Thursday, February 12, 2009

Anti-Valentine's Day Chardonnay Musings


Menu of the Day:

Best thing that happened this week: My brother's bowling league just started again this week. I bowled a 153! This is a photo of my bowling bag which my friend Julie found for a buck at a thrift store. Obviously, the stickers are my own.

My favorite song this week: Thanks to Barbara, needtobreathe's song "Washed by the water"

Wine: just poured my second glass of a cheap Australian chardonnay called Little Penguin. It's good!

Latest Favorite YouTube: Those eTrade baby commercials. Seriously i could watch them over and over (and i have). Here's one 30 second link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yhfl4mFH1No&feature=pyv

1. Let's talk about Valentine's Day, shall we? I hate this contrived and obligatory holiday. (Maybe if i liked chocolate more i would be into it.) I hate how it sets up men to be FORCED into being romantic. (And i also hate how it makes anyone feel who is totally single.)

2. My husband and I have an agreement not to celebrate it, not even with a Hallmark card. (ESPECIALLY not at Hallmark card, actually.) He might always forget to put out our recycle every other Wednesday, even as he walks by the soldiers of big blue bins from the neighbors on his way to his car, but the man brings me coffee every single morning (even during the 6 month period when he wasn't drinking it for awhile). That's enough Valentine-ing for me.

3. Can we talk about this woman with the octuplets for just a minute? I wish the doctor who agreed to inseminate her could be brought up on criminal charges and i also don't believe we should be expected to pay taxes for her kids. Let me make myself clear: I do want someone to pay taxes to take care of those kids because this is not their fault. (She's gotta be crazy so she can't exactly be held accountable.) So I vote that the doctor pay ALL of the taxes. Him and only him. And he should be made to pay for all 14 of those kids. (I also think maybe the 8 babies should be put up for adoption so they have a real chance to grow up in a healthy environment.)

4. I never thought i would be into this, but i have to admit that I love bowling. AND I love American Idol. They both happen on the same day. So i really love my DVR!

5. And yes i did indeed bowl a 153 (It was a fluke, but so fun!), my first two games were 92 and 95.

6. My husband shot a video of me bowling with my new D90 Nikon. I got to see that I DO have good form as people have told me. But i am still a pretty bad bowler.

7. It's sort of important to me to at least LOOk like i'm good at what i'm doing, even if i am not. I think i have come clean here before (or maybe that was on the Gumbo board) that i won't pretend that i am a person without ego and I won't act like I am humble either.

8. You know what though? I can't stand false humility. I would so much rather be around someone who is cocky and full of themselves (as long as they don't go overboard or get into drama). I was in hair salon today reading all those trashy US magazines (I LOVE THOSE, but i am too snobby to get a subscription.) I read a quote today from someone defending why they really liked Courtney Love simply because they loved being around "anyone with personality".

9. It made me think of people who truly seem to be without personality - because some are. They have no opinions, they try not to rock the boat too much or they have this incessant need to be liked. The more you need to be liked, the less i like you.

9. Tonight. for ummagumma.

10. American Idol is somewhat disappointing to me so far even though there is talent. (No rocker stand out so far.) The funny thing is the most interesting contestant so far is not even that serious because he is more like singing comedian, (he even has an AKA, "Norman Gentle", a name which totally cracks me up) - he is the reason to watch so far for me. I do love the show, but I am getting sick of their formula. The show is more set up than a plot in a bodice ripper paperback. For me Idol is much about Simon. I wrote down this quote from him last night after he booted one of them: "If it's any consolation, you wouldn't have won anyway."

11. HEY.....I think i should change my name to jojo Gentle, because i think it suits my personality.

OK, y'all. what are your coffee/tea/wine/water/koolaid musings? And what do YOU think about Valentine's Day. I want to know.

15 comments:

IslandPearl said...

jo...I posted a lovely long comment and bloggerbastards dumped it. It's late. I'm too tired to even attempt to recreate it.

equeyaya said...

1. I don't have strong feelings either way about V-day. We have always ignored it, too. I am planning to make a nice dinner, and maybe put flowers on the table, mainly because Chris is working. Even though he's currently not speaking to me.

2. I'm glad you like that song!

3. If I could have a cool bowling bag like that, I might bowl, too.

4. Pretty much the only stuff I watch on TV are news, daily show and lost. Everything else puts me to sleep.

5. I really enjoyed Lost the other night. I'm kind of past the theorizing and looking for symbolism. I just love watching the story unfold. I wish we could have seen Des tell Mrs. Hawking about Faraday. And I wish we knew more about Charlotte's on-island story.

6. Gawd, I'm a geek.

7. I agree with what you said about looking like I'm good at doing something - for me it's riding.

8. I feel bad for people who care about Valentines Day and whether they have a valentine or whether their valentine will do something for them. Those people should just do something nice for themselves.

9. for umma

10. i'm heeding pearl's warning and copying this before I hit "post." have a good weekend, jojo and followers... equeyaya out!

Modern Hippie said...

1. I dont like valentines day, does anyone really? it either upsets you if your single or its nothing if your in a relationship, because its so forced and expected if your spouse does do something amazing its not really that praised. i guess its nice to celebrate your love i mean thats why we have anniversarys and everything too but i think we just made it more than it is.

2. okay jojo, i love you, butttt your not so gentle, in a good way of course!! but you dont step around the subject you say exactly what you mean all the time, which again isnt a bad thing, but its not gentle! haha

3. i would take it the other way around, i would be more annoyed with someone whose cocky, i CANNOT stand people who are so sure of themselves, doesnt matter if its appaearance or a hobby or anything i cant stand when people talk themselves up

4. more than that my biggest pet peeve is when people say things like "oh my husband is so in love with me" i hateeeeee that.

5. i was thinking about this the other day, i lovee how in love you and brian are!! haha! like its not corny or fake and you dont flaunt it around like "oh my husbands so in love with me" but like how you have the "boo boo" post-its all around your house and you both think the same (like the shakespear quote the other day) lol

6. maybe valentines day is for people the complete opposite of you, like well, we know some people but i feel werid naming names if i'm going to talk less-postively. people that get so angry and rude and really seem like they have really unhappy marriages, like theyre not in love, they need holidays like valentines day, im sure they do love each other but they just end up being rude more often than loving.

7. anddd we all want to look good at what we do...thats why i dont dance!! hahahaha orrr i make a special point at how bad i am so no one judges me thinking i think i'm good. haha! we made dance videos at shawn's the other night and i look like a TOTAL idiot but its okay because i made it clear that i would look like an idiot :)

8. i always felt bad for people who thought they were really good dancers but everyoone would just look at them like "omg shes horrible" but no one had the heart to tell the person, but in all fairness, dancings about fun so it shouldnt matter if you look good or not...

9. i dont like people who pretend they don't care what people think, because those people, want people to think they dont care. everyone does care what people think, just on different degrees. i will go in public with no make-up on dressed like a bum but i would deff. care if someone thought i looked like a man or thought i was unintelligent! of course this all does play into who is giving the opinion, i care more about what my family and friends think rather than complete strangers im never going to see again, as i think most people do.

IslandPearl said...

I do like Valentines Day. I don't blame the day for some of the competitive crap that gets folk down. I've been single and lonely on Valentines day. I didn't blame people who were in relationships for my own loneliness though. Never occured to me to do that. Damn.

Bud and I have date nights at least once a month -- more if I'm not on the road. (That's usually pizza/chianti @ the bar in Buca's followed by a movie at the multi-plex upstairs). We are affectionate, but not into the PDA. But Valentines day is a great excuse for gift giving and we love getting/giving presents. I'm looking at a gorgeous flower arrangement on my desk right now. And I love it. I got him a box of Godiva and some new CDs (Coldplay and 2009 Grammy noms).

Adore your idea about saddling the dimwit doc for the octo-baby-mama's children. Better him than the taxpayers. She was clearly incompetent to have any more children -- to implant 6 embryos was clearly negligence on his part. The whole thing enrages me.

Don't bowl. Tried numerous times, just didn't enjoy it. Tend to enjoy only those things that I do well.

Love the eTrade baby -- even the barfy one, which is a stretch for me. (I have barf issues).

This isn't as stellar a response as the post I lost last night.

IslandPearl said...

Also re: octo-baby-mama

My new signature quote (if I was still on the Gumbo) would be:

Darwin's just too damn SLOW!

IslandPearl said...

Finally -- what's a "boo boo post it"?

sam said...

1. I'm kind of hoping the hero husband used his credit card and ordered flowers or something. It's not like he's here to do anything sweet and romantic but, then again, it's because he loves me that he took a job at the end of the earth.

2. I'll buy myself flowers tomorrow afternoon when I get back from taking the kids for a mountain drive.

3. Although it's a miracle that all of the octuplets are alive, is it a good thing? No one was meant to nurture more than a baby or two at a time and certainly not someone with mental deficiencies. Even if she finishes school and gets a decent job, there's no one on the planet who will watch those babies for $100 a week and she'll never be able to earn enough to pay $800 a week in daycare costs (if she could even get it that low).

4. Making the fertility doctor pay child support is a very good idea.

5. I love bowling but I don't love taking the kids bowling. Although, when I bowl with Miss Emmy Lou Who I get to use bumpers and it's easier to get a 153 with the bumpers.

6. Eli wants to be on a bowling league. I'm thinking this summer we'll consider it. I'd rather sit in the bowling alley than at the soccer field.

7. I'm really a lazy mom. And I'm okay with that.

8. I ended up buying a Kodak 1012is instead of the D90. I could've gotten the D90 but I have to buy a refridgerator. There's only so much money to spend and sometimes I have to make a responsible decision.

9. Since I started living by "other people'sopinion of me is none of my business" I've cared less about how I look. Although, to be honest, I don't want to be beaten at bowling by my 7 year old.

10. I still don't watch [i]American Idol[/i] but I do watch [i]Biggest Loser[/i]. And because it's a boy scout meeting night I love my DVR too.

equeyaya said...

i was out with the cowgirls last night and my friend the ob-gyn was giving her take on the "octo-baby" thing. she said fertility docs want their success rates high, because people look at that when they choose a doc. the more embryos they implant, the higher the success rate. she said that doc should be executed in front of a firing squad for what he did.

Unknown said...

1. Valentine's Day is terrible holiday. It just is there to tell me what a loser I am..and always will be. Did y'all see that Office episode when all the pretty women in the office were waiting for their flowers and nothing came in but the heavyset unattractive woman got delivery after delivery? Now that would be wonderful.

2. The bookstore down the street is having an guy who worked at the Body Farm in Knoxville come in for a talk about his new book today. Sounds like more fun than roses and dinner.

3. It's rainy and ucky today. Hopefully, tomorrow is nicer...I'm going out for brunch with 45 women I don't know. I love Meetup.com

4. My CEO hates Obama and holds me responsible for every mistake he has made. Of course I hold him responsible for every mistake Bush has made so it makes for a fun working environment.

5. Ocoto mom is nuts. But I think it was inevitable since we glorify john and Kate and 8 and that Duggar family. I'm sure Octo mom had visions of reality t.v. in her head.

6. My dryer died. So I went out and got my new one (took Sears several weeks to deliver). ..I get it and it works great..that night my dvd player died. I can watch Greys (the dvd inside) but since the door won't open...no matter what I do..well..I'm stuck.

Now I'm looking at DVR's...I don't know.

7. I bowl some. I won an award for most improved player. I brought my average up from 30 to 60!! My ball is 6 pounds and has special holes for my little fingers. I'm better now..I usually bowl around 100.

8. I like tennis more but it is so competitive here. I've been on the lowest league and you thought we were playing the U.S. Open.

9. I won't watch Idol. Whatever happened to Michael Johns?

~ T (grits) ~ said...

1. Not a huge Valentine's Day fan - well not for myself & hubman. It is fun to do the silly store-bought kiddy-tines with the daughter for when she takes them to school for her classmates. To her, it's just a day to do fun things and have a class party lol (and get candy!)

We didnt do the valentine thing for each other. However, I did get up yesterday and buy 2 tickets online for a James Taylor concert in April, which will be on my b-day and our anniversary. So I guess I killed 3 birds with that one - LOL!

2. The octuplets bug me. Big time! So do those wierd Duggers!!

3. I love your bowling bag, Jo. I enjoy bowling even if I'm not any good and don't get to do it very often.

4. I ADORE dvr!!!!!

5. one more thing about V-day...
I do love chocolate so what I like about this holiday is that today, the day after, everything is half-price at Wallywurld - and we will go after while and splurge a bit - lmao!
2.

KatKit13 said...

1. I'm not a fan of Valentine's day - mostly because after 28+ years with The Baby Huey, it's become quite pointless. THIS year, after all these other ones, he buys me a gift, and expected something wildly expensive in return (it was a Pink Cleveland Indians cap - I do love it). I've still not reciprocated and it's now Sunday. I'm tired of the 'expectations', and I'm tired of him all of a sudden making an issue of it and putting ME under the gun. The only bonus to V-day is that conversation hearts come out for a few weeks - and I love em.

1-a. I never get flowers... but at the prices they get over V-day, I guess I'd be happier not to. At heart, I'm rather cheap (unless we're talking about rubber stamping magazines.. ugh)

2. I used to be a bowler. I have a pretty teal and purple bag, nice shoes, and a green glittery ball that's engraved with MINE instead of initials (drives others nuts! LOL). I enjoy it - but it's so dang hard to go bowling around here (84,000,000 leagues) that I've fallen in love with the Wii bowling. I'm much better at that too.

3. The Octo-baby-momma - LOVE your idea of making the doc responsible... she's apparently quite mentally ill, and seeing as it's not the kids fault, I kind of agree with you about the adoption idea. There's so many people out there dying for children who cannot have them.

4. Re: False humility, wild personalities et al... I work for a psychiatric facility. I have a lot of patient contact. I've come to the conclusion that I prefer to be around happy people, not miserable ones. I'm trying hard to be one of those happy people.

5. I've not been able to watch AI this year. I don't have that good of control of the remote - and I keep forgetting to DVR it.

6. Susie - I don't have a DVD player either... it died, oh 2 years ago... and I've never replaced. Heck the Huey just replaced the tv in January (after 3 years of watching a small 20" set. Showed me just how much I need new glasses! LOL) I guess they're fairly cheap. But then again, my laptop plays them (not that I use it either! LOL)

7. Totally unrelated, but I'm constantly amazed at how a new appliance can make me giddy. I finally got a new stove/range - after years of an inferior/crappy/barely working builders crap-model. I am in love. I made a cake already. LOL

8. I want to make some cookies - but I'm sitting at the inlaws today while the Huey helps FIL with his taxes, and I drove Mrs. Daisy to the grocery store and Costco.

9. For Umma, always.

jojo cucina cucina said...

1. Kylee/Ms.Hippie, you gotta admit that "jojo Gentle" has a nice ring. Of course you knew i was being facetious. (how do you spell that? Look it up and let me know. Remember when i used to intentionally use a big word in our emails and told you to look it up. I miss those days sometimes when you were 12.)

2. Barbara, i am so positively sure that you ride horses a WHOLE lot better than i bowl.

3. pearl, LOVE your signature quote! I also love that Bud has a Coldplay cd from you.

4. Sam, i doubt very much that you are a lazy mom.

5. eque i want to meet your "violent" friend. LOL.

6. susie. I didn't know they even made a 6 lb ball. You know those are kiddie balls, right? How do your fingers fit? BTW, doesn't Furline bowl?

7. Grits. Did you get married on your birthday? Talk about killing birds!

8. KatKit, i agree with you on flowers. I love tulips, but never thought roses were worth the price. I used to say i would rather have a new pair of jeans.

9. Oh yeah, pearl. In answer to the "BooBoo post it" question. (Funny that Kylee mentions them.) My husband's initials are BBB and for as long as i can remember i have called him "Boo". I started out calling him BooBoo, then Boo Radley, sometimes it's Booster, but most times it is simply Boo. (I rarely call him Brian unless it's in front of people we don't know.)

Anyway he is famous for leaving me these little post-it notes around the house. If he's just out for a run, or at the store, just letting me know where he is. But ESPECIALLY when he is on a trip away from home. I find them in my medicine cabinet, on my pillow, in the coffee filter. (I keep finding them for days while he's gone.) I must have told Kylee about this one time and plus i'm sure she has been with me at times when I have found them. Anyway, those are the BooBoo post its.

I have saved them all and one day i am going to have them laminated and string them together in a garland.

The reason these post its are so important to me, the reason i save them, is that i was once married to a man who i never could be sure was telling me the truth about where he was and often didn't call to let me know, even if he didn't come home all night. So they are precious.

IslandPearl said...

I love the booboo postits! And MUST meet him one of these days.

PS -- the Coldplay D was Bud's idea...in fact he was specific in pointing out that there are two different issues and he would really like the 2-disc one. Cute.

amulbunny's random thoughts said...

The errant husband came home with Trader Joe Roses and some chocolates for the butterfly who is social. We don't usually do Vday but he had been less than perfect this week and he knew it. I've had Little Penguin, it's nice. We had a bottle of 2 buck chuck white zin and it wasn't bad at all. Since I have been off the booze, anything tastes good.
Greetings from windy and wet southern cal.

jojo cucina cucina said...

pearl. You will have to meet the BooBoo man someday! I LOVE that Coldplay was Bud's idea too. (I assumed it was yours!)

amulbunny, girl, it's good to see you here! Are you in Southern California? I heard they were having a terrible storm in the past couple of days.