The Problem with Being a CPA

...well, besides being asked for help on taxes (I don't DO taxes...I barely get thru my own...FYI, CPAs can do other things besides taxes, such as normal financial accounting), it that I live in the past for my job. Still looking @ 2008 - tweaking, etc. before we are audited.

So I just reviewed my post from yesterday, and I noticed the year on the SMS Swap cards I made is 2008...now I need to revise those when I get home. Good thing I haven't mailed anything yet!

New mantra: The year is 2009, the year is 2009, the year is 2009. Rinse, lather, and repeat!

Life Without Cable

Life without cable means more PBS, which comes in loud & clear on the HD antennae. Sunday morning, I had to scold Steve for turning off Mister Rogers.

Because, you know...it was a beautiful day in the neighborhood! And how dare he interrupt my trip down childhood-memory lane!

Anyway, so in the same vein as my last post, this is a great article about how Mister Rogers is awesome!

Muppets: Origins

This has to be the best article I've seen on CNN in a long time: Surprising stories behind 20 Muppet characters. The fact that Miss Piggy is from Iowa totally cracks me up!

DWTS: Part 7?

The lineup for Season 7(?) of Dancing with the Stars has been announced, and it looks to be an interesting mix of characters. No Cloris, but Lil Kim should shake things up. Actually, for the record, Cloris annoyed the heck out of me - I was happy to see her go!

I think it's great for a couple to be competing directly against each other - Ty Murray & Jewel. Now if only we had been spared two separate seasons of Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin...alas!

Chuck Wicks is also competing - current boyfriend to Julianne Hough, but I don't think she is going to be a pro this time around, I thought she's supposed to be promoting an upcoming country album? So I wonder who Chuck will be paired with... EDIT 2/10: I guess they will be paired together - so much for her country music!

My prediction for the contestant who needs their dancing shoes for only one week of competition: Steve Wozniak. But I hope he surprises me!

Purple Rain

This is freaking awesome! I listened to Kat tell her tale last night on KROQ as I was driving home, but had to read this blog post today, along with Rolling Stone's account of the evening... How much fun would that be to party like it's 2009 with Prince @ his pad? WAY fun, my friends...WAY fun...

This is sad

Two things are sad about this picture, a screen shot of my browser with CNN open:

1. My Girl Scout Cookies will have less yummy goodness in the boxes this year.
2. LA car chase is once again a focal news story...notice how you never hear about car chases anywhere else... But it happens here quite frequently, and still manages to attract a lot of media attention.

133

I saw this over at Nothin’ But Nett and thought, why not give it a go. (and copy most of her post -hehe).

SUPPOSEDLY if you’ve seen over 85 of these films, you have no life. Well, I just happen to love movies...and books...and blogs...and crafts...so yeah, I suppose I don't have a life. There are 239 films on this list. Copy this list, go to your own blog, paste this. Then, put x’s next to the films you’ve seen, add them up, change the header adding your number. My little addition to this list is to add another x if you own the movie. Have fun.

(x) Rocky Horror Picture Show

(x) Grease

(xx) Pirates of the Caribbean

(xx) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest

( ) Boondock Saints

( ) Fight Club

(x) Starsky and Hutch

(x) Neverending Story

(xx) Blazing Saddles

(x) Airplane

Total: 8, 3 owned

(xx) The Princess Bride

(x) Anchorman

(xx) Napoleon Dynamite

(x) Labyrinth

( ) Saw

( ) Saw II

( ) White Noise

( ) White Oleander

(x) Anger Management

(x) 50 First Dates

(xx) The Princess Diaries

(x) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement

Total so far: 16, 6 owned

(x) Scream

(x) Scream 2

(x) Scream 3

(x) Scary Movie

(x) Scary Movie 2

( ) Scary Movie 3

( ) Scary Movie 4

(x) American Pie

(x) American Pie 2

(x) American Wedding

( ) American Pie Band Camp

Total so far: 24, 6 owned

(xx) Harry Potter 1

(xx) Harry Potter 2

(xx) Harry Potter 3

(xx) Harry Potter 4

( ) Resident Evil 1

( ) Resident Evil 2

(xx) The Wedding Singer

( ) Little Black Book

(xx) The Village

(xx) Lilo & Stitch

Total so far: 31, 13 owned

(xx) Finding Nemo

(xx) Finding Neverland

(xx) Signs

(x) The Grinch

( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre

( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning

( ) White Chicks

( ) Butterfly Effect

(x) 13 Going on 30

(x) I, Robot

(x) Robots

Total so far: 38, 16 owned

(xx) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story

( ) Universal Soldier

(x) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events

(x) Along Came Polly

( ) Deep Impact

(x) KingPin

(x) Never Been Kissed

(xx) Meet The Parents

(xx) Meet the Fockers

( ) Eight Crazy Nights

(x) Joe Dirt

( ) KING KONG (The Original)

Total so far: 46, 19 owned

(x) A Cinderella Story

(x) The Terminal

( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie

( ) Passport to Paris

(x) Dumb & Dumber

( ) Dumber & Dumberer

(x) Final Destination

(x) Final Destination 2

(x) Final Destination 3

( ) Halloween

( ) The Ring

( ) The Ring 2

( ) Surviving X-MAS

( ) Flubber [the original]

Total so far: 52, 19 owned

(x) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle

(x) Practical Magic

(xx) Chicago

( ) Ghost Ship

( ) From Hell

( ) Hellboy

( ) Secret Window

(x) I Am Sam

(x) The Whole Nine Yards

(x) The Whole Ten Yards

Total so far: 58, 20 owned

( ) The Day After Tomorrow

( ) Child’s Play

( ) Seed of Chucky

( ) Bride of Chucky

(x) Ten Things I Hate About You

(x) Just Married

( ) Gothika

( ) Nightmare on Elm Street

(x) Sixteen Candles

(x) Remember the Titans

(x) Coach Carter

( ) The Grudge

( ) The Grudge 2

(x) The Mask

(x) Son Of The Mask

total so far: 65, 20 owned

(x) Bad Boys

(xx) Bad Boys 2

( ) Joy Ride

( ) Lucky Number Slevin

(xx) Ocean’s Eleven

(xx) Ocean’s Twelve

(x) Bourne Identity

( ) Bourne Supremecy

( ) Lone Star

( ) Bedazzled

( ) Predator

( ) Predator II

(x) The Fog

(xx) Ice Age

(xx) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown

(x) Curious George

Total so far: 74, 25 owned

(xx) Independence Day

( ) Cujo

( ) A Bronx Tale

( ) Darkness Falls

( ) Christine

(x) ET

( ) Children of the Corn

( ) My Bosses Daughter

(x) Maid in Manhattan

(x) War of the Worlds

(x) Rush Hour

(xx) Rush Hour 2

Total so far: 80, 27 owned

( ) Best Bet

(xx) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

(x) She’s All That

(x) Calendar Girls

(x) Sideways

( ) Mars Attacks

( ) Event Horizon

(x) Ever After

(x) Wizard of Oz

(x) Forrest Gump

( ) Big Trouble in Little China

(x) The Terminator

( ) The Terminator 2

( ) The Terminator 3

Total so far: 88, 28 owned

(x) X-Men

(x) X-2

(x) X-3

(x) Spider-Man

(x) Spider-Man 2

(x) Sky High

(x) Jeepers Creepers

( ) Jeepers Creepers 2

(x) Catch Me If You Can

(xx) The Little Mermaid

(x) Freaky Friday (the original)

( ) Reign of Fire

(x) The Skulls

(x) Cruel Intentions

(x) Cruel Intentions 2

( ) The Hot Chick

(xx) Shrek

(xx) Shrek 2

Total so far: 103, 31 owned

( ) Swimfan

(x) Miracle on 34th street

( ) Old School

(x) The Notebook

( ) K-Pax

( ) Krippendorf’s Tribe

(xx) A Walk to Remember

( ) Ice Castles

( ) Boogeyman

(x) The 40-year-old Virgin

Total so far: 107, 32 owned

(xx) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring

(xx) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers

(xx) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King

(x) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark

(x) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

(x) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Total so far: 113, 35 owned

(x) Baseketball

( ) Hostel

(x) Waiting for Guffman

( ) House of 1000 Corpses

( ) Devils Rejects

(xx) Elf

( ) Highlander

( ) Mothman Prophecies

( ) American History X

( ) Three

Total so Far: 116, 36 owned

( ) The Jacket

( ) Kung *** Hustle

( ) Shaolin Soccer

( ) Night Watch

(xx) Monsters Inc.

(x) Titanic

(xx) Monty Python and the Holy Grail

( ) Shaun Of the Dead

( ) Willa74

Total so far: 119, 38 owned

( ) High Tension (Haute Tension)

( ) Club Dread

( ) Hulk

( ) Dawn Of the Dead

(x) Hook

(x) Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe

(x) 28 days later

( ) Orgazmo

( ) Phantasm

( ) Waterworld

Total so far: 122, 38 owned

(x) Kill Bill vol 1

(x) Kill Bill vol 2

( ) Mortal Kombat

( ) Wolf Creek

( ) Kingdom of Heaven

( ) the Hills Have Eyes

( ) I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman

( ) The Last House on the Left

( ) Re-Animator

( ) Army of Darkness

Total so far: 124, 38 owned

(x) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace

(x) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones

(x) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith

(xx) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope

(xx) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back

(xx) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi

( ) Ewoks Caravan Of Courage

( ) Ewoks The Battle For Endor

Total so far: 130, 41 owned

(xx) The Matrix

(xx) The Matrix Reloaded

(xx) The Matrix Revolutions

( ) Animatrix

( ) Evil Dead

( ) Evil Dead 2

( ) Team America: World Police

( ) Red Dragon

( ) Silence of the Lambs

( ) Hannibal

Total: 133, 44 owned

That's a TON of movies. There are so many not on the list - like the 3rd of the three-quels (Ocean's 13, Shrek the 3rd). And a bunch more that I own that I feel are fairly mainstream. And why don't I own some of these movies? Like 10 Things I Hate About You - for me, that's when Heath first popped up on then-teenager radar. *sigh* And I LOVE 16 Candles - why don't I own that so I can watch anytime my heart desires cheesy 80s movies?? And we should just buckle down & get the newer Star Wars movies.

Ok, enough for now :) Your turn!

Sorry - Couldn't Resist!

Little known fact about me: my friend Meryt totally got me (and Steve, actually) hooked on a funny little comic strip known as Get Fuzzy. I have an intense appreciation for the stereotypical cat/dog roles portrayed in the strip - because it's funny!

One of the best quotes EVER came from Bucky Katt:

"You can wordify anything if you verb it."

So every year, after Christmas is over, I head to the calendar shop at whatever mall happens to be closest (always in Nebraska - we're there for the holidays), and I buy a Get Fuzzy 365-day calendar at the 50% off post-holiday price.

This year, I was especially excited because I finally have a desk to call my own, and get to look at the comics in all their glorious color each and every weekday morning...I usually read ahead on Friday for the Saturday & Sunday strips.

I had to laugh at today's strip... I used the copy machine to send myself a PDF, then I used the print screen to copy/paste into Powerpoint, then saved as a JPG, just so I could share with you:

*giggles* This is why I think yoga classes will never be an option for me!

Photo Booths!

I am always on the lookout for places that have REAL photobooths, not those stupid pretend photobooths that give you an inkjet printout on computer paper. I found one on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls in 2006 (which wasn't very good)...and then was able to take this one last summer @ the Orange County Fair:
And now...I've found photobooth.net, which lists locations of real photo booths! Yippee! Notice that the OC Fair & Canadian Niagara Falls locations are listed ;)

Winter Wonderland

What you need: an iPod and a blog.



What you do:


1. Put your iTunes on shuffle.

2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.

3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS! (see? it’s such an important rule that the first person to post this needed to yell it.)

4. Make a fun/silly/witty comment on your answer. (Or, just write the song name and leave your readers wondering)





The questions (and answers):

* What is your motto? When Can I See You (Babyface)
I'm already amused by this survey thingy


* What do your friends think of you? Girl Like That (Matchbox 20)


* What do you think about very often? America Town (Five for Fighting)
Ok, bunch of songs no one has heard in a while...


* What is 2+2? I Walk Alone (Oleander)
so sad!!


* What do you think of your best friend? Faith (Limp Bizkit)
didn't know Limp Bizkit did a cover of this song...


* What is your life story? Count On Me (Jefferson Starship)

this is pretty good!

* What do you want to be when you grow up? Hanging by a Moment (Lifehouse)


* What do your parents think of you? Everybody Wants Some (Van Halen)
I don't know if this is so so wrong...or not...


* What will they play at your funeral? Sunset Strip Bitch (Eve 6)
lol...lol...lol...


* What is your hobby/interest? I Want Out (Pat Benatar)
just roll with it...


* What is your biggest secret? Addicted (Lit)
still laughing...


* What do you think of your friends? Babylon Feeling
lame...the lols are gone


* What’s the worst thing that could happen? Running Knees (Days of the New)
see...I knew running was bad for me! :-D


* What makes you laugh? Cupid (Jack Johnson)


* What makes you cry? Lord Have Mercy On a Country Boy (Don Williams)
errr....


* What scares you the most? So Right (Dave Matthews Band)
that's what I used to think about Steve - scared cuz he was so right for me...but I gave in!


* If you could go back in time, what would you change? Keep Ya Head Up (2Pac)
holy moly, high school throw back

* Now for the title of this blog entry… Winter Wonderland (Sammy Kershaw)
I knew this post was severly lacking in Christmas music...and some country

Meowy Christmas!

We had a cat named Christmas growing up...we actually named our pets after the holidays closest to when we got the pet...so Christmas was a Christmas present after another cat had passed on... We also had Easter the cocker mutt and St. Patrick, who was the coolest rumpy Manx that we rescued from the Humane Society...and numerous fish named ridiculous names like "The Fourth of July."

So in honor of Christmas the cat (I need to find a picture to post of him), I leave you with this:

MEOWY CHRISTMAS!

Mental Note to Myself...

This is not how magnetic snaps are supposed to look:

Rather, this is how the snap should look:

The washer goes against the wrong side of the fabric...duh!

I made another fabric basket for a Christmas gift for one of my grandmas...I ran out of steam to make the 3 baskets on my list, and only ended up with this one. I'm sure it will be a last second decision on who to give it to...the others will be sent for Valentine's Day if I get my mojo back. Completely scrappy, and to be honest, mostly made from fabrics I would not otherwise use. Some were from the Spare Change swap, and others are more vintage-y squares I got from Nanette when I ordered from her (all completely unique, begging to be a part of something scrappy like this). You can't tell in the photo, but the bottom is a deep purple mini cord. And the inside is a floral print from a thrifted pillow case.

And just because I'm having fun playing with my new camera, and the severe lack of photos earlier today, isn't the macro setting just amazing??

The full-size photo is even better!

AND...who is this little guy?? This is Meeko, he sometimes lives in our neighbor's back yard, and likes to crawl up the tree and peer at our kitties. Steve managed to capture this photo of him (with some Picasa editing thrown in to lighten him up and lessen the devil eyes).

Alright, y'all...this is probably the last real post for a while...so Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy 2009, etc. etc. See ya on the flip side! :)

I always find the weirdest news on Yahoo...

...this time, I'm relieved to find that I'm less likely to die in California from a natural event than I would be in Nebraska, according to the Death Map. And apparently, moving to Colorado would be more hazardous to my life...

Strange Yahoo!

Update on Bicycling Santas...

A friend helped me out thru Facebook, letting me know all of the random Santas in Echo Park on Saturday were participating in SantaCon, a bar crawl.

That would explain the revelry!

And the place that held the Craftacular did indeed turn back into a bar later that night, entertaining all of the Santas that managed to make it that far...

Have you ever...?

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain – I've hiked on a mountain, I think that counts??
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping – OH DEAR! Does it count if your bikini sort of falls off your body after going down a water slide?
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelos David
41. Sung karoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies
62. Gone whale watching - again, does it count if you gone, but not seen any whales?
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp – dude, the Holocaust Museum in DC is pretty close!
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury – almost!
91. Met someone famous – you would think living in LA that this would be an easy yes, but I really don't pay attention that much!
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day – too many times to count

What's in a Name?

YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (first 3 letters of real name plus izzle.): Micizzle

YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color and favorite animal): Pink Cat

YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME : (your middle name and street you live on/or neighborhood if it's a number): Paige Voorhees (this one is really good!)

YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name: Foxmi

YOUR SUPERHERO/CRIMINAL NAME: (Your 2nd favorite color, and favorite drink) Blue Mojito (ironically, a blue mojito is really tasty, also)

YOUR WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (parents middle names): Jean Dale

YOUR GOTH NAME: (black, and the name of one of your pets) ** Black Radar**

YOUR PORN NAME: (name of your 1st pet and the street you grew up on) Charlie Clay

Christmas Traditions Survey

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? All of the above
2. Real tree or Artificial? I grew up with fake...Steve grew up with real. Right now, we have to have fake (our apt lease doesn't permit it). We get the real tree when we go back to his parents house.

3. When do you put up the tree? After Thanksgiving, no earlier
4. When do you take the tree down? Whenever we got to it – it will probably be the 2^nd weekend in January this time around
5. Do you like eggnog? Nope

6. Favorite gift received as a child? My 1^st ten-speed bike
7. Hardest person to buy for? My dad
8. Easiest person to buy for? Usually Steve, this year in particular was my step-dad Rob
9. Do you have a nativity scene? no
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? mail... I love getting mail!
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I can't think of any. I subscribe to "it's the thought that counts"...plus most people know my tastes pretty well.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? The Muppet Christmas Carol!
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Whenever I think of it – I bought stuff starting in August this year!
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Maybe?
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? ham
16. Lights on the tree? yes... multicolored because Steve won't let me do all white
17. Favorite Christmas song? Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Always have to travel.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? yes
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? A bow…I can't find a star that my wussy plastic tree will hold upright
21 Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Growing up, in the morning (but we got to open one early after the church Christmas program); now with Steve's family, we open Christmas morning AFTER everyone is awake

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Store shopping in LA – too many people…so I tend to go online!
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Country-fied
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? I'm a Christmas ham kind of gal

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Everything on my Amazon wish list

Yes, grown adults like to have fun too ;)

I seriously can't believe I'm uploading this, but yes...I'm putting a video out there of us group of "grown-ups" playing Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party after stuffing our faces on Thanksgiving. We're doing the disco game - and I guess I'm a little into it. I love the dancing on this game - super fun, and I seem to manage to work up a sweat!

For the parents out there - this isn't a little kid friendly game - the rabbids are a little crazy, and there's some interesting content in the games.

I am no man!

Seriously, one of my favorite movie quotes of all time...

Then Eowyn sticks her sword into the dude's face, and burns the sh*t out of her arm doing it, and the dude blows up into little bits of dust!

But seriously - "I am no man!" Love it!

I have a confession...

...I've been listening to all of my Mannheim Steamroller Christmas CDs @ work non-stop for the past week. Apparently, I need to get this one to add to my collection: Christmasville; I think I have all of the others. Wish I would have realized this morning when I put in an order from Amazon for some Christmas gifts... Steve, BTW, you aren't allowed to open that box when it comes! But, I think we're ordering my Christmas present soon, so I can get it then!

Plus, I've been listening to Holly on XM 35 on my way home...

All of this is serving as motivation for me to get the Snowman done. He's almost there, ready to hang up on Friday, when I'm allowed to decorate!

And I promise...I'll post with pictures soon, these posts are way too boring otherwise!