My Sentiments Exactly

Olive Garden Crockpot Pasta e Fagioli Soup

My dinner for tonight. So easy to make, and tastes just as good the real thing at the Olive Garden! Found the recipe here.

How To Annoy Me

Bring a package of sunflower seeds into a movie theater and then noisily suck on said seeds while I'm trying to enjoy the freaking movie.

Summer Cuties

My nieces Madilyn (l) and Claire (r) after a long day at the pool. Aren't they adorable?

Girl Scout Cookie Time In My House

Yep, this accurately sums up what happens when the Thin Mints and Caramel Delites come into my possession.

You're My Boys, Blues

So very proud of my team! I haven't been this excited since the 1999-2000 season, when the Blues won the President's Trophy. Hopefully, this St. Louis Blues team will go farther in the Stanley Cup playoffs than their aforementioned predecessor. For now, I'll remain cautiously optimistic.

Shake That Tambourine For All Eternity

You once thought of me as a white knight on a steed,
Now you know how happy I can be.

Many of my happiest childhood memories revolve around the Monkees, their music, and their wonderfully campy tv show, so I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Davy Jones earlier today. I'll admit that he wasn't my favorite Monkee ( I was more of a Peter/Mike girl), but I couldn't help but adore him for his musical talent, his adorable British accent, and that impish gleam in his eyes.

Rest in peace, you beautiful Daydream Believer.

Why I Should Never Have Long Fingernails

This happened Friday morning while I was getting dressed for work. As I was pulling off my pajama top, the nail on my right thumb brushed against my chin and somehow took out chunks of skin in two separate spots. Lovely, isn't it? Trying to cover it with makeup just makes it look worse, like I have some kind of scabby skin disease.

Reason #1, 349 Why Music Should Never Be Cut From Education

Seriously?!?!?

Tengo Cuarenta Y Tres Años

Today is my birthday. I'm officially old.

I didn't have to work because of the Abraham Lincoln birthday holiday (happy 203rd, Mr. President!), so my best friend and her husband treated me to a matinee of The Woman In Black. Is it pathetic that the ancient toys in the film scared me more than The Woman herself? It's embarrassing to admit, but toy monkeys playing maracas and cymbals are a thousand times creepier than any ghost. Daniel Radcliffe did an excellent job as the young lawyer Arthur Kipps, but I have to admit there were times when all I could picture was him as Harry Potter. I heard an older woman in our row say to her friend, "I just can't get used to seeing Harry Potter drink alcohol!", so at least I'm not the only one.

Other than the movie, I have no additional plans for the day. It's cold and snowing right now, so perhaps I'll have a little nap. Naps are good.

Optical Obnoxiousness

I pass Stanton Optical every day on my way to/from work and truly believe this commercial is responsible for its' empty parking lot. The ad is especially annoying first thing in the morning. The channel that broadcasts my favorite local morning show plays it at least 4 times in a half hour.

At The Movies: One For The Money

This past Friday evening, I went to see One For The Money with my friends/ co-workers Kelly, Marie, Nancy, and Jen. We're all huge fans of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels, so we were anxiously anticipating the big screen adaptation of the first book in the series.

Some random observations:

1. When this movie was first cast, I had a hard time picturing the blonde, elegant Katherine Heigl as the accident prone, half-Italian/half-Hungarian Stephanie Plum, but the New Jersey accent and the brown hair dye helped make her transformation into the novice bounty hunter more believable.
2. Sherri Shepard was okay as the larger than life ex-ho Lula, but I still think comedienne Loni Love would have been a better choice.
   
3. Why was an Irish actor cast as Italian cop Joe Morelli? Don't get me wrong, Jason O'Mara is a nice enough looking man, but he looks about as Italian as I do.
4. Ranger is supposed to be the strong, silent type, so why does he have so much dialogue?
   

Our mutual casting complaints aside, my friends and I enjoyed the movie, which pretty much followed the book. We hope Two For The Dough is in the works!

Puppy Bowl VIII

Don't forget- the canine cuteness begins at 2 P.M. CST today!

All of the puppies are too precious for words (check out the line up here), but I have a soft spot in my heart for York, the eleven week old Bassett Hound mix, and Delilah, the thirteen week old terrier.

Just look at those faces! I am dying from the adorableness.

Shaken, Not Stirred

You Are a Purple Martini

You are thought to be a perfectionist. You have a pretty clear vision of how you want things to go. You can be a wallflower at times. You find it peaceful to sit back and observe. You value solitude. Some of your best ideas and creations come out of alone time. You do not like crowds. You find them to be both overwhelming and draining.

What Color Martini Are You?

Blogthings: A Fine Line Between Insight and Stupidity

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

If you would like to see what the new year has in store for you, click here.

What can I and my fellow Monkeys expect during 2012?

• The year of the Black Water Dragon will be good for learning. Monkey can take a specialization, or start learning a new profession. A representative of this zodiac sign should always learn something new. An interest in something unknown and unusual will lead him the way even more than ambitious intentions or ambitions. (Interesting. Does that bode well for my plans to study medical transcription/coding?)
• Single Monkey may meet his/her love before the new year. (Yeah, not holding my breath on that one)
• The year will be very productive, he will gladly flow into the high pace of work, and will feel at ease in the most intense affairs of 2012. Monkey skillfully using problems as a chance to show all his talents, will show himself in a team. He is optimistic, never discouraged, and even after defeat when other zodiac signs may retreat before difficulties, the Monkey will feel fine, and break forward, despite defeat.

This Could Only Be Cooler If President Clinton Was Playing The Saxophone

Nice singing voice, Mr. President!

2012 Quotables

"I don't know about everyone, but I'm sick and tired of listening to how appalled Newt Gingrich was last night when he was asked about him wanting an open marriage with his 2nd wife. That's about how appalled I am that he couldn't keep his pecker in his pants with any of his wives. Cry me a river Newt!"

-my friend Cindy's Facebook status after Newt's little hissy fit during the GOP debate in South Carolina

On a personal note: Really, South Carolina? This hypocritical douchebag led the witch hunt during the Clinton/Lewinsky affair while he was screwing around on his own wife (who was suffering from MS), yet you believe he possesses the moral character and Christian values you want in a President? Give me a break!

Why?!?!

Beavis and Butt-Head Sculptures Are So Lifelike, So Horrifying

I love Beavis and Butt-Head, but holy crap, these things are nightmare inducing! Especially Beavis. He looks like a demented Art Garfunkel strung out on meth.

Put This In The "Don't Confuse Education With Intelligence" File

Yesterday afternoon, one of the teachers I work with was seriously trying to convince me that the national language of Spain was Portugese Portugese is the national language of Portugal and Brazil, sweetie. Where does she think the term "Spanish" originated?

#Wipeyoass!

Yesterday morning at work, I needed to take a quick bathroom break, so I headed to one of the two employee-only bathrooms in the school. When I entered said bathroom, I noticed there was something brown on the toilet seat. At first, I thought it was the corner of a wet paper towel, but on closer inspection, I discovered that it was something worse...

A piece of poop.

A piece of poop from one of my adult co-workers.

What the hell?!?! Was this person hovering over the toilet when he/she attempted to drop the Cleveland Browns off at the Superbowl? Did it fall out of their underwear? Was it stuck on their ass?

All I can say is thank God I had the foresight to glance at the toilet before I sat on it. */shudder

Happiness Is...

...snuggling with a warm, fluffy kitty on a cold winter night.

Note To Self #2,135

Don't ever go two days before re-filling your Zoloft prescription. Dizziness + constant ringing in your head= buzz kill.

Enjoying This While I Can

Shitcago and Detoilet play each other tomorrow night, and since the odds of a flaming meteor hitting the United Center and destroying both teams are pretty much nil, I figure I've got a good 22 hours to savor my boys being in first place in the Central Division.

Be Still, My Heart

Is it wrong to admit that I've never wanted to be a hat so bad in my life as I do when looking at this picture?

My hockey stud muffin, Daniel Briere, taking a break during the NHL Winter Classic on January 2nd. It sucks that the New York Rangers won the game 3-2, but it was fun to watch the Flyers' Brayden Schenn score his first NHL goal. What a memory for him!

Amen To That

While the prospect of a President Santorum is scary enough to make me want to shit my pants, I'd be more terrified if either Rick Perry or Newt Gingrich took up residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue next January. I'm no fan of flip-flop Romney either, but if the Republicans win the Presidency in November (God help us all), I'd rather it be him than any of the other wastes of DNA in that party. At least Michele "Crazy Eyes" Bachmann has dropped out of the race. *big sigh of relief*