essential fatty acids).

Admittedly I don't consume a lot of fish - maybe once a week, if even. But I have come to learn that cod, which I like, and halibut, which I love, don't have as much omega-3's as salmon, so I've learned to hold my nose and take it. But I know I'm not eating enough.

Is flax seed the answer? Not so much, according to what I found out...but it sure can't hurt.

Omega-3's can be found in flax seed, but eating milled/ground flax seed may not provide you with an adequate amount or even any of the omega-3's that help lower your risk of heart disease and are vital to every cell in your body.

Darn it, if I'm eating the flax seed, or even drinking it, and it contains omega-3's, why wouldn't that suffice? It's simple science, really, but hard for me to swallow. Just because you ingest flax seed doesn't mean you'll get the omega-3's.

Your body may not be able to convert the EFA's from flax seed, and there are two main reasons - age and genetics. Ok, I'm going to get a bit sciency for a minute, but I promise it won't hurt.

There is a parent molecule in Omega-3 called ALA, or alpha linoleic acid, which your body may not be able to convert into the two omega-3 fatty acids that are crucial to health - EPA and DHA.

You can ingest as much flax seed as you want, but chances are your body isn't going to get near the amount it needs, and there's really no way to tell.

So what do you do? Keep the flax seed coming and hope for the best, or chuck it altogether and go the salmon route?

Your best bet is to increase your salmon (or other choice of fish) intake to ensure that you're getting the recommended amount (1000 mg) of omega-3's, but it sure doesn't hurt to include flax seed into your diet just in case. It makes for a healthier alternative to some of the more regular things you might find in your kitchen.

I recently discovered Good Karma Flax Milk. Sounds delish, right? Lol, yeah, my mom had the same reaction - I believe it was "Yeech".  I don't drink milk because I have a slight allergy to dairy (including ice cream, which is a bummer) and it makes me all phlegmy and wheezy. I have long used Silk on my shredded wheat cereal, which is a soy milk and it's not too bad...sometimes it has a thicker, creamier consistency than I like, but since it's usually paired with cereal it's not a deal breaker.

Flax Milk has a higher nutritional value than Silk and other soy milks, coconut milk and rice milk. Aside from the omega-3 bonus, there are only 25 calories per serving (1 cup), low sodium, and only 1g of carbs. It's not too thick, has a mild taste, and a long shelf life (around two months). It's also dairy/gluten/lactose/soy free, so if you've got allergies you might want to check it out.

In the picture I've included a box of the flax seed I use in my cereal and sometimes on my egg-white & spinach omelets for variety. It adds a nice crunch, has only 30 calories per Tbsp and no sodium or sugar. It's also a non-GMO, or genetically modified product, which if you've done your research you'll know is ideal. Oh, the Flax Milk is non-GMO verified also. Bonus!

So there you go. That's my personal take on the omega-3 conundrum. I'll leave you with a little nutritional treat...if you're a child of the 80's like me, you'll recognize this fellow. Gotta love the perm...

I told you so! (Movie Spoiler)

*****SPOILER ALERT!*****

Don't read on if you don't want to know what happens in the end of The Odd Life of Timothy Green...


So I didn't see the movie, but these poor, sad chidwins confirm what I predicted in an earlier post.

The little plant boy in the movie dies.

Yup.

His leaves turn brown, and he has to "Go away"....which is Disney code for die.

Watch the video clip below of two brothers who've just witness the travesty that is end of The Odd Life of Timothy Green.  Scarred for life? Probably...

The only trouble with Cialis is....

.....the completely lame commercial.

There is absolutely no shame in taking Cialis or any other drug to help with erectile dysfunction. Why wouldn't you want to perform as well as you can, in that department?

I saw the newest Cialis ad the other day and it made me shake my head in confusion. How can such a  wonderful product have such a crappy commercial?

I cannot find a link to the ad, or else I would post it here. If someone finds one, please forward it.

Here's the deal - throughout the ad, there are nice looking middle-aged couples (40's on up, I'm assuming) who are doing various activities together. Sounds okay so far, right? Not really, as it began to play out...

One couple is sitting on a porch (or something like it) and the wife is doing a crossword puzzle. The man turns and gives her this incredibly LEACHEROUS look....he just leers at her, and she laughs and picks up the crossword and pulls him in to help her with it. Oh, ha ha, what fun we're having on the porch!

The reason I say the look is leacherous is because she doesn't reciprocate...she just smiles, laughs, and going on with her boring life. It just doesn't feel real. If I was the wife, and I knew the situation and that my hubby had just taken the magic pill, I'd be gearing up for some fun, not trying to finish my sudoku. Seriously!

So then, another couple is slow dancing at home, and this guy also gives his gal the most dirty, salacious look, like he's ready to peel her skin off. AND NOTHING HAPPENS! THEY JUST KEEP DANCING. Ha ha, let's keep dancing, what fun this is. The whole thing is unsettling.

The commercial is full of vignettes like these - couples doing ordinary things, the man gets the horny lightbulb going off in his head (or elsewhere) which you can see on his face. And then they do NOTHING ABOUT IT!

Isn't the whole point here that this wonder drug - which I am completely in favor of because everyone deserves as much function and happiness in the sheets as possible - makes it happen for up to 36 hours, and you take it because you anticipate doing the deed within a half hour?

So why not put that ridiculous word jumble down, stop dancing vertically and get to the good stuff? I would respect the makers of Cialis if they had perhaps gone with a more realistic scenario. As soon as the guy gets that "feeling", it's off to have some fun! The dancing stops and the couple run off the screen, or the crossword puzzle gets tossed to the floor and the couple starts to make out on the pretty wicker porch set. Show that instead of weird, sappy, unrealistic scenes where nothing happens.

Boring, weird and unsettling. Perhaps Viagra is the better drug.

Kickin' it, new school

It could be because I am finally feeling better and snot-free after almost two weeks of fighting the upper respiratory crud that everyone seems to be passing around.

It could be for the awesomely encouraging text I saw when I woke up.

Or maybe because I shut down last night at 9:00, head on pillow and alarm set for 5:00 a.m. so I could guarantee at least 8 hours of sleep.

Either way, I busted out my fastest run this morning.

3 miles in 29:38.

I like this.

Naked face, Dead Can Dance, stupid nutmeg brain...

- Silly hipsters on Facebook. If you mention Ikea, Fiat or Mini in a post, you must include a reference to a beverage like fair-trade coffee or veggie-fruit smoothie or it's considered incomplete. Bonus points for also sneaking in yoga. #youarepredictableandboringbutIamgladwearefriends:-)

- I think Ice T should act more. And smile more. And smile more when he acts. He's a lovable goofball underneath all that gangster swagger. Word.

- I'll take genuine kindness, a bright smile and truth over most anything else any night of the week.

- I don't see my cup as half full or half empty. I see it as having an actual cup, which is more than some people have these days, so I'm very thankful. If it's got something in it, even better.

- What I miss most about past jobs: certain people. A job can bring you a paycheck, but it can also bring you the treasure of a friend. Most of my treasures have come from jobs. On the flip side, what I miss least about past jobs: certain people. Lol

- My favorite chocolate will always be the Hershey's Kiss that's in the middle of a peanut butter cookie. Genius. Who thought of this? I'd like to shake her hand. :-)

- The first bite of a tuna fish sandwich is THE BEST. Anything after that ruins the experience. I've learned this the hard way.

- Nobody is perfect. We are all flawed, and we all have our battles to fight. So the next time you see a "beautiful person" or a "freak", remember that what you see isn't always what you get.  You might be surprised and make a new friend. On the other hand, they might be a not-so-great person, at which point feel free to move on, because man, life is TOO short to put up with bullsh*t.

- I hate wearing makeup. Always have. It's a PITA to put on, it's expensive, the reason behind wearing makeup pisses me off, and it clogs my pores. I have a friend who only wears makeup on Saturday nights when she goes out. During the work week and Sundays she's Miss Naked Face. I love her for that, and for many other reasons.

- I love running before the sun comes up, and also at night. I get to feel like I am the last person on earth. I will also admit that listening to Rage during my morning runs and Dead Can Dance during night runs completes the apocalyptic scenario.

- I have come to terms (my own) that I am past the age where a nose ring would be even 1% appropriate on me. However, tattoos aren't off the table just yet. I probably won't get any more, but of the six that I have, one needs a major overhaul and two could use some snazzing up...perhaps color. We shall see....

- I was so tempted to purchase a gosh darn fake-flower wreath for my front door today because I love fall so gosh darn much. I am not crafty like that, but autumn makes me nuts. My brain becomes all nutmeg-cinnamon melted butter and my eyes go all gooey.  I feel this coming on, with the lower temps and all. Stupid nutmeg brain.

- In my healthy eating regime I have added two mornings of fresh juice. I have a juicer. It's freakin awesome. It cranks out the most amazing tastiness, because my concoctions are some of the most fantastic creations known to man. My latest is the Peachy Kiwi PearBerry. Major pucker, but delish.

- I have mastered the art of eating spaghetti with a fork, sans spoon. I am a certified Expert Twirler. Dine with me sometime and I'll share the magic that is my technique. You won't be sorry.

- I have a friend who sends the most amazing texts. The first-thing-in-the-morning, brighten-your-day kinda texts. For this reason, I am more than a little addicted to the "bleemp" sound that eminates from my phone when a new text comes in. It's become a Pavlov's Dog technological situation. My brain salivates. It's outstanding.

- I have the most wonderful friends a girl could ever have. Not sure what I did to deserve these blessings, but I'm very thankful.

A real answer...

A challenge for you.

The next time someone asks "How are you?" I dare you to answer truthfully.

My answer at this very moment would be,

"I have a cold and am probably contagious, I'm seriously craving fried chicken, and I'm realistic that I probably won't be getting a footrub tonight but am still hopeful."

Jumped the gun

Turns out, allergies are not the culprit of my snot-making factory of a head.

I have something akin to a cold, but worse. Guess there's some crud creeping around, and it landed in my respiratory system.

How do I know? I have to force myself to eat something as I have no appetite, I feel very run down, all I want to do is take a hot bath and when I do get the least bit hungry all I want are Spaghettios w/meatballs. Gross, I know. It's a kid thing.

Stayed in bed for the better part of the day. Thanks to Benadryl, I got some sleep, but had crazy dreams. A stagecoach, a water gun and an old boyfriend all made an appearance. Did I mention it took place in a fictional hamlet that invades my dreams quite often?

Bummed to be missing Sebadoh tonight. Saw them last year, they put on a superb live show.

Buggers.

Sniff, sneeze, snort

I am miserable.

While I'm lovin' this less-than-Hades weather, the mold count is uber high, which brings on my allergies.

I am making enough snot to probably fill my tub, and then some.

My face is puffy, my eyes itch, burn and tear, and my nose is stuffed and drippy.

Oh, and the sneezing. Beyond spectacular. I've counted 31 so far today, and I'm pretty sure more are on the way. A few happened while driving down 170, which makes for a dodgy game of highway chicken.

I'm a hot mess, with emphasis on mess.

It's the worst in the morning, which makes swimming/biking/running oh so pleasurable.

Bring back the hot temps. I'll gladly trade some heat for a snot-free head.

On a lighter note, here's a funny story....

Whenever I have to do something in the bathroom, whether it's brush my teeth, use the twallet or take a shower, my dog follows me in there. He may bring a toy for me to throw, or he may sit down, in which case I know he wants to chat about his day, so we proceed accordingly.

Tonight, I was in the bathroom looking for allergy medicine (for the 26th time, alas, none has magically appeared as of yet....ahem) and he wanders in and gives me this look.

I know this look well, because it is accompanied with a trembling lower lip/jaw. It's the sweetest, most pitiful thing to behold, I swear.

It's his "Mama, my tummy is upset and I think I might hork" look.

So I reach down to pet him, and he starts in with the "whoooaamp" sound which eminates from deep within his tummy, and courses through the entire length of his body.

It always reminds me of some sci-fi movie in which a woodland creature starts to turn into an alien being...it must feel like complete hell.

So he proceeds to make the "whoooaamp" sound about 10 times, and then, gush. Yellow puddle of liquid on the bathroom floor, with two perfectly formed blades of grass.

Cracked me up. It was almost like modern art - Jackson Pollock couldn't have done any better.

Usually it's one hork, then he grabs some water and begs for a treat.

Not this time. I was mopping up the small puddle of goo when "whoooaamp" started up again. Nine more of these and puddle #2 appears, sans grass.

Poor little fella. Not sure what got into him, but he was hurtin.

Of course, after the treat he's right as rain.

In the past, I've heard the "whoooaamp" sound from across the room, in which case I run at light speed to pick his furry ass up and place him over a non-carpeted/upholstered area for quick and easy clean up. He has since learned to high-tail it for tile when he starts getting sick.  He's smart that way.

Bring on the earplugs

I really shouldn't have clicked on this story.

I am beyond grossed out.

Clowns and Punks

I do believe this is about the time I started feeling very afraid of clowns.

Can you blame me? And I wonder how much of a coincidence it is that my coat bears the same colors as Ronald's outfit. Lol

Just where are his hands, anyway?

Such a weird picture. But I remember this day very clearly, because it was the beginning of a very awkward phase for me. It was Halloween, 7th grade, and I dressed up as a punk rocker. Not sure what I knew about punk rock at that age, but I tried desperately to look the part. Note the random green and pink hair coloring randomly smattered about my noggin. And the feathered earrings (so not punk!), knotted bandana, chainlink necklace and ratted t-shirt. BTW, that t-shirt was worn with tights only. And it barely covered my small (can I get this back, please?) ass.

What cracks me up about this pic the most is the weird-ass sheet music in the background. Dance of the Gnomes? Bwahahahaha....a classic.

Retro Pics: New Wave, 1983

I believe this was taken when I was 12. End of 6th grade or beginning of 7th. Too-short bangs, making a mixed-tape probably full of great tunes from the Go Go's, Madonna, Quiet Riot and other gems.

Holy shiz, is that a bandana around my neck? Oh, nice pink and grey ensemble, too. And wft am I sporting on my face...3-D glasses?

BTW, that stereo was a classic. Loved it. It was such a tricked-out setup. I usually listened with headphones as I liked my music LOUD and no one else did.

I'm hot, no?  HAHA, nope! Lol

Going through old photos is fun...more to come.

Random

Schenectady is so pleasing to say. It's a very crisp word. Say it out loud...it's tight, right? Schenectady. Schenectady. Ahh....

I 'm overdue for one of those rare, thundery/rainy mornings to catch up on quality slumber. It's been too long. If I lived in Seattle, I would be the most well-rested person on the planet.

I successfully fought of a case of sticky fingers today and didn't steal a band poster from the outside wall at Mangia. Had no idea who the band was, but the artwork was super cool.

At a local gas station there was a basket filled with green peppers by the register. I asked the cashier if they were selling well, and she said they were free. I think this is amazing. And kind weird.

The other night I woke up in the middle of an awesome dream, and decided to quickly close my eyes in hopes of falling back asleep an dpicking up where the dream left off. I did. Wondering now what other magical powers I have...here's hoping for flight...

There are a few movies that, if I find are playing on cable while flipping through channels, I will stop and watch until the end. Shawshank, 27 Dresses, Saturday Night Fever, and Step Up to name a few. All choice flicks, wouldn't you agree?