whirled peas

So long! It's been swell!

2006-12-29T14:31:00.000-08:00

Well, friends, the time has come to say goodbye to a fantastically great year. I loved 2006. It was fun. It was hot. It was full of surprises. 2007 is going to rock, too, I just have a feeling.

I've also loved ~~talking to you all~~ blabbering on and on about the minutiae of my life here. I will miss you terribly! But not for long. I am moving and as soon as I get the new site all purdied up and ready to launch, I will let you know if you want. Whirled Peas will probably stay up forever but I won't be updating here after the 1st.

Seriously, dry your eyes. Have a martini. It's all going to be okay. You know how to find me anyway! Much love and peace in the coming year.

(Send me an email - [ms dot quilty at gmail dot com] - and I will notify you when the move is final and official).

Ms. Q, out.

w00t!

2006-12-27T10:45:00.000-08:00

For every one thing in my life that is negative (which we won't talk about here!) a lot more positive stuff happens (which I have talked about here!).

Today's good news is thus: My only natural born son who is currently patroling the streets of Baghdad and whose name is Josh and who is one of the biggest joys in my life, will be coming to visit in a few weeks!! His R&R starts on January 9th which means he should be here a few days later. OMG!! Yessssssss. If you can imagine what it is like to find a billion dollars, win the lottery, or [insert your dream here], then you can imagine how I am feeling right now.

So. Freaking. Cool: 2006 Holiday Version

2006-12-26T13:40:00.000-08:00

The past 4 days have been filled to the max with so much holiday yumminess and magic and fun that it has caused me to spaz out and cease normal brain function. You may keep any typos or egregious grammatical errors you may find below.

Friday afternoon, Greg (Mr. Q) picked me up and we drove 8 hours away to San Francisco. It was a direct result of this conversation on Thursday:

Him: Wanna go Christmas shopping in San Francisco this weekend?
Me: Yes!!! (neurotic discussion about how and why we shouldn't go.) Are you sure?
Him: Pffft. Yes, I'm sure. Let's go!
Me: OK!

He picked me up from work and we drove straight to our friends' house in the Castro district. Our friends are totally sweet and cute and funny AND I discovered that Greg makes killer vodka tonics.

Saturday, we went shopping. Shopping all day in downtown San Francisco? The best thing ever. I do believe it was the first time all year that I actually felt really Christmasy. There were lights! Coldish weather! Christmas carolers!! I pillaged the Lush store and then bought something for everyone on my list at one of the millions of fancy shops at Powell & Market.

We mugged for the camera:

We drew napkin art:

We sat by a fire:

And then! The best part:
Sunday, we made a stopover at Luckybuzz & Gospel Bob's family's home for a Christmas Eve party. When we found out they would be on the West Coast for Christmas, we had to stop and see them no matter what. We didn't mean to insinuate ourselves into their Christmas Eve festivities but we couldn't turn down their genuine hospitality. We ate, we drank, we opened presents. And we had a truly enchanting evening with two of the most wicked cool and beautiful people anywhere. I can't even wait to see them again.

Begrudgingly, we had to leave late on Christmas Eve and drive home. We made it home safely. And then we slept.

And then we woke up. And wrapped gifts:

Adored the tree for a few mintes:

And then we unwrapped gifts:

All of this was followed by a divine time at the Quilty-in-laws. More presents, more food, and more love. Damn, I am a lucky lucky girl. What an adventure we had. I can't wait to do more spontaneous fun things and spend time with more outrageously cool people in the days and weeks and months to come. (New Year's Eve with the O's!!! w00t! Mr. O & Molly better rest up for Sunday!)

Anyway, none of this would have been possible without Greg, the most amazing partner I can imagine. And today is our 7th anniversary of shacking up. Even though we are married now, shacking up was the best and we still pretend that we are living in sin. It's way more fun that way. Thank you Mr. Q, you are crazy, insane, and totally nuts and I love every minute of it.

Hope your yuletide was filled with lovely times and lots of smiles.

Jinxy is was a very stubborn fish

2006-12-18T10:57:00.000-08:00

My gay cat post was a big hit, but this adventure in pet land is a little more depressing. Gay cats? Comedy gold. Dying Betta's? Not so much.

Here's the story in a nutshell: I got a new pet Betta on January 13th (a Friday, hence the name "Jinxy"). Jinxy was a very good fish. He was beautiful and blue with long flowing fins. Like most ornamental fish, he didn't really do much, but I really enjoyed how Jinxy swam and how I even trained him to eat fish food pellets from my finger.

I know fish don't live forever, but I was hoping for a good year or two out of him. $4.95 for a desk companion is not that much, but his presence was priceless at times. Alas, last week he started to decline. He has been hanging out on the bottom of his posh tank all lethargic-like and not eating or swimming anymore. I knew he was on his way out. Each day I thought would be his last as his respirations became slower and slower.

This morning, I fully expected him to be teets up and then I'd give him a proper burial beneath the maple tree outside (shut up, Mr. O). When I arrived, sure enough, he was bloated and pale on the bottom, listing severely to the right. I did not see his gills moving anymore. Prepared to transport his little lifeless fishy body outside, I reached in with the fish net and ... lo! Jinxy frantically swam around and around. Gah!

I am torn between euthanasia and letting nature takes its course. I have a lot of issues with seeing a fish die a slow (although likely pretty painless and fearless) death. I am holding out a teensy shred of hope that he's just got the fish flu and he'll recover. It's doubtful but I can't bring myself to put a little pillow over his face and end it now. What to do, what to do?

Well, he lived a good life and I think he was as happy as a Siamese Fighting Fish can be in an aquarium in a cubicle in an office in Orange County. He watched me clean and rearrange my desk many times. He made me calm. He made people smile. When he goes, he will be missed.

Bye, Jinxy. Thanks for being a good fish.

A note of special thanks goes to Mr. Q for providing me invaluable hospice counseling all last week. I have worked my way through appropriate grief and I am at peace with the end of this little fish's life. It really pays to be married to a hospice guy who gives good grief counseling. Go me!

Update: My dear beloved Jinxy died peacefully at about 4:20 p.m. today. He is now buried 'neath the maple tree outside my office. God, I thought that fish was never going to die. The last thing I said to him was: Die already, die!!!!! The compassion is overwhelming. I know.

How long should I mourn before I get a new fish? Is one day long enough?

Proud Parent of Two Gay Cats

2006-12-14T09:48:00.000-08:00

I am a gay cat owner. That is, I am the owner of gay cats. But I hate the term "pet owner". So, I'll just go with 'parent'. I am the proud parent of two gay cats.

You know how I know my cats are gay? Let us examine the daily lives and many strange habits of Pooka and Pi.

Pooka is the 8-month old kitten who is in a class all his own when it comes to being a rascal. He hides things, he breaks things, he pounces on your head at 4am. Pi is the big orange Maine Coon Cat who weighs approximately the same as a small John Deere tractor.

Exhibit A of the Gay: Yesterday, we came home and they were watching television. Pi's enormous paw was on the remote control. Both cats were fully engrossed in an episode of the Gilmore Girls. They also seem to like showtunes and Pi has an unhealthy obsession with Judy Garland.

Exhibit B of the Gay: They sleep in spoons. And when they play fight they always end up licking each other. All over. Sometimes, Pooka just puts his butt right in Pi's face and ... nevermind. It's totally gay. Trust me! (Pooka is totally a bottom. Even though Pi is more passive usually. This is not a judgement, just an observation.)

Exhibit C of the Gay: Pooka loves my vase collection and when he's not breaking them, he is rearranging them. I appreciate that he like vases to be on the floor but I would appreciate it more if it was on the carpet and not on the ceramic tile. He has potential to be a decent interior decorator but he's not quite there yet.

Exhibit D of the Gay: Obsession with hair things. They steal all my ponytail holders/rubberbands and hide them. They walk around with them in their mouth like some exotic prey they just caught. And then they hide them. There is a giant stash hidden somewhere. Also, they like to play with my hair. In reality, I think they want to open their own kitty salon in our back bedroom and they are just stocking up on supplies.

Exhibit E of the Gay: They will only eat Fancy Feast. The least manly and most shi-shi of all cat foods. Here is some of their ad copy: "Fancy Feast® With over 50 difficult-to-resist varieties, Fancy Feast® is truly an exquisite feast for all your cat's senses." You decide. Maybe they aren't gay, just metrosexual. I should call up Ted Allen and ask him. Better yet, I should call up Bravo and pitch the new show "Straight Minds for Gay Felines".

Exhibit F of the Gay: The closet. They are always in the closet. They can't stay away and it can only mean one thing.

That's enough evidence for today. They are G-A-Y, gay. And I love them. I've always loved me some gay men and my cats are no exception. I am sure there are other gay cat owners out there. I just wanted you to know: you are not alone.

Gay Cats in Action
(click each picture to embiggen)

Awesomeness

2006-12-12T22:46:00.000-08:00

Short post.

Good news. Bad news.

Good news is that I am finished with school for Fall - two finals tonight and a wrist cramp to end all wrist cramps. whew.

Bad news (semi-bad news?) is my fish is dying, I have cramps and other fun girl stuff, I lost a filling and have to go to the dentist in the morning and I got a parking ticket.

Awesome!

How was your day?

I am totally shocked

2006-12-08T13:58:00.000-08:00

Luckybuzz is a Libertine. I am a... wha? No way.

Best. Christmas List. Ever.

2006-12-07T13:11:00.000-08:00

I don't believe we can ever run out of Best. _____. Evers. And I am here to make sure that you get your daily dose of Best. Something. Ever.

This morning, Greg, my hott husband, asked me what I was going to get him for Christmas. I said... um... I... uh... er... gosh, I can't even think of anything you want. Which was true this morning, but of course I knew lots of things he wanted, I just couldn't access that file in my brain until 2 cups of coffee later.

Anyway, he sent me a list just now (totally helpful, thank you!) and it is too good not to publish here. Are you ready to see it? It's the Naughty Boy List. Mom & Dad, you might want to stop reading right here.

1) Bag of Sand

2) Surfboard (between 6 and 8 feet, 3 skags, double tail and colors in
green, blue, teal etc)

3) Your underwear in my mouth

4) Drum with a cool design on the side like a dolphin, woman, etc(NOT GRATEFUL DEAD). Either kind of drum is fine: Conga drum preferred. Medium size. Need more clarity let me know.

5) A manual on ethical behavior for the year 2007 (because I just have no idea)

6) Cell phone.....I don't care....Anything including 2 cans a string will do!!!!

7) PANTS!!! I need them but DO NOT WANT THEM FOR CHRISTMAS!!! OKAY!!!! (ogod)

8) You in a teddy and thong under the xmas tree on Christmas morn! :D

9) Argyle Socks and Boxers!

10) Necklace with a Stone.

12) Naked pictures of you in my stocking!

13) Rock Hard Abs!

14) GRETSCH HOLLOW BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR!!! You knooooooow what I like!!!!!!

15) Amp for my bass!!!

16) Being fanned with palm leaves and fed grapes!

17) BOOKS, DVDs and CDs always!!!! (that is so easy so don't even think you're off the hook with just this!)

18) 7 lb bouncing baby girl or boy!!! (See if you can pull that off in 3 weeks)

19) Cool Button Down shirts that I can wear untucked (you know like we saw in Santa Barbara)

20) New Clark's Shoes (or Doc Martin's)

21) Laughter, Joy, Fun, and Romantic Explosions, daily( you, me or both!)

OKAY. This is a start so I may send you more. Hope this helps!!! You send me a list too when you can!!!!!

I know I can manage half of those without spending a dime.w00t! I am terribly afraid he'll have to wait on the Gretsch though. And that manual on Ethics? I'm working on it.

Ahh, the magic of Christmas.

The Idiot Test

2006-12-06T10:43:00.000-08:00

Y'all think you're so smart, don't you? Lord knows I don't. Do! I do think I'm pretty smart. Maybe not a brain surgeon but smarter than average. Luckily, the kind of smart I am includes paying attention to instructions and following them. Which is why I thought I would excel at the Idiot Test*. Well, I did, as a matter of fact but not even on my first try!!

In the interest of killing a few minutes in between bites of my pound of See's dark chocolate candy (thankyouMr.O), I took The Idiot Test. Don't be nervous, you'll do fine. You read my blog. You are automatically NOT an idiot! So, thanks.

(link via Best Week Ever)

* and by "excel at the Idiot Test" I mean, I passed the test and am ~~not an idiot~~ a certified brilliant person. I do, however, often excel at being a real idiot, test results notwithstanding.

Christmas packages

2006-12-04T10:37:00.000-08:00

See my first Christmas package under the tree? So cute.
This is Pi's favorite new hangout. And it's my favorite season!

This weekend was a great kick-off to the holiday season. Last night, Mr. O and Molly came over for taco and tamale night. There was also baking involved, and I don't mean cookies, if you know what I'm saying. Let's just say watching Rudolph the Red-nose Reindeer is even better (and even funnier) in an inebriated or altered state!

Way Back When

2006-12-01T13:10:00.000-08:00

I do believe that many months ago I promised (or threatened, depending on how you look at it) a picture of me, circa 1983, rockin' a mullet. I was feeling brave at the time. Now, not so much. But Chris did it and I think he's awesome, so if he can do it, so can I.

Everyone who loves me has seen this and they haven't left me yet. They do mercilessly tease me so I thought I'd offer you the opportunity to do the same. Open it up to see the mulletastic me at age 15. Now is a good idea to stop eating or drinking. I wouldn't want you to ruin your computer monitor.

Deep breath. Here goes.

Hott or not? I'm going to go with not. Look at the height on that sucker.

Good lord. Save us from the mullet.

Conspicuous Consumption

2006-11-30T16:27:00.000-08:00

As I sheepishly looked at my bank balance last night (yikes, not pretty), I started to think about why I am not in the black right now. That's when I realized something. I have a lot of stuff. Material things. Stuff that I can use and wear and look at. And they are all very nice. Some expenses are for services (not that kind) but they are still luxuries, not necessities. Although, one can argue that digital cable and a dvr are not essential, I would have a hard time giving those up.)

At any rate, I used to think I lived a simple life with very few possessions to bog me down. And then I moved to Orange County. I am not blaming Orange County for my materialism, I'm only noting how easy it is to fall into it without really being entirely conscious of it. There is really no excuse for it and I really need to start prioritizing things better.

Sure, I need a car to get to work, but do I need a fancy car (albeit one of the safest ones)? No, just something reliable. My BFFs have cars they drive that are from the 80s! There cars are older than some of you. It is inspirational.

To demonstrate how out of whack my priorities are, here is a list of recent gifts and/or purchases followed by a list of things I should truly be spending my money on.

Video iPod
Fancy night out and a hotel room
Trip to the Grand Canyon and Texas
Fancy new coat
New digital camera
The Underachiever's Manifesto (which incidentally, I haven't even read or opened yet)
Other miscellaneous items bought while traveling
A pair of boots
Many many trips to Starbucks
Many many beers
Et cetera, et cetera

And that was just the last two weeks.

This part doesn't take a rocket scientist...

What I absolutely need:

Shelter & basic utilities (gas & electric)
Food
Modest clothing
a reliable car

Now, I am engaged in a fierce internal battle. I want to stop the insanity and the material madness! I want to save every single penny I can, so that one day I won't have to worry about anything. But then someone says "meet me for pizza" and I don't even think twice about it. I am weak!

Then again, I don't really believe in depriving ourselves of things (very nice things even) if we can do so within our means. You know the world may end tomorrow and you can't take it with you. Might as well enjoy life now.

But on the other hand, too much stuff makes me unhappy. I buy something and in no time, I am tired of it, it doesn't fit right or I find something else I like better. Consumption fuels more consumption and seems to breed discontent (in me). I know my communist ideals aren't the answer either, but isn't it true that the more stuff you have, the less satisfying it feels?

Maybe there is a middle ground. My slightly premature New Year's resolution will be to cut back on such lavish spending and simplify a little. I will keep cable and DSL, my cell phone, my computer, and the decent wardrobe I have. But I will try to buy fewer useless things and instead save money for something else more enjoyable. And, I will pay my bills first before going shopping, drinking, or out to eat! (Novel concept for me!)

Besides, I'd rather spend all my money driving across country or backpacking South America or Europe anyway. So, there's an incentive to spend less and save more. Right? Right. I am so glad you agree with me.

Public Apology

2006-11-30T15:54:00.000-08:00

Recently, I celebrated my birthday (as you well know) and some of the best parts were people remembering and just saying Happy Birthday to me. And I feel terrible because I missed a good friend's birthday. I feel like a jerk. I remembered a day after and didn't call or email. I remembered at least once a week since then (early November) and still did nothing. I should email him and tell him but I'd rather publicly apologize for my complete lack of couth and send him big late greetings!

Oliver, in case you are reading this, HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!

I am a sorry excuse for a friend! I know you totally hate me now. But I won't forget next year.

A moment of silence

2006-11-29T13:48:00.000-08:00

For my laptop. It's in critical condition. Being transported to the nearest notebook trauma center, as we speak. It is unresponsive and has no pulse.

That's TWO, count 'em 2, electronic devices I've killed in one month!!

Earlier this month, my adorable little red camera broke and I cried. (We did replace the red one with a black one though and it is sweet!)

Now, my beautiful laptop is broken and on its way to the laptop hospital. And I shed a small tear when I got the news this morning.

I am thinking maybe it's a sign. Me + Electronics = Disaster.

The REAL tragedy of this (besides the fact nothing was backed up on my laptop) is that I have finals in 2 weeks (hello? study questions! on the laptop!!!), a paper due, apartment manager work to do, vacation photos to show, and a huge library of music that hasn't even gotten onto my iPod yet.

I am really, really bummed. Mostly about the school work. I know I can write papers at work but I don't like to. I also know I can live without photos and music for a few weeks. And I can fake the work records for a while. But, day-um.

Also, let this be a lesson to you: Back your stuff up!!!! I repeat: BACK YOUR STUFF UP!!! Otherwise, you have to pay Geek Squad $99 to do it for you. (Especially, since your computer geek friend is MIA and totally not returning your messages.)

Anyway, I am wondering if I should even be carrying my iPod around. I can't afford to lose or break that too. Gah. Whatever. I know it could be worse!! I just want my computer back. waaahhhh.

/whine of the day

This whine has been brought to you by the letters Boo and Hoo.

Even Steven

2006-11-28T12:58:00.000-08:00

Here goes the post where I talk about how my life is not perfect after all. For every good thing that happens, at least one bad thing* happens. If I find $20, it usually turns out that I will lose $20 in the very near future. And vice versa. (It's a glass half full/half empty thing**, I suppose.)

You've all read about how awesome my life is and how much it rocks. Probably to a nauseating degree. (Sorry!) Well, lo and behold, it's not all peachy keen, puppy kisses and butterflies all the time. Sometimes, it just plain sucks. In the interest of full disclosure, here is a list of the stuff I try to avoid, deny, justify, and then run away from. In other words, here is my Freak Out list.

Freak Out #1. Money: I don't have any. I had some but I spent it. Money sucks. More accurately bills & debts suck. Sucks my will to live. Sucks my patience for humanity (and inane and inept customer service reps). Sucks my credit score down the toilet.

Freak Out #2. Forgetfulness: I missed my Spring semester school registration period. Thanks to a defunct email forwarding system (didn't get that memo) and a complete lack of neurons firing (must reevaluate beer consumption), I missed it and now I have to wait until January!! As a senior, this is problematic because I have fewer and fewer classes from which to pick and less and less time to take them***.

Freak Out #3. Electronics: I am utterly dependent on them and when one doesn't work, I freak out! Plus, there is always the complication caused by issue #1 above. So, my laptop won't turn on and this is huge to me because everything is on there. I think it's a faulty power cord, but I won't know until I try a new one (Goodbye $80! We had big plans and I will miss you.). Pictures, music, work files, school files - they are all on there. I am so screwed - for at least 2 more days (which is the much celebrated and maligned payday).

Freak Out #4. Responsibility: Overall, I have been completely irresponsible for the last 3 or 4 months and it's all catching up to me now. Being a grown up is hard work. I thought it was I wish someone had told me that earlier. My house is kind of a mess, relatively speaking, the bills are stacked high and scattered throughout, and the kitty litter box only gets changed because I married a guy that totally rocks and who cleans it without complaint.

It's a short list, but it covers the major categories in a rather broad way. I know it could be worse. I know it's not the end of the world. And I never really want to live a completely stable and predictable life. I enjoy the ups and downs. I like the extremes. I like living on the edge a little bit. But, once in a while, it'd be nice to see what it's like to not worry about money, bills, broken appliances, school schedules, car repairs, et cetera. You know? Of course you do. We are all totally unique, just like everyone else.

*By "bad thing" I mean, minor bad thing. Not like death, dismemberment, cancer or jail. At least not yet. Thank god for small favors.

** This is an impossible question for an optimistic yet often cynical, mostly malcontented, and sometimes nihilistic person like me. Of course, it can be half full or half empty but it's also probably full of harmful and toxic bacteria, the Plague or West Nile virus and it might kill me but it won't matter because in the end nothing really does.

***If I want to graduate this decade.

Oh well. My solution? None. When the going gets tough, the tough go blogging. All I can do at the moment is bide my time until I win the lottery, marry the Price of Monaco, or just say eff it and move to Tahiti and live in a hut where it really won't matter! (see optimism note above!)

This post has been brought to you by the letters F and O.

There and Back: The California to Texas Roadtrip 2006

2006-11-27T12:42:00.000-08:00

I am back! You missed me, I know. (For what it's worth, I kind of missed you, too, but I don't really want to admit it!)

I took a deliberate break from all things digital during our 9 day journey so I haven't yet caught up with what's happening on the internets or in the world. Did I miss anything?

You need highlights, don't you? Well, here ya go...

I know I am forgetting very important things but I am still tired from our marathon drive home and a little hungover from last night, so here's what comes to mind right now!

The traffic: Bumpy start. Getting out of LA - 3 hours. Ugh. The rest of the trip, though, was like a dream! No traffic. Plus, our car rocks on road trips. It's a smooth, comfortable, and quiet ride and the trip computer is really handy.

The weather: From the time we left until the moment we got home, we had nothing but perfect weather. I have no idea how we lucked out like that, but everything was simply gorgeous as a result.

The Grand Canyon: Beautiful, as always. You should stay at the Bright Angel Lodge if you ever get the chance - it's charming and cheap!!

Albuquerque, NM: whirlwind visit with cousins, uncle and grandmother. We stayed overnight and headed to Texas the next morning. We arrived in Fort Worth at 11:00 p.m., I think.

Fort Worth, TX: In a word - splendid. My parents were terrific and very easy to be around. We had no drama whatsoever!! I know! Unbelievable! I took Greg (Mr. Q) just about everywhere significant and he loved it all. The people there were amazingly friendly and warm. We found an awesome hang-out in Sundance Square and made it our home-away-from-home for a week.

We did a few touristy things and they were all a resounding success.

Monday we toured downtown and Sundance Square. My husband bought me a gorgeous sweater and many beers. Later, to celebrate my birthday, my parents took us to dinner and I received a beautiful silver bracelet that my dad made specifically for me. It's so cool!

Tuesday, November 21st, (the day before Nov. 22nd, duh) we visited the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza. If you have never been there, I highly recommend it. It was educational, emotional and extraordinarily well-done. I was apprehensive about going, but it is a moving tribute as well as a thorough and balanced examination of the people and events involved.

Wednesday, we went to the zoo with my mom & dad. I give this zoo two opposable thumbs way up! Again, if you can, you should go. As a bonus, Wednesdays are 1/2 price so we got in for about $5 each!!

Thursday, Thanksgiving of course. Another perfect day in every way. My family was just incredibly cool and sweet and my grandma is doing pretty well. My kids called, even Josh from Iraq!! Yay! Overall, turkey day was a blast! We ended the day by going to see the new James Bond movie, Casino Royale. Go see it. Now. I'm not kidding. Right now.

Side note: after the movie, we saw at least 100 people camped out in front of Best Buy to go shopping the following morning. It was barely 9 p.m. I do not understand this. I know a laptop for $99 is a good deal, but really? Camping out. At a store. I would like to hear from anyone who has actually done this.

Friday, we pretty much had a down day, but went to a wonderful Parade of Lights with mom & dad in the evening. Fantastic parade. Exceptional crowd. A perfectly charming end to a perfectly charming week.

Saturday, we said a sad goodbye to my parents, filled up the car with gas and embarked on our amibitious 20-hour drive home. It was caffeine-fueled and ultimately exhausting, but totally worth it to get home before all the return holiday traffic! We arrived back at our pad at 5 a.m. Sunday morning. I'm still recovering. Luckily it's pretty slow at work so I can semi-snooze at my desk!

Anyway. We would like to present special awards in the following categories:

Cheer: Texas Department of Transportation for providing the world's most awesome rest areas!!! I'm talking 5-star rest areas, with free Wi-Fi, and CLEAN restrooms!! Superb!

Cheer: The people of Fort Worth for being so darn nice to us.

Jeer: The people at Whataburger in Midland, TX for being the one and only negative experience of our whole trip. You sure seem to be a miserable lot. But at least I learned a valuable lesson: to always check inside my hamburger for rogue receipts or paper or god-knows-what-else.

Cheer: My family for being all-around sweet, loving people!

Personal awards go to: my husband, friend and traveling companion extraordinaire, Greg. You made that the best vacation ever!

Our friends, for constantly staying in touch and entertaining us from afar and giving us a reason to return home.

And, again, my family for their generousity and hospitality.

Conclusion:
I know I have a charmed life these days (really it's not perfect perfect, I can't seem to pay my bills on time at all), but it always amazes me how really good it is and how simple it is to be with my loved ones. Greg and I had not one cross word with each other or anyone else, not one argument, not one moment of anything but pure delight. How does this happen? Perhaps, like someone wise told me on Thanksgiving, I have forgotten who but I am sure they were wise, the more grateful we are, the more things we find to be grateful for. Or something like that.

Ciao for now. Maybe I'll post some pictures tomorrow. For now, I am going to take a power nap at my desk. Don't tell my boss, okay?

happy freakin' birthday

2006-11-15T11:56:00.000-08:00

What is better than walking into your office to this¹ (click to embiggen):

and getting cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting ¹, and a Starbucks card², and a back rub last night, and a bunch of awesome pens & pencils and books and journals³, and having a crab leg feast and getting flowers at work³and going out to dinner and pigging out on Italian food with your family and getting money and beautiful clothes² and a new iPod³? And going out tonight with our BFFs⁴ for dinner and cocktails and total drunkeness and quite possibly nekkidness? Oh yeah, and going to the Grand Canyon on Friday where we shall hopefully see the Leonid meteor shower?

Damn! Not much! (Although, comments are gladly accepted!) (And cash, too!)

Special special thanks to:
¹ co-worker extraordinaire and talented artist, Bob
² sister-in-law and all-around chica caliente,FancyPants
³ Who else, but the hottest husband in all the land? Mr. Q
⁴ BFFs are Hot Molly and the teh Rakish Mr. O. (who, so thoughtfully, pointed out that I am 266 in dog years!)

Road Trip!!!

2006-11-13T16:48:00.000-08:00

[Three posts in one day? I think that is a record for me.]

I am pretty sure I have already mentioned that we (me & Mr. Q) are taking a road trip soon. We leave on Friday. This Friday. (yikes!)

I am getting really excited because a) Mr. Q has never seen where I grew up; b) It's been a really long time since I've been back to Ft. Worth, Texas - the place of my birth; and c) a road trip is always fun.

However, I am also freaking out a little. Please tell me if I am overreacting or if I have reason to be anxious, in your opinion. Also, tell me how you would cope with these issues.

Reasons that I am anxious about the visit (and/or reasons I might get shot):
1) My mom & dad live in a pretty small house. With one tv. And no cable!
2) Even worse: No wireless internet! (god help us)
3) There are no Starbucks in town (to the best of my knowledge) nor any espresso stands. (holy crap, what am I going to do?)
4) I drive a Swedish car. I could be shot upon entering the town.
5) My license plates are from California. I could be shot just for that one alone.
6) I am clearly "not from around these parts", even though I am. I need to work on blending a little more.
7) I only drink microbrewed beer. (Wow, I am starting to sound snobby & spoiled)
8) Well, 7 is enough, don't you think?

We've tentatively come up with some plans for late night insomnia at my parents house: books, magazines, dvds to watch on the laptop, books on tape for the iPod. And I guess I can go a few days without good coffee and certainly I can go a week without a Stone IPA ( my favorite). I am sad that I won't get to IM my friends (incl. my boyfriend and girlfriend!) while at my parents house (yes, I am 12). And anyway, I should be enjoying the company of my family while I can instead of IM'ing or drinking or watching HBO. Right? Right.

Anyway, I am sure the joy of seeing my family will more than outweigh the slight inconveniences. I know I shouldn't freak out over missing a few luxuries but, what can I say - I'm spoiled (a little).

I'll fill ya in on our itinerary and I'm hoping to blog from the road a little. We'll see how that goes. In the meantime, help me out. What would you do?

R.I.P.

2006-11-13T10:59:00.000-08:00

My camera
February 5, 2006 - November 11, 2006
A casualty of "the incident" which we shall not discuss here.
Goodbye sweet red picture taker. You will be missed.

Ms. Q takes a field trip

2006-11-13T10:30:00.000-08:00

The weekend in less than twenty words: Borat, Field trip, Charity Auction. Big fight, Great talk, Birthday Dinner, 30 gig iPod. w00t!

I am super short on words right now. Please to enjoy a picture show of my field trip! (Click slideshow on the album page for best results!)

Los Angeles Walking Tour

And don't fret!! I'll be back later with more exciting things to talk about.

The Day After

2006-11-06T10:07:00.000-08:00

I am waiting on a picture to be emailed to me which shows the wreckage left behind from our beer-drinking/lasagna-eating/trivial pursuit-playing extravaganza last night.

It was a sight to behold.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that I am not 21 anymore but you wouldn't know it from my weekend. And the best part is that I am not even tired today. I woke up in a fantastic mood.

Friday night was a spontaneous Girls Night Out for me, sister-in-law Fancy Pants, best gal pal Molly and our friend Jen. We went to a few local places, met a lot of interesting people, including TJ Maxx guy, danced and drank and giggled and had an excellent time. Fancy Pants was smoking hot, Jen looked amazing and the married gals (me and Molly)looked like a couple of MILFs. At least that's what everyone told us. And by everyone, I mean, TJ Maxx guy and a few dozen others. I'm not sure whether I am flattered or appalled.

Saturday was an all day affair at Knott's Berry Farm. It was an awesome day. We walked a million miles and rode all the best rides, multiple times because hardly anyone was there. We had a blast.

Sunday, you sort of already know. Apparently, after my second post I forgot all about blogging, or couldn't find a laptop, or something. It was fabulous and once again, I got home after 2.

Who am I and what have I done with Ms. Q?!! I used to be so innocent, demure and a complete teetotaler. Whatever transformation took place, I can't say. But I am enjoying this period of arrested development and hate for it to end.

The good times can't last though. We have 5 - 6 weekends of obligations and committments and adult responsibilities coming up. Fun responsibilities, but none of them entail copius amounts of alcohol or wild parties where shirts might mysteriously come off. Dammit!!

Ah, well. Enjoy each minute as it comes, right? I am.

Live blogging Sunday part 2

2006-11-05T18:30:00.000-08:00

Drunken Trivial Pursuit 80's edition - like, really, really, hard, like omigod!! I am losing. And I thought I was the smartest person here!

Lasagna - teh yummeh.

Cheesy garlic bread - teh teh yummy

2nd car bomb - on the way.

Drunken grope fest - about to begin any minute!!!

w00t!

Live Blogging Sunday

2006-11-05T15:27:00.000-08:00

The scene: back deck of the O's country home.

The players: Me, Mr.Q (Greg), Molly & Mr. O

The action: We just had our first car bomb, our homemade brew is boiling, I just opened an IPA, the guacamole is turning slightly brown, the sun is in my eyes, the laughter is loud, and we just went to the feed store to buy alfalfa for the goats. I swear.

The plans: Trivia Pursuit 80's Edition, lasagna for dinner, finish brewing the homemade Christmas Ale. And then... who knows. All I know is that it is NOT Monday yet, so I am savoring each minute.

More updates to come...

Maybe.

Best. Pickup Line. Ever.

2006-11-05T14:34:00.000-08:00

Said to Miss Molly on Friday at our girls' night out:

"I want to buy you breakfast and take you shopping at TJ Maxx."

Even after a dozen beers and 6 Scooby snacks, that still was not a tempting offer. Hard to believe, huh?

Randomosity: the bi-polar edition

2006-11-03T11:40:00.000-08:00

When I logged in I had a perfect post lined up. Conveniently, you will never know what it was because I have completely forgotten now. I assure you that it would have been my most brilliant post ever. I just had a feeling about it.

Now what? I'm here so I guess I should talk about something.

I'm not smoking. Yay me. It's soooo easy! (Riiiiiggghhht.) (net positive)

Eight soldiers have been killed in Iraq since yesterday and their names aren't published yet. Which, of course, freaks me the hell out. And makes me want to smoke. (net negative)

The gorgeous Mr. Q and I are going to Knott's Berry Farm tomorrow with our extended family. W00t! I love me some rollercoasters! And boysenberry jam. (super positive)

I am a Citizens for Boysenberry Jam fan. (positive)

It is, perhaps, a little known fact that the founder of Knott's Berry Farm, one Mr. Walter Knott, was a prominent conservative ideologue and activist in Orange County who ran the Orange County School of Anti-Communism. He even handed out pamphlets to park goers regarding the evils of socialism and communism. Or so I've heard. (negative - like I need to tell you that)

Sunday, I am going to help the super charming, ever dashing and oh-so-rakish Mr. O make beer. I've never done that before so I can cross another thing off my list of things to do before I die. (exceedingly positive)

In other news, I have no tolerance for people who don't know what html is, don't know what the formatting toolbar looks like when they compose an email, and don't know what a hyperlink is. I will not tell you how to insert a hyperlink if you haven't even mastered the basic concept of formatting a freakin' email. Just one more reason that I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue. (net negative)

It probably looks like I need some lithium, but I am fairly certain that bi-polar is my resting state and I've made it this far without it.

Have a fun (& stable) weekend, y'all!