A Dull Sharpie

A Simple Choice

2011-08-01T19:44:00.000-05:00

I was sitting at a Royals game with my friend Jenny and chatting about her last road race. I was gabbing on about how I hated running, but I like biking and swimming as exercise. Jenny's eye sparkled and I could tell I possibly had just walked into a trap that was already strung around my neck. She smirked at me as she dipped another chip into nacho cheese, "So if the race was just swimming you'd do it."

I started to backpedal, "Well, it would depends on how long and if I had to do the front crawl, never."

Nodding Jenny crunched down on another chip, "500 meters and whatever stroke, it's open."

I narrowed my eyes in thought and quickly thought about the lengths of a pool that would notch up to be, and shrugged, 500m wasn't that long. I was a strong swimmer even without practice.

At that point I knew I was promising to something that was a whole year away. How lucky for me to have all that time to ignore the need for practice and training!

Jenny contacted me again for sign up and we had a team member for each portion of a triathlon, the WIN for KC. The idea behind it was interesting. 500m, 10 mile ride, and 5K run only for women. Built to support women to start viewing themselves as athletes never mind your age, your weight, your fitness level. WIN is for stating a goal, working towards it, and achieving it.

My training was lacking a serious level, but I built in cardio, weights, and some swimming. I did lack the open swim which would have helped the comfort level in the race and water, but what I lacked in experience I made up for in sheer blind faith that I would complete the swim.

Then I sprained both of my ankles (at different times) as I seem to lack the ability to walk down difficult things like stairs or sidewalks. The forward extension of the ankles felt tight and when I tried them out with the backstroke it hurt and I was thoroughly worried. I could swim the breast stroke, but it was more physically tiring, so I was sure my time would zoom down towards 20 minutes. I was sure that at 20 minutes Jenny would yell at me and my sad sack time.

After continued dreams of my ankles snapping in two when I engaged them in a flutter kick I realized that I was perhaps getting really nervous about the swim. I texted Jenny and she reassured me that time didn't matter, trying my best and finishing did though. We went to the sign-in for WIN for KC to pick up our packets and shuttled through getting bibs/swim caps and directions.

Our biker, Jan, was unable to bike so Jenny pinch-hit like a champ and learned how to road bike picking up the second and third legs of the journey. As we were asking if we could pick up the packet for Jan we started asking questions of Cathy, a delightful woman who was humoring our extensive questions on set-up, routes, nerves, and the like.

Cathy informed me that a large number of the tri athletes were frightened of the swimming portion, which to me seemed ridiculous. How could you not want to swim? It's so easy and natural, to me. Whereas I dread the option of running, which I still demand is only necessary if you are being chased by a panther, a knife-wielding maniac, or a zombie. Cathy said that some participants actually walk the 5K, which was interesting to hear. In addition her excitement about our team was palpable and edged on my adrenaline towards happy thoughts instead of ankle snapping thoughts.

Jenny and I had a lovely pasta filled dinner after checking out the bike course and timing the drive to Smithville. The pasta, which I now believe is pre-race only because it puts you to sleep at an earlier bedtime was a nice dinner although I crowed more about the salad and bread. We awoke around 4:00 in the morning and got our packs together. I had a fantastic nectarine courtesy of Larry's, Jenny's boyfriend, kind nature (or sleeping proxy). We arrived at the parking area around 5:45 and waited for sunlight to put together Jenny's rental bike.

Did you know you could do that? Rent road bikes at shops? I did not. Jenny found a great shop and deal and the bike was pretty sweet.

So we arrived around a bustle of bikes, volunteers, and athletes. We were marked with the number twelve on our biceps and hands binding us together as our team, "Higher Ed" and proceeded to get our timer which I wrapped around my ankle when Jenny racked our bike and giggled to myself. How athletic of me, which I hadn't been since little league softball.

Unless you count marching band. Which, you could if you really want to...

The area was swarming with women in various workout gear, with spandex, swimsuits, and dry-fit fabric making the rounds amongst the racks and checking the swim route. With huge orange triangle buoys in the water I nodded. I felt more sure that I could finish this in a respectable time as I had taken some ibprofen and could easily ignore my ankles until the next day when they scream angrily at me. The announcer asked for women to line up at the various swim times and I waved a goodbye at Jenny.

Then the rain started. The lightening flashed and we all groaned. A delay of ten minutes on the start that kept having additions followed by pulling all the lifeguards out of the lake, on the plus side I did run into someone from my high school and had a great time catching up and talking to each other about our reasons for being in the race. It honestly was a pleasure to chat with Sara and after an hour and a half delay we entered the water.

I should say that two things happened on the parade up to the chute towards the lake. My goggles broke and I fixed my goggles right before the final turn of the line. As I lined up Sara went before me and I waited the three seconds after her and felt the soft touch on my shoulder that it was my turn to go, a surge of energy pushed out and I jogged across the sand and felt the cool lick of the water on my feet.

It was a great feeling from the chilly rain that had poured onto us for over an hour. I ran out until I felt that it was time to swim and plunged down into the water hearing the calming sound of the water overtaking my sense of hearing, the murky noise that we only remember through movies and television unless you cup your ears with your hands and listen for a moment. I had decided to start out with the breast stroke, one of my two strongest strokes and pushed past four people ahead of me. Pacing. I wasn't sure how to do it. So I decided to concentrate on the nearest buoy.

That's when I noticed the lifeguards cheering us all on. Small notes of encouragement to all swimmers as we emerged from the water for seconds before plunging back into the slight waves of the lake. I kept gaining on people and wasn't sure how best to pass them and found myself switching into the sidestroke to slip in-between athletes. I had one goal after chatting with other swimmers. I didn't want to ever stop swimming. I was going to be Dory and when I felt like stopping I would prey on my own fear and hum the Jaws theme.

Thankfully that didn't occur until the last 100 meters, but boy oh boy did the fear fuel work in that last push. I did have in that last 150m the frustration of trying to pass a swimmer who was varying strokes and it was taking more energy to try to get around her. But that's when I could hear the cheering from the volunteers near the edge of the water, they were varying between, "You're almost there." to talking us through the breathing change needed for the transition.

Jenny said that when I got out of the water I was smiling. I don't remember that, but I bet that was pretty fun to see on her end. I looked over my shoulder and saw Sara hopping out of the water too and started the short run up the hill. I felt my legs wiggle a bit and shortened my stride for the hand-off.

Jenny killed it on the bike and came back for the transition into the run so I then headed off to the finish line and that's when the really awesome part of the race and the support of all the women and spectators came to a head. The finishers were coming up and the crowd was cheering them all, but the cool part was when children would finish with their mothers, grandmothers, or other relations. I like kids. I know, shocking, right? I like them. I love some even, but I don't want my own, but in that instant that euphoria that washed over the athletes faces when the kids ran up the grassy hill to finish with them. I went, oh there's a reason for kids against my million reasons against them.

It was brief and then I went, nah. Pepper could do this with me. Or Jack. Or maybe even Seth.

Then I saw my team mate jog out of the tree covered path and smiled, or I could just run with my friend up the hill, in bare feet , aviator sunglasses and Superman pants. I ran up the hill and finished with my friend.

Volunteers placed a medal around my neck and then Cathy recognized us and told us she'd been thinking about us and wanted to know how the race when for us.

Because WIN for KC is about supporting every athlete with cheering volunteers, cheering spectators, and cheering participants. For some it is about the time, for some the medal, and for some it's just crossing that finish line and hitting a goal.

My goal was to finish the swim in 20:00 or less. My time was 16:31.

I shared an experience with a friend. I shared nerves and excitement with an old high school classmate. I was rained on. I had mud caked onto my feet. I cheered. I clapped. I finished.

And then I called my parents before taking a nap that afternoon and joked with my father that I didn't drown like he had snarked about that being the reason a swim cap was provided with that same sparkle in his eye that was in Jenny's last summer. My dad's birthday was in my finishing time. I spoke with my mother who said she was proud of my swim. In that moment I felt the pride swell in myself.

Because WIN for KC is about finding that moment in yourself when you see that you can be an athlete. Even for a moment. You can achieve goals. In that one short goal, perhaps you find a new one be it athletic or something else, because you did something that you weren't sure you could do when eating a hot dog in a sweltering summer. Proving yourself wrong with the support of friends and family makes it feel that much better.

Ceasing Ramble.

Day 27: 30 Days of TV - Best Pilot Episode

2011-06-28T22:10:00.000-05:00

Day 27: Best Pilot Episode

A pilot episode really is just an introduction to the characters, voice, and scope of the world that you will be visiting week to week on a television show. They can feel clunky if it's just introducing character after character and stating what it is they do or how they're related to your lead character.

There is a reason that most shows take a while to win you over or gain their footing. While I love Parks and Recreation the entire first season felt like they were introducing the viewers to the style, characters, and storytelling... which isn't bad since it is different than the normal way of storytelling on a show, but it's not the best.

The best pilot episode that I can remember?

Gilligan's Island.

And here's why they did all the hub bub that takes the first thirty minutes of meeting people, giving the situation, and style of the story all in theme song. Brilliant. Now they're able to delve into the hilarity and hijinks.

The close second. Scrubs. Oh show, how lovely you are.

Apologies for no clips or pictures. It's quite hard to find Gilligan's Island stuff that uses the actual opening of the first season on the youtubes.

Ceasing Ramble.

Day 26: 30 Day of TV - Season Finale Failure

2011-06-21T21:06:00.000-05:00

Day 26: Season Finale Failure

It's been months so it must be time to do another of the 30 days of TV challenge.

Season finale failure, note that this is not series finale failure as that's a whole 'nother can of worms and also with that I won't be taking into account any series finales. It just makes it easier on my brain.

I'm putting this as a task the season finale that made me think... well I'm not going to need to watch that show anymore. I honestly don't have this thought too many times as I'll make that decision in the midst of a season more often than at the end.

A season finale merely is the final episode to tie up the thematic arcs of a show and show us either the possibilities of where the characters and stories may go or leave you with the always chancy cliffhanger.

I was the most underwhelmed with the Glee's season one finale Journey.

It had the set up to be a very well played finale with the talent of Dianna Agron, but it fizzled as the story arcs so well done in the first half of the season stared to fall apart in the second half.

Many times when Beth and I mention when talking about Glee that it got too popular too fast and fell into the trap of many of the popular shows. Playing for everyone all at once, but in doing so the characters felt less real. When Glee is written well it is great, there are moments when I get so pleased with it and there were moments in this episode... again mostly surrounding Quinn.

But it left me with an eh feeling.

I found my way back as a passive watching in the second half of the last season as a favor for my friend Michael. I'm still happy to see a 'normal' representation of LGBT youth, but I expect more.

I'll always expect a Buffy when there is a show about the high schoolers on the outskirts.

Next season they're going to have Marti Noxon... maybe I'll finally get my arcs and development back.

Ceasing Ramble.

Feeling Useful and Useless at the Same Time

2011-06-20T23:03:00.002-05:00

Parkinson's Disease.

It's something I've known for nearly half my life as a constant trait that causes those who know me to always ask, "How's your Mom doing?". My mother was diagnosed with early onset PD when I was sixteen. I remember my parents calling me to the living room and asking me to sit on the couch. They had something to tell me that was so serious that it wasn't around the dinner table.

I was sure they were going to tell me they were getting divorced, because that was the worst possible thing I could think of to happen that would sit me staring over my right shoulder at the clock ticking, the pendulum swinging back and forth awaiting for the bad news to hit.

But then my mom fit her hand into my dad's and said that she had been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. I felt relief wash over my body, because they were still together. We were still the family I knew. So we can get through some weird sounding disease thing. My Mom looked fine. I didn't have a frame of reference on what PD was at that point because it hadn't been showcased on an ABC soap opera.

I clapped my hands on my knees and thought the family meeting was adjourned, but could still feel the tension in the room.

It's always there, the tension of what a disease brings to a family. Now and again there would be PD moments or the line of pills and jokes of how I was now the chauffeur for mom on trips to Kansas City. Mom and I participated in the Parkinson's Unity Walk in Central Park and I saw it grow through the years.

I also believe that Micheal J. Fox is am amazing hero who we often take for granted as a showman who makes us laugh or brings us comfort. He's brought me hope now and again in his speeches and the joy that I feel in a PD crowd when he speaks.

My mom had DBS surgery a while back and was able to cut her medicine in half and her movement improved. We lauded the surgeons at KU Med and I found myself eeking back into my sixteen year old self. That it was fine, we were the family unit I remembered and the surgery pushed back the reminders of PD.

Recently I had been noticing that mom's movements have taken more focus, her speech has become slurred (although granted my family does love a good mumble) and I had made what I had hoped were off handed comments to friends about how it seemed that PD was leaking through and around the DBS and medicine's usefulness.

The way that movements were slower as if running on a battery on low. The nerve endings from the brain out to the muscles in the body running on a circuit board that seemed archaic. Mom was still there joking about PD as most Parkie's do and I always love to be in on a joke. It's a device I've used since my grandma slipped away through Alzheimer's.

Make your loved one laugh and in that one moment you are with them somewhere that the disease can't get.

Last month though I caught a drive to my cousin's high school graduation with my parents. The drive felt different from the moment I slid into the back of the maroon Crown Victoria substitute (I refuse to remember the new car's make/model). My father, the eternal smart ass was being kinder than usual to my mom. We stopped at a small town gas station for the bathroom and the requisite acquiring of gum for my mom. I slipped into the Midwestern small talk and brought up my dad's yearly fishing trip in August. He mentioned I might need to stay with mom, because she would probably need help at night.

For those who are unaware the medicine cycle for some PD patients, ends with a 8pm kick back. This was why Micheal J. Fox had Spin City start taping early. It's when Parkie's are better equipped.

Take a moment to think about the muscles in your body. All of them. You wake up in the middle of the night and need to go to the bathroom... how many muscles do you call on? I understood why I'd be needed.

But most of all I could hear how tired Dad was in that moment. It put me on guard and I've been there for a month now. Observing, changing my behavior a bit to be nicer as well, more patient...

My good friend, Beth, was singing in the KC Women's Chorus and had told me that Mom would really like the music. I knew that an outing to KC would require driving, getting into a building, getting seated, and lots of people to maneuver around, but I was up for it.

I could tell the day was physically exhausting for my mom, but she did love the concert we sang along with the Shoop Shoop song, one she used to sing and spin around the kitchen with me. The linoleum helping our socked feet feel like we were gliding across some grand dance hall.

When we got back into the car on the way home through a maze of ramps and elevators Mom was sweating like she had run a marathon, which as her muscles were concerned she had done so her breathing was labored, but mine is from climbing three flights of stairs. I was worried about her being overheated, but she said it's a new thing the doctors are trying to figure out. The doctors had run a sonogram to see if that illuminated anything. (She said that she had come from the room and Dad asked her how it went and she said, "There's a Junior!" He was not amused. I thought it was pretty awesome.) She explained the feeling as your outside being cold, but the inside being hot and she was right her skin was chilly, but her body was reacting as if she was boiling inside.

As we got home and I helped get everything out of the car she stood in the kitchen and concentrated on smiling, thanking me for the trip and hoping that she didn't embarrass me too much. My heart broke a little, but I grinned back at her and said, "I've known you my whole life. If you haven't done it by now, you never will."

I had been her companion that day. I leaned in when she spoke to me and listened. I teased her when she said I was a good driver and two minutes later would tell me the direction I should be turning right before the exit as she always has done. I walked with her holding her hand without being asked. I was her companion.

Just like she had done before for me and how she still is to this day.

Parkinson's Disease.

It's been a constant in my life. It defines how some people know me and my family. Its effects can make me feel useful and useless at the same time.

But it will never make me embarrassed by my mother.

That would have been the matching jumpers she made when I was a tow headed elementary school student. Actually no, we looked awesome in those. We pulled them off.

But that's how we roll.

Ceasing Ramble.

Better Off Ted: Always Quotable

2011-04-24T21:56:00.000-05:00

Veronica: Ju! Ju! Ju! Ju!
Ted: What are you doing?
Veronica: Deflecting your whiny bitching with my happiness shield.

Oh show, I miss you.

Day 25: 30 Days of TV - Show You Plan on Watching... But

2011-04-16T13:58:00.000-05:00

Day 25 - A show you plan on watching, but haven't gotten around to yet (old or new)

Now, when I had started this 30 days back in December the answer to this was Friday Night Lights, but I've finally got around to plugging through since it was on Netflix watch instantly.

And, holy hell.... what took me so long?

I can see how this show is hard for some to get into as it is at times, so devastatingly true to life, but also it can show you the moments of pure love and joy. It hits really too close to home and that is scary for some viewers.

I'm finally going to be caught up this weekend and get to start in on the second airing of the last season on NBC, appropriately on Friday nights.

Everything pulls together seamlessly sometimes making me forget that I'm watching a fictional show from the editing and camera work that at times feels like you're watching a reality show.

The actors are giving the fluidity to block and act like they would on stage, the cameras coming to find them, they talk as we talk: over each other, improper sentences, and with beautiful simplistic nature.

I have soft spots for most all of the characters that they brought in: Smash Williams, Jason Street, Tyra Collette, Lyla, Julie, Landry, and Tim Riggins. But the stars of the show are the Taylors, Eric and Tami: the football coach and the coach's wife. They transcend how we have seen the study of a marriage, the give, the take, the ability to fight and forgive.

Yes, this is a show that centers around the use of sport as something that can bring together or tear apart a town. That can help bring belief and pride to teenagers who are never told they are anything other than worthless.

And as I just finished up this season four finale I'm in tears again. As much as I love Buffy, Veronica Mars, and The X-Files.... Friday Night Lights is hitting me somewhere different than any other show I've watched.

For that I'm sad that I took so long to get into Dillon, Texas... but I'm happy I'm finally able to experience the brightness of Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler as the Taylors.

Ceasing Ramble.

Day 24: 30 Day of TV - Best Quote

2011-04-15T21:48:00.000-05:00

Day 24: Best Quote

There are quotes from previous shows that I've mentioned that hold a lot of meaning to me:

Grey's Anatomy - 5x19 - Elevator Love Letter by Stacy McKee

But they always come. They're my people. People keep you going. People are better than no people.

Six Feet Under - 5x12 - Everyone's Waiting by Alan Ball

You can't take a picture of this it's already gone.

But you know what...

The best quote for me?

Is better watched than written out. It is from Parks and Recreation - 2x10 - The Hunting Trip by Daniel J. Goor.

Leslie Knope: [giving excuses why she shot Ron Swanson to the Park Ranger, each excuse is punctuated by a quick cut to another excuse]: I got that tunnel vision that girls get. I let my emotions get the best of me. I cared too much, I guess. I was thinking with my lady parts. I was walking and it felt icky. I thought there was gonna be chocolate. I don't even remember! I'm wearing a new bra, and it closes in the front, so it popped open and it threw me off. All I wanna do is have babies! I'm just going through a thing right now. I guess when my life is incomplete, I wanna just shoot someone. This would not happen if I had a penis! Bitches be crazy. I'm good at tolerating pain; I'm bad at math, and... I'm stupid.

The number of times that I have said, "Bitch be crazy" is in equal par with the other part of the NBC one-two punch, "I want to go to there" by Liz Lemon.

It's a Poehler-Fey thing.

Ceasing Ramble.

Day 23: 30 Days of TV - Most Annoying Character

2011-04-14T21:27:00.000-05:00

Day 23: Most Annoying Character

I know. You thought I had died. No, honestly I got stuck on this entry. I have a lot of characters that had annoyed me, but the most annoying character?

I had thought about Gaius Baltar from Battlestar Galactica, but he was interesting sometimes and short, which I found endearing as he smarmed next to Tricia Helfer.

Then I moved onto Nikki from Heroes and she almost won, until I realized that she didn't annoy me as much as this next character.

Callie's pointing at the winner. The baby on Grey's Anatomy, which I like to call Plot Device Sloan-Torres... I'm pretty sure that's what they're going to name her. It's the number one on my list.

Normally I would find annoyance in the actor's portrayal, but here I'm just annoyed with the entire existence of the child.

Is it slightly growing on me? Eh.

If in the next episodes I see the sometimes adult acting characters of Arizona, Callie, and Mark to be able to hold conversations with one another that are not the same exact conversation they have been having since the realization of the inception.

So while the first mentioned characters were annoying in the way they were changed Plot Device just annoys me in the actual conceptual idea of lazy.

Was it the easiest way to create conflict amongst an already shaky trio of relationships? Yes. It was the easiest way. (See previous rant)

So Plot Device, you might become a person I care about, but mostly I wish I could have been calling you Adoption Story or Interesting Donor Story.

Day 22: 30 Days of TV - Favorite Season Finale

2011-01-27T22:47:00.003-06:00

Day 22: Favorite Season Finale

I didn't even have to think. It's Six Feet Under.

Six Feet Under was a fantastic show, with a great premise, actors from all walks of life came through the Fisher & Sons home and they lived in it.

My instant answer to this question of Best, Favorite, Most Moving, etc.etc. finale will always be Six Feet Under. While many shows take you successfully on an arc with the characters you never quite feel the completion that you do with the Fisher family at the end of this hour of television.

I recently forced Beth to finally finish this series because I knew I would be writing about it for this day. She had heard numerous friends and random people declaring out loud in a fashion almost as fervent as people talk about politics, religion, and secret family recipes. It took her two years to plug through the series and I know why, Beth is about experiencing any form of artistic culture in a community type setting.

Music, art, movies, television are always better when she can share them with someone. It's why we go to so many things together and why going to the movie theatre is still something that is a deep down need for her and I sometimes. Art is about sharing an emotional experience with others... even if it's just sitting beside them on the couch and sharing the same air.

This morning when I was able to talk with her about this series finale I felt a little more complete, because now another of my friends is breathing that same air with me. And when television can make you feel... when it elevates itself from an hour of forgettable programming (I'm looking at you Two and a Half Men) to something that you need others to experience.

That's something to write a blog about.

If you haven't watched the series, please don't watch this clip. Do yourself the favor invest in five seasons with the Fishers, you'll thank me for it when you can take that deep body rattling breath when you see the screen fade to white at the end of the series, like it does every episode.

But this time, you know... it's ended for good.

Why am I not talking about it in depth? Because I could talk about the below ten minutes for days. I probably will as Beth and I walk along the sidewalks of Weston this Saturday, most likely holding hands, swinging them playfully back and forth as we window shop.

But you should watch the show, everybody's waiting for you.

Ceasing Ramble.

P.S. - The sensory reaction I have to Sia's - Breath Me, is always cathartic every time. I always put it on a workout or driving play list. It centers me into stripping away the outside world and remembering why I'm here, what I'm doing, and where I'll be going.

Day 21: 30 Day of TV - Favorite Relationship

2011-01-27T22:31:00.001-06:00

Day 21: 30 Days of TV

Favorite relationship (romantic, friendship, child/parent)

My favorite relationship on TV is between Veronica and Keith Mars as played by Kristen Bell and Enrico Colantoni.

They followed the same type of parent/child relationship that had been rooted in the WB/CW starting with the Joyce and Buffy relationship's later years, Loralie and Rory in Gilmore Girls, but took it to the level that it felt so immensely genuine and real.

They supported each other through the abrupt loss of social status, wife/mother, but they also could become furious at actions that the other did all through the lens of love. Because these two were out to protect each other as much as their own Backup would protect them.

What really set them apart though was the sense of humor they had with each other and the playful poking.

Time and time again they showed each other what true love and trust is in a parent/child relationship. There are times when you falter and when you fail, but because of the rock solid base of this relationship it showed you through each season and as Veronica matured as a character and woman how her father would support her in every endeavor.

Even if they don't fully support the person who is part of the endeavor.

I believe that this relationship is the basis we are now seeing of supportive single parent and child families on television most notably Castle and Alexis on ABC's Castle (which I feel horrible for not writing about yet and had toyed about writing about Castle and Beckett for this too).

I think that the use of emotion, support, love and humor is refreshing in a father and daughter relationship on television where usually the mother is forefront in the parenting arena.

Do you have enough reasons now to watch/re-watch Veronica Mars yet?

Or perhaps are intrigued enough to watch Castle?

If so, mischief managed.

Ceasing Ramble.

Day 20: 30 Days of TV - Favorite Kiss

2011-01-20T12:37:00.003-06:00

Day 20: Favorite Kiss

I'm cheating a little bit. I'm going to break it up into time periods of my life.

Childhood - In childhood, kissing was either gross or funny and usually I landed on the funny side of the fence. This is my favorite kiss from my childhood.

Yes, Bugs Bunny's infamous smooch that he laid on Elmer Fudd more than we knew. Perhaps they were Kirk/Spock before we had even thought of it. Buggs even cross-dressed too, how progressive Looney Tunes.

Adolescence - It's no secret I loved soap operas. They were the maudlin release to such an overwrought teenage self. The romance that pulled me in on General Hospital was Robin Scorpio and Stone Cates. As soaps are wont to do they inject social commentary and health issues right into the arm of many relationships. Robin and Stone's was of HIV/AIDS. I apologize for the quality of the clip, it's the best I could find on YouTube, but in the final scenes with Stone the simple act of a kiss broke my heart.

This was still in a time when HIV/AIDS was a scary unknown and lead me to realize that you can touch and even kiss a person infected with this indiscriminate killer. For a young teenager this storyline put faces to a disease I had only vaguely heard about and humanized it. I think it is the best storyline that General Hospital has done and I'm happy to see that they're continuing the discussion of HIV/AIDS with the return of Robin.

College - Interestingly enough my college years battled with three shows; the ending of The X-Files, Buffy, and JAG. Yes, JAG. And this kiss while I was screaming no at the screen (I'm very against characters cheating) my inner self was fist pumping a big Hoorah!

As you can see I was still really into the DRAMA! at that point.

Post-College (Columbia) - This is when the L Word premiered and was good for approximately one and a half seasons. Again I found myself rooting for a kiss that had cheating tied to it, what personal angst for me!

Graduate School - In Graduate School I didn't really watch a lot of television because, well I was doing homework and oh yeah, I opted to not have internet or cable at my house. So I'd just poach off of other friends. What I did do though... was watch a lot of television on dvd, but I did always make sure to watch Veronica Mars.

And I always cheer for the less popular "good guy". Sadly I can't embed this so you'll have to click on the link to go all in.

Nowadays - Now, with Netflix streaming and glorious HD cable I watch a lot of television. It's nearing ridiculous proportions.

But this one.. it's all about hope to me and unexpected hope at that. Yes, it's quite a bit of scene, but pretend that you don't like every bit. (Btw, the part about the six-pack to an AA meeting 125% true).

Please disagree with me and tell me why or what your favorites are...

Ceasing Ramble.

Day 19: 30 Days of TV - Best Ensemble Cast

2011-01-20T11:30:00.002-06:00

Day 19: Best Ensemble Cast

A lot of times when you think of an ensemble cast you're thinking of dramas like ER.

Not me, I always go for comedy. The timing in comedy is so much harder than drama and then... you get wonderful payoffs when there are moments that play serious in a comedy.

This cast was never lauded as being great or winning numerous awards. They hung on by a nail to get renewed and they gel-ed as an entire cast better than I have seen (since Mary Tyler Moore).

I'm talking about the cast of Scrubs.

They could hit all the notes and do it well. Aside from the very over the top moments I honestly think that this is closer to how a hospital operates than any drama has shown us. With morbid humor, doctors that range from obsessed with their work to obsessed with being an ass to the other doctors. Nurses that know more about patients and cases than any one else there.. and a janitor that everyone forgets to ask his name.

But if you haven't say Welcome to Sacred Heart for laughs... and a few tears.

Ensemble High Five!

Is it March Yet?

2011-01-19T19:03:00.001-06:00

I don't like seeing this on the weather radar.

Tomorrow is going to be ugh.

Ceasing Ramble.

Day 18: 30 Days of TV - Favorite Title Theme

2011-01-18T21:18:00.004-06:00

Day 18: Favorite Title Theme

Today's blog is like asking a crack addict to remember their best high. It's always the last one. I love title sequences and theme songs so much that Beth and I had a "TV Theme War" in college where we would download theme songs and play them to one-up each other. She ended up winning with a little green ball of clay.

So instead I'm going to walk you through the best title themes and then end with my favorites with some commentary along the way.

Mary Tyler Moore's theme (the first season here) dares you to stay in a bad mood. It is simply impossible. The silky voice letting us know that you can find yourself in a big city and make it in a career, you just might make it. And you also might have Oprah also tossing her hat in the air in your emblematic ending, you do know there is a statue in Minneapolis, right? I bet Kamiah's been there.

If you ever watched Today's Special then you know the magic words and you'll hurriedly whisper them along with the mouse. I love every bit of this the puppets, the idea that things come alive at night, magic, and cartoons.

DOING IT OUR WAY! Oh, what a fabulous show. Remember when they spoofed this in Wayne's World? That's how awesome this opening is.

This is the Reading Rainbow theme, I refuse to call the 'new' schlock anything other than schlock. I was very upset when I found out they were trying something new. No! Keep my rainbow butterfly and lovely song. Also Levar Burton rocks.

So I could have put the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme here... but this kid is amazing, just watch the upper left hand corner.

Animaniacs, what smart television. A intro that I would dance around the basement too and wait for that catch right before the end... to see what it said this time. They also had Pinky and the Brain. Oh, what beauty.

Then we started to see television theme songs die out in the 80s replaced with instrumental themes. I still blame Lost (although it's theme fit so well) for the loss of songs, and extended titles all we seem to get anymore are place cards that remind us of what show we're watching so they can fit in a longer run time or commercial space. There were still some recent ones that stood out as masterful pieces of art and set up for the show to come after the fade out.

Six Feet Under's opening theme was the first theme that had me utterly enchanted with the story being told. It perfectly took you through what this should would be about, not just a funeral home, but the journey we take in death. If you have the chance watch the featurette about the making of the title sequence.

Dexter's opening theme is along the same lines (and same title sequence company) as Six Feet Under's. If you are not ready to root for the sociopath by the time the ending ting sounds, you should just turn the channel. Or in my case shut off the DVD.

Chuck's use of Cake's Short Skirt, Long Jacket is masterful. It again sets up the story, mood, and complete nerd ride that Chuck is going to take you on.

This is from the UK series Skins, which uses music and typography in a way I hadn't really thought about. Each episode has a different opening and this is a collection of how the themes changed with each season.

Who knew a theme could be so short, so powerful all in one jabbing motion of a pen? Brilliant.

So the bestest? My favorite?

Yes, this is what I'm deeming as best title sequence. All because of what it spawned on Seinfield.

George's Answering Machine

A great opening title sequence prepares you for the show you're getting ready to watch. I still prefer songs that are sung instead of the instrumental, but when they're done right they're brilliant. If you're wondering why Captain Planet isn't on here... it's because I found out the theme song I sing all the time is actually played over the end credits. Otherwise this would have been two paragraphs about Captain Planet being completely awesome.

Ceasing Ramble.

Day 17: 30 Days of TV - Best Miniseries

2011-01-17T12:21:00.004-06:00

Day 17: Best miniseries

I'm a sucker for miniseries. It's like a marathon that I know will have quality storytelling, acting, editing, music, and EPICNESS! I was thinking between two miniseries for this either Battlestar Galactica or Band of Brothers.

Until I remembered Into the West. Into the West aired on TNT and followed two different sects of families the Wheelers in Virginia and a tribe of Lakota it follow them through generations from the young days of Jacob Wheeler setting out across the plains his path twisting together with the Lakota Thunder Heart Woman. It feels like a western miniseries along the lines of Lonesome Dove, but it's better in every way (mostly there is not close-up pause of a snake killing someone in a river).

It twists through events of our dimly remembered frontier days and the music by Geoff Zenilli is heart-stopping. As king of the miniseries Stephen Spielberg gathers the best group to bring a vision to fruition, but really the reason to watch is Tonantzin Carmelo's portrayal of Thunder Heart Woman.

See, even Sarah likes it.

Oh and for Joss fans there are parts doled out for Alan Tudyk and Christian Kane.

When I dug into the miniseries (through DVD) Dany can attest when she would ask what I was doing it normally involved the words, "Watching Into the West and crying." or "Watching Into the West and laughing that Jessica Capshaw is playing a woman who just delivered a baby.. she's the ancestor of Dr. Robbins!"

It is six-parts and is a great way to spend a lazy weekend or sick days. I'm going to foist this on my father when I spend a week off work hanging with my parents as my Mom recovers from surgery. I think he'd appreciate a little bit of Western and I'll appreciate the strong female characters.. oh and the music.

Ceasing Ramble.

Day 16: 30 Days of TV - Guilty Pleasure Show

2011-01-17T01:12:00.002-06:00

Day 16: Your guilty pleasure show

A guilty pleasure show, for me, means that it's something that not necessarily all of my friends watch, but that I find such joy when I realize that someone watches it. Mostly because it's a reality show on Bravo.

But it's Top Chef.

Amongst my friends reality television is not the best thing ever to watch, but I always like to pretend that since Top Chef is a talent based competition show that it is better than the other "reality" shows.

The only thing that I wished came with Top Chef was smell-o-vision and I'd like a bite of that ability. I get pulled into the editing and squeal like a fangirl when it's one of the episodes where Gail is judging. I will have favorites that I know are formed around how the "writers" and editing team put together an episode.

There have been seasons when I was so angry at the winning chef, but I don't have the ability to taste the food so what do I know?

I will watch all forms of Top Chef, I did try to watch Top Chef Just Desserts, but the casting choices didn't have me rooting for anyone besides the judges, which... is odd.

All I know is that I still have an unwavering love of Casey Thompson. I want to eat at her restaurant, but I don't really know if I ever want to meet her, although searching for her website I did just find her twitter account.

Ceasing Ramble.

Day 15: 30 Days of TV - Favorite Female Character

2011-01-17T00:56:00.002-06:00

Day 15: Favorite female character

I know what you're thinking. You're thinking this is easy peasy and I'm going to say Anya on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

You're wrong.

Instead I'm choosing a strong petite woman who stands by her convictions, finds the cold hard facts, and tries to believe what she can't see... she works the case and tries not to invest too much of herself into it so she can be objective, but normally loses that battle... because she's a marshmallow.

My favorite female character is Veronica Mars. If you thought I was going to say Dana Scully instead you were really close, but Veronica as played by Kristen Bell feels a bit more 'real' and by real I mean that I believe young girls like her exist. Smart and snarky girls who are displaced from a niche or group and are treading water trying to find who they are without what they know defines them. Hm. Seems I like characters that move from defining themselves by others and connections to defining themselves through THEMSELVES.

If there actually is a perfect season of television it is the first season of Veronica Mars and that is because of the characterization of our heroine. (Yes perfect, I'll arm wrestle you because I believe it that strongly). She's a fallen angel from the world of the privileged 09-er zip code in Neptune, California. She also happens to help her father with his private investigation business in her spare time.

Also she's completely awesome.

I could care less about the romantic story lines running through this show and I'll get to it later on in the challenge why. This was smart TV and should be feasted on over and over again.

If you've ever watched the show, start over and watch it again. If you haven't get ready to fall in love so deeply that you perhaps like me don't watch the final two episodes for two years because you can't bare for it to be finished.

Ceasing Ramble.

Day 14: 30 Days of TV - Favorite Male Character

2011-01-17T00:23:00.003-06:00

Day 14: Favorite male character.

I had many characters floating through my brain from different eras of my television watching: Grover (Sesame Street), Hushpuppy (Lambchop's Play-Along), Alex P. Keaton (Family Ties), Dick Van Dyke (The Dick Van Dyke Show), Lou Grant (The Mary Tyler Moore Show), Zack Morris (Saved by the Bell), Chuck, Rick Castle, but I finally settled on one.

Dr. Sam Beckett from Quantum Leap as played by Scott Bakula.

I rooted for him every week to find a way home while getting to see small vignettes throughout the history of our country. It played with time and technology and gave Scott Bakula the ability to stretch his range showcasing comedy, drama, and at times music.

Quantum Leap is one of the few shows that my entire family came together into our snug basement every week to watch the episodes. I was eight when the show started and was fascinated with the idea of time travel and ate up the slices of the past it was feeding me (and my library card).

While we got to see Sam help fix the time line or 'string theory' of individuals I always just hoped that he would return home for good.

Sam didn't return to his time and place. He didn't save his brother from a death in Vietnam. He did save many individuals though and boy was he working it out in dresses.

Remembering all the male characters that have been given to me through time (and how Sam, partially reappears in Chuck in brilliant casting decision). I really think I need to re-watch all of the episodes.

Oh Boy.

Ceasing Ramble.

Day 13: 30 Days of TV - Favorite Childhood Show

2011-01-15T17:41:00.003-06:00

Day 13: Your favorite childhood show

I struggled with this purely for my uncanny love for the Captain Planet theme song and remembering that I used to watch it with a blue ring with waves in it and pretended to be Linka anytime the powers were called.

But, its not Sesame Street.

There were muppets, Maria, songs, dances, learning and Kermit.

I was a latchkey kid growing up as well as having a brother that was more high-maintance than me growing up, which meant that the television was a babysitter. My mother when at home would use it as a baby sitter and Sesame Street was enthralling.

And I fell in love with the characters, but mostly Grover.

Kermit and Grover were my favorite characters. It was something in the gentle, supportive, caring nature that they expressed. Through Sesame Street I realized the traits of what was important in friends.

And I have a best friend who is the equivalent to a blend of Kermit and Grover.

Beth.

So I guess this is more a friend love letter to her.

Ceasing Ramble.

An Insomnia Filled Rant of Really?

2011-01-14T00:46:00.001-06:00

I can't sleep.

I've been trying to, but although the adorable snoring of my cat and the calming gurgle of my humidifier I just keep wondering how the last episode of Grey's Antaomy, while lovely in editing, music choice, thematic arcs and the other pieces I have praised decided the choice to take Callie, Arizona, Mark, Lexie and the viewers down was innovative and smart writing.

To me, and my often writing partner Nikki it's lazy, easy, and predictable.

I love Grey's for being a soap opera dressed up in big boy's clothes and not playing around in the cliche land that I expect soaps to mine since they are on everyday year around.

(Do not read below the cut if you have not watched the 1-13-11 episode of Grey's if so, spoilers ahead).

So in the writer's room the decision that how easy would it be for the comfort sex between Callie and Mark (which I still find completely plausible and in character) to result in a pregnancy... as a good idea?

It's lazy writing. The characters already have enough damaged trust, honesty, and betrayal in the simple act of deciding that a career opportunity is more important than your love life.

Many of my friends kept lamenting that the palate cleansing was, of course, going to lead to a pregnancy and how trite to throw the lesbian couple into the often written pregnancy storyline. I kept poo-poo-ing the idea because I trusted the writers to not lead into the easy path.

Both in Mark and Lexie and in Callie and Arizona's relationship children have been a major stumbling block. (At this point I just want Lexie and Arizona to be together, maybe they'll just brush each other's hair). They had dealt with it last year and last season.

I, as someone who love hanging out with kids, but no thank you, no sir-ee no thank you do I want one; loved that they showed Arizona as a person who didn't see kids in her life and how that is not selfish. And she was painted as the 'bad guy' for not wanting kids. Lexie, now at 25, I believe in the show let Mark know she was not ready to be a mother or a grandmother with Sloan's child on the way.

And we're revisiting baby town again with these couples?

I feel like I blissfully decided to follow the Grey's writers on a trip to Africa and paid no heed to my friends trying to warn me about how the writing was on the wall already. I got my passport, I got my Lonely Planet guidebook and read up, but when we checked in I found out that we were not going where I thought we were... on an adventure I've never been on, but instead. I'm going to Iowa (no offense Kamiah)... a state that has some great places to visit, but I've been there... a lot.

I expected more.

I also didn't expect to dislike both Arizona and Callie at the end of the episode.

The episode was filled with trying to get us to hate Arizona more for being an arrogant, unmoving, cold, woman who doesn't fight for anything if it's tough. Interesting, that's not the character I'm used to seeing. Is she just a good man in a storm... when the storm is mild?

Have I felt bad for Callie? Does life not happen how you plan because it's life? Yes. Has she been left by every person she's been in a relationship with? Yes. How about mining that instead of throwing in a plot device like a pregnancy (My last lingering hope is that it was a false positive)

As my tweet said; lazy writing is lazy.

Ceasing Ramble.

P.S. I did think that Wilson Cruz was fabulous in this episode. As well as Chyler Leigh's hair, she should be in shampoo commercials.

Day 12: 30 Days of TV - An Episode You've Never Grown Tired Of...

2011-01-12T22:49:00.004-06:00

Day 12: An episode you have never grown tired of...

Okay. The first time I watched this episode I really did watch it with the full seriousness and adoration of the female character. I appreciated what they were doing with the show, but now. Now it's just. I love it. In a completely different way.

It's Saved By the Bell. And it's... the Hot Sundae episode.

You know the one with the caffeine pills.

I loved SBtB so much growing up I had a complete dance that I did to the theme song in our family room downstairs. It involved jumping on two couches and a lot of miming. Jessie Spano was my favorite character, she was the smart overachiever and I related to her because I was smart as well.

While I watch it now finding it ridiculous I know what finals week was like in college and the extremes that teenagers and young adolescents (or any high demand/hour job) put themselves through. Energy drinks and shots of red bull and five-hours energy push the body to stay awake longer and get more done.

I went through something like what Jessie did in high school, but without the pills. Just the pressure to be the perfect child, girlfriend, friend, student, employee and had a little breakdown. While it wasn't at the point of needing an intervention I wouldn't have minded Zack Morris giving me a hug.

So while it's cheesy, message received and thanks for the laughs in retrospect.

Ceasing Ramble.

PS. Oh My Lord... look what I found.

PPS. AAAH!

Day 11: 30 Days of TV - A Show That Disappointed You

2011-01-12T22:27:00.003-06:00

Day 11: A show that disappointed you

Disappointment, for me it's more disappointing to be a great show and peter out on the stakes and that's what this show did for me.

Beth and I used to gather together in Columbia on Wednesdays for Lost nights. She lived in Jefferson City working for the Taxman and I worked for He Who Shall Not Be Named and Wednesday was food, fun, and intrigue... until they ruined it.

And it's not even the season finale, because I didn't watch that far. It's when they didn't kill Charlie (the first time) yes, I've been told that it only showed the beginnings of the mystic nature of the island and I should keep watching.

But as the house of Whedon has taught me. Death is not something you can give and take away and make me feel like the outcome of the characters is important.

I'm not sorry that I didn't stick around.

If you're going to kill someone. Do it.

Or you're a soap opera masquerading as something else.

This is short because I'm just that disappointed.

Ceasing Ramble.

Day 10: 30 Days of TV - Show You Wouldn't Like (or Hated), BUT

2011-01-11T19:26:00.002-06:00

Day 10: A show you thought you wouldn't like (or hated) but ended up loving

I have made fun of this show. A lot. I have ripped it on continuity, characterization, the unlike-ability of the lead character.

But then... Lifetime, yes the much lamented and lambasted Lifetime dished out what is my Kryptonite. They started running a marathon of this show in the summer from 5:00-8:00 and I went from disliking it on a whole to loving the whole messy show.

When I began watching this show in the first season I thought it had everything I would love in a series. Overly verbose characters who are so self-obsessed that every intricate thing they do is only defined by the so huge they can't be kept inside feelings. It was a better produced soap opera, with better storylines, better acting, and the editing was delicious.

In fact, the editing, blocking, direction is what kept me coming back to it as my graduate school friends would crow about how they loved the characters I said the only one that did not irritate me was Dr. Callie Torres, but the book-ending, thematic arcs of the episodes, and the conscious editing down to sound design/music selection was really great.

I got blank stares.

I asked them if they actually listened to the monologues at the beginning of the episodes. They responded that they kinda did, but not really. They were watching for the eye candy as does most of the audience from what I can gather of reactions to Shonda Rhimes on twitter.

I graduated and was cable television-less for a long while so I fell out of watching the series which I was fine with since Meredith Grey was grating on my every last nerve.

So what changed a disliked show into being loved?

I realized two things in those marathons where you can see seasonal arcs as well as individual character arcs progress. The first was that the writing was actually very good and reminded me more of character studies than most shows on air at the time. The second was that Ellen Pompeo was actually acting her ass off and somehow transformed an emotionally stunted character into a smart and interesting one.

Well and the addition of Jessica Capshaw as Dr. Arizona Robbins.

I am not immune to eye candy.

I knew it had grown into full blown love when I started reading fanfiction and then convinced Nikki that we should write something with Grey's characters. How can you write what you hate?

So I watch for the surgical story lines, which I actually think are interesting. The most moving ones usually through the eyes of Lexie Grey, the better Grey, although I will always remember the sensitivity that the MTF storyline was played by Eric Dane as Mark Sloan.

The friendships on the show are better than the romances. I'll go down with that. Meredith and Cristina or Callie and Mark are more interesting than Meredith and Derek. And while I root for couplings with big pennant sized banners it's not the only reason I watch.

Watching this show through the summer after both of my grandparents passed away was more healing to me than I really thought it would be... especially a scene in 5x19 that I almost want to save for best line, but I want to share here. In Elevator Love Letter, written by my favorite writer of the show, Stacy McKee, an old woman who has been hanging on for years and her family keeps coming to her side when they are told she only has days left has this to say to Dr. Alex Karev when he tells her not to die to make the insensitive family happy.

They're impatient. It's been a long time. But they always come. They're my people. People keep you going. People are better than no people.

We then see as she passes that the family was there... because they did love her and it hit a little too close to home after my Grandpa passed away.

But I think, like Buffy, Grey's reels you in with the big! anvil! feelings! of the episodes and you become like the surgeons where every storyline somehow hits on you or your life and that's when it sings the loudest.

Even if it's off-key at times.

Ceasing Ramble.

Day 9: 30 Days of TV - Best Scene Ever

2011-01-07T19:10:00.003-06:00

Day 9: Best Scene Ever

I rolled my eyes up thinking deeply about this one. It needed to be a scene that had great camera work, score, editing, story, and when it came to me I was surprised by the answer.

The Best Scene for me is the Chase Scene/Exploring Scene in the Season Six episode three of The X-Files named Triangle.

Triangle had all the touch points for what I loved about television and The X-Files in general. It had the story of the Bermuda Triangle, time travel, humor, romance, intrigue, nods to classic films, and Nazis.

The camera work in this episode alone was brilliant. I'm a fan of the single shot camera being used as I appreciate the concentration it takes of all pieces of the fabric of a television show to make it work, but the below photos here show my favorite part where The X-Files always was at it's best with humor.

The switches between the present day and the S.S. Queen Anne in 1939 a side swipe was seen, as Mulder and "Scully" were running from the Nazis (as ones does) the screen starts to swipe, but we are taken to a split screen.The two sides of the screen show the quick running action as the other in present day Scully is slowly searching a ghost ship. The score kicks up when the crew ambushes the Nazis playing a big band variation the brass only heard in the 1939 version, the drums and winds keeping our current time sound. But it's when it goes to split screen that it all comes together.

The two times switch sides inhabiting the screen and time period of the other as the two Scully's pass through each other they pause and turn back, then we get a screen swipe, and then another split screen when Scully enters the ballroom it swipes back and we're overtaken with a calming of the score of Mark Snow letting us know we've stopped the chase and now we're back in the present day at the cobwebbed ghost ship.

I'm not sure who I want to make out with more in this episode the score, the editing, or the screenplay itself.

Watch the whole episode and when you see what I'm talking about if you don't enjoy it... I don't think we could be friends.

Oh and I had to rewatch the episode on my Xbox to make sure I was describing it correctly as YouTube had it in no place to be found. Sad. Internet fail.

Ceasing Ramble.

Day 8: 30 Days of TV - Best Twist in a Series

2011-01-06T23:17:00.004-06:00

Day 8: Best twist in a series

I have been stuck on this post for over a week. In fact, I had a conversation with my friend Kamiah about it.

Me: I'm stuck on the TV blog. It's Best Twist. I think I'm overwhelmed, because I watch so much twisty TV.

Kamiah: What are you thoughts?

Me: Most of them revolve around death, because that's always a good shocking thing. But I think it should be something that you go, "Oooooooooh" everytime you see it.

Kamiah: End of The Newhart Show. Does that count?

Me: That was LAME So angry.

Kamiah: Not LAME

Me: LAME

Kamiah: COOL

Me: BOOO

Kamiah: YOU'RE COOL

Me: You're Boo!

Kamiah: Mine's better

Me: Well you're nicer than me. And btw, I'm blogging this. It's going to be the intro to the post.

Death as an abrupt end is always a twist that cuts to the core when done right. Showing the audience that they cannot find anything to be a constant makes the choices and consequences feel like they have more weight. I would say this is the main faltering point of Heroes and Lost. The dead do not stay dead, or perhaps I just never said that I had a favorite character on that show.

So yes, the shows that I watch are all pretty twisty and the thing that continues to shock me (although it shouldn't anymore) is the curse that I have somehow looming over me. When I state out loud, "This person is my favorite character." I have doomed them for death. I'm a Joss Whedon girl. I know that you have to earn the death to make it meaningful and the first one to make me feel the twist, was of course on Buffy.

If you have not watched Buffy, Angel, or Six Feet Under do not read below unless you want a large spoiler. Beth you can read to the cut.

SPOILERAGE SPACE

"I think Jenny is my favorite character."

SNAP! CRACKLE! Awwwww. It caused me to stop watching because I was so upset. I nearly did not pick the series back up, but I did.

"You know, Anya is so my favorite."

It slices! It dices! It also makes juilenne fries!

You'd think I'd learn.

"God I love Doyle, he just brings the whole show together. He's like the Willow."

I miss Glenn too. Sigh.

"I don't know what it is about Angel, but Lilah is the best character on this show."

That one I really didn't see coming, at least how it happened.

Beth told me I really should at this point just no longer talk about who my favorite character is ever. I still didn't learn.

"I love Conner."

"Man, I miss Cordelia so much, she was the best part of this show."

"You know Fred is the heart now that Cordy's gone."

"Hey Beth, Rach and I are members of the club 'What Wes Wants Wes Gets'"

Slice! Poof! Faghenbottom! Denied!

And even though every single one of them hurt and shocked me to some extent. (They had to tell me for an entire episode that Fred was dead. I didn't believe them. Until the very last shot and then I finally started bawling. Ask Beth. It was as snot-a-riffic as every viewing I do of that cheese-tastic Jodie Foster movie Sommersby. She has great stories about me and Sommersby.)

Nothing made me drop my jaw like a character death on Six Feet Under. A show that always has a character die in every episode, perhaps two. But this one. Is when I thought the show might be stupid and brilliant all at the same time.

BETH STOP READING RIGHT NOW DO NOT CLICK ON THE BELOW BREAK LINK AND FINISH SIX FEET UNDER ALREADY YOU'VE HAD IT FOR YEARS!

I can hear her going "Ooops" followed by a giggle right now or a cackle, depends on how happy she is...

Nate's seizure leading up to the ending was the event I just didn't see coming.

But then? Then those bastards made me forget that I was watching the opening of Six Feet Under in the next episode. Brilliant. When I saw the white card flash I knew that I was in for one hell of a ride for the end of the series. And trust me I'll be talking about that series finale.

Also, I still haven't learned to stop naming my favorite character. I think I've doomed Arizona Robbins on Grey's Anatomy. I should have listened to Beth more. Heh, too bad it'll take her a year before she reads that part.

Me: I think your 30 days would be so interesting. It'd be like a Mary-Palooza

Kamiah: Yes, it'd be that with a bit of Dick thrown in

Van Dyke

Me: Hahaha... Oh my God I'm dying

Kamiah: Blog that.

Me: I'll end it with that.

Kamiah: And now all you have to do is write the middle.

Me: Hm.

It's moments like these that I realize my friends are so awesome.

Ceasing Ramble.

Day 7: 30 Days of TV - Least Favorite Episode of Your Favorite TV Show

2011-01-03T19:18:00.006-06:00

Day 7 : Least favorite episode of your favorite TV show

I had the same issue in this as Jessie did even the lesser episodes of Buffy still have something that redeems them., but I believe that Inca Mummy Girl has the least.

While it continues with the theme that Xander (as well as Buffy and Willow) love lives are doomed since they live on the Hellmouth the writing is weak and the guest star, while charming when not speaking, is not so charming while speaking.

In the second season they did finally get Christophe Beck to do the score. The incidental music really brought Buffy and Angel to life for me. Click on the links, you'll find my favorite themes are a bit of the angsty one, but I digress.

The redeeming factor of this episode? Seeing Xander eat an entire Twinkie in one bite.

(Okay fine, I it's also Oz's first episode, but even Seth Green can't fix this for me or Willow in an eskimo outfit).

Xander on Twinkies: "And the exciting part is that they have no ingredients that a human can pronounce, so it doesn't leave you with that heavy 'food' feeling in your stomach."

And while I love some physical comedy, especially from the capable hands of Nicholas Brendan, it just is all I can really love about Inca Mummy Girl.

Underwhelmed.

Ceasing Ramble.

Day 6: 30 Days of TV - Favorite Episode of Your Favorite Show

2010-12-22T12:34:00.003-06:00

Day 6: Favorite episode of your favorite show

I'm biased.

So. So. So. Biased.

My favorite episode is 7x05 Selfless.

The reason this is my favorite episode?

Shall be answered in a pic spam, gushing, and video embedding that I feel the need to actually do a cut.

This episode it all about Anya and the formation of how she becomes who we know now. From Aud the loving and giving woman who defines herself by her relationship with Olaf.

To the first act of vengeance on men; where she gets a job interview and offer from D'Hoffryn.

She then takes the moniker of Anyanka and lives through the job of vengeance. She becomes vengeance.

We see the demon from within at the frat house where she brought the power of The Wish out again slaughtering an entire fraternity of men.How she is trying to hide behind the job, the vengeance, but her speech of who she is falls flat... because she doesn't know who she is yet.

We get a flash back to the musical episode Once More With Feeling and a lost song emerges. Anya is again defining herself through her relationship with a man. Specifically Xander. The song is rife with jokes of her character, call backs to the previous episodes and the couple's song in OMWF, and then my entire complaint of how her hair in OMWF was actually warm brown dissolves as they hit me in the gut.

She opens the door to the balcony and we're transported back to Hells Bells and the events in it. This is where I sobbed while Beth was asleep on the lofted bed beside me in college. The sensory reaction I had to this was an overload. Her hopes and dreams of being a Mrs., being with Xander, were not as she dreamed. As as Buffy is wont to do, they break the song in the ending line to take us back to this image.

That image was my icon on so many boards. I loved that the knife went straight through her heart, because Anya doesn't react from anything other than what she feels. In this instant when they close up on her face and we see a tear.. has Buffy actually killed the last bit of demon? What did she release?

The ending scene when she tells D'Hoffryn to take her as the collateral for the frat boys being restored. We see another piece of Anya being taken away and what remains?

Acceptance of who she could become. This episode is most likely not on the top ten of many Buffy viewers lists, but it is my favorite. Drama, angst, fighting, song and dance, romance, comedy and the strength to continue.

I even made a video to try and work through my feelings about this episode.

Oh, other things happen and there is a B storyline in there, but really, this is all a love letter to Emma Caulfield and she deserved it.

*All images taken from Screencap Paradise

Ceasing Ramble.

Day 5: 30 Days of TV - A Show You Hate

2010-12-21T22:12:00.009-06:00

Day 5: A show that you hate

Smallville.

I hate Smallville.

Which is big news coming from a girl who loves all things Superman. I was so excited when the promos came out for this show.

Look at how awesome it is! Clark is in the middle of a cornfield strung up like a scarecrow with a S painted on his chest! He's wearing a kryptonite necklace!

I was so excited of this show that the above poster festooned my residence hall room as I counted down the days to the premiere. I would geek out about the things they did right and loved that they cast his parents as Bo Duke and the original Lana Lang from the Superman movies.

And Allison Mack was amazing as the original character of Chloe...

But then it really started sucking. A lot.

I would keep trying to tune in, but it just infuriated me more and more each time I would watch it. While they would get images and the score was quiet good, the constant pounding over our heads that Lana was the almighty from heaven and Chloe was second banana just.. didn't ring true.

It also made me detest poor Kristen Kreuk who was later fond to be lovely on Chuck.

I finally just stopped watching because of how mad it made me. No matter how much I loved the character of Chloe and how much I loved Superman and origin stories Smallville ripped out all the good and pooped on it.

And don't even get me started on how it's STILL on air while Buffy and Angel are not.

Anger.

And check in on the others...
Beth
Dany
Jessie
Nikki

Ceasing Ramble.

Day 4 : 30 Days of TV - Your Favorite Show of All-Time

2010-12-20T20:12:00.010-06:00

Day 4 - Your favorite show of all-time

Yes, I'm going to say the exact same thing as one of my fellow friend bloggers.

Who have blogged about my two most favorite television shows ever.

Jessie and Nikki

I thought about it for a moment and I wonder if the reason the show won was because it finished at a later date, but then realized... no I went to a (read three) conventions and a film festival because of the fandom with this show.

Yes, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is beating out The X-Files.

I love nearly everything about Buffy. It's the show that really got me started breaking down the way to write, how grammar can be twisted into new forms, and that I should never, ever state out loud in a Joss Whedon show who my favorite character is because they will die.

This is the show that I wrote fanfic for, joined an RPG for, went to conventions for, got over my incredible shyness amongst new people for, and dove into literary and film theory for...

I also wrote papers in college for linguistics, wrote a comparison of Greek view of women and Buffy (thank you Restless for using Sappho's poetry) and did my senior seminar project involving Buffy.

I was a year younger than Buffy and the Scoobies and grew up with them through some very formative years. I like to share Buffy with friends. It's almost a test, that I try not to rig seeing what they like, hate, and who they love.

Buffy made me laugh, cry, and be so proud to see a female save the world when only men had been doing so for so long. It gave me a smart female friend who changed my view on what it was to be gay. It gave me the ability to see that parents sometimes mean the best when they discipline. It showed the bond of love between sisters.

But most of all it gave me the vision that the sarcastic, blunt comedic relief is always more and sometimes are the most fragile and open among us all.

Watch it.

And when you do; don't look at the surface of the plot, look above it.

In Buffy character came first and the plot was moved by the characters...

Also, it gave me Jane Espensen.

I could go on writing a sappy love letter to Buffy, but instead I'll just leave you with my English Senior Seminar video and (hopefully) the scene that it was based off of.

And check in on the others...
Beth
Dany
Jessie
Nikki

Ceasing Ramble.

Day 3: 30 Days of TV - Favorite New Show (2010)

2010-12-19T09:39:00.010-06:00

Day 3: Your favorite new show that started in 2010.

My favorite new show of the year I found about in an odd way. On a Frontier Airlines flight to California. They were showing short previews of shows on the TVs in front of our faces. Pretty brilliant with the mostly bored and mostly captive audience.

I recognized some of the actors and then there was singing. So I was hooked... even with the baby being involved.

It's a warm and wacky family comedy centered around the product of a one-night stand with a serial killer.

How fun!

The writing is tight, the deliveries are spot on and the male lead is endearing, which I wasn't sure he'd be able to pull off with the razzle dazzle that was surrounding him. But he has.

It has Martha Plimpton as a hording cleaning lady. (I know you loved Goonies as much as I). Garrett Dillahunt as a very well intentioned lawn service man. (Did you watch the Sarah Conner Chronicles? He is funny too!). They play the too young to be grandparents... grandparents.

And then there is occasional bits of non sequiter gold with Chloris Leachmen as Maw Maw a semi-nude octagarian who has Alzhimer's.

Oh and the out of his league, but so cute and sarcastic Shannon Woodward as Sabrina.

I mean lookit her.

This is the show that is on after that show on Fox with singing and barely any continuity.

Stick around and watch it.

And check in on the others...
Beth
Dany
Jessie
Nikki

Ceasing Ramble.

Day 2: 30 Days of TV - You Wish More People Were Watching...

2010-12-15T18:19:00.009-06:00

Day 2: A show that you wish more people were watching (currently on).

This is not hard for me as I always wish this and repeatedly say it out loud to many of my friends.

I wish more people were watching Chuck on NBC.

I mean it's all of my Kryptonites all together in one package of Awesome.

It has action, spy adventure and intrigue, romance, all wrapped up and hugged with the legs of comedy

The show also reinvents itself every season that it's on TV. It has a successful fan campaign to come back for another season when it was on the bubble (again).

But mostly. That show has heart.

It has pretty.

And pretty hot.

And Jeffster.

Also somehow every single guest star when shown in a preview of I see the name flash up on the screen is perfect. I actually said, "Wow, Nicole Richie can act!" and "Who knew that Kristen Kruek is so likeable!"

The nods to pop culture geekdom are well played and honor the nerd, geek, dork, or dweeb in all of us. Not since Buffy have I gushed so much about a show, but somehow... I don't have people to fangirl with and it is so very upsetting.

Especially when I know they would all love it as much as me.

So watch it already.

And check in on the others...
Beth
Dany
Jessie
Nikki

Ceasing Ramble.

Day 1: 30 Days of TV - Canceled Before Its Time

2010-12-15T10:03:00.010-06:00

I clicked on a Twitter link of @hhoagie to her friend's blog last night and found a meme they were participating in called 30 Days of TV.

My eyebrows raised and my lips pursed out as I said to myself, "I like TV. I should do this..."

Hopefully you'll find this entertaining, get a show to watch out of this, or just be impressed that I start and finish something that has writing in it.

Day 1: A show that should never have been canceled.

My mind swirled around for this one I filtered through the shows that I lament on not getting to see have one more season: Firefly, Veronica Mars, Trauma (which I think I might be the only one who watched this show...)

But the one that kept coming back was Wonderfalls.

This delightful show was cut down too quickly by the Fox network (the masters of the single season cancellation). Many thought that the premise of the show; a recent university graduate with a degree in philosophy stuck in a job at a gift store in Niagara Falls who just so happened to be the reluctant conduit for messages via gift store items... to help people, was a lesser copy of the hit show Joan of Arcadia.

It wasn't.

It was better.

The snarky humor, amazing supporting cast, smart writing, fate vs. destiny, made the one and only season a bitter pill to swallow.

Oh and let's talk about that supporting cast for a moment.

Lee Pace of the also brilliant Pushing Daises as Jaye's lackadaisical brother.

Tracie Thoms of Cold Case and the movie RENT as Jaye's best friend.

Katie Finneran the recent Tony award winner from Promises, Promises as Jaye's overbearing sister. Actually I could go on for days about Katie Finneran, but I am hoping that someone who hasn't seen the show will watch it and find her as delectable as I did.

Then there is the overly cute Tyron Leitso of Being Erica and The Big C as the possible love interest for Jaye.

Guest spots by Jewel Staite and Sarah Drew only add to the caliber of acting and nuances that have me so enamored with anything to do with the show I will watch anything that an actor who was in it will appear in, like the lead Caroline Dhavernas is going to be in the new medical drama Off the Map in January, done and done.

It still impresses me the group of people that were brought together under Bryan Fuller's direction.

Just talking about this show makes me salivate for more.

(Yes, I know I have sprinkled this entry with food based descriptors... it's because the show is a treat in itself).

But I mean look...

Wouldn't you watch that show?

Ceasing Ramble.

Edited to Add:

All of Wonderfalls is actually on YouTube. I did not spend time at work with it playing.

Also if you'd like to follow along below are the friends also blogging.

Beth
Dany
Jessie
Nikki

Parseltongue

2010-11-29T10:49:00.002-06:00

The following is unedited from the re-telling to my friend Molly in gchat.

My bathtub drain has been clogged and getting worse since my birthday. I kept trying to work on it, but with continued failure.

So I had been taking showers infrequently and giving myself a whore's bath in the sink on days that there was still standing water in the tub.

I didn't want to call the landlord because I was SURE I could fix this on my own.

So after taking a shower Wednesday morning I sighed as the water kept piling up and thought. I'll try one more time and then I'm going to call the landlord.

I came home from the halfday of work with a ginormous bottle of liquid plumber. I pulled back the curtain and saw, again, standing water. Another deep sigh and I leaned forward, pouring in the bottle and hoping that it would loosen up, what had to be hair.

After doing so I started to pull the shower curtain liner out of the water and saw a skinny black tail wiggle waggle towards the far end of the tub.

Knowing exactly what it was I said, "You've got to be kidding me. No, no, oh my God no, snake, ew, snake, ah, snake." Calmly backing out of the bathroom I retreated to my dining room so I could see the bathroom, but not be in it.

I had my phone on me, per usual, and called Dany to have a mild panic attack to. She didn't answer. I called her again. She didn't answer.

I tried to reason with myself that the snake wouldn't hurt me and that I could go in there and get it and throw it outside.

Reasoning failed.

I then reverted to a small child and decided to call my psuedo-boyfriend Andy. Ashley answered his phone and I calmly said, "Can I share something with you, but you can't make fun of me?"

"Sure."

"There is a snake in my bathtub and snakes are my irrational fear and I really would love for Andy to come over and get it out of the tub."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"Aw, we're not in town. We're at a restaurant near home."

I nodded and started to go through other people I knew who could deal with a snake. "Ah, okay."

"Well, text me when you get it all figured out."

I instantly called Krisana, she answered all chipper as a person who had been on vacation for five days would. "Hey, are you at home?"

"No, I'm at my sister's." My mind started to race, her sister in Warrensburg or her sister in Blue Springs?

"Okay, is John at home?"

"Yes, why?"

"Ah, well there is a snake in my bathtub, and you know snakes are-"

"Your irrational fear animal, yeah oh man."

"Yeah, so do you think John could-"

"Oh no, I'll come over John's irrational fear animal is snakes too."

I thanked her profusely and then called Dany in the meantime so I had someone to talk to.. during that time I edged out of my house onto my side porch and called Bandit to me (I was worried he's want to drink the bath water that had liquid plumber in it).

I hung up and called Krisana back. She just had made it back in town. Bandit started to walk down the hallway so I had to go back inside. I quickly shut the door to the bathroom and was able to sit by my computer where my lunch had been sitting for an hour getting cold.

Krisana stopped at her house and hung up with me to get her 'getting a snake out of your tub' supplies.

I distracted myself by eating my somewhat cold lunch a bit.

Then the Calvary arrived with a mop bucket in one hand and a garden tool in the other.

She went into the bathroom and I heard an exasperated, "Oh my God, Brenda."

I realized this snake must be a little snake, but I yelled, "Is it or is it not a snake?"

"It's just a little baby snake."

To which my brain then said, "Oh a little baby snake, you know where one little baby snake is there are sixty of them. No wonder your drain is clogged with snakes!"

Krisana lifted it out with her hand and took it outside.

She came back in and we tried to talk through my anxiety a bit. I said, "So how many other baby snakes do you think are down there?"

She winced and said, "You went there huh? I hoped you wouldn't."

"Well you said baby snake and it's not like they hatch alone."
- -
Epilogue
No other snakes have arisen from my drain.

The drain did not unclog with just liquid plumber, my landlord had to come over.

Later that night when I went into the bathroom, I sat down on the toilet and my brain said, "What if there is a snake in the toilet."

I groaned and yelled aloud, "Really? Come on self!"

Ceasing Ramble.

Character Roles

2010-11-16T21:15:00.003-06:00

I'm a character.

Some say a cartoon character.

Some say a nerd or geek type.

Some say a comedienne.

Some say a sarcastic bitch.

Some say a sounding board.

It's something that I've crafted over years and is centered around entertaining people. I rarely break character.

There are things that are expected out of me by friends, family, colleagues, students and I will play the role... usually even if I don't feel the part.

During a drive along Highway 50 as the country rolled out ahead of me I wondered if I had become so good at playing this character that I had lost myself in it.

To a point I think I have and when I reflect I will put myself into those roles on how to react, how to act, and how to be.

In acting class we learned about acting with a mask on and when you can make that mask come alive and you see the faces moving through words and overt body language.

The Greeks would be proud.

Ceasing Ramble.

Time Warp 2010: Halloween

2010-11-10T08:36:00.016-06:00

I had taken a lot of pictures of my costume prep this year for Halloween so I thought I'd put them up on here for the sake of 'Look what I did!'

Halloween is taken very seriously with my group of friends. We go all out, we sew, we go for minute detail.

After last year's Kevin the bird from Up I decided that I was going to go comfortable next Halloween.

So in February I decided upon Dr. Arizona Robbins from Grey's Anatomy. It would require me to grow my hair for the remainder of the year (the hardest portion of the costume process).

I had a plan to piece together bits through the year so I wouldn't be rushing in October to finish it all up. This worked a bit. I purchased Heely's in July and didn't learn how to use them.

I went to Joann's fabric and got the fabric for the scrub cap and the press ons for the coat... and then just forgot about it until September.

Then the sewing, buying of the lab coat, embroidery, etc. started to happen in a whirlwind.

So I cut the four fabrics into 3" by 3" square-ish pieces.

Then began sewing together strips to sew together. This took the longest amount of time. Granted I only sew once a year (for Halloween), but it took me roughly eight hours of statements like this: "How do I fill the bobbin again?" "No! You're supposed to be facing!" "Damn you, you damn thread, damn you to Hades!"

But it turned out pretty nice.

Then came the embroidery on the coat, I did not do this, it was machine embroidery at one of the places in town. I brought in screen shots and print outs of blown up sections of Arizona's coat and we worked together to get text that made me happy.

There is a typo, it drives me crazy. I looked back at the items I gave the nice lady and I saw it was her typo. Oh well.

I rushed to get the other pieces of my costume together. The navy scrubs, the heart necklace, the PEDS stethoscope, the silver watch, my fake ID badge (which I can't not laugh at it was pasted to my Health Insurance card) and of course dying my hair.

There were many different 'wearing of the costume' as I knew it would get hot.

In the meantime I convinced my work spouse to dress up as "Gauze Paws" Callie and we had a fun time at the party.

The beginning of the evening "nice hair" photo.

Already getting warm, possibly due to my own martini bar I was working for guests. So the transition phase. The fuzzy due to being taken on a phone by an inebriated person.

Nice cameras take pretty photos! (For more on the party see Nik's blog.)

With my favorite webcomic zombie. There are other pictures of the night that I found on my phone that are going to stay on my phone.

While I did practice on the Heelys I never felt fully comfortable with them and nearly died on the hardwood floor twice that night, but just having them on felt right. Until I took them off, hid my socks somewhere that I would be sure to find them the next day... and wound up curled up asleep on a couch.

Fantastic party, because Beth always throws the best Halloween parties.

Ceasing Ramble.

I Feel Like This is Progress

2010-11-05T22:24:00.002-05:00

Tonight I got swept in tons of conflicting emotions that I'm not going to go into here because they're stemming from so many facets of my life that I still don't understand what is going on in my brain wrinkles...

But, the point is instead of wallowing in food and sitting on my ass.

I got up and ran.

Yes, Kamiah... you read that right. I ran, granted it was on my treadmills programmed burst program - where you put in your weight, calories want to burn, and time in doing it... and it modulates walking, jogging, running for bursts of time.

But after nearly 1.75 miles I was above the mark on calories and I felt better.

Thank you endorphins.

Also, I've decided if I was too lazy to blog about the workout, it didn't happen, therefore I don't get to count it towards EXP achievements. Suck it self. Be more disciplined with writing.

Forgive the more than usual stream of consciousness herein.

Miles Walked: 12.045
Circuit Training
Beginner: 1 set - 3
Beginner: 2 sets - 2

I Am Not a Morning Person

2010-10-28T06:45:00.004-05:00

I have very strange sleep patterns. It's something that's always been true in my life and I only remember two nights that I ever slept through the entire night. One I was in Germany and I had been awake for 36 hours because I cannot sleep in planes, trains, or automobiles. The other I was sick, sick, sick.

As you may have noticed I haven't blogged in a weeks.

It's because I have realized I have zero intrinsic motivation. It's always extrinsic, being why the guilt works fabulous for me if I feel I'm letting someone down then I'm more likely to do something.

That something, is of course exercise and I've asked Kamiah to call me when she gets up in the morning. She politely reminded me that she gets up at 5:20 am. I reminded her that I was serious.

I can wake up very easy and sound very awake, but I can also fall back asleep pretty easily as Mia found out yesterday as she called me we chatted and when I hung up I went back to sleep.

Today she didn't fall for my cheery and chipper voice and actually made me say that I would "get up and get moving" which I'm pretty sure is a slogan of something somewhere.

So I did.

And 2.01 miles later I'm sitting around not sure what to do with my hour I have before work, but perhaps I'll watch some of The Today Show, which I've missed.

I generally will roll out of bed at 7:30 am it's the nice part of living so close to work.

Miles Walked: 10.415
Circuit Training
Beginner: 1 set - 3
Beginner: 2 sets - 2

I Did Not, Infact, Die

2010-10-11T19:02:00.004-05:00

Yes, I realize that I didn't blog for a week.

It seems without a daily nice conversation with Kamiah that I cannot force myself to do anything. I need the slight guilt. It helps me when I don't think I'm disappointing anyone.

Also, I forgot how draining enrollment season can be. Enrollment, where my days exist of back to back student appointments where they try to give up all traces of being an adult and just have me plan their lives. Which, I could do, I'm good at it, but that's not why I am an advisor.

Tuesday and Wednesday evening I worked athlete enrollment that is group enrollment in a hot and stuffy computer lab trying to work around practice commitments and the 'wants' of "Coach" many of the sports are a delight to work with and many of the athletes continue to rise above the stereotype of a college athlete. Because I work at a Division II school where you play not just for the scholarship, but for the degree. It's why I like Division II.

Granted to say that getting home late did not make me want to do anything, so I didn't.

Then I compared my weight drop to Wednesday's weight gain and went on a tailspin of GRAH.

I'm over that.

I just kicked my circuit workout's ass.

I'm not sure if it was seeing A Chorus Line over the weekend and wishing to have the drive of those dancers. Wanting something so bad that you work so hard at it... and for that to be a backup job supporting the lead.

There are two spots of A Chorus Line that break my heart. The beginning together walk to the line and slamming the headshots in front of their faces to show them as a resume, a factory line.

And then the end when they have become the factory line, we love One. We know the words, we saw them learn the steps, but now they're all alike. After spending 90 minutes knowing them individually you barely can pick them apart.

I could write sonnets, lyrical poems, and treaties on A Chorus Line, but really it's the feelings that it gives me that take me back to it every time I can.

Or it was just that the week is new and Kamiah's home.

Miles Walked: 8.405
Circuit Training
Beginner: 1 set - 3
Beginner: 2 sets - 2

Here's to a better week.

Ceasing Ramble.

Tomorrow is Gonna Hurt So Good

2010-10-04T18:36:00.003-05:00

The weekend was lovely.

I went to the Royals game on Saturday and met up with Jenny. We walked around the stadium. I nearly caught a baseball. We stared at the ball still in the fountain. We went to the Hall of Fame and continued walking around the stadium, finally sitting down during the fourth inning. A full three hours of standing, walking, moseying, and telling hilarious stories while waiting to get our free soda for being designated drivers. I love the K.

I also may have nearly agreed to do the swimming leg of a relay triathlon. It's like Jenny had researched all my comebacks to say no. I'll get into that later.

On Sunday I headed to my parents where I played free IT "expert". I taught my Mom that her computer did, in fact, have a DVD player, but her broken collarbone and Parkinson's has made using the mouse in her left hand hard to control.

She asked at lunch for "a dvd player bought, hooked up, and a tutorial" so I went to the happy local superstore and got a dvd player for 35 dollars. I was not aware they are practically giving away dvd players for so cheap, thank you Blu-Ray.

Then began the very long process of teaching my Mom how to switch from the TV to the DVD player and back. I actually put gold nail polish on the "component/input" button and then wrote out what I thought were really really really simple instructions. It seemed difficult for her, which has sent me on a worry fest.

She's never been fabulous with electronics, but I wonder if it's that my Dad commandeers the remote or if perhaps there is something else going on.

Nevertheless it's going to make me check up on my parents more than I have before.

And onto the workout!

Miles Walked: 8.405
Circuit Training
Beginner: 1 set - 3
Beginner: 2 sets - 1

Yes, that's right I upped the circuit workout to add in a second set and while I nearly threw up during the cool down I did achieve a couple things.

We've heard my struggle with the plank so I have changed to a modified plank hoping to work on my form and hold it longer. I was able to in each set do 2 modified planks for 60 seconds each. I really thought I was going to bite it on the last one, but it felt good to accomplish that. Hopefully I'll be able to work up to 3 modified planks for 60 seconds each and then take it to the full plank.

Tomorrow is going to hurt. I can already see it coming. I just hope my thighs don't hurt when I walk down stairs. I can handle everything else without becoming a whiny baby.

Back to the a leg of a triathlon. It's at Smithville Lake (or Smithville) 500 meters and in July. I love swimming and this finally might get me to commit to getting a pool pass to the community center (insert Beth's joke here about a pass to the pool).

Ceasing Ramble

Let's Walk... Outside

2010-10-01T20:49:00.005-05:00

I put off walking tonight for a good long while.

This being after I didn't do cardio on Wednesday because I was meeting Beth and Daniel at the Royals game for some shenanigans. I ended up actually seeing a baseball in the fountain and was so upset that I didn't think ahead like Zack Hample and bring my own water retrieval device. (And if you don't know Zack or haven't heard of him check out both the blog and his website. He's a stand-up guy who catches baseballs for charity.)

So instead I just emo tweeted about it and took a picture.

And then Beth took some other ones with her camera that apparently have me reaching desperately for the ball. I told her that I would get the ball when I go back tomorrow. I am fully determined to copy Zack's device and will fully credit him as well as re-read Watching Baseball Smarter, which he signed, great baseball book.

Hm, after re-reading Zack's entry on the colander I'm not sure that I'll be able to get the ball off the bottom of the fountain. We'll see.

That leads us to Thursday and the nap of death, followed by Grey's (Yay! Arizona!), and then my subsequent dead zone of sleep.

After chatting with Kamiah we talked about the exercise plan for tonight and Saturday and I'm pretty sure I can stick to it.

Tonight I decided to do the cardio and then I came home and sat down and watched my taped Project Runways and sighed about getting on the treadmill. So I decided to walk outside and after I had left my house I remembered a few vital things.

1. At 8:19 at night the sun is down.
2. I live in the ghetto part of the Burg where we don't believe in street lights.
3. While I was wearing a bright orange/white/green baseball cap I stupidly had a black t-shirt on.

I walked around my neighborhood and got out to the highway and looped back around enjoying the inclines on the road and not seeing numbers tick away in front of me.

Then a red Monte Carlo passed by me going very slowly. I had my music up loud, but they had the window rolled down and I thought I heard a squeaking sound. I kept walking. About eight minutes later the Monte Carlo came by again this time behind me and passed by... and I realized that I was in the middle of the Pet Smart commercial where they try to find the dog by squeaking a toy out the window.

I nearly asked them the third time what type of dog and what the dog's name was since I still had some time left before I hit thirty minutes, but I didn't.

Two minutes before I was done a black lab trotted up alongside me and I wondered if he was the dog they were looking for, but he wouldn't let me touch his collar to see if he had tags on.

Miles Walked: I'm not sure I'll check in the morning
Circuit: Beginner - 3

Ceasing Ramble.

Longer the Day, Less Focus

2010-09-28T20:52:00.002-05:00

I had a very long day.

It makes me empathize for those that have an hour commute to work.

It also made me less than enthusiastic for cardio tonight.

So Kamiah gave me a Rosie the Riveter speech and I went home was underwhelmed with the Glee episode and hopped on the treadmill.

Grave mistake #1: Do not get on a treadmill when you would rather take a walk outside.

Grave mistake #2: Do not tweet while doing your cardio because you will, with every step, lessen your grade level of writing.

Weight: 207.8
Miles: 6.905
Circuit: Beginner - 3

Ceasing Ramble

Another Week

2010-09-27T18:04:00.002-05:00

Today is my Mom's birthday.

Last year I forgot her birthday for the first time in the 'you're supposed to remember on your own' age. While my brother not only remembered, but got my Mom flowers. I heard about it for a month.

Today I was 99.9% sure it was my Mother's birthday.

I double checked by doing what anyone would do, bringing up her university records. It's the nice thing about working at the university that your parents went to, access to verifying birthdays.

I gave a birthday call on the way to the nearby community college. Saved.

Work was interesting as it always is at the community college. I enjoy the atmosphere and the changing up of viewpoints in the students.

On the drive home I called again to chat with my folks. When I tried to get out of my Mom if my brother had called yet.

He hadn't.

So I called him and told him to call my Mom.

Sure wish Brian did that for me last year.

On the workout side of things:

Friday - I did not have time to do the circuit workout, Beth invited me to go to the Season Ticket holder party at the K. I got to see the clubhouse, sit in the dugout and walk around the field. It was awesome.

Saturday it rained on and off and Dany and I went to a little tailgate with Hawk the Ewok.

Sunday... I diligently watched television.

Today I got back into the circuit workout and I think next week I will fully be able to add in another set to the beginner workout.

Miles Walked: 5.575
Circuit: Beginner - 3

Ceasing Ramble

A Love Letter

2010-09-23T18:19:00.003-05:00

Dear Cardio,

I hate you today.

Love,

B

Miles: 5.575
Circuit: Beginner - 2

You Can't Stop the Beat

2010-09-22T18:32:00.003-05:00

I was whiny today.

Way past whiny. My thighs still hurt going down stairs and getting out of chairs making me feel like I was possibly going to have a hot flash soon.

I had convinced myself that I only needed to do cardio today and stay away from the circuit workout even though I had scheduled them to be MWFs.

Then I consulted my exercise Yoda, Mia who told me that I needed to power through and do the circuit workout.

We talked about switching up some of the arm exercises with the lower body workout, but I figured if I was going to do it I should keep it in the same order of focusing on the zones.

Then Krisana and I walked to the union for a farewell reception. I whined more.

I left work, whining.

I returned to a cat... that whined at me.

Then I changed my clothes and pulled out the dumbbells, turned on the box fan, and got to work. (Yes, I put a comma before the "and" I'm still of the old school that does it that way. MLA will accept either as will APA.)

Interestingly my arms started to burn in the warmup of simple arm lifts. I felt dread try to wiggle its way into my heart, but focused on the playlist and making funny faces at myself in the mirror to try and get myself to not pay attention to the aches and pains.

The next pain was in the core workout, but again I powered through it and figured out that I had been doing Plank incorrectly with how I balance my weight. I changed it and I still can't hold it well.

Kamiah you will win in a "Plank off" Every. Single. Time. I just want to be able to hold it for 60 seconds without whimpering to myself.

Then came the lower workout and I started out slow it was going okay. There was pain, but I could work through it. There were moments that I was sure I was going to lose function of my legs and plummet to the ground.

Instead I made it to the cool down and "You Can't Stop the Beat" came on... so I decided to do some cardio, just a half of a mile, which turned into maybe three quarters and when I hit that I thought, well might as well just do the full mile.

Hmm.

Didn't think that was going to be today's outcome.

So yay!

Miles: 4.075
Circuit: Beginner - 2

Ceasing Ramble.

Holy Crap

2010-09-21T18:05:00.002-05:00

That's all I can think about as I sat down after the simple walk that I just did.

Because of the circuit workout from yesterday my thighs have been screaming like a six-year old who has had their Nintendo DS taken away. It didn't hurt as much when I was walking or going up stairs, but going down stairs made me feel like I was going to have my legs fly away.

So as I walked across the parking lot to my car after work I contemplated waiting until seven to do my walking tonight.

I had nearly convinced myself until I walked up the stairs to my apartment and felt my thighs screaming protest again. I had to walk or I was going to be stuck in my chair until possibly Friday.

Unable to move.

So I did 1.575 miles in 30 minutes and my thighs still hurt, but I am proud that I powered through the pain.

Now here's hoping I don't cry tomorrow when I try to attempt the circuit workout again.

Miles: 3.075
Circuit: Beginner - 1

Ceasing Ramble

Deceiving Circuit Workout

2010-09-20T18:12:00.006-05:00

Each day another little change.

Today I tried to get up when my alarm first turned off, but failed. So I knew that my circuit workout would be destined for evening instead of morning.

I'm honestly glad I forgot how deceiving the circuit workout is. Tiny little exercises built on top of each other to work different muscle groups and leave you thoroughly worked out.

After a brief check-in with Kamiah this morning I told her about easing into exercise and decided to do the lesser of the circuit workout that I used to do, which is just doing one set instead of two.

Thank heavens I did that for myself.

Below is the Circuit Workout that I Use:

Warm-up:
Step Touches
Arm Raises
Simulated Jump Rope
Shoulder Rolls
Neck Rolls
Marching in Place

Upper Body:
Bicep Curls
Tricep Kickbacks
Dead Lifts
Chest Flies
Shoulder Presses
Overhead Pullovers

Core:
Crunches
Oblique Crunches
Captain's Chair
Plank (I hate this so much, but keep it in there)
Back Extensions

Lower Body:
Lunges
Plie Squats
Step-ups
Reverse Lunges with Leg Lifts (wherein I start sucking wind)
Calf Raises (wherein I hate all movement)

The Cooldown:
Calf Stretch
Hamstring Stretch
One-Arm Reach
Hip Flexor Stretch
Tricep Stretch
Quad Stretch
Child's Pose (wherein I think Yoga might be awesome)
Low Back and Glute Stretch

A set is usually 10 to 12, but I make a set 12 to 15.
Some exercises are time based, such as step-ups, the plank of evil incarnate, marching in place.

Generally it kicks my ass, and when it stops kicking your ass you add another set by first finishing through all the exercises in the area and then going through again. Circuit workouts are awesome. And painful. And awesome. And sweat inducing. And Awesome.

Another tidbit that Mia and I talked about was a thought I had while walking yesterday. I am addicted to achievements on Xbox as are many individuals that I know. So why not make Exercise Achievements to give me something to strive towards...

The first couple that I could come up with were:

Walk Five Hundred Miles - 20 EXP
Walk Five Hundred More - 40 EXP

I'm sure that there are things that I should really look into that are difficult, but also easy to achieve so I have little successes. I'm not sure what all of them will be, but I'll post the achievement when I get it on my blog. Much like the image below:

If you have suggestions please let me know. I know that one should be holding the Plank position for the actual amount of time instead of always wussing out. I hate the Plank. Maybe something like "ARRRRRRRRRRRR - 10 EXP"

Be creative I'd love to have goals set by others to strive for as well.

Start Weight: 208.6 lbs.
Miles Walked: 1.5 miles
Circuit Workouts: Beginner - 1

Not Quite Sucking Wind

2010-09-19T20:16:00.003-05:00

The re-dedication to exercise started off better than I thought it would. I didn't want to push myself back into what I used to be able to do in my height of fitness.

Because that inevitably leads to hurting the next day and putting off the exercise (I should know I've fallen into that before).

You will notice that I do not have my initial weigh-in, because perhaps I stayed up late last night playing Deathspank on Xbox and perhaps... I got up at noon. I'll put that in tomorrow.

I'd like to do measurements too, but I'll need someone to help me with that later.

Before doing my 30 minutes of cardio on the treadmill tonight I checked in with my friend Kamiah to see if she would be interested in helping me stay true to the promise I made to myself.

To exercise daily.

I told her that I would like her to guilt me everyday and she asked if she could instead be very peppy.

We also talked about what motivates us, what we do during exercise and writing.

I'm glad to have her on this ride with me, because I do admire Kamiah's commitment to many things. I'm happy to have her remind me have to be committed to myself.

The actual workout had a simple goal: 30 minutes on the treadmill or 1 1/2 miles whichever took longer. It turned out to be the 30 minutes took longer, which made me happy with the first dip back into exercise waters in a while.

A Mr. Bandito note: He was fascinated with the treadmill the entire time.

Ceasing Ramble.

Wherein I Spew Words and Such

2010-09-18T21:59:00.004-05:00

Yes, I do realize it has been over a year since I blogged, thank you for noticing. If you did at all.

With the addition of twitter into my life I couldn't really find things to blog about without my blog turning into pictures of my cat (Who is doing fabulous, thank you for asking).

So instead I've decided I'm going to take you on a ride with me. Possibly a very, very, boring ride, but a ride nonetheless.

Yesterday I took off the afternoon at work to come home, pack and set myself towards St. Joseph to pick up Dany and see Brandi Carlile in Council Bluffs, IA. I took a quick shower because I felt like a slob and decided to change into something that was not a t-shirt of the university I work at so I would not be carded every two minutes during the concert.

So I opened up my closet.

Many of you know where this is going... the dreaded change of seasons when you pull out clothes that you wore in the past, but which are strangely tighter in the arms, or just don't look quite good around your waist/hips/chest.

I saw the lady cut graphic t-shirt of Superman stretching in areas that I hadn't seen before and Ole Blue was feeling strained and I flew into a full-on thirteen year old girl tantrum that resulted in my bed full of rejected outfits.

On the drive to St. Joseph I lamented to myself, while listening to country music, that I had finally reached the tipping point of 'when you finally realize you are out of shape'.

I knew that I had been struggling on stairs more than I should, but I didn't really care.

But it wasn't until Friday afternoon when I did the meltdown of maturity to see that I need to get back on the exercise horse.

So, I'm going to instead drift my blog into daily updates on my weight, exercise, and hopefully other entertaining things of the day.

Yes, I said daily.

Bold statement.

I'm sure I'll miss a day here and there due to lack of internet, but I'll still put it in the following days post.

I'm hoping to have a bit of an announcement tomorrow, but we'll wait on that one.

Tomorrow the weigh-in and initial "when she sucks wind" exercise re-start.

Ceasing Ramble.

Remembering 9/11

2009-09-11T15:56:00.002-05:00

I keep having thoughts about September 11th circling around in my brain and posted them in a discussion forum, but after sharing them with Dany I realized I should post it on my blog too.

I remember leaving my dorm room to go to Intro to Linguistics in the morning and chatting with my best friend Beth as we headed down the hall. We peeked into our friend Becky's room and saw her staring up at the television. She stated that America was under attack.

We both looked at each other for a moment and at a loss decided to continue to class. In our class there was a buzz of misinformation going through the air. Our professor plugged on and we were let out early. Wandering through the hallways Beth and I felt distraught and that we just plainly didn't know what was going on since there wasn't access to valid information yet.

We parted paths and I entered into my next class. The professor walked in very shook up and said that he thanked us for coming, but he knew that he couldn't concentrate and we probably couldn't either.

At that time I went back to the dorm where students were congregating everywhere and the murmurs and tension filled the rooms. I slipped into Becky's room and we watched more visuals flash by on the news channels.

That's where I go blank. I can't remember what else happened that day... as it was all washed over with some water and through some fog. Like a pensieve that doesn't work correctly shadowing parts of my memory.

When I think about September 11th I think about tragedy striking the United States, but also how our country is still filled with a mentality of retribution.

Acts of terror are not to be tolerated by any nation.

Strong lines should be formed in reaction.

But hate? Hate should not be what we take from this day or any other.

It should be remembrance and the realization that we, all humans, are alike in one fundamental way. We, together, are the human race.

Listen to one another.

Learn to respect one another.

Do not let hate and fear dictate your actions.

I had to get these thoughts out of my head as I feel the day surrounding me on this college I work at now. It's an echo of the day when I was a student.

Connect to someone today.

Listen to one another.

Hug your loved ones and tell them you love them.

The beauty, what we remember when our loved ones are gone... are the little things. How they laughed, the way they smelled, and most importantly how they made us feel.

Listen to one another.

Ceasing Ramble.

Guiding Light 06-22-09 'Stachey Recaps

2009-06-29T21:30:00.018-05:00

Guiding Light June 22nd 2009

This is a recap consisting of a) scenes that amused me b) Shayne and Dinah scenes and c) Olivia and Natalia scenes. Behold my preferences may they be loved.

We open with Dinah deciding that she needs to recap the entire plot for the past three to six months of the going-ons around her, Shayne, Mallet, Marina, and Edmund with a little bit of baby Henry smeared in for good measure. While I enjoy soap operas rehashing what took an eon to build up only gives your actors long beleaguered speeches that hit or miss.

While I adore Gina Tognoni’s talent and vocal skills I’m not sure why they are wasting her on this, but she is in uniform so I will stop complaining… for now.

As Dinah mentions the music box that she got for Shayne and Henry (meddling much Dinah?) She laments that Shayne’s life is falling apart. Too bad you’re not there to keep his wits about him huh, Dinah, dear?

We skip to Shayne for a mere moment as I deduce these things. Jeff Branson is in a bed and alone with a music box; how can I get there?

~~~

Daisy and Frank have a cute little scene that reminds me of Who’s on First it’s just filled up instead with ‘Where’s Rafe?’ and ‘Where’s Jeffery?’

Frank gives us a lovely recap in guise of filling in Daisy of what is going on in the Jeffery flying the coup storyline. Maybe Frank and Dinah can get together and tell each other stories all night long.

Daisy says that Reva has to be off the hook because they can’t say that Jeffery AND Reva both murdered Edmund. Actually Daisy you can… but with the type of cops you’re related to I can understand why you’d be so confused.

She’s so confused, in fact, that she knocks over a prop and makes my day as I giggle at her deciding if she will right it or if she will just let it stay. It’s like I’m watching a play and I love live theatre.

Frank asks about Rafe again and Daisy does let him know that like any well-meaning teenager she texted him Happy Birthday. When Frank says that he had a bad day; Daisy brings out the big guns and says she’ll actually call him. With my complete hate of using my phone for actual speaking I really respect what this means from Daisy. Use that pretty iPhone Daisy. Use it.

~~~

In the Farmhouse kitchen we are entering into a cake staring contest. Just when it seems that Emma’s winning. She goes in for a taste, because she can’t wait to sample what she’s been wanting when it’s right in front of her just aching to be eaten, unlike her mother.

In other news look at that strategic use of a flowerpot to halfway try to participate in the hide the baby game.

Natalia waxes poetic about how Rafe would want you to eat this cake. You hear that girls? Rafe wants you to dig into that cake and savor every bit of it.

As Olivia and Natalia start to light the candles, we can see who out of the two actresses has dealt with the birthday cake candle lighting before. Either that or Jessica Leccia just wants a nap; I’m pretty sure I’d want to nap too after being eleventy-seven months pregnant.

They allow Emma to blow the candles out and she seems to be afraid that she’ll do a Sneezer all over the cake that she lets out the weakest blow ever. In fact, I think she sucked in air.

So, she gets Olivia and Natalia to lean forward and help her out with the task of blowing out nineteen candles (or more as Emma kept adding some when they were lighting the candles).

And this picture?

I still deem it the closest they’ve been to kissing with a pucker-type motion going on. Not acceptable Guiding Light, even with all the hand sex going on; smoochies are necessary.

~~~

The only thing I would like to point out in the opening credits is Dinah in a hat. If you were not excited about that, then you sadly do not understand the power of hats. Or me.

~~~

Emma is shuttled off with the largest piece of cake in the known universe and Caprica to go watch some television.

I believe that Crystal Chappell also thought the piece of cake was ridiculous as she whisper-spoke it at the same time as me. Every time I can believe that she adlibs; I believe it. So catch me and my giggling here. Heeh.

Natalia asks if Olivia would like any cake. After a vehement no because Olivia like me, understands the importance of sugar in everything that can have it, Natalia starts in on a story about traditions and how she really hoped that gumdrops and rainbows would have happened with Rafe today.

I don’t think so, but they are talking about making Candyland into a movie. Weird huh?

Natalia says that “The day he [Rafe] was born was the best day of my life.” Now, I’m all for loving your kid, but really? Color me embittered against children. I’ll never know what it means because I’ll never have a kid. Darn. Missed out on that unending labor, pain, and subsequent yelling of ‘I hate you!’ when they’re a teenager.

When Natalia weeps a bit that Rafe doesn’t want to be in the same house as her Olivia points out that it’s not Natalia he doesn’t want to be around. It’s her.

Natalia correctly surmises that it’s actually that he doesn’t want to be around them as a couple. Worried about losing her son Olivia lets her know that if the relationship costs Natalia her son they won’t work. That’s totally right it’s just like when you’re in a relationship with someone and they tell you that it’s your obsession with Mahjong or them and you think really hard about what means more to you. Ultimately you miss them sometimes when you’re having a really bad time at Mahjong.

All that serious talk makes even Olivia bolt as she realizes that she needs to take her child that… can you get hopped up on sugar-free cake? Like you’re all full of carbs and… full? Anyway, Olivia runs off as Natalia mentions that she does have a job interview she needs to get to. I hate interviews, unless they ask me three words to describe myself. High-energy, efficient, and quirky; they always love that last one and forget the first two.

~~~

Josh arrives at Company miffed and Daisy, now my favorite person in the world, hands him a cupcake. She is a cupcake’tender.

I want that. Daisy has never looked as attractive as she does right now to me, now if she had been forking over a piece of blackberry pie. I probably would have proposed.

We come back to New Bosnia and see that they have uprooted Lara’s placemarker, but Dinah is still going on about the recap. I mean I know how long winded I am with recaps, but she’s not even making jokes.

Although a big round of applause and congratulations to Gina for using the full range of acting arsenal weapons for not making this sound like a stagnant recap on a blog. Hmm.

~~~

Meanwhile Shayne is taking a nap on his pretty flowery duvet dreaming of Lara. A pregnant Lara and even though I know this is a dream it is freaking me out. I think it’s the light clanging noise masquerading as music. It reminds me of Sylar’s theme on Heroes.

Shayne starts talking about Henry and goes into a story about his secret smile. The childish play on Jeff’s face is adorable and it makes Henry look “like a wise little Buddha"

In the above photo Shayne illustrates that you have to have green eyes or dimples to work on Guiding Light.

~~~

There is random Blake popping in to visit with Reva (i.e. check in on the crazy) which makes me happy beyond compare. She just brings such a different aspect to characters that we don’t get to see often.

Thanks Blakey.

~~~

Daisy playing with her iPhone and halfway listening to Frank, as anyone would with their pretty iPhone being in front of them… I bet she’s playing Mahjong.

Natalia enters and immediately corners Frank to talk about the only thing they have in common, Rafe. The Coopers have Rafe all tied up in a bow of events and distractions from his horrible, terrible, no good, very bad day.

I’m distracted with the cupcake tray and Henry’s awesome fauxhawk.

Josh and Shayne have an adorable scene talking about Reva and how it’s better to be Jeffery and not have to deal with the fury and scorn of the banshee. Shayne does make the argument that it’s better to be ticked off than to be sitting in a jail cell. I think it depends on your singing voice.

~~~

Blake makes tea for Reva. She then has another amazing monologue about touching on Russ that again makes me feel like I really missed such a great love story.

Don’t tell me if I’m wrong. Is it wrong that I just want Blake to take care of me? She’s my kind of crazy.

~~~

As they place Lara’s marker elsewhere Dinah asks Jeffery what they are going to do now. Jeffery nonchalantly answers that now they are going to use Dinah to lure Edmund out of hiding. Feeling that her monologue is behind her Dinah works on her collar to try an retrieve some air as they probably put a lot of starch into that lovely uniform.

~~~

Natalia bellies up to the bar at Towers, or as much as she can, and orders a shot of vodka with so much conviction that I would want to card her; if I wasn’t blinded by dimples, of course.

In the background I see my hopes and dreams for this scene skyrocket as I see one Blake Marler pause, turn around, and state “well that sounds yummy.” Yay! Insta-scene just add Blake!

Natalia starts in on her down in the dumps story while Blake leans in for spill time. She hears about how it’s Rafe’s birthday and he doesn’t want to spend it with Natalia. Then she had a job interview, which she thought would go well and it did not. Just to let you know this about me. Sometimes when people opt to use the two words and not the conjunction I either think it’s endearing or annoying. Thankfully Natalia landed on endearing today.

Blake inquires about Natalia’s lack of job-ness and understands that working for Olivia would be a little hard. Quick to disagree Natalia pooh-poohs the idea that Olivia is a tyrant, because she is lovely. Yeah she’s lovely in about everything Natalia, we agree.

Towers said that Natalia was overqualified for a management position. I could agree with this if I didn’t know that overqualified people are applying for jobs all over the ole U.S. of A. Yes, I think that the payroll and management experience of overseeing Banquets, Housekeeping, Food and Beverage, and Front Desk/Hospitality is challenging, but usually that requires a Hotel and Restaurant Management degree. Not, that… I have had experience in the hotel industry.

Blake saves me from my over-thinking and tells Natalia it depends on who you work for.

Oh, Blake what an opportunist are you? Love. You.

Blake says she’d be willing to give Natalia a shot, motions to that shot of vodka/evian, and declares shot again. I really wish they could have said shot about three more times just for kicks and giggles.

~~~

Shayne asks if she should go check in on Reva. Josh tells him that he sent Daisy out to the wolves, but if he does go to wear a cup. If I ever accidentally have children I hope that is how they regard visiting me. It would warm my heart.

Josh is very thankful that Shayne is chatting him up, but he doesn’t want him to give up parts of his life. Shayne that smart guy knows his life is Dinah, as it should be, and says that she’s out of town so he’s not giving up anything.

He has time. He’s got too much time. When Josh inquires if he is bored Shayne merely says no, but he did have time for a nap.

Then Josh just goes on and becomes more lovable and says that he takes a nap on a regular basis. That’s my dream; I want nap time and graham cracker treat time back.

Shayne says he had a dream about Lara and their baby. This is when we cue the cutest baby in the world gurgling as Marina asks if the Lewis boys need anything. You need pie. Ask for pie. When they say she’s making Henry work too young she cracks a joke about teaching ‘em young. You’re gonna break that child labor law quickly aren’t you dear?

~~~

We’re taken back to New Bosnia and Dinah is talking. But all I can focus on it the weirdest stance from Jeffery in the background. It’s like he’s straddling a manhole or something.

He’s texting Reva. Dinah’s upset about the double standard. We’ve all been upset about that for ages Dinah.

Jeffery tosses the phone at her after he finishes the longest text ever and tells her one call, today only.

Whoopdeedoodle do.

~~~

We’re taken to a park not unlike the park of all scenes by a gazebo not unlike the gazebo of all outdoor scenes.

Emma talks about how this is the funnest. I think about how sometimes children’s superlatives are cooler than the real ones. Worried about her low familial count Olivia assures her that families come in all shapes and sizes, which Emma should have learned already if she paid attention in class during everyone else’s presentations in February.

But just when the kid might mope in comes Natalia with a bag and flowers for the hide the baby game!

Olivia hops up to her feet and we see her cuffed jeans and sneakers and I pretend that my cuffed jeans are actually instyle instead of inlazy.

A back shot and we see a brilliantly blocked flower/bush/hedge in the baby way. Well-done production staff. When asked about her interview a srunchy face shows that it didn’t go so well, but she did get a job offer from Blake.

Cue some of the most fun ways to say Blake’s name issuing forth from Olivia. Noting that Blake is a tough person to work for Natalia only ho-hems. “Think so? She said the same thing about you.” And what a self-satisfied laugh comes after that just when I thought you couldn’t get cuter Jessica Leccia.

They both revel in the joy of Emma and patter who is responsible for it lightly until Olivia says that she isn’t one who sees the joy in everything she does. She’s the one who is waiting for the other brick to fly at her and hit her in the head. Natalia then woos me some more by being what I have been told is ‘immature’ and suddenly throws her hands in Olivia’s face while yelling.

Some people get angry with me for this, but I merely react like Natalia and fall into fits of giggles. It’s just… so irresistible.

Olivia asks her why in the world she did that when she was talking seriously about the human condition and Natalia sighs relief that she doesn’t know why, but it was the first time she’d laughed all day.

I seriously doubt that if she had more than one shot with Blake, but I’ll give it to her.

Olivia lowers her voice to the register of smokiness and wants to make sure it’s not the last time, either.

~~~

Shanye and Dinah phone call share a phone call as he retreats to the outside of Company. Dinah says all that is going on is boring speeches while she walks around wearing a big ole nametag thinking about Shayne. She has aptly described most of the conference/conventions I’ve ever gone to.

Having a one-track mind Shayne gives an appreciation that she is only walking around in a nametag. When Dinah ignores this adorableness and asks how he is it’s Shayne’s time to recap, that’s three different characters doing recaps and I didn’t even include Reva!

When Dinah seems a bit worried he throws her concern to that she needs to come home soon or he could come to her; after all he does love cheddar. He lets Dinah know that she’s the one that he wants to be dreaming about. Dinah tells him to hang onto that thought until she gets back.

~~~

The scene starts with Olivia walking towards Natalia and I hear, “hey sweetie.” I hold my breath until I realize she’s talking to Rafe’s voicemail. What a buzzkill.

With more lamenting about how she doesn’t know how to make it right Olivia surmises well that he was a kid, but he’s a man now and he’s going to have to figure out a way to make himself happy.

Natalia says this is the first time that making things okay for Rafe isn’t making things okay for her. (I’m want to call shenanigans on that… but fine Ms. Rivera). Looking into the deep loving eyes of Olivia Natalia asks another what if question and this time Olivia gets to answer with an I don’t know.

~~~

Josh is playing with baby Henry instead of taking a nap with me and becoming more adorable than I knew him to be as he’s smiling and laughing. He says that Henry’s got a strong arm and will be a good pitcher.

Shayne pries his father off of the addictive baby and says that Dinah seemed freaked out when she left and he’s worried. You know because Wisconsin is scary, what with all those dairy farms and mustard museums.

Giving his son platitudes that must have become second nature as a preacher Josh asks him to have a little faith in her as Dinah loves him and she’ll be back.

~~~

Dinah finally tears herself away from the cemetery and Jeffery tells her it’s time they spread the word about Lara’s not-so-untimely demise out amongst the interwebs and the like.

Whining like an actor that just had to do 15 pages worth of pointless exposition Dinah asks if it has to be so soon. When Jeffery asks if she has plans the writers decide to throw us a bone as Dinah says that she’d like to do some clubbing. And then throws a mini-temper tantrum that of course she doesn’t have plans she’s in the middle of Bosnia.

They both remark on the jobs they’ve pulled together before, but how it’s not as easy since they have more on the line than their own fancy uniforms.

We’re interrupted by the Sylar chimes and I am happy that we’re out of the graveyard.

~~~

We come back to the gazebo to see some Smothering is happening. Seriously? Another message, Natalia? I mean it’s annoying that he didn’t call you back, but leaving more messages is just going to make him want to avoid you more.

Olivia tries to calm down Natalia letting her know that she doesn’t mind waiting. I think you have a purchase that is to the contrary of that Miss Spencer, even if you threw it into the trash. Natalia shocks the world by saying that she is tired of waiting, that rumble that you heard was the murmured agreement of many an Otalia fan.

Olivia leans in with the ease of a panther sizing up it’s prey and settles in for the babblefest about how ridiculous acclimating an entire world to them being a couple actually is, agreed.

Just as we all lean into our television sets Emma interrupts asking what I’m asking, ‘what are they waiting for?’

Having some issues with the volume of her voice Olivia says nothing; they’re not waiting for anything.

Except for the screen to fade to black. Really?! It almost felt like a slap in the face, only less upfront about it. Tsk, tsk Guiding Light just let the ladies have a smooch already or I’ll have to watch more Los Hombres de Paco.

Final Mustache Rating 4 out of 5 for: 1. Dinah in uniform 2. Random Blake 3. Cupcake ‘tending 4. Brick in face

You know… no because of that last scene I’m taking away a deserved mustache.

That’ll teach you to do that… yeah.

Ceasing Ramble.

Guiding Light's 'Stachey Reviews

2009-06-22T18:55:00.008-05:00

During a tweet-a-thon I made a comment about a hat rating that I gave Guiding Light for the day and my friend pibby asked me how many mustaches I would give it. (Obviously more important) This spurred in me a desire to do a recap of Guiding Light, perhaps daily, perhaps whenever I can… to give it my own unique recap as well as some well needed ‘stache

Disclaimers: I mainly care about hats, product placement, and pie. Also I didn't get around to capping the pictures I wanted. (Edited to add! I did... but they don't have mustaches - boo) Sorry pibby. IF I ever get around to another I'll do so, but this took way longer than I expected.

Guiding Light – June 19th – Friday

As I settle into my desk chair and lean back propping my feet up on my TV stand I press play on my DVR recording of Guiding Light and receive an unacceptable weather announcement. I live in Missouri>. We have hectic weather. Can’t they just tell me, “Hello you live in Missouri the weather is crazy!” and then go back to the previously scheduled awesome.

So I’m dropped into a scene with Reva and Shayne. Reva is talking, but mostly I just hope that she’ll stop so Jeff Branson can keep working his unnecessarily unbuttoned dress shirt and let his gravelly voice rasp along the airwaves for me. I’m sure something important has happened, but I can’t really seem to care when he looks so good in those jeans.

Oh, no wait my attention is drawn to the obnoxious “Reva + Josh Always forever” carving in the mantel of the fireplace. Has this not bothered Jeffery? I’m pretty sure I would have accidentally sanded it down in a fit of renovation bug. Whoops.

Speaking of Josh he’s being all incognito parked directly outside the door of Cross Creek. How sneaky; maybe he’s able to hide behind his full and manly goatee. I know I hide behind my mustache all the time. I’ll give it to you Josh; this time.

~~~

We’re quickly taken to the “television station conference in Wisconsin” with Dinah, Jeffery, and some Dude with a hint of a vague accent. There is talking, but mostly I’m thinking that New Bosnia Jersey is looking so very lovely and the beige conference is not looking so lovely. This is a large and glaring statement coming from someone who believes that Gina Tognoni could probably make a paper napkin look like high Paris fashion if she wanted to… tsk, tsk, costuming.

Because of your bad decision I would like the paper napkin to be my last outfit request for Dinah. Have it be some madcap scene where she decides to run back to the circus and is holding cotton candy while making faces at various Springfieldians.

Last Request Outfit – Dinah workin’ a paper napkin.

~~~

Oh, why look’it that pretty little white Nissan driving into frame, did you see that? It’s a Nissan. Let’s just close up on the grill so you can really see it. Olivia hops out of her car as she’s driving her daughter to day camp.

Day camp at the park?

This may seem odd for those of you not from small towns, but we in fact, in my po’dunk town did have day camps in state parks, but I digress (as I always do).

There will be an early pick up so the lovely ladies can go shopping as any Spencer would want to do. I like to picture their lives as shopping, lunches, picnics, and wearing hats. Is this wrong?

So they are going to go shopping as to pick out a gift for Rafe’s birthday. Emma notes a video game would be the best option.

Olivia showing off her keen sarcasm and it being all but lost on her daughter (as sarcasm usually is on children sadly) mentions a make-over game.

What Olivia? Make over his core sense of values, management of anger, and conflict resolution? I’m sorry that doesn’t come in a little game that should have come in his upbringing and his mother. Oh, a flaw in the sMothering department Natalia… how interesting.

But no, Emma counters that Rafe would like the one with cars, oh really, a little Grand Theft Auto IV perhaps? What strict values we have now huh, Rafe Rivera… When Olivia says that perhaps her daughter should pick out the video, I groan along with the child as Emma is upset that her mother cannot grasp the easy difference between a video, a game, and a video game. She has so much to teach her of technology. Soon Olivia you may too join a society that includes Skype, twitter and, oh you’re on twitter? Huh.

When Emma asks about who else is going to the party Olivia sidesteps and says that big boys sometimes don’t like to have parties. It’s like she’s a fortune teller.

Natalia being as clumsy as ever breaks some eggs while checking to see if they’re broken. Matt sweeping in at one of his local pick-up joints graciously points out that it “sucks to be you”. Oh Matt, you don’t know the one-nineteenth of it.

Meanwhile, I’m singing Schadenfreude and hoping that puppets pop out and join the show. I mean isn’t GL just going to see everything they can get away with. I know if I was a writer on a show I would; for I have no shame.

Matt is making small talk and if you didn’t know Rafe’s diabetic. Not that we ever hear about that…

Natalia is asked out for coffee and she is thinking what I think anytime I’m asked to do something with awkward company.

Yay, free!

~~~

Rafe is at Frank’s bachelor pad making a PB&J or half-way attempting to, I’m not sure. He does garner smiles for wearing a Cubs hat; because that’s exactly what a teenage boy should be wearing during baseball season. Frank realizes that it’s Rafe’s birthday; he probably read it on his parole information since he’s the goodest guy around. Rafe adamantly states he is not celebratory today.

Why is he a Debbie Downer?

I feel like Rafe is Harry Potter in book five. What teenage angst am I feeling, ugh, unhealthy flashback to high school. I think I need a shower and some acne crème now.

~~~

Mallet and Marina have a scene where I am looking at the fashionable ‘hide the fake baby!’ Henry accessory. Since I am not really interested in children or the things that can carry them I’m going to call it a snazzy papoose. They nearly cheated me out of a hat, but fake Henry must have his driver cap on to fully mask his plastic fake body.

I’m sure there is talk here about how much Mallet works (eats donuts and drinks coffee) and how Marina misses him (because?) and some murder thing going on and clues and information he shouldn’t talk about because obviously his wife is a leak and… oh wait, that means that any of the police work even resembled actual police work.

Carry on.

~~~

Shayne enters the police station. I’m pretty sure that’s the only thing that matters in this scene.

Oh. Reva and Josh talk, at least I think they do. I mostly hear the mumbles from Charlie Brown’s teacher. I get something about a message from Jeffery before I am taken off into a world of Josh’s eyes being the greenest thing I’ve seen as they are reflected from his green polo. It’s like they’re combining to make me grin from pretty. It worked. Well played GL. You’ve reduced me to reaching to the screen and saying, “Pretty!”

~~~
Cue the credits.

I thought I was immune to the credits of Guiding Light. I’m not. I find myself humming the song and then full-out singing. Giggling and clapping as I see who is going to be on for that day, very rarely do I let out an annoyed sigh. You’ll undoubtedly find out who I find taxing on my itchy fast forward button.

But, how quaint, Guiding Light you break my heart.

~~~

I’m really trying to care beyond Josh’s super green eyes in this scene there is yelling and growling and general ridiculousness. Jeffery is looking for Edmund; I’m looking to care. Instead I play spot the New Jersey license plate game, which, I really have lots of fun doing and I win!

Reva storms off like I do when you find out there is not any pie for dessert. How cruel! How thoughtless! How can I live without strawberry rhubarb in my belly!

And even with all that pie talk I can only think about Shayne in the jail wondering why his Mom didn’t follow him on his way to give a good tongue lashing to the SPD. Oh, tongue lashing… now I’m just in a world of naughty.

~~~

At the drab clothing conference there is talking, but I’m still so overly annoyed with the costuming department that I can barely concentrate on what is going on.

I just keep looking at the attempt at fashion that runs away into ugly. It’s more like they found some dressy shirt from the seventies and pulled it onto Gina wrapped some silk fabric around her neck and decided that it would make the scene pop!

Pop in my head. Ugh. Really? Really? You put Dinah in this?!

Um, otherwise they’re talking about body snatching, switching, and general spookiness that makes Dinah feel a little more off-kilter than her top does.

So they start in for the real Lara project. (Which every time they say it I think of the Laramie Project.)

~~~

Marina and Mallet are attempting to continue their scene and I wonder why Mallet, the lead detective on a homicide investigation, doesn’t have a partner to work with or why there isn’t a full team on this as it is a murder of a high-profile citizen from a far off island of San Cristobel.

Maybe he’s the only detective at the station or maybe I just don’t care about anything other than wondering how the different stripe patterns on Mallet actually works. This is the kind of daring I can never convince myself to do and for that Mallet you are a brave and snazzy dresser.

I’m still not forgiving you costuming. Not yet.

Shayne interestingly ambles into the frame to deliver a line that makes me giggle like a schoolgirl, “Any word about Jeffery there Sheriff?” I have a sneaking suspicion it is just Jeff Branson speaking that sends me into the tizzy, but I’m going to pretend it’s thinking of Shanye and Mallet facing off as cowboys.

I would watch that bromance.

~~~

And now we’ve entered my other favorite pastime other than spot the product placement. It’s, ‘does this hide the baby?’ The game is something that can send me into such a laughing fit that I have to rewind.

I love it. I love so much that they’re just slapping bags, tables, tablecloths in front of Jessica Leccia that I almost want her to be pregnant for another sixty-two months. That’s how long it’s been right? Or am I just a bit on the over exaggeration side of things?

In the scene Matt’s walking his bike and being adorable. I think it’s his smile crinkles at his eyes that make me not find him annoying. It’s probably that same thing and the utter lack of him having any chance with Natalia that makes Olivia’s smarmy entrance all the more fun for me and most likely Crystal Chappell too.

Playful banter of Matt’s rounds around Springfield picking up ladies with his eco-friendly ways and general nice guy attitude; they agree he’s cute.

But I think the internets agree with me when I say they’re cuter.

They trip into conversation of how they’re feeling and how Natalia is doing. Olivia sick of processing every minute detail after asking a simple “How are you doing?” can feel the uncertainty trickling through Natalia and just asks her to give the platitude that can help her feel like Natalia won’t break down in the next second.

If I was Natalia I’d probably be curled up barefoot eating cookie dough and watching Singin’ in the Rain, but really I’d do that if something as bad as a stubbed toe happened. I’m a woman of steel people.

Olivia passes off the canvas bag to Natalia and I wonder if she could have at least carried it to the car for her until I realize it at least gives baby cover for both sides of the belly.

Well come to think of it I’d be okay with Olivia Spencer just holding my bag for a moment before passing it off.

Just saying.

~~~

Frank is actually being a nice guy and making me remember the great things I’ve heard about his character from the past from longtime GL viewers. How encouraging that he is telling Rafe to get over his issues for a minute and go to his mother’s because birthdays are not always about the person who was born.

Really? I thought that’s why people gave me cake and presents, but then I remember when my Mom forces wait staff to sing happy birthday to me and the subsequent public ridicule that comes from that. I realize that perhaps Frank is right; maybe birthdays are for mothers to remind you in what good shape they were before they became pregnant with you and how much of a little shit you were… but you are okay now.

Not that I’m speaking from personal experience.

Rafe, being a normal teenage male, is thinking that since his mom is in a somewhat committed relationship with Olivia and words of love were exchanged that most likely they’re having horizontal mambo time on every surface in the Farmhouse.

Huh. Does this make me a normal teenage male too? Nah, perhaps he just read some fanfiction at Incandescent Fire, that horndog.

Sadly, Rafe has also forgotten that his mother is one of the participants in the glacial relationship of the ages. If you ever wondered what two sloths mating was like I’m thinking it’s close to the first mutual Otalia kiss.

Although sloths might move faster.

~~~

We return to a more-angry-not-attractive fighting with Reva clearly stating that Josh is a substitute for her dear husband Jeffery and if he doesn’t back off from her this instant she is going to show him the meaning of no pie for dessert.

I understand the history of these two characters. I am pretty much in love with everything that Josh does, especially if he’s happy, but I’m mostly distracted with the library return box in the background.

You’re fighting in the shared parking lot for the police department AND the library. Have you no shame! Librarians must be shush-ing to the sky with you two nearby. Also watch the interloper New Springfieldians in the background they’re gaping at the fight as I do my trashy neighbors when they’re in the front yard it works for me.

In fact I was so distracted with things other than the dialogue that I didn’t notice Reva call Shayne and tell him that she was outside until a second viewing. So when he slid into frame I was convinced that he was a magician. I’m a bit upset to find out I was wrong, but I’m going to still pretend that just like I pretend that Blake and Matt will pop up anywhere in any scene for no reason what-so-ever.

Random Blake and Random Matt make my heart warm.

Shayne’s going to take care of his Mom as she continues to yell at Josh to go away.

Josh does retreat in the best melodramatic style I’ve seen in a while. I want to give a special award to Robert Newman for deciding to keep his hand up to ward off Reva. It’s so operatic, but this is a soap opera so it all works.

~~~

Shanye and Reva climb into the car. Reva is the picture of a person who should not enter into rush hour traffic or the traffic behind farm machinery… I’m not sure what’s worse.

Shayne calms her down reminding her that it is Jeffery and she trusts him so he will do what is best for the family and her and be home soon. I think that maybe Shayne should record himself when he finds out that Dinah is not at a convention for TV producers in Wisconsin.

~~~

Mallet stalks towards the two cops at watch at the O’Neill’s residence. They are playing something on a Nintendo DS? Did Emma drop it off while doing her own Harriet the Spy-ing. I bet her and Baby Henry could so let Mallet know where the killer or non-killer is: I’m also sure Mallet would get more work done if he had a hat on.

On second hand Mallet is definitely working those stripes.

Mallet goes off on the cops in the light t-shirt polos as he sweats in his jacket about how hard his life is and how he works with Keystone Cops. I’d be that cranky too if I realized that I was possibly going to have all my evidence completely discredited in court like it will be if anything ever goes to court. What with the evidence being handed to you from a possible suspect or person with interest in the case, not properly bagged and sealed evidence, (Or you let your son use it as a teething ring. Oh, wait. That last one - didn't really happen, eh? – cspotgo)

Which please, please Guiding Light don’t make me suffer through courtroom scenes. I hate courtroom scenes so much. If I wanted to watch a courtroom scene I’d watch Law & Order: SVU and even that is hard after Diane Neal left. I’m not bitter. Much.

~~~

Rafe enters the kitchen where Natalia is showing off that she has a Kitchen Aid mixer and wouldn’t I be a better person if I had one too. Yeah, Natalia I would be, but not all of us are made of appliance money okay!

Ahem. Rafe smiles at his Ma and she smiles back at him and I’m reminded how Rivera smiles make me melt.

As well as having Natalia sit at a table we also have a tablecloth of subterfuge! No baby here, no siree bob. It’s a cute moment where we see that Natalia’s baking does apparently bring peace and love to the world even if it’s for moments.

~~~

We’re shuttled to the mini-mart now because there cannot be any decent card shops around. Really Olivia you don’t have a gift shop for this at the Beacon? Such wasted potential revenue streams.

Frank and Olivia both reach for the same lame looking Happy Birthday card and share awkwardness of standing so close and ignoring each other and not being able to. I understand and man am I glad I’m not living in a really small town anymore.

While I’m left to wonder how cold it is in the mini-mart my attention wavers to the posting board in the background. Anyone focusing on the Depressed flyer?

Just me? Oh, okay.

After more small talk Frank talks about the gift that keeps on giving is time and space. While I do get annoyed at some of the snotty teenager tone he is throwing to Olivia I know that she can take it and I’ll tell you why I’m not actually angry at Frank.

Yet.

Olivia was in a romantic relationship with Frank. She slept with his dad and kept that behind his back the entire time, but when Frank found out he stepped away and let Buzz and Olivia have their romance and almost marriage. Olivia… well she left his dad at the altar. Then we have Frank who believed he was in a romantic relationship with Natalia because she lied to him repeatedly and told him she was and Frank so wanted to believe in the love that he ignored the signs just as he did with Olivia. He was then left at the altar by Natalia and when he found out about Olivia and Natalia he pretty graciously stepped back.

So he can be snotty. I’m okay with that because if I had lost Olivia and then also lost Natalia I’m pretty sure that I would be making the most snarky assy comments that I could. But then again I’m not a really great guy; I’m merely a snarky woman.

Olivia says something, but all I hear is, “Frank just because this makes you and Rafe uncomfortable doesn’t mean I’m going to step out of the picture. Natalia wants me and needs me and if she asks I’ll be there.”

I’ve been told she says something like, “what if Natalia needs me?” and then Frank says something like, “be careful.”

I’m pretty sure my translation is right though.

~~~

The only notes I have from this scenes are that it takes place at the police departments and apparently I couldn’t stop thinking about the donuts.

Oh, it’s Frank and Mallet, right? Talking about how they can’t hack into Jeffery’s computer.

~~~

Reva and Shayne have somehow entered the crime scene, you can tell because of the poorly taped off crime scene tape, otherwise known as Jeffery’s office. As the National Security Administration logo pops up Reva types in whatthehell into the password and it’s correct.

Can we talk for a moment about how horrible that password is and how lax the security must be with the NSA if you can type in a phrase? Everyone knows you should need at least a letter, number, and a special character.

Yes, I get it. He’s the ‘what the hell’ husband. Oh, it’s so in character.

Really Jeffery, I thought you’d have a cooler password.

~~~

And now we’ve tripped onto Josh being outside and changing out of his green polo into a black t-shirt to emphasize that he is hammering a row of rails into a board. This man is so frustrated that I don’t even think that an hour-long massage could work out one knot. Who rolls into the scene? Matt, of course, on his two-wheeled babe magnet.

Under Matt’s critique Josh lets it be known that this is his anger management. Actually that’s a brilliant idea. I might steal it sometime.

And I’m of course now giggling because of the matching outfits of Josh and Matt and gasp when Matt offers to buy Josh a drink.

Matt’s cruising! My day just might not get better than this realization in my dreamland.

~~~

Olivia is leaning on her car as Emma runs full throttle at her mother ready for shopping. Emma ever the gamer, she watches Attack of the Show and X-Play, naturally, suggests Call of Duty or her friend Katie did.

I think that Rafe would probably be better suited for something along the lines of Mass Effect as he needs to realize his actions affect all those around him. Was it just my bad vision or were the controllers in Rafe’s room actually N64 controllers? I guess it must be an Xbox though… right?

Probably.

I wonder what his gamer tag is… hmm.

Thinking the game is a bit too violent Olivia’s thinking no on Call of Duty. Emma judges the paradigm of boys vs. girls and says that he’s a boy and in her theory boys and violence go together. Oh, mom change that thinking early… hurry!

After the brief Rafe might not be there, but we’re going to get him a game so he knows we love him moment Emma runs to the car because shopping is what Spencer’s do! Please note that she’s in the backseat as children in Illinois… oh. No, they can be in the front with adult restraint at the age of eight, huh, but please check this out if you have tykes so you know the proper restraint for kids. So ends your PSA.

At this time I would like to tell the costuming department that while I enjoy the sunglasses as a headband moment acknowledging that the sun is shining, wouldn’t a hat be much more enjoyable?

Survey says…. Yes.

~~~

Rafe is a cutie. I just can’t help it. I know it’s mostly Cubs hat seduction, but I take my liking him where I can get it.

Natalia understands that Rafe is struggling because she had as well and it involved a lot of talking with God. There is a lovely chance to have an introductory talk about belief systems and how when you subscribe to one it’s hard to see where actual life fits into it. We’re not individuals in boxes.

Then we’re walloped with what Rafe means to Natalia, “You’re not just my son, you’ve been my best friend for half my life and I miss you.”

And Rafe melts with us with a, “I miss you too Ma,” before giving her the hug I’m screaming for him to wrap her up in.Which is quite a lot of demonstrative emotion for a teenage boy before he shrugged it off that her food is getting cold.

Reeling off the high brought on by the hug factor Natalia picks at her food and starts in on phase three before going through that belief system talk you need to do! She eases into maybe the three of us could sit down for a meal and I can hear the tiny screams in Rafe’s head yelling to hightail it out of there. Per usual with teenagers when you’re asking them to bend everything they’ve known their whole life he bails quickly before having to have any of the tough talk.

Life’s not easy Rafe and you know it.

But Rafe you didn’t have to deal with the hurt puppy look, we did.

Thanks for that birthday present.

~~~

But wait, more exciting stuff with Mallet and Frank as they realize that someone has broken into Jeffery’s office. The Keystone’s look at each other and think, Reva. I marvel as I actually start feeling sorry for Mallet.

~~~

Shayne and Marina have a little bit of hysteric voice warbles and obvious lack of control of volume and the fauxhawked Henry has no clue that he at some time will become more of a pawn than ever before. Marina lays down some smack and I believe folks that Mandy Bruno has some acting chops. Then Mallet barges in and the continued annoyance match occurs between him and Shayne.

I’m all very yawn. There’s Jeffery talk and Reva grimaces, but even with a fauxhawk in the mix. Yawn.

~~~

Reva is cleaning her house like I do sometimes when you throw things around looking for one specific thing and then find it on the top of a pile. So frustrating.

She prys open a metal box with monies! and passports! It’s like an adult’s piñata.

She quite angrily cries out, “where are you,” but mostly I think she’s upset she ruined the box.

~~~

We see Dinah enter in a Navy uniform and all speech and motor functions die within me. I forgive the costume department. They don’t know the incapacitation that occurs to me when I see Navy uniforms. I’m hit again with Jeffery entering in the Navy blues.

I’m pretty sure that words were spoken, but really we just needed to see that they were dressed up as a branch of the military and I’m happy they picked the most handsome uniforms out there. I don’t even care if you disagree with me. You don’t even want to see what happens when I see Navy whites. There are vowel sounds and that’s pretty much it.

From my squinting I think that they have Jeffery as a Lieutenant Colonel and Dinah as a Lieutenant, serviceable.

So if you are interested in what happens, then you’re reading the wrong recap.

Graveyard.

Body switching.

But mostly, pretty.

~~~

Frank is on the phone pacing in the SPD office as he uses his not happy voice about the computer expert and how he needs to get there yesterday.

Rafe walks in like a wounded puppy. I guess the Rivera’s are just emoting puppy today. Frank treats Rafe like a five-year-old and I’m actually very not amused by it. If people are wondering why your nineteen-year-old doesn’t act like an adult it’s because you don’t treat them like one.

Frank mentions Daisy which is nice for me to hear as I still think those crazy kids are a-dork-able together, but Rafe gets the big ol’ brush off when asking Frank to hang out. That’s how it feels Rafe; no sugar-free cake for you sir.

~~~

Speaking of the sad panda, we see Natalia is moping about just like her son. Olivia enters with Emma and a not so manly or well sized bag for a video game. (Are you that tired prop department? Okay, I understand the baby hiding being tiresome. You're forgiven.)

Olivia says that it’s probably good Rafe isn’t there and offers to leave, but Emma being the smartest child points out that there is cake. I love her for this, because while cake is not pie, it will do.

Natalia’s bringing the room down even with Emma’s cheeriness as she plays with sprinkles and listens to the mother and daughter talk.

As Olivia scratches her nose in the most endearing thing she does all day because man did it make me want to scratch my nose too and she asks what Natalia wants them to do.

If the answer was be adorable it’s already done Miss Spencer.

Adorableness after commercial break? Check. The ladies are clearing the enormous amount of three whole dishes to the sink as Emma tries to sneak a lick of the frosting, naturally. Olivia uses the eyes in the back of the head trick on Emma, which freaks her out, justly. It’s actually just your parent knowing you’re never up to any good where dessert is concerned kid. I still get yelled at about sneaking batter and I’m… much older than you.

Emma continues to jockey for the cake by asking to put candles on the cake and they do so, this is just the saddest birthday party. Remember that depressed flier earlier? Did anyone catch the number?

~~~

Little interstitial with Rafe at the baseball field. I do enjoy, to a point, the love of baseball this town has because I too am a baseball nerd. Rafe walks towards home and kicks the ball there reminding me to point out to him that this is not soccer, but baseball.

He leans against the fence and drops down to the ground before removing his cap and reminding us the boy can grow a great head of hair. I just want to muss it all up.

~~~

Frank calls Rafe to see if he wants to “shoot some pool or catch a game” before entering on Marina, Mallet, and Shayne’s stare down.

Frank enters and almost divulges police information and then goes for a beer. Wise man, get me one too. And if you see any Pringles too that’d be fantastic.

In other news Baby Henry is awesome.

~~~

Mostly what is happening in this scene with Dinah and Jeffery is that they are still in Navy uniforms and that hinders my ability to hear them speak in coherent sentences. Right when I come out of my fog Dinah’s earring sparkles so brightly that I think it might be a wink from the costuming angels apologizing for the earlier drab conference.

Dinah says that Jeffery says like the cover-up US intelligence plot sounds like something they’ve (Mr. Near Accent and Jeffery) done before. It’s a bit unnerving for her as there is the body swapping going on and it's not fun like wife swap. Jeffery does admit that he’s done it a couple of times, but this is the last. I think that Mr. O’Neill just got a little more interesting and it’s not the glamour provided by his Navy uniform.

I think.

~~~

Reva is calling a number off a scrap of paper. She mumbles the numbers while punching them into the phone, which is oh-so-human of her. Thanks for the bit of realism thrown in with the fiction Kim Zimmer, nice choice.

She talks to a guy on the phone a Mr. Greechi and states that Jeffery is “Out there somewhere in the world.” Well now you’ve done it. Now I’m picturing Jeffery and Reva as lil’ mouses singing! Try to not have that melt your heart. If it doesn’t you’re a robot and I’d like you to do my taxes.

Reva is touched too and is getting weepy.

The Dude, who I earlier have written almost nothing about because there were Navy uniforms, he’s apparently Mr. Greechi. He gives the message that Reva wants Jeffery home to the devastatingly handsome faux Lieutenant Colonel.

I’m sure there is something important going on, but again there are uniforms and I’m only human. Oh, uniforms how you make normal people pretty and pretty people heartbreakingly beautiful.

Reva steps outside the cabin and breathes in the New Illinois air.

While sneaky Josh is all not hidden again directly in front of the door and Reva, but… oooh such a shiny watch Josh.

I’m easily distractable, if you hadn’t noticed by now.

Final mustache rating:

Next week: Dinah is the decoy for Edmund. Alan and Phillip bicker over the soul of James. Only 21 days until the wedding of Bill and Lizzie. Cyrus wants Remy’s diamonds, which only took him too long to flush. Phillip flies to a doctor appointment with a Bauer.

Mr. Mystery

2009-05-13T21:29:00.006-05:00

From my recent trip to Minnesota I was allowed to go to Games by James in the Mall of America with Rach and Molly. There I purchased another mystery puzzle in utter glee and abandonment of how I really am trying actively to become an 82 year old woman.

This one is easier to put together than the previous one because it is actually in color. The other one I bought was Alfred Hitchcock and it was black and white. It took forever.

So the puzzle has overtaken my kitchen table and I've spent hours separating and piling.

Look what I found this evening on my table.

It was a new Mr. Bandito crime detective! He wanted to look over the murder scene and figure out the answer to the puzzle! (The puzzle has no picture and you read a 'murder' and then put it together to find out who the killer is and why you think that).

Somehow he had not knocked over my piles of blue with black edging in it, blue with jewelry, etc. It seemed that he was just thinking about putting the puzzle together himself. Which was kind as I was about ready to go to the office for internet and writing night with Nikki.

It was when he sensed that I wanted him to move that he laid down and tried to blend into the puzzle. This might have worked with the B&W one Mr. Bandito, but you can't pull that over on me tonight.

He is still Mr. Mystery and I know just to spite me he got back up on that table the second I left the house.

I know I would have.

Cats are pretty much made of awesome.

Ceasing Ramble.

You don't even want to know how long this took

2009-05-07T12:04:00.001-05:00

I gakked this from Nikki's blog as I was re-reading bits of it during my slow workday today.

This was originally posted on her blog in October 2005 I wonder what it would be like now.

(Hint, you should do another one Nik. I also lay down a challenge to anyone who reads this and blogs)

10 years ago:
1. I finally was dating Andrew after realizing that it wouldn't necessarily ruin our friendship like I thought. Even after my rationalization about how it would be like if Mulder and Scully started dating! (I love teenage logic)
2. Beth was my best friend and we were excited to be going to Europe in the summer.
3. I had already decided that I was going to Truman State University for college and I would be entering as an English major. I would be a high school English teacher. Well, two out of three ain't bad.
4. I worked at Hardee's. Where I had a ridiculous amount of fun singing with Dillon through headsets to each other.
5. I loved talking on the phone. I would watch television shows with Dillon and talk the entire hour. I'm not sure how my parents didn't throttle me for this.

5 years ago:
1. I was delivering pizzas for Domino's and saving up money to go to Tampa to a Buffy convention. I will always geek out about something; normally pop culture.
2. Beth was my best friend and we were realizing that she was going to not be my roomie anymore; but we were excited about where our lives might lead now that we weren't going to teach.
3. Avenue Q was the soundtrack of our lives.
4. On a whim I accepted to move to Columbia with Candra, just because she wanted a roommate. I often wonder where I would have gone just if someone asked. That is the most 'moveable' I have ever been in my life.
5. Beth and I still shared a cell phone plan. She's the closest to married I've ever been and probably ever will be... I'm so okay with that you shouldn't feel sorry for me.

1 year ago:
1. I was finishing my first regular school year as an advisor and loving my job.
2. I was already embroiled into the baseball season and trying to convince myself that driving to Kansas City all the time was okay.
3. Molly was getting ready to move to Minnesota and I knew I'd be losing my closest friend in the 'Burg. So... that sucked.
4. The wheels in my head were already turning about the 4th of July float trip.
5. I still had no idea how to live by a budget.

Yesterday:
1. I had writing night with Nikki; one of my favorite times of the week.
2. I finally felt better from my week-long cold.
3. My cat, Mr. Bandito, showed me he still didn't understand how his feeder worked. Or that he purposefully didn't want to understand this 'new technology'.
4. Our student worker, B, had her final day. I fired her about five times. I will miss doing that.
5. I realized I needed to get my reading list filled up again as I had plowed through three books.

5 snacks I like:
1. Salt and Vinegar Chips
2. Peas
3. Cheese
4. Granny Smith Apples
5. Chipotle Lime Pistachios

5 songs I know all the words to:
1. Racheal Yamagata - Worn Me Down
2. Dixie Chicks - Taking the Long Way
3. Guster - What You Wish For
4. Oren Lavie - Her Morning Elegance
5. Common Rotation - Fortunate

If I had a million dollars:
1. I'd pay off my remaining debt.
2. I'd move to Kansas City and buy a house.
3. I'd throw some money at my friends so they could pay down debt.
4. I'd place the rest in a long term savings
5. I'd make sure my parents were taken care of and didn't have to worrry.

5 things I would never wear:
1. Leather pants
2. Five inch heels
3. Fur... well unless I was in Siberia.
4. Halter Top
5. Thong

Favorite TV shows:
1. 30 Rock
2. Chuck
3. Battlestar Galactica
4. Buffy
5. Angel

5 bad habits:
1. Distractability
2. Sometimes too Biting Sarcasm
3. Untidy House
4. Leaving my phone in another room and not hearing it...
5. Inability to set and keep a routine

5 biggest joys:
1. Friends that make you laugh so hard you can't breathe.
2. Finishing a chapter or update to a story.
3. Real honest to goodness letters in mail.
4. Hearing the crack of a bat and the roar of a stadium when the Royals score.
5. Board games with friends.

5 fictional people I want to date:
1. Chuck Bartowski - Chuck
2. Anya - Buffy the Vampire Slayer
3. Jim Halpert - The Office
4. April Hoffman - Definitely, Maybe
5. Jim Levenstein - American Pie

Ceasing Ramble.

A Kitty Love Story...

2009-05-04T21:28:00.006-05:00

I came home from Minnesota and Bandito followed me around the apartment meowing and merr-ing as talkative as a four-year old asking you questions repeatedly.

I crawled into bed still feeling my Iowa hangover and generally still sick and crappy for the fifth day in the row.

I then saw that Bandit was cuddling up to his twin.

I could barely tell them apart. I knew one was a shoe and one was a cat, but which?!

And then Mr. Bandito started to get into protective mode over his new girlfriend Ms. Sole Kitty.

He was ALL over her and then he attacked me.

Well... actually he didn't he just continued being really cute and cuddling up to Ms. Sole Kitty.

I hope she doesn't break his heart.

Ceasing Ramble.

I Want to Go to There!

2009-04-23T20:35:00.004-05:00

Al had mentioned how Mr. Bandito loves windows so he can feel the breeze along his fur.

He's been very thankful for the trucks, cars and hordes of screaming children along my street.

Sometimes I forget that he has been with me for such a short time.

Le sigh.

Ceasing Ramble.

The Story Hour

2009-04-22T21:12:00.004-05:00

Normally when I get ready for bed it actually means I'm getting ready to lay in bed and read for an hour. Bandito takes this as time to lay on my chest as I normally sleep on my side and he isn't liking trying to sleep around my constant moving.

It's annoying.

All you have to do is look at him when I ask if he wants to try to sleep on the bed. He jumps off in a huff. And then returns around 3am and then 6am just to ask me if I'm awake.

I wasn't until you woke me up cat; thanks for asking.

I have so much Bandit pictures though that I need to start putting them up.

So these are from The Story Hour, we were reading Fool by Christopher Moore. I highly recommend it, as does Mr. Bandito, literary critic.

It made him laugh.

It made him wide-eyed with the suspense and shock of some passages.

And sometimes, sometimes he was rapt with attention, reading along with me.

But mostly he liked laying on me, his warm personal pillow/heater. Tonight, we're reading The Daily Coyote by Sherve Stockton. It's fantastic. Mr. Bandito likes that there is a cat in it too.

Ceasing Ramble.

Mr. Bandito at Work

2009-04-08T21:42:00.003-05:00

Bandit is progressing nicely.

He has even decided to help me catch up on some work at home.

How nice of him. Soon I'll just send him in to my actual job. I'm sure they won't notice.

And the shoes?

They get around.

Ceasing Ramble.

A Box by Any Other Name Would Smell...

2009-04-07T17:55:00.002-05:00

As cardboardy.

I just keep giving him paper products and he keeps being happy.

I know it looks like deep concentration, but he kept getting distracted by my blanket.

The new thing he is doing now is jumping up on my lap when I'm sitting by the computer and using the keyboard as a place to scratch his head.

Inventive.

We'll see how much he likes me after a couple days by himself when I'm in KC for Opening Day.

I feel like I'll be ignored for a couple days afterwards.

If not... he just wouldn't be a cat.

Ceasing Ramble.

100 Dollar Scratching Post

2009-04-02T11:39:00.003-05:00

Yesterday marks the day that Bandit decided he liked me.

I'm not sure if it's because I took two hours to get home after work or if it's because I brought home a scratching post for him to sharpen his imaginary claws on.

A note on how fantastic my landlord is... I caught her and we chitchatted about this and that when I dropped off my rent check. I mentioned there was a 100 dollar hike on there because I got a cat and he meets all the specifications that she wanted for me to get a cat.

Her eyes widened and she cackled (that lovely laugh of older people with genuine glee and you hear the wear of their voice over the years, like an old record) and told me she had picked up this perfectly nice scratching post from her neighbor yard. They were going to throw it away!?

A lot of things in this apartment are from finds that my landlord makes at rummage sales and the like, my new cabinet in the bathroom being one of them. I love her utter glee in free things.

And she told me that I was more than welcome to have it. I reminded her that Bandito does not have claws and she prattled on adorably about how they still 'do it' right? I mean, sharpen claws even though they don't have them.

She then gave me my 100 dollar scratching post and I brought it home.

Bandit likes it.

And then he curled up beside me on his paper bag. His most loved possession.

He likes me though, purring and jumping up and laying on my lap. Dany says it's because he wants food... false! He still had food in his bowl. Take that cynical Michigan-ite!

Ceasing Ramble.

But I'm so comfy here...

2009-03-31T20:32:00.002-05:00

Bandit has been progressing much faster than I actually thought he would be at my apartment.

Since I work close to home I can come home during lunch and check on him and his vigorous napping. He's really good at what he does. Sometimes I wish I had the stamina for a multiple siesta day.

I went and picked up a few cat things I realized I needed and when I arrived home a mere hour after 5... I found Bandit to be zipping around my house. I think he is feeling a bit more at home here.

I left a paper sack on the ground he almost got in it, which I would have picked him up instantly, but alas, he got out.

And then he decided to try it out for the comfy factor.

He's still on it an hour later sleeping peacefully.

So, a bag.

Okay I can get you paper bags kiddo.

Ceasing Ramble.

Adoption

2009-03-29T16:46:00.004-05:00

Today marks the day of an adoption.

My friend Adrienne woefully spoke of her cat Bandit at "New Year's in St. Louis" (which happened in March) and how he was not getting along with his new dog siblings inherited from her marriage.

After talking about Bandit and realizing he meets all of the specifications my landlord said a cat would need to live in my wood-paneled abode I let Adrienne know I would be happy to adopt Bandit.

I mean, he has his own theme song.

Beth, being the biggest pal ever, shuttled Bandit to me today...

I let him be to wander around my apartment and get to know it. He mewed, he hissed, he stared out windows.

And then...

He decided to take a nap on my treadmill. This was made of awesome.

And get ready for Bandit Watch to see when/if he decides he likes me.

Ceasing Ramble.

Update! Bandit has now found that the papasan chair is actually more comfortable than the treadmill.

Worth a Thousand Words

2009-03-16T20:27:00.006-05:00

Wonder Twins Activate in Form of.... THUMBS!

Ceasing Ramble.

Sweat Filled Amusements

2009-01-30T22:06:00.003-06:00

Sadly, this is not about sexcapdes.

As I was warming up for my circuit workout tonight I was marching, yes marching, in place bringing my legs up high and watching myself in the mirror as I lip-synced to my music and then... Love is a Battlefield came on and I couldn't stop giggling at myself.

I think it's because I was envisioning the dance that is in the video by the lovely Pat Benatar.

What? You haven't seen it in a while?

If you've wondered what was full of awesome. It's this video.

Picture yourself working out... to this beat... and not laughing at yourself when you are picturing the shoulder shimmy shake dance.

If you can not laugh.

You are made of stronger material than I am.

I'm made of glitter gold spandex covered in black chiffon, if you were wondering.

Ceasing Ramble.

Boo on you Tax Man!

2009-01-27T18:18:00.003-06:00

I did my taxes yesterday.

I'm getting a refund.

And it makes me somewhat angry.

In a perfect world no one would get a tax refund, because the government would have taken out the EXACT amount it needs to.

Instead the federal government took an extra 20 per paycheck and the state an extra 5. Now, you're probably saying Brenda you would have frittered away that extra 25 bucks a month.

I might have if I didn't run on a budget. All my return is going directly to my student loan. So I'm thanking the government for holding my money and putting it towards who knows what and then giving it back to them.

I was told that I should be stimulating the economy with this money.

Or if President (HEE!) Obama pushes through a stimulus package with checks that I should use that money to stimulate the economy.

I think I'm stimulating it enough. I'm putting money into my Roth IRA, so I'm putting money into stocks, I'm putting money into my savings, so I'm stimulating banks, and then I spend roughly 80-100 dollars a week on food/gas/clothing and the like from area businesses.

Consider yourself stimulated economy.

Economy, if you could help me lose about 15 more pounds I'd stimulate you some more with a LCD TV purchase.

But I think that my student loan plan is good enough.

Also, I really feel like watching Stranger Than Fiction after doing the taxes or perhaps just having someone whisper in my ear that the charitable donations that I give are more than what I'm currently withholding.

Sexy talk.

Ceasing Ramble.

Poor Man's Weight Loss Challenge

2009-01-27T18:15:00.003-06:00

Update: Neither Beth, nor I owe each other money yet.

My weight loss is in a standstill. I've had many people weigh in on what they think is happening to my body.

I think it's just trying to hold onto the fat storage because it's so damn cold outside.

I feel better and I'm eating better, which really that's what matters.

Beth and I continue to marvel at the motivation behind a penny.

Also pork and black bean verde stew is delicious. Thank you Biggest Loser recipe book.

Living in Words

2009-01-23T23:15:00.004-06:00

I recently finished a book that my new penpal from the far off shores of Canada sent me with a lovely handwritten letter and a Coffee Crisp bar (which thank heavens I can't purchase them readily here in the States).

I would name the book, but there is the chance that someone who reads this blog might be receiving it soon... so I'll edit that when that event happens.

The imagery washed over me and I got lost in the story.

The beginning, the middle, and the ending has been following me around for more than a week. As I flipped through the pages hungrily devouring pages, words, and letters I became so wrapped up in the book that at the end I found tears in my eyes.

Now, I am not a solemn 'no tears' type of individual, but usually I don't cry when reading books. There are sighs and hmmms and aaaahs, but usually vocally letting out the excitment and feeling is all that matters.

But not in this book.

Which led me to search out in my bookshelf something that I had read before and where the pages felt worn and comforting. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe. Thanks to Candra I have many copies of Fannie Flag, but this is the one that feels like home. The bits of storytelling that weave together stories along time bring that same vivid imagry of the first book.

Idgie and Ruth have the biggest pull for me and often times I think of that relationship, that love and if it's mirrored in my own life.

I think it is, although, not romantically as Idgie and Ruth are linked through pages and charm.

I have a friend who I feel as strongly about as Idgie did Ruth.

So Miss Beth, I'll love you... even if you don't make pie without blueberries.

Even when you infuriate me.

Because you're who I tell my tall tales to and can hear the real story behind them and that I'm always thankful for, even when I can't find the words to say so...

As I sift through books and sink into stories I hope that you can find one that touches you deeply too.

I love you.

(Except you Fred Phelps, I still firmly hate you.)

Ceasing Ramble.

The Poor Man's Challenge Excersice Routine

2009-01-07T19:40:00.002-06:00

Okay, so I know I'm going to hurt tomorrow, but it's worth it.

I did weights today.

In prep of the circuit training I'm going to start on Friday.

And this is what my workout schedule is going to be like.

Sunday - Rest Day (20 minute walk)
Monday - Circuit and Light Cardio
Tuesday - Heavy Cardio
Wednesday - Circuit and Light Cardio
Thursday - Rest Day (20 minute walk)
Friday - Circuit and Light Cardio
Saturday - Heavy Cardio

My Saturday/Sunday will most likely switch back and forth depending on what is going on over the weekend, but I should be able to keep with the circuit training very well at home. It's those darn weekend in Kansas City and elsewhere that worries me, but most likely I'll just switch those around to heavier cardio if I can't take my weights with me. (Yes I own weights... I used to do crunches with a barbell weight cuddled to my chest how awesome of me huh?).

I am taking the circuit options from the Biggest Loser workout book I didn't feel like opening until today. It's pretty great because the reason I never did circuit training is I didn't know how to put together all the exercises.

And man I'm going to hurt tomorrow.

But it will be a good hurt.

The hurt of not having to pay Beth a penny.

Ceasing Ramble.

The Poor Man's Weight Loss Challenge

2009-01-06T19:46:00.003-06:00

I was talking to Beth today and she told me that she had been working out everyday.

You must understand hearing Beth say that is like hearing Fred Phelps say that he loves gays, a whale speaking perfect British English while drinking tea, or for me to say I dislike Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

I was amazed.

I asked her how long she's been doing this and she said since Friday.

Multiple days. I was impressed.

After working out tonight I gave her a call and issued a challenge.

Beth and I might be penny pinchers.

For everyday we catch the other not working out, cardio or weights, at least 20 minutes of sweat.

I work out on the treadmill, Beth does crazy dance workouts as coregraphed... by Beth. To each his own.

But if we don't work out a penny is owed. If we don't work out two days in a row a nickel is owed. If we don't work out three days in a row the big money comes out and a quarter is owed.

So begins the poor man's weight loss challenge as coined by the new Richard Simmons.

Updates will be made when I owe Beth the big coin and I'll keep track of the running monies that I get from Suzanne Somers.

For my personal weight loss I'm hoping for a 10% weight loss of 18.8 pounds as a first goal. I had made some progress when Kris Kringle decided to leave me four pounds for Christmas (he really shouldn't have). When I reach this goal I'll be able to buy my new TV. After that hitting a goal weight of 169.2 I will then go for the next 10% loss of 16.9 pounds. When hitting that goal weight I'll be able to buy an XBox 360 with a weight of 152.3. I don't have a time goal to go with this and the updates won't be as frequent as my last blog because I know that no one is as interested in my workouts as I am. (The same goes for my own personal fiances).

So here's hoping that Beth and I can slim down to where we were in this picture.

Interesting where you can find yourself after four years when you're not paying attention to your own body.

Ceasing Ramble.

The Shortest Distance Between Point A and B

2009-01-05T13:45:00.004-06:00

Minnesota tried to keep me in the state the other day. By making an eight-car pile up occur a ½ mile away from me and stopping traffic over a small hill on I-35.

Which, of course, resulted in stopped traffic. Which, of course, resulted in me slowing down, getting in the right lane and then realizing I needed to get onto the shoulder to not hit the stopped cars....

I looked in my rearview mirror and saw that a car behind me wasn't slowing down so I had a choice:

a) keep driving on the shoulder and possibly be slammed into, wrecking my car, deploying my airbags, and possibly putting me and others in the hospital.

b) drive off the shoulder and into a snow bank.

I chose B.

Six feet and eighty-five dollars later I was back on the road after a break to do some texting, talking to concerned parent and friends, and eating some lovely salt and vinegar chips (thanks for pushing those on me M). I then drove through Iowa where I saw at least 25 cars off on the road and people continued to break for absolutely no reason. When I saw the crunched up highway patrolman's car being lifted onto a tow truck I was thankful I chose B.

Because no matter that the car didn't stop and see if I was okay, like any decent human being should have... I didn't find out what could have happened if I chose A.

Please return later when I post the picture that made me laugh when I stopped for gas in Bethany, MO. Also how I didn't call Nik and state, "I'm almost in Bethany." I will never know.

Maybe my brother's gift to me was spot on.

Ceasing Ramble.