Thursday, March 11, 2010

I am too stoopid to watch "Lost" & other random stuff


MENU OF THE DAY

Latest iTunes purchase: Natalie Merchant does a great version of Neil Young's After the Gold Rush. Check it out. I also bought Lori McKenna's version of the Needle and the Damage Done.

Book: Honolulu by Alan Brennert. Ms. Hippie's mom recommended it. It's about a young Korean woman living in Hawaii in the early 1900's. Not my usual kind of book, but i really like it.

What i keep forgetting: to doublecheck that i actually do have a rental car ordered for our trip to Sedona.

What i remembered: My Xanax prescription for the air travel. It came in the mail a few days ago.

Video: I still love Casey James from my other blog post. This is my new favorite American Idol. Crystal Bowersox is the real deal. The rest of them are not even in her league. Having said that, i sort of hope she doesn't win, because she is too good for the Idol machine. In this video she sings Tracy Chapman's "Give Me One Reason". (Ms. Hippie/Kylee, I know you think I've been picking terrible husbands for you. So let me say this: if you were gay, i would want Crystal to be your wife!)

The Best Thing that happened recently: A few weeks ago I started tutoring
again. I work with Hippie/Kylee's mom's best friend's 3rd grade class in the poorest school in our district. I tutor math to three little girls.

I try to make it fun by changing up the math stories. For example If we are buying 8 books at $5 a piece, the books are about Justin Bieber. (When i first started doing this, it was during the Titanic times and i used Leonardo di Caprio.)

However, my first day didn't go well. One little girl would not pay attention and finally i told her nicely, but firmly, that i could take her back to class right then and there because i could always work with another kid if she didn't want to be there. I was shocked, when in reply she put her head down in her arms and started crying. "I will NEVER get this!".

She seemed to hate me that first day (and i wasn't sure i liked her either). I didn't expect her to want to come the next time, but there she was. And i was determined to make this work with her. I am now on my 4th week and i find that this little girl is the BEST of all of them at math and she actually works hard! And she WANTS to do well.

Last week i had to change days and they gave up their Fine Arts class to work with me. When i asked them what they do in Fine Arts, the little girl who had cried (who is named Princess) said they sang songs and drew pictures. I replied, 'oh wow, and you came here to do math instead of Fine Arts?" and she said, "I would rather be here with you."

I tell you what. I tutor only 3 kids and even though i try to make it fun i can feel myself getting frustrated with getting through to them because all 3 are on different levels of math and i don't want to leave the other two out. Princess can multiply by 12s! One girl can't even add 2+3 and doesn't even get the concept of what multiplication is and the other one understands multiplication but doesn't know the tables. How do teachers do it with 28 kids? How do they?

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

1. I have been watching Lost since Season 1 back in the day when they had a reasonable number of good looking characters whose names I could remember. This season reminds me of when i tried to read Shogun: i found myself taking notes on the characters names and their personalities from that book because i couldn't keep them straight and it felt like homework, so i quit reading.

2. I still love Hurley and Sawyer, and hate Kate (it's fitting that her names rhymes so easily with hate), and i want to slap Jack, just as i did in Season 1. But the plot is too much for me anymore and I, for one, will celebrate it's demise.

3. One of my favorite earlier Lost scenes is when Sayid (all tied up and held captive by The Others), manages to snap the neck, killing one of the Others with just his legs!

4. I have to admit that sometimes violence is sexy. Does that make me a bad person?

5. Anyway, i will watch til the end, but I think you have to be some kind of wonk-type personality to love it. And i am so not a wonk.

6. I recently watched Michael Jackson's DVD This is It. It was interesting watching how everyone pandered to him, even the director. I can't imagine that a lonelier man walked the earth than Michael Jackson. Can you imagine being around people all the time who are afraid of telling you the truth for fear that you might fire them?

7. Being President must be a little bit like being Michael Jackson. (Say what you will, but another reason i like Rahm Emanuel, because i don't think he panders to anyone.)

8. Over a month ago I found out i have very high blood pressure (170/110). I had no idea, because there are no symptoms, but had been told in the past year or two that i had high readings every once in awhile, only I laughed it off because for years and years i used to have super great readings and i worked out and was healthy and fit.

I'm pissed. I have been a committed runner for 30 years, 5 days a week. Never smoked, never did drugs. I am at a very good weight. And i'm in better shape than when i was in high school. I eat whole grains that i don't even like! I don't even salt my scrambled eggs!

9. I think i am going to start being bad. I'm going to eat only red meat. I am going to quit my job and lay around all day eating potato chips out of the bag while i watch the TLC channel. And i'm going to take up smoking and cocaine and start drinking Scotch in the early afternoon every day. i'm not going to ever exercise again.

10. In other words, i am going to start acting like my ex-husband who is probably in better health than i am. And i'll use all that money i save on running shoes and buy more cocaine.

So what are y'all up to these days? And what's on your menu?

45 comments:

louielouie said...

Welcome back jo!!



What I Am Reading -the RCWs (Revised Codes of Washington) and WACs (Washington Administrative Code) for various laws and decisions that impact my work. I have even searched senate bills from last year's legislative session to prove a particular bill was approved and signed by the Governor. Don't know why folks don't just believe me; doesn't matter I like having the proof.

What I Keep Forgetting - to come home in time to walk

What I Remember - the one more thing that has to be done before the morning.

Well usually I remember because it's on my list on my desk. If I remember in the evening I email myself so I will see it the next morning when I get to work. If I remember in the middle of the night, I add it to my sticky-note list on my bathroom counter.

What I'm worried About - Jo's reaction when she sees this totally work-related post

jojo cucina cucina said...

Hey you are posting, while i am still editing, louie. I got your message today. Monday or Friday sounds good for next week's wine. I put both dates on my calendar!

Sarah/louie.... YOU are definitely a WONK!

Modern Hippie said...

hahaha jojo i laugh at the fact of you being bad - especially when you talk about not working out! haha

it is ridiculous that you and mom are having all these health problems when you guys are SO healthy, i mean really its not right, the human body is so flipping weird.

I dont know what wonk means but i think anyone could be captiviated by watching LOST i think its just hard to stay with the show, it is a lot to watch, take in and remember. i definitley wouldnt watch if i had to watch it on cable. i think im anti-cable. i dont watch any shows that are currently on the air (all the shows i catch are re-runs even the game show network!)

thats very cool about the tutor kid (but i cringe that her parents named her Princess thats horrible, shes not a pet dog.) i always liked helping out barb's class as well i did it a couple different times in high school for volunteer hours.

i remember tutoring with you when i was in elementary school! and i always wanted to see you too! but i think i was biased...haha

i did watch american idol cause i'm staying with mom and dad so i watched the boys perform and watched them get voted off tonight - casey james is good, although he is so not MY style, do you not know me jo? haha i will NEVER date or marry a man with long hair it is my biggest pet peeve and turn off.

i liked the guy who sang 'fireflys' although i hate that song and it was a horrible song choice, hes my kind of style and i liked his voice (you could hear it through the bad song)

i wont keep watching though so dont get excited, i really like not watching the show.

my parents internet sucks, im trying to respond to your email but the stupid box is still loading for the reply.

IslandPearl said...

Lost wonk here, and proud of it. I've stuck with the show through thick and thin...and it's been plenty of both at times. But I love the complexity, and I love discussing it with others and getting the inside jokes and the subtle Easter eggs here and there. There's nothing else on TV like it.

I can't tolerate AI for more than 15 minutes, even without Paula. Mostly because what they consider singing simply isn't. It's just vocalizing.

The only "reality" show I enjoy is marginalizing itself this season, so I may not even watch that beyond the first or second episode. Kate Gosselin??? She's so over. I guess I should be glad that the Octomom didn't make the cut...yet.

Tutoring is col -- tutoring math is even cooler. I didn't know you were a numbers person, jo. I tutored for a while and really enjoyed the one-to-one learning experience. Far preferrable to the 1-to-35 experience I had as a public school math teacher!! (That's why I teach college on Saturday mornings -- keeps the class size around 10 or 12. Perfection!)

Except for the whole cancer thing, I'm one of those people who must annoy you -- I don't exercise at all. Now I am a nutrition freak, and only drink the evening glass of wine, so I'm not crazed with bad health habits, but I know that I'm obese and should exercise. Nevertheless, my BP and cholesterol are smack on normal no matter what. The only thing 'off' in my bloodwork is usually my blood sugar, but that's hereditary. At the end of the day, it's mostly about heredity anyway. Lifestyle is just a way of managing the hand that genetics dealt you.

When is your trip to Sedona? I added a couple more things to my travel blog Wednesday.

Amanda Haines said...

I've been frantically checking back every day and feel so much relief that you have a new blog post today! I might survive this day, after all. (I bet you didn't realize how much was riding on your blog! Ha!)

I'm sorry to hear about your blood pressure. It's bullshit. I can't tell you how pissed I am that our Linda here at Pierce got cancer. She's the healthiest person I know. She exercises and eats infinitely better than I do every day. It's nauseating how perfect she is at that stuff. So, seeing her get cancer in spite of all that makes me feel pretty shitty about my odds for making it through this life with all my parts intact. Genetics, dude. What can you do?

What I keep forgetting...To mail my brother's birthday card. I got it a month ago and it was too early to mail then. But, now I've waited so long, it's surely going to be late. Damn.

What I remembered...To buy contact lens solution. I went five days without it, a testament to the human spirit! Okay, maybe not. But, it's hard to face Walmart after work. I'd rather have gritty eyes.

Best thing that happened recently...The rain! It makes me sing "Rainy Day Woman" in my head all day and that's a sure cure for a blue day.

I don't watch American Idol, but I always watch the clips you post. I would gay marry that girl above. She's beautiful and so talented. I love her.

Also, nice work with the kids, Jo. You're aces.

sam said...

About the blood pressure: Doctors won't tell you but a calcium deficiency will cause your bp to rise. If you're going to get more calcium do your best to get it in a form other than pills. They don't dissolve well so you won't get the full amount you're actually taking.

I quit watching Lost seasons ago. I have never watched AI so not missing it. And DWTS never made it to my watch list. I don't think I watch all that much television anyway.

Because I teach both kids at home and can get overwhelmed with what they don't know and can't do (Eli can do math in his head but can't get it to paper to show his work) I cannot even remotely imagine teaching a classroom full of different abilities. I love that you and that little girl have hit it off so well. I imagine she needs you.

I have contact lenses now because my vision has gotten so bad. They're something special and have an incredibly special price. Good thing my vision insurance covered them because I could have bought 3 pairs of glasses for what these things cost. I hate them, though. They took care of the double vision but I don't see as well I think. And reading glasses! I really hate reading glasses.

That's all for now I think. It's a Friday night and I wish there was something spectacular to do but I think it's been 30 years or more since a Friday night was more than the eve of the weekend.

Jennifer said...

What I'm reading: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. Very good book, but I'm a terrible reader and should have been finished with this ages ago.

What I keep forgetting: birthdays. Every year, until this one, I have made it my one New Year's change to do better about birthday cards and expand the group of people I send them to. This year, I didn't even try.

What I remembered: to make my endocrinologist appointment. I'm overdue to see how the blood sugar is doing these days.

The best thing that happened recently: two things. 1. I was asked to fill in for my supervisor for 90 days while he is on another assignment, and I love the job. There is a chance that another supervisor position will be created and I'll apply for that one if/when it does. 2) My sister and BIL from Memphis came to visit and attend ---> My great-nephew Charlie had a 1-year birthday party and it was fun.

RE: Lost. I love, and in fact am borderline obssessed with that show. But these days, I'm more a passive bystander. Pearl, I would LOVE to discuss the show with you and get your insights. I'll love to see how it concludes, but am not all that certain I'll miss it. I have my DVDs to keep my company if I do.

Jo, I love your tutoring story. That is what makes it worthwhile. Teaching must be the hardest job.

I don't do much reality/competition TV. I avoid AI completely. I am checking out Survivor this time b/c I like Colby Donaldson. His team is doing terribly though, so I can't watch it much longer.

That's all I have right now.

~ T (grits) ~ said...

Jo, that BP stuff must frustrate the hell out of you! Especially since you take such good care of yourself.

It is so awesome that you are tutoring and you must feel so proud for helping Princess find her way and how good she really is. You made me smile big when I read that.

I want to hear more about your upcoming vaction.

equeyaya said...

Latest iTunes purchase: Nothing. But I heard Jackie Greene's new Grateful Dead covers on the radio the other night and loved them. They said you can download them free on his web site: http://jackiegreene.com/grateful_ep/index.html
But I could only listen to them; I couldn't save them into itunes. Can't buy them on itunes either. Yet, anyway. Love Sugaree.

Book: STILL The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. I don't even remember how long I've been reading this and I'm still not quite halfway through.

What i keep forgetting: To get the second part of Amy's birthday gift and mail it off to her.

What i remembered: To check into getting cheaper life insurance. If I get it, I'll save about $750/year.

Video: I checked out that idol video last night while you were still working on this blog post, jo. She's terrific!

The Best Thing that happened recently: Spending time with my kids. They're home tonight with their friends over, and I like hearing them talk and laugh with each other. Mel goes back to school on Sunday.

Isn't it interesting, jo, how the kids that are harder to reach have more in them? I think because you called her on her stuff and forced her to make a choice, she turned around for you. So great that you can make a difference that way.

I was thinking recently that teaching could be a second career for me. It was actually originally what I went to college for, but I changed my major because I didn't think I could do it. Now that my girls are coming out of their teens, I think I finally get that age and would enjoy working with them. But then our school district stepped up their contract negotiations with the childish BS the unions make them do, and I realized how much I would hate that.

I'm loving LOST. Just relax, jo, and let yourself not have to understand every little twist and wrinkle. Michael Emerson's performance this week was just so amazing. Love the choices he made and realizing he had goodness in him all along. Nice foil to Sayid realizing he couldn't change. I can't wait to see how it all turns out.

And that Sayid neck snapping scene is probably my all-time favorite. Very sexy.

I have no illusions about my health being or remaining perfect, but I am feeling much stronger and more athletic with my stepped up workout regime over the past 6+ months. It feels good.

I hope you get a handle on the blood pressure, jo.

Grace is coloring and cutting my hair this weekend. Other than that, I have no major plans.

jojo cucina cucina said...

Hey everybody!!! Jennifer and Sam and Grits!... love seeing you!

Sam, i am taking a chewable calcium with Vitamin D every day. but I keep forgetting the 2nd one at night, now i think i'll make a better effort to remember. The thing is, i don't like chocolate chewy things.

Jennifer, congratulations on your best thing! pearl and eque are BOTH masters at the Lost stuff. And Homemade Sin/Cat too. She posts here sometimes too. They are ALL LOST WONKS.

Kylee/hippie, i cringed about Princess' name too. But she's cute, so it's not so bad. She is a small thin African American girl with cornrows and knockoff Ugg boots with a dramatic personality. I really like her and totally didn't expect to.

Amanda, i'm flattered you look for new posts "frantically". LOL. I just posted on your SafewayMan post on your blog. Let me know if you want to take me up on my bet! (for those who don't know Amanda's blog it is:
http://amandahaines.wordpress.com/

(Pearl i posted on yours too. Great travel advice! and i need it.) Honestly, i have only been on 2 airplanes since 1996, not counting the 1996 trip to Bucerias, Mexico.

Have Xanax, will Travel.

equeyaya, every time i see Sayid i think of YOU! I figured you loved that scene too. Did you know you could YouTube that very scene?


Anyway, equeya, this YouTube link is for you: it's called "Sayid the Badass". And what is funny is i watched all 4 minutes believing for sure the neck snapping scene would be in there and it wasn't and the folks commenting make the same observation. how could he forget the neck snapping scene?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c4Y0bHTPI8

What is it about that guy?

equeyaya said...

Oooh! Love that video! I commented on it.

jojo cucina cucina said...

You DID! I see you. I have watched hundreds of Youtubes, but never commented.

I knew you would love that video. But it is funny the guy making it didn't include the scene we love since it epitomizes BADASS.

jojo cucina cucina said...

For the rest of y'all who wonder about Sayid's badassness - here is the YouTube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqalOBPrGe0
It's only 56 seconds long...AND it includes Sawyer! So it's double the fun.

louielouie said...

Jo
I wondered why your post was so short and cut off. I kind of liked only answering two questions but here I go:

What I’m reading – Amanda’s blog,

I didn’t know you lived in my town!! Is it the Safeway downtown? It’s the only Safeway I like to go to. The one on East Main used to be a Piggly Wiggly so that makes me home sick for my old grocery checker days. The one on southhill is arranged all higgledy piggledy to force you to go down isles you don’t want to, but have to because you can’t find anything. I only go there for red chilies because they don’t have red chilies at the BEST store ever, Top Foods.

I’m worried about my Top Foods though, they changed their hours so they open at 6 and close at 11. It makes me think that the Wal-Mart near by is killing them off. Those hours are fine for me - I believe that all shopping between midnight and 4 am should be done at a 7-11, a weird sort-of scary mini mart or a store connected to a gas station. No one needs a Super market at 2 am.

Top Foods has the best local produce. It does bug me that they cover their potatoes with the burlap bags at about 8:00. Back when my store closed at midnight we didn’t do the burlap thing until 11. No one buys potatoes at 11:00; they should go to the aforementioned 7-11. I might, however, want potatoes at 8:00.

Anyway, I have nothing against good looking guys so I may go downtown tomorrow. Is he a regular checker or a grocery-guy who only comes to the register when things get busy? they're my favorite. I got my flu shot at that store, but mostly I buy ice cream sandwiches and last minute stuff there, never an Icehouse though. . .

Oh yeah, Jo’s blog:

What I keep forgetting – to fix the little spot where the hem of my skirt is coming undone

What I always remember – to floss

Best thing recently – I took Monday off - I am soooo behind at work, no possibility of catching up and every one is CRABBY. I just couldn’t take it any more so used one of my personal leave days. I spent the day running dumb errands with my son.

We dropped off his sister’s car at the Goodyear where I know the guy to have the wheels’ aligned. I love this Goodyear guy. He’s a business partner with my school. He showed us the “thanks for being such a swell business partner” plaque we gave him a couple of years ago that is hanging on the lobby wall. I delivered it in person and now he thinks I’m great.

Any way, it was a good day. I waited while Nick tried on jeans (he came out to show me each pair) and he even waited for me at the Estee Lauder counter while I returned any eyeliner. I do this sort of thing with my daughter all the time; never my son. For lunch he bought me some bizarre buffalo chicken things at Wendy’s, but the best thing is we talked. You would all think it was amazing too if you knew him.

IslandPearl said...

Crapitydam. I just wrote pages of stuff and lost it. I HATE when that happens.

Reading:
Mid-way through Game Change, and so far I've learned that Obama has a messiah complex, Hilary's easily unhinged, and Edwards is an airhead. Great. Tell me something I haven't already figured out for myself.

Eque...nice thing about The Historian -- you get your money's worth.

I already prefer reading on my kindle to draggin a hardback around with me.

Listening to: not much. NPR to/from work. Classical in the office. Am pissed at iTunes for losing over 150 songs out of my library with their last "upgrade"

Watching: Working my way through the list of shows recorded for me while I was in Florida.

I had a lot more witty stuff but it's lost to the zone forever now.

~ T (grits) ~ said...

Crapitydam! I love that word Pearl lol.

On my menu lately:

1.Pulled something in my back the other day and it totally put me out of commission. BIG sign for me to start walking and doing something like yoga and get some of this weight off.

2. Stressed and worried lately as we are losing our work health insurance at the end of the month. Applying for it on your own is one suckyass bitch. Blue Cross has turned us down and am waiting to hear from United Health One. Husband takes prescription meds for elevated cholesterol and BP so he is considered a risk. So not only are we going to have extra expenses if we are appoved that we cannot afford, we also run the risk of not having ANY coverage.

I feel for you Jo, with the high BP thing and can relate as hub is so like you - great physical shape, eats very healthy, etc. However, his numbers would not get to normal levels no matter what until he took meds for it. Now his numbers are really good and I no longer worry about his having a stroke. But I do have to worry about being able to get coverage.

Pearl, I NEVER see you as obese. I need to lose some weight but like you, my numbers are always in normal ranges, which seems so unfair to people like Jo and my hub who are so much more health-minded than I am.

3. So, during the time of my freaky back thing, I got pretty down in the dumps. Luckilly, I didnt let myself stay there. It finally sunk in that some shit will happen no matter what and you just cant worry yourself to death over it.
I can change what I can and let the rest go. Soon it will be time to put the pool up and that really perks me up!

4. Finished reading 'The Reader' which I thought was very good and now re-reading 'Mohawk' by Russo.

5. Finally got that Brandi Carlile cd Ive been wanting and am diggin it!

6. remembered to make grooming appts. for the hairy mutts - they are more hair than dog now - ick! At least they dont shed much.

7. keep forgetting to cancel my yearly female exam for next month. I really dont want to cancel it, but need to find out what all the costs are going to be.

8. not keeping up with anything on tv lately. Just watching stuff I dvr.

9. Still knitting. Hub made me a great new loom that is 66 inches long! I can now make a larger blanket w/o having to stitch panels together. And he had fun because he got to play with his table saw.

10. Looking forward to: going to Sam's to stock up so I dont have to make so many little trips to store for stuff, knitting on my new loom, and finding something fun and cheap to do with kiddoo who is on spring break next week.

~ T (grits) ~ said...

p.s. please know I am not making fun of anybody's names when I say this, but I have to wonder what people are thinking sometimes with the names they give their kids! There is a new girl in my daughter's class named Heaven. She and kiddoo have become friends and I am so glad for that and also that it doesnt enter her mind to think it a bit of an 'odd' name. It isnt my business I know, but I cant help wishing that people would save those names for niknames at home. I have called mine Tatertot from ittybitty on, but I surely would not have put that on her birth certificate!

Anyway, your Princess sounds like such a sweet girl. And I second what Eque says and get such a warm feeling in my heart that you were able to reach her and bring her up to her potential.

I know I am so grateful to the teachers and tutors for my daughter. They have helped her so much and she is so good at so many things, but she and I both lacked how to get at some of them. Thanks to all the awesome people that helped her, she is doing way better and even made all A honor roll a few times this year.

When we went to the school open house we visited all of last years teachers and tutors as well as this year and I just had to hug them and got teary-eyed when thanking them because I am truly grateful to them. :)

You make a difference Jo - I applaud you!

~ T (grits) ~ said...

OMG! I am so sorry yall but I keep forgetting stuff!!

Can anyone recommend a good yoga for back pain/strength DVD? for an almost 46 yr. old out of shape woman?

IslandPearl said...

Sorry your back hurts -- and even sorrier that you are losing your insurance. That sucks. Why are they cutting it? Cost? Make sure you get all your annual stuff done before it expires!

I'm terrified that will become the norm if Obama's healthcare passes in its current form, because it doesn't do anything to manage the costs of providing the care and they'll just keep going up -- at a rate of about 8 to 10% per year. The bill just shifts the costs around. If you look at some of the provisions actuarially, they simply aren't sustainable.

Please be careful using any yoga DVD unsupervised if you have back problems. Better to go to the Y or someplace like that for at least your initial couple of sessions. It's hard to know if you are doing it right, and doing it wrong could make things worse.

Been there. Done that. Regret it still.

~ T (grits) ~ said...

thanks for the advice and info Pearl - I appreciate it.

Our hardware store is just a small business and the premiums have become to high to cover us anymore, so we all have to go on our own. We were told that to cover 4 people and their families, the premium would be over $75,000 a year - isnt that freaking crazy?!? And the insurance we have now is pay in full until a $10,000 deductable is met. So its really not having coverage at all unless something catastrophic comes up.

Ive had this appt next month for several months now and it was the earliest I could get in, so Im on my own there too. It's my yearly female thing and bloodwork. I think I will just keep it, coverage or not.

lol -I wish my little boonytown had a Y or something like it. We do have some gyms and Curves but thats just for working on equipment and no one is any kind of expert that works there.

Im just out of shape and I plan to take small steps until I can take bigger steps to get in better condition - easy stretches, walking etc. lol - Ive been trying to keep up with an active 9 yr. old and its high time I realize that I cannot do that unless I take better care of myself. Pissed me off because I wasnt even doing anything when it happened. I bent over to pick something up off the floor, straightened back up and WHAM, something would not let me. Getting closer to 50 and not doing anything lately to stay in shape - my own fault!

But where there's a will there's a way, right?
And Im willing and determined to do better and not sink into despair over the insurance thing.

equeyaya said...

Grits, go to Amazon dot com and search for Yoga Zone DVD.

They used to be on our local cable station in the mornings and I liked them enough to buy a set of their DVDs. A friend of mine with some serious back issues has been doing them with me and they are helping her a lot.

Get a beginner level, and even within that, they show you modifications if anything causes you pain. Then as you get stronger, you can challenge yourself more.

jojo cucina cucina said...

Grits! NOW i remember something i keep forgetting that you just reminded me about. I had made you the Brandi Carlile cd and it even has your name on it. I think i made it October and then while i waited for a bit to get your address i misplaced it. I found it again (it was in my cd player) awhile back and then bought an envelope to mail it. And now i don't know where the envelope or the cd is.

That's the thing i hate about cd mixes - i lose them often because i am terrible about just throwing them in a stack somewhere and i have huge stacks. i really need to get away from the cd thing.

anyway i am sorry i didn't get it to you.

I am also most sorry to hear about your health insurance.

pearl, regarding Game Change. I especially liked the dirt on John and Elizabeth Edwards. ESPECIALLY Elizabeth. I knew i never liked John Edwards, but i did feel bad for Elizabeth until i read that book. However, i should have known there was something wrong with her when she wrote her own book. Their kids are going to read her book someday. why wouldn't she consider that?

Sarah/louie. i love that Nick tries on jeans and comes out of the dressing room to have you check them out. LOL.

equeyaya said...

Oh, and LOL, Grits, about Tatertot!!! Bwahahahaha!

Modern Hippie said...

oh man you guys were too fast for me this is way too many comments to read up on/catch up on so i'll wait for the new post haha

my laptop is back though! :) i had to send it in for repairs and it was back within the week (i was out of town so i dont know exactly when it came back but sometime between sending it out tuesday night and saturday.)

Amanda Haines said...

LouieLouie, at the downtown Safeway, the one closest to the fairgrounds, Mr. Safeway is the manager there. He is tall and gorgeous and he looks really, really clean. He drives the blue Tundra that's parked by the carwash (don't ask how I know this...actually, this sounds a little like stalking, but in an avoidance kind of way). He only works weekdays. Check him out and let me know what you think. He makes my stomach hurt!

jojo cucina cucina said...

So Amanda....are you going to take me up on my bet? LOL. I forgot to add one thing: if you do, i reserve the right to use the photo on this blog!

Yay! ms. hippie got her laptop back. Did you change your blog?

louielouie said...

Oooooo Amanda,
I am so going to Safeway. I can’t seem to leave work in time to go for my walk, but just maybe this will be the incentive I need. I love that you know what he drives.

I have a soft spot for grocers. My first husband was a boxboy when we married. He worked his way up, and me too. I used to have full run of the courtesy booth, you know, selling stamps, making money orders, calling for a cleanup on isle 4.
Those were the days, before scanners when you had to ten-key in the price you read off the can as you lifted it up out of the cart. I even sort of miss the blue polyester mini-dress uniform I used to wear. Though I am glad not to be chasing down carts at 1:00 am during February in Pullman (wearing that mini-dress).

I digress, I will so find the time to check out Mr. Safeway. A store manager, wow. Managers can even restock the meat case after the butchers have gone home. I bet the scent of power is part of the appeal.

Got any carwash stories?

The dad of one of my high school friends always told us to stay in school or we would end up working at the Elephant Carwash.

~ T (grits) ~ said...

hey thanks Eque - the Yoga Zones sound perfect!

Modern Hippie said...

haha I definitley "came into the conversation late" but I cant bare to read through ALL the comments, I'm in the middle of finals and should be working on that instead.

but this safeway story sounds hilarious!!

but yay on my laptop :) I will check and see if its time to change my blog, when did I last change it? haha but since my laptop is fixed i can watch movies on my laptop again so i will be updating the movie blog soon! :)

jojo cucina cucina said...

Sarah,
if you take the photo of Safewayman with all the same stuff in your basket i will offer the same bet to you too!

You have to buy:
1. a gross of condoms.
2. midol
3. Preparation H
4. A pregnancy test
5. a cucumber
6. a banana
7. i should have added this to Amanda's list earlier, but a copy of The National Enquirer AND the Weekly World News (do they still publish that?)
8. I think Jagermesiter (how do you spell that?) is another good item to add.

i think i'm forgetting a few things. SafewayMan has to be in the photo with you.

louielouie said...

You can only get Jagermeister at the liquor store

or maybe a Frat house

Modern Hippie said...

you could buy jagermeister para-fu-nail-yuh (SP!!!! haha no idea how to spell that and im too lazy to go look it up.) like napkins and tshirts.

is the cucumber and the banana supposed to be in representation of a penis? if so i think it should be an entire cart full of penis-like items. and maybe put them all on the convyer belt with two circular objects (oranges, apples, etc.)

equeyaya said...

paraphernalia

louielouie said...

Paraphernalia
One of my most favorite words. In my experience, the quest for, and desire to hide paraphernalia brings out the creativity in students. I once suspended a girl for a piece of foil in the picture slot in her wallet. Smelled like marijuana to me. It was the residue that cinched the deal. Plus, I could “deem” it to be paraphernalia.

I love student handbook wording that includes paraphernalia and the term “purported to be the same”

“. . . possess, use, transmit, or be under the influence of alcohol, drugs, controlled substances of any kind (other than those obtained and properly used pursuant to a valid prescription); or those purported to be the same including but not limited to imitation controlled
substances and/or related drug paraphernalia. . .

Modern Hippie said...

i do love the word paraphernalia. i just dont know how to spell it haha

now i do! thanks guys :)

Modern Hippie said...

p.s. i posted about it on my movie blog but if your looking for a good fun movie you should watch 'Ira and Abby' i absolutlely loved it!

IslandPearl said...

MH - where do you find these movies? I've never heard of most of them -- of course few of the art house indies make it out to the provinces.

Saw Shutter Island tonight. Gorgeously photographed, moody and an interesting take from Scorsese. Didn't care much for Leo in this one though. Played it a little too broad for me.

Louislouis' posts tend to remind me why I bailed on my public school career.

Modern Hippie said...

I find them through netflix - recommendations based on other movies I've rated and watched - I love netflix for this feature I like to find movies that not everyone knows about

was shutter island creepy? it looks good but i think i'd be too scared to actually see it

IslandPearl said...

Very creepy, but not jump-out-and-BOO!! scary.

jojo cucina cucina said...

hey y'all. it's Friday night and i just got home awhile ago. louielouie and i were at a wine tasting fund raiser.

I am going to change the blog tomorrow but i like making it to 40 comments so i had to come here first.

I read the book Shutter Island and didn't like it at as well as Mystic River. I am not a huge fan of dammit, that Italian director with the eyebrows, i have lost his name just now, but it will come to me if i keep typing. He has done so many movies. My recall for these kind of details makes me crazy.

I still have to finish Inglorius Basterds which i can tell i love already but i was too tired to finish watching a couple of days ago. I still need to watch my DVR of Lost ESPECIALLY now that i know Sawyer is shirtless.

I also have on my nephew Brian's recommendation the movie The Cove which is about saving the dolphins. He told me about this movie quite a while before it won an Academy Award for Best Documentary. Has anyone else seen it?

i'm just rambling here until i think of the name of that director and you know what???It JUST came to me. Martin Scorcese. the only thing i really love that he did was The Deer Hunter, and the Bob Dylan documentary. I was never that crazy about the DeNiro movie about the boxer. Damn, i just forget the name of THAT movie now too. The one about Jake LaMotta.

Speaking of all those Italians, has anyone seen the new quarterback they signed for our Seattle Seahawks! OMG, is he ever cute. I think he might be my next photo for my blogpost tomorrow. He is an even hotter version of Al Pacino's Serpico. I might start watching football again.

why are quarterbacks so damn cute anyway?

Ok, that's all. as Ryan Sechrist used to say on Idol: jojo....out.

jojo cucina cucina said...

well...actually Ryan never actually said "jojo" he used his own name.

I just remembered the Jake LaMotta movie.

Raging Bull. How could i forget that? I almost knew it because Bull Durham came to mind, but i knew that wasn't it. so my mind is still sorta working on that recall.

I would love to blame this all on my blood pressure medicine. But i think it's getting older and menopausal.

IslandPearl said...

I can't believe you forgot Scorsese -- especially since I included it in my post about Shutter Island. LOL

equeyaya said...

looking for that update.....

jojo cucina cucina said...

i know, that's what is REALLY bad, pearl, because i had seen your exchange about Shutter Island with hippiechick the day before i posted and had already forgotten in one day.

OK, i'm gonna work on a new one. I have a new YouTube to put up about Jon Stewart.

IslandPearl said...

Oooh -- you've given me an idea.

I'm not going to change my blog til it hits 40 comments on the current post. Should save me tons of time!!