Christmas...and 12 things about it...

I never really liked that song, The 12 Days of Christmas. Can you imagine actually receiving all those gifts? Yeah, me either. Seems like a large pain if you ask me. I looked up the meaning of those 12 days, well, the origin of the song, to see what it was all about...wow. I had no idea! I'm still not a fan of the song, and I don't want any of you to buy me a partridge, a pear tree or anything that's going to leap, dance or flit about, but knowing the origin makes it a little more interesting.

So, in some sort of homage to that song, here are 12 things I wanted to share about my Christmas Day...hope yours was fabulous!

C - Cupcake dessert.
H - Ham, cooked by me - Believe it!
R - Really good friends.
I - Icicles...okay, not really, but I had no I!
S - Snoozing after large amounts of food.
T - Tree of joy (see photo).
M - Marley & Me.
A - Amazing gifts from friends and family.
S - Stocking stuffers.

D - Dashing through the wind and rain.
A - After-Christmas lounging.
Y - Year-end vacation!

As an added bonus to today's anti-blog...for those of you who don't receive my annual Christmas letter...here's my movie update for 2008:

You’ll probably need 27 Dresses to get through this section. Definitely, Maybe. Throughout the year I met Charlie Bartlett, The Visitor, Miss Pettigrew and tried valiantly to want to care about The Crystal Skull. Oh hey, did you Meet Bill? I took him and Penelope on a trip to Narnia and met a Prince who was Made of Honor, who, at the end of the day, took his rightful place as the Iron Man. Get Smart and bypass Revisiting Brideshead. After all, What Happens in Vegas is nothing compared to a Kung Fu Panda! Skidush!! Mamma Mia, The Dark Knight was every bit as creepy and awesome as Hancock said it would be! Did you know that Henry Poole was Here? He could have Bolt[ed], but instead, he spent Four Christmas Nights in Rondanthe. I hope to learn about Benjamin Buttons soon, and why Will Smith wants to tell us about his Seven Pounds. But I’ll spend Christmas Day with Marley…

Teaching an old dog new tricks

I'm visiting my dad and his wife Frannie in Windsor, Colorado and am at present, tutoring my dad on how to do some blog stuff...inserting pictures, posting the blog to Facebook, etc. So, this blog serves only as a tool to show him how to play. More REAL blogging later...

How to insert a picture:
Here's my dad making notes with directions I'm giving...we'll see how that goes...

Now we're going to learn how to label...and add a URL...

Let's link to Loodles...the best coffee shop in Windsor!

Alright everyone...that's all for now...back later with a review of my business/personal trip...

Clubhouses, Secret Knocks and Cherry-Flavored Pez

Ya know, when you're home sick, you watch a lot of TV, a lot of movies and well, a lot of everything. Well, at least I do...and I've been home for the better part of the last 5 days. Thankfully, I'm feeling better, but am still lounging through most of this Sunday afternoon.

I have watched more cheesy holiday movies than I care to count this week, but have also caught a few classics and actually went to a movie on Friday evening.

I watched one of my favorites earlier today, Stand by Me. Classic. I loved the story when I read it in high school and get sucked into it every time it's on TV. It always makes me a little sad thinking that River Phoenix would have been one of our greatest actors but like so many others, he died way too young...living an out-of-control life.

Do kids still hang out like the Stand by Me kids today? And have clubhouses and secret knocks and cherry-flavored Pez? I never had any of those things...mostly I played by myself, or with one friend at a time. And occasionally with my imaginary friends. To this day, I'm more comfortable hanging out with just one or two friends (real, not imaginary) as opposed to a group of people.

Yes. I had two imaginary friends. Kathy and Ritney. Ritney had a motorcycle. We played tennis and random other games...I mainly remember the tennis. My dad had imaginary friends too, as did my aunt. It's typically an only child thing, but I think my aunt still had hers after my mom came along. I remember Kathy and Ritney in San Antonio, and remember them moving to Laramie with us. I'm not sure when they left, but they've been gone a very long time. The main thing I remember is playing tennis with them in Laramie. Well, truth be told, I actually ran a tennis school that they belonged to and we played in the backyard. Wow. I haven't played tennis for years! I guess that ended when I started playing racquetball...haven't played that for years either. I need to get out more...

Okay, this post has really been all over the place today...guess that's where my brain's been the last few days. Hope you had a lovely holiday, whatever you did. I better get back to resting so I can focus tomorrow at work. See ya next time!

Carrie thinks...

...you should read the Good Girls Kill for Money blog and buy Gail Konop Baker's book...so eloquently discussed by the author as a guest blogger today!

More from me later...

What are ya, new?

New Job...New Clothes...New Shoes...New Commute...New Computer...New Matt Nathanson Encounter...New Lease on Life! Okay...that might be pushing it.

Sorry for the delay in writing, but as stated above, I did begin a new job...just 2 weeks ago...and I'm now starting to get into a routine and figure out what it is that I've gotten myself into.

Hard to Leave...Easy to Go. That's what I tell people who ask if it was hard to leave my old job. Yes. After 10 1/2 years at San Jose State, it was hard to leave, but easy to go to such a great opportunity at California State University, East Bay. I mentioned this a month or so ago, and now it's real. So, what does this really mean?

Well...first, it means...NEW CLOTHES. I'm a director now...for whatever that's worth, and apparently I should dress a little more professional. So yeah, nicer pants, nicer tops, but really? Bottom line? It means no more flip flops in the office. Yes. I had a mild stroke over that too, and my feet are still in an adjustment period.

It also means, NEW COMMUTE. Not that I really had an OLD commute... It's 32 miles from my house to campus. In the morning, it's easy...35 minutes just about every day. In the evening...well, with the exception of last night's freaktastic traffic from hell, it really hasn't been nearly as bad as I expected. There are a couple of route options so that helps. It also helps that I've been able to carpool a couple of times each week. Carpool lanes rock! Restaurants just off the freeway also rock; which is how we survived last night's journey home.

One of the nice things about moving from one CSU to another is that you can transfer vacation and sick leave. The nicer thing is that you can get paid out for excess vacation. It's basically the only time you can get a bonus in the CSU. I took advantage of this and was able to buy this lovely new computer I'm writing to you on. It's a Mac. And IT IS YAY!! I've wanted one forever, and now my dream has come true. Alright, that's a bit over-the-top, but it really is all it's cracked up to be. I couldn't be happier with my vacation payout purchase!

So, life at East Bay is going well. I finally took in all my boxes yesterday, scaring many of my new staff members and co-workers along the way. Apparently I have more stuff than all of them combined, but whatever. I have a nice office with a nice view. Maybe I'll show you a photo once I get all the boxes unpacked and everything put away int its proper place. It's a big fat mess right now.

I've been meeting lots of people and gathering lots of data...trying to figure out exactly what's going on and what step to take first. It's exciting to embark on this new opportunity and realize that somewhere along the road, I actually became someone who has skills people covet and pay for.

The only challenge I continue to have every day is recording my daily voice message. I have to do it 2 or 3 times because I keep saying "Hi, you've reached Carrie Medders in the CMS Project Office at San Jose State University..." Okay, I never get all the way through it, but the CMS Project part just rolls off my tongue, and then I have to start over...which is a painstaking process of pushing about 32 buttons in the appropriate sequence. But I figure, if this is my greatest challenge, then I'm good to go!


Lest I forget...I must share my latest encounter with the fabulous Matt Nathanson. As many of you know, I'm a HUGE Matt fan, and met him earlier this year at one of his concerts. I got tickets to his November 1 show at The Warfield with my friends Jill and Veronnica...normal stuff. The JOY came when earlier that week, the local Alice radio station (pics, video and podcast on their site!) held an email contest of sorts...one of those deals where if you're chosen you get to join other listeners in a private radio show. This one happened to be the day before the concert (Halloween to be exact). Lucky me. I got in! Luckier still, I was off work since I was starting the new job, so it was easy to get into San Francisco in the middle of the afternoon.

So...he is, of course, fabulous playing 5 acoustic songs for us. The highlight was two-fold. He is very interactive with his audiences and always talks to people, but I've never really been close enough to get that involved...until this time. I was on the front row, and when he was asking what song he should play, a few of us shouted "Little Victories". He looked right at me and was like, "Really?"...then, he saw my phone (Palm Centro) and said, "Is that one of those touch screen phones?" I felt like time stopped because I really couldn't speak. I was a complete idiot. I was like, "Um, yeah, I guess...", but then I snapped out of it and turned the phone around so he could see it, and he proceeded to have a short conversation with me about the phone. HILARIOUS! So really, anything could have happened after that, and my night would have been perfect.

After the set, he took pictures with every person that was there (professional pics done by the radio station...very cool). I was near the end, so most everyone was gone, and when I stepped up to get the picture taken, he was like "Oh, Little Victories!". Funny. Then, we proceeded to have another short conversation, more in-depth, about the phone. It was seriously so funny. I basically told him to ditch the crackberry and get the Centro. Really not sure it gets much better than that.

Oh, and his concert the next day was awesome as usual!!

Alright, I think that's enough for now. I've got to finish cleaning before my Pampered Chef party today. Too bad you're not here to partake of this fabulous pumpkin ribbon cake I baked earlier. Oh yeah. IT IS YAY!

Taste Every Moment and Live it Out Loud

My grandfather turned 89 years old on Sunday. He's pictured here with my mom and grandmother (just a little younger...they've been married for 68 years!!) taken at Thanksgiving last year.

When I talked to him on his birthday he said he was sure he'd make it to a hundred. Knowing him as I do, I'm certain he's right. When he handed me over to my grandmother to chat for a bit, he was on his way to a finance committee meeting at church. I LOVE that my 89-year-old grandfather is on the church finance committee. How great is that?

I've been thinking a lot about that Five for Fighting song, 100 years (lyrics w/out the choruses below):

I'm 15... for a moment
Caught in between 10 and 20
And I'm just dreamin'
Countin' the ways to where you are

I'm 22... for a moment
And she feels better than ever
And we're on fire
Making our way back from Mars

I'm 33... for a moment
Still the man,
But you see I'm a they
A kid on the way, babe
A family on my mind

I'm 45... for a moment
The sea is high
And I'm heading into a crisis
Chasing the years of my life

I'm 99... for a moment
Dying for just another moment
And I'm just dreamin'
Countin' the ways to where you are

I wonder how many of us stop at various points in our lives and think about where we are. We might think about where we're going, but typically we're not content with where we are. I think most of us live in the moment not really thinking about it at the time...looking back to observe where we've been...and what/who has impacted our life. As the lyrics say, we're really only here for a moment...and let's face it, a moment's not very long at all.

As David Cook sings, "And I'll taste every moment and live it out loud...I know this is the time, this is the time of my life..." Good words I think. And not a bad song either.

Without getting too melancholy, let me close this entry by expressing my sorrow for a friend who lost her son last weekend. As my grandfather took one step closer to 90, this 21-year-old kid lost his life on a 2-lane highway just south of San Jose. I can't pretend to understand why this happened, but believe that God is in everything and that He will use this tragedy to bring glory to himself.

I think the divergence of these two events is a good reminder to taste every moment...and live it out loud...

Further Confessions: It's All About the Coke

Just in case you didn't know...or had any doubt in your mind...be it known, that IT'S ALL ABOUT THE COKE. And more recently, it's all about the REAL Coke...with the REAL sugar...that we import from Mexico. Thank you Costco for importing my addiction for me! Not that I shun the cans, but let's face it...there's nothing like the REAL THING!

Many of you know of my Coke addiction. It might actually be worse than my potato/French fry addiction. I mean, I have magnets, I have toys, I have a shirt, I have a watch...it really is ALL ABOUT THE COKE.

While the Mexican Coke is high on my list, the best Coke to be found is, without question, hands-down, at McDonald's. You know it's true. Some days, it's the only thing that a person needs. If you haven't experienced it for yourself, do it now. Seriously. You need it. Matter of fact, I think I need to make a detour on my way to the game today...for some McDonald's Coke...and a side of fries. See ya!

Photo 1: Oh yes. That's the scene inside my fridge right now. It's like I'm on Cribs or something...

Photo 2: My August 2008 run-in with the Coke Bear in Vegas.


Photo 3: McDonald's Coke. Even inanimate objects are drawn to it.

Traffic Lights, Transition and Tour

Today I give you three topics...pretty much unrelated...and without much segue from one to the other...

So, I don't know about you, but I daily bear witness to a strange phenomenon...people standing at intersections...waiting for lights to change. Don't roll your eyes at me. I'm not finished yet. The strange part is, on many occasions, no one pushes the button. And in San Jose, we don't have those fancy infrared buttons like they do at 4th and King in San Francisco. No. You actually have to push the button if you'd like something to happen. Why is this a hard concept? I really don't know, but on many days, I've walked up and watched a group of folks waiting...and waiting...and then, for fun, I go ahead and push the button, and like MAGIC, the light changes. Am I alone in my observation? I do see this primarily around the SJSU campus, so maybe it's a Gen Y thing, and people think they're entitled to have the light change for them without lifting so much as a finger. It is, after all, all about them and of COURSE the light should know they need to cross the street without them taking that ever-so-difficult step of actually DOING something to make it happen. How exactly do these folks get up and out of their houses every day? It must be magic...

And...scene.

So. I'm in my last few weeks at SJSU before moving to my new office at CSU East Bay. I'm not MOVING moving...just changing jobs. I've been all over the place the last couple of weeks starting my transition, so please forgive me if I haven't emailed, called, messaged, carrier pigeoned or Hallmark carded you. I promise to catch up...you know...some time in 2009...you still love me, right?

Next!

In the midst of my transition and watching these random traffic light waiters, I got the great joy of journeying to Wheatland, CA with a friend to see some of our all-time favorite bands at the Music Builds Tour a couple of weeks ago. Can you say awesome? I think you can. Let me just lay it out for you...

1 - Jars of Clay ... have always loved their music; actually met Steve Mason earlier this year; saw them play a number of years ago at The Warfield; really enjoyed seeing them again!

2 - Robert Randolph and The Family Band ... not really my favorite music, but boy could they play! great musicians who had a lot of fun on stage; they definitely impressed.

3 - Switchfoot ... my 8th time seeing them live; yes...big fan...and they did not disappoint; I really do become the 15-year old I always claim to be when I see them live...they just plain ROCK!! and along they way, they always make me think about a lot of interesting things.

4 - Third Day ... my 6th time seeing them, and they were, as usual, pure joy; they rock in a completely different way from Switchfoot and stir my emotions in a way few other musicians do.

At the end, members of all the groups played a few songs together. It's always fun to see collaborations, and these guys were great. I hope some of you had a chance to see this tour...it was truly awesome!

You can check out my photos to the left...click any picture as it scrolls through the slide show and it will open larger...our seats were pretty stinking good...if I do say so myself. And oh yeah, I just did.

Curtain please.

It's already a long season...

Sigh.

Week 3 of college football, and I'm on the verge of throwing in multiple towels. I follow five teams:

1. Arizona State (alma mater #1)
2. West Virginia (alma mater #2)
3. San Jose State (current employer and the town near which I live)
4. University of Wyoming (team I grew up with...and former employer)
5. Northern Illinois (former employer)

I was pretty jazzed in the first full week of the season when I went 4 for 5. But that joy was fleeting. INow? I'm just hoping they all don't lose the rest of their games. This weekend, which began in the football world on Thursday, was just awful. I went 1 for 5. Thank you, NIU, for not making it a total wash.

It was sheer torture two weeks ago to watch WVU self-destruct against East Carolina. Adding insult to that still throbbing injury was ASU's OT loss last week to unranked UNLV. While nursing that wound, I then had to endure WVU losing in OT this week to unranked Colorado. OY! Needless to say, both ASU and WVU are no longer ranked. And ASU just made it worse tonight with it's less-than-stellar showing (at home no less!) against Georgia. UGH. Not UGA. UGH. To add insult to today's injury, SJSU lost to Stanford...never a pretty sight, and Wyoming got destroyed by BYU...who apparently just doesn't let anyone score anymore.

So, for ASU, they are still 1-0 in the PAC 10, which I GUESS should make me happy, but I've been burned too many times before. My Sun Devil pride is wounded and I fear the conference play that ensues very soon. I mean, USC is still in the PAC 10 last time I checked, and oh joy! we play them in SoCal. I restate my earlier sigh...

WVU hasn't played a single conference game yet, so yeah, there's still some hope there. But they were poised to win it all last year and faltered at the end, so the Mountaineer part of me doesn't have a lot to hold onto.

Wyoming is likely done as they've now had two huge conference losses, but that is not really a surprise. I don't think anyone expected them to do a lot this year.

Poor NIU has only won one game, and one of their two losses was in conference, so they're not really on an uphill swing either.

SJSU losing to Nebraska was not surprising, and while it's a total bummer to lose to Stanford, I guess I wasn't that surprised. At least we've won both of our home games. We'll see what happens going forward. At least I know the national anthem at the Boise State game will be good. :-)

I hope your teams are having more success than mine. Please don't rub it in if they are. That's just mean. If your teams are in a state of ick like mine, I'm happy to commiserate with you. Say it with me now: Sigh. Take comfort in knowing that basketball starts in a month, and the NHL drops the pre-season puck this week. Go Sharks!

I'm out.

In response to CW

Yes.

It's too much to ask.

Of Toyotas, Tea and Tantrums

Well yes...it's been a while...I've tried to tell you I'm not good with the updates...why don't you believe me? I don't make this stuff up...okay, sometimes I do, but this is for real. Now, on to what's going on in the life that is me...

I've long thought about blogging about Toyotas...about how every time a lane of traffic slows or goes haywire, the inevitable culprit is a Toyota. Seriously. It's 98 times out of a 100, maybe 99. The exceptions seem to be 4-Runners and Land Cruisers, but even they have their moments. I know others who have noticed this phenomenon, so I know I'm not crazy (at least not about this). What is the deal here? I know some of you drive Toyotas...can you enlighten me? Is there something about owning a Toyota that naturally makes you a slower, less-interested-in-what's-going-on-around-you driver? Is there something that happens when you take the wheel? And don't even get me started about Toyota drivers on cell phones...we'll save that for another day.

Earlier this evening I was in Panera having dinner with a lovely friend...drinking tea (of the iced variety) and listening to the beginning of a child's tantrum. At one point, we actually thought the child might leap across the table at the other child. And then, the mother laughed. Um, what??? What exactly was going on there that caused this child to screech in agony and several seconds later caused the mother to laugh? Believe me, there was nothing funny for the rest of us hearing the screeching.

This reminded me of another experience a few weeks ago at Chili's (yes, I eat out a lot...get over it) when a young girl (beyond old enough to know better!) threw a little tantrum. This is not out of the ordinary...as many of you are painfully aware, the restaurant tantrum is a highly popular activity among the young. However, what was interesting about this was that we actually watched the girl prepare for the tantrum. Oh yeah. She started with the pouting and then some heavy breathing and then came the tears. Un-be-lievable. And as it neared its end? Oh yeah, the mother laughed! What is up with that???? Seriously. I have no words.

So, there it is for today. Apologies to those of you that drive Toyotas. Maybe you are the exception to the rule. Now it's time for cake...

Confessions...the Amendment

Okay. I'm amending yesterday's post to say that I certainly did NOT mean to exclude hash browns when I said "anything involving the word hash is also off my list". I was referring to things like potato hash which just sounds wrong. Hash BROWNS on the other hand, actually deserve their own list of bests:

McDonald's - but only if they're well done, otherwise, ick
Burger King - again, well done
Stacks - a downtown Campbell favorite
Peanuts - a downtown San Jose favorite

Thank you Amy for pointing out this glaring problem with my original post!

By the way, as a side note...all things tater go excellent with a side of Coke. Just in case you were wondering...

Confessions of a French Fry junkie

It's no secret to anyone that has known me for more than say, a day, that I'm addicted to French Fries. I thought I was addicted to the potato...and that may be true, but I started thinking about it today, and there are actually several potato dishes that I have no need to be involved with...

• Potato salad - it's like an oxymoron to me...potatoes in salad? it's just wrong.
• Potato pancakes - seriously? the breakfast potatoes should be fried people!
• Sweet potato pie - there are just no words; and really, the only way I can be involved with a sweet potato is if it's in the form of a sweet potato fry made by The Counter.

Anything involving the word hash is also off my list. I also don't need to be involved with snooty potatoes served with snooty food and snooty restaurants. It's a potato. It's simple food. It knows it doesn't need to impress me.

But by and large, if it's a potato, I will probably eat it. There's no question, though, that the fried variety is my favorite. When I order fries as my side dish, I know in my heart that they are really my main dish. I just get the meat to be nice. Sometimes at home, I just have the fries. Hey. I'm grown. I can. You can't stop me. My mom said it was okay!

Here are a few of my favorite French Fry makers:

• McDonald's
• In-N-Out
• Outback
• Armadillo Willy's
• Wingstop
• The Counter (the sweet potato variety as previously stated)

But hands down, the best ones are made by my mom. She learned by watching my great grandmother, and try as I might, I cannot perfect the skill. It's her true gift. Yes. I'm jealous.

I don't know why this is important...it probably isn't. And yet, I'm sharing it anyway...because, as previously stated, I'm grown, and I can.

So, what are YOU addicted to in the way of food? Do you also crave the crunchy goodness of the fried potato? Do you yearn for the yummy goodness of the baked potato skin? When someone uses the term couch potato, do you secretly hope there's actually a couch made out of potatoes? Okay, me either...in fact, that's a teensy bit creepy.

Anyway, that's all for today. Hope you're having a fabulous Monday! I'll be back later with more interesting insights to the world that is me.

Delayed...

So, here I sit...in the Mineta San Jose International Airport...waiting for my delayed flight to arrive so I can leave. They just announced another delay...now, my 9:55pm flight is rescheduled to leave at 12:15am. Awesome. When I got here, the scheduled departure time was 11:35...it just keeps getting better. And do I even need to tell you that everything in the airport is closed? Yes. That's how COOL this airport is. I'm paying for Internet AND I have no means of getting a snack. How big is this town again? I am so not pleased.

I'm mostly not pleased because I left a lovely wedding reception early in order to make the 9:55 time...and I made it too! I could be eating cake right now. Instead...I'm eating...oh right, NOTHING. Where are those Tic Tacs I bought earlier? Who knew that would be my gourmet dinner?

At least I'm not alone in my delay. The other 40-50 passengers waiting for this flight look as miserable, hungry and tired as me.

I really have nothing of interest to say...just figured that since I had some time to kill, I'd share my joy with you. Let's hope that my next update is a bit more enjoyable.

Happy almost Monday!

Concerts and Weddings and Travel...oh my...

Apparently this has become a once-a-month thing...me posting an update on my life. I've been watching the blogs of a few friends lately and noticed that they are MUCH better about this than I am. Am I mad? Nah. Good for them I say. You go girls!

As usual, I have a variety of concerts on my calendar...just saw Augustana last Friday night at The Fillmore in San Francisco and am really excited to see George Michael in San Jose tomorrow. Next month it's Coldplay and in the fall, I'm going to an excellent show on the Music Builds tour...featuring Jars of Clay, the Robert Randolph Band, Switchfoot and Third Day. Seriously! Could that BE any better? The answer is NO. No it could not.

In between all of that, I'll be singing at a wedding (second one this summer) and heading to Vegas for a conference. Next month, I'm off to Boston for a meeting, and am hoping to make a quick journey to Chicago as well...that one's for fun.

Nothing else of interest to share...lots of work going on, lots of lounging too...just not much sleeping. Maybe I'll be more interesting in July...

OH! Go Celtics!! Kiss it Kobe.

Vacationing in Tennessee

Well, it's been over a month since I posted so I guess it's time. Do I have anything interesting to say? I'm not sure, but since I'm on vacation, I do have more time to think about it. Let's see...no, I really have nothing interesting to say, but let me just update you on my current state of relaxing.

I'm here in Franklin, Tennessee visiting my lovely friend Tasha whose fourth novel, A Fatal Waltz, (third in a series) comes out tomorrow. I think you must all run right out and get it! Check it out!

Mostly we've been relaxing, although we have had a few events and have a few more scheduled. On Friday morning, we journeyed to Nashville Public Television as Tasha was interviewed on A Word on Words by a very well-known journalist, John Seigenthaler. He was incredibly nice and the interview was fabulous! It was quite fun to watch the whole thing unfold.

On Friday evening, we went to a Guitar Pull and Covered Dish Dinner (pictures above) which I'd never heard of before the invitation was forwarded to me (Google it!). It was quite the event, and I would go again tomorrow if invited. Musicians showed up with their guitars (and covered dishes)...those of us that don't play things just showed up with food. Everyone meets and eats then the guitarists (and in one case a keyboard player) play/sing tunes for everyone...and in this instance, it was around a giant bonfire...very cool. Some of these musicians were quite well known, and everyone was just very nice. Great food and engaging conversations were had throughout the night.

Tasha gave a talk on Saturday about writing and her new book at a local library, and it was just great to see her in action. She charmed the crowd, answered their questions and signed books. More book signings will come throughout the week, and I really look forward to sharing the fun.

I'm also looking forward to seeing some other friends while here...the Short Family and the Hellers.

Tasha was very evil this weekend and sucked me into Firefly and Battlestar Galactica. Like I needed more TV addictions? Grrr. However, I was also treated to a lovely showing of Pride and Prejudice and bowls full of popcorn and cans of Coke. Oh Mr. Darcy...

I am a little concerned about my late nights and sleeping in. It will be quite difficult to get back into the swing of things upon my return next week. Thankfully I will still have two days off when I get home. And thankfully, it's two hours earlier in California...in theory that should help me, right?

Okay, I'm getting distracted by Firefly and must return...we'll chat again soon.

Good Girls Kill for Money

Hey, check it out...I'm a guest blogger on the Good Girls Kill for Money blog.

Games people play and the music they listen to

The past few weeks have been a blur. My calendar was full of events. Games and concerts, outings with friends. Where does the time go? Since we last spoke, I've been to two more concerts and several sporting events. I've also procured tickets to a variety of other concerts. Oh yes, I'm a junkie. So, let's get it to it, shall we?

Matchbox Twenty (that's lead singer Rob Thomas in the photo). This was my first time seeing them in concert and they did not disappoint...neither did Alanis Morissette who opened for them. Great show and great seats!

Bon Jovi. This was my third time seeing them, and with the exception of their misguided tour of the country scene, they just rock! And I just really don't think it's legal to look as good as Jon Bon Jovi looks. Goodness. I wish I would have been closer so my pictures would have been worth sharing. Yum. It was great to see their opener too...Daughtry. He was a fave on American Idol a few years back, and I think it was great he didn't win that show, because his music is great...and he didn't have to record anything cheezy like the winners always do.

Sharks. Sun Devils. More Sharks. That's been my March and April and will hopefully continue into May with the Sharks...provided we make it deep into the playoffs. They'll start this week...against the hated Calgary Flames. I've got tickets for one game per round, and have vowed to put a teal streak in my hair should we make it to the final round. My Sun Devils didn't fare too well this weekend at Stanford, winning only 1 of 3. But the sun was good, and my tan is much improved.

Tomorrow, the Giants. Their season has not started well, and we don't expect much from them this year. But it's baseball, and skipping work to go to the home opener is always a good idea.

Coming soon...Mamma Mia, Alicia Keys and George Michael.

Anyway, better go to bed and rest up for the big day. We'll chat again soon...

Meeting Matt Nathanson...

Earlier this week, I got to meet one of my favorite artists...Matt Nathanson. If you haven't heard his music, I highly recommend that you check it out! He's a great singer songwriter, and so gracious with his fans. He signed and took photos with so many people after his show at The Warfield in San Francisco this week. This was my third time seeing him, and he did not disappoint. Unfortunately, I completely lost my voice and now have some version of a cold lingering on. I'm not as young as I used to be. Dangit!

As most of you know, I'm a bit of a concert junkie, and this was my 2nd concert of 2008...two more on the books. In February, I saw Barry Manilow. That's right. Barry Manilow. I like him. And it was fabulous and cheezy...just as I expected it to be. Matt was actually the opener for Lifehouse when I saw him last week. Lifehouse was great too. Coming soon: Matchbox Twenty and Bon Jovi...and as a bonus, Daughtry is opening for Bon Jovi! I can't wait! I'm on the lookout for more great shows later this year...four just won't be enough.

In other news, I'm heading to Vegas on Monday (ugh) to present at a conference. That should be fun without a voice. I really hope it returns by then. I'm doing my best not to talk this weekend in order to let it rest. Do you know how hard it is to NOT talk? You can't talk to your friends, you can't talk to your family, you can't make snarky comments at your favorite TV characters. It's really quite maddening. I don't recommend it. It's probably a good thing the Sharks game wasn't on TV last night because I think I would have been frustrated to not yell/cheer. Thankfully they won without my input. :-)

Okay, total non-sequitor here, but have you tried the Orange Chicken from Trader Joe's? It is seriously YUM! This was my first try, and I'm hooked. Maybe it's the cold talking, but I really don't think so. Go get some today!

Alright. That's it for now. We'll chat again soon.

This...is my latest update

Do I have any American Idol fans out there? Is anyone else sick of Ryan Seacrest saying "This.....................is American Idol."? I mean, how long of a pause do we need there? We know what we're watching. We're not new.

I'd write more about my AI thoughts, but I'll leave that to the pros in Philly. They just get it.

So I've been debating about this anti-blog and wondering if I should stick with the silly or attempt to get deeper. Every time I read my dad's blog I think mine is so lame. He's got so much wisdom and insight that I think even if I did do a serious blog it would pale in comparison and I would still think mine was lame. So, I've moved on.

On that note, let's get back to the fun...anyone watch the Academy Awards? How great was Jon Stewart? LOVE him! "Does this town need a hug?" Didn't really care that much about who won what since most everything I like wasn't even nominated and those that were didn't win...typical...although, it seems to be getting worse. I had zero interest in most of the nominated movies. Loved Juno and have Atonement and Michael Clayton on my list, but honestly, not even that excited about those two. Why can't there be an awards show for the movies I like?

Best Chick Flick
Best Silly Girl Scene
Best Heart wrenching Scene
Best ...

Well, you get the idea.

I guess that's it for now. I'm too tired to think of anything else clever...if, in fact, the above was clever...I guess I'm just too tired.

And the Grammy goes to...

Okay. Who watched the Grammy's on Sunday? Did anyone you like win? Yeah. Me either. Amy Winehouse? Are they kidding me? Seriously. Who votes for this stuff? A few good performances (hallelujah for TiVo!) but that's about it. Even some of those had to be evicted.

Each year I find that less and less of the music I listen to is featured on the Grammy's and few if any artists I like are nominated. When did this happen? Did I just get old? Or are people just crazy? Am I completely deluded by what I think is good? Is it really not good? Actually, I already know the answer. My music taste rocks! If I do say so myself...oh yeah, I just did.

And hey, it's not like I've pigeonholed myself into one type of music. I really do have a variety of taste. Let's take a peek at my Current Faves playlist on my iPod...this is in no particular order...and you're not allowed to mock...

• Switchfoot
• Backstreet Boys
• Mandy Moore
• Matt Nathanson
• Coldplay
• Goo Goo Dolls
• Lifehouse
• The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus (yes, it's a real band)
• Daughtry
• Third Day
• Matchbox Twenty
• Oasis
• U2
• Gnarls Barkley
• blink-182
• Kanye West
• Nickelback
• Jason Mraz
• Todd Carey
• Snow Patrol
• Maroon 5
• Fall Out Boy
• The All-American Rejects
• Building 429
• Bowling for Soup
• Train

Okay. So Kanye did win, but still...very few on this list were even nominated. And I'm sorry, but how was Daughtry not nominated for Best New Artist? I just don't get it! Not that I make my listening decisions based on what the Grammy people say, but still.

Alright, I guess that's all my ranting for the moment.

Ground control to Major Tom...

...commencing countdown engine's on... (do you know the artist?)

Oh yes. The countdown is on. Actually, there are multiple countdowns at work.

• First, the countdown to the return of Lost. I mean give it, and give it now! Less than 48 hours away!!
• Second, the countdown to the birthday festivities. Friends and family begin arriving in less than 48 hours (6 1/2 hours prior to the return of Lost to be exact). I can't wait to see everyone and enjoy the Sharks playing in my honor. Ken and Marianne...I'll miss you.
• Finally, the countdown to the birthday itself (which actually comes two full days AFTER the festivities). From today, it's 6 days away. Bring it on. After all, 40 is the new 15. :-)

As I sit here chatting about countdowns, I realize they are really just another type of list. Am I destined to be defined by a list? Are you defined by a list? Have I lost my mind? Oh look, a LIST of questions! I think we all know the answer to that last question...

Alright, I think I better stop for the night. I've clearly lost it. One final question though...what sit-com does that song remind you of?

Ciao.

Trying something new...

So, now that my father has his own (gulp) blog, I felt it only right that I actually did this the right way with a real (groan) blog tool. So here goes...the new anti-blog...brought to you via blogspot...still found via itisyay.com...and now apparently, via Google as well. Neat.

I'm sitting here watching a movie tonight called "7 things to do before I'm 30", and I'm wondering if any real person ever made a list like this. I never did. Good thing. Since I'm well past 30. In a little over a week I turn 40. That's right. The big Four Oh. I'm looking forward to celebrating with a number of friends and family. I guess my list would have to be "7 things to do before I'm 50" ... yikes.

I just don't know that these lists are a good thing. Don't they just set you up for failure? Last night I saw the movie "The Bucket List" and watched two grown men rush around the world crossing things off their lists to do before they died. Apparently these lists are everywhere! Is this a good list to write? Would you still end up disappointed?

It seems to me that we should just keep an ongoing list of things we'd like to do, but not put parameters around them and realize that some things may never happen. My list would probably start something like this:

1 - Sing the national anthem at a major sporting event

Yeah. That's as far as I got. Either I can't think creatively enough or I really just don't have that much I want to do that I'm not already doing. I have no desire to get a tattoo (that was on the list in this movie...ouch) or to go skydiving. Maybe people make these lists because they're not satisfied with the current state of their life. What do you think? Do you have one of these lists? Could you make one right now?

So there it is. My first blogspot post. I'm still calling this my anti-blog, because I still think the word blog is lame beyond belief.