After living through the coldest wettest April on record in 100 years, and a week of damp, wet, foggy weather, it's going to be 84 and sunny here in Seattle.
Enjoy your Friday. I'll be waiting for what I hope to be a beautiful sunset.
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"But we have to wait..."
"What for?"
"For the sun to set."
At first you seemed quite surprised, and then you laughed at yourself. And you said to me, "I think I'm still at home!"
Indeed. When it's noon in the United States, the sun, as everyone knows, is setting over France. If you could fly to France in one minute, you could watch the sunset. Unfortunately, France is much too far. But on your tiny planet, all you had to do was move your chair a few feet. And you would watch the twilight whenever you wanted to...
"One day I saw the sun set forty-four times!"
And a little later you added, "You know, when you're feeling very sad, sunsets are wonderful..."
"On the day of forty-four times, were you feeling very sad?"
But the little prince didn't answer.
Refreshing! (but the music is a little too happy, like a nitrous-sucking birthday party clown)
*****
In that vein, then, it's a disappointment very little blood is drawn here. In "Renegade," at least two of the fights showcased a blood-spattered mat, gashes and general unpleasantness. "Destiny" is a more sanitized affair. Perhaps it's a symptom of being the first event only one fighter out of the undercard and main event fights becomes bloody (John-David Shackelford on the undercard). There's no Seth Kleinbeck-esque open wound on the brow. Nick Diaz's bloody face is a distant memory. But it in no way means the matches are any less brutal.
*****
EliteXC: Destiny DVD Review
Show us your gorgeous eyes.
Submitted by [Susan].
These are my "I had to wake up at 0400, and I reeeeeaaaaally need a nap" eyes.
When was the first time you got called "sir" or "ma'am", and does it still bother you?
I was only 18, for cryin' out loud. I was with my friend-girl, Cassie, and we were waiting in line outside a movie theater. It was a midnight movie, and it was a cold Atlanta night. We were talking and laughing and a little buzzed, when all at once this totally punked-out kid came walking over to us. He had punk hair, punk clothes, even the safety pin through one nostril. I was sure this kid was going to cut my arm off, steal my watch, and do God only knows what to poor Cass. Instead, he said, "Excuse me, sir? I'm sorry to bother you, but could you please tell me what time it is?"
"Um, 11:48?"
"Thank you, sir. Have a good night." He nodded to Cass. "Ma'am."
I think I'd rather he have stolen my watch. As for now, it doesn't bother me, except when I get the "sir" from juvenile delinquent-looking kids.
I was SOOOOO looking forward to Jennifer Weiner's latest Certain Girls. Well everything was zipping along as usual. Enjoying the book immensely. And WHAM! Out of no where with like 20 pages to go her husband (the best husband in the world) up and dies. It really sucked. There was no need for it because the story had already kind of tied up all the loose ends. I like happy endings - I'll admit. I didn't like this ending at all. It was such a downer. Off to find a book that won't depress me!
There are lots of things going on. Good things. Bad things. Fun things. Completely self-destructive, irresponsible things. Wonderful things. But I just don't feel like talking about any of those things. Sorry.
"Oh yeah, mine"
Libby and I have enjoyed every minute of hanging out together. On Tuesday we went to the Children's Museum in Indianapolis. Both my kids have been there on school field trips but I hadn't visited yet. With children's museums you often get the feeling that if you've seen one you've seen them all but, somewhat surprisingly, I enjoyed our time there. I can't count the number of museum trips I have taken with my kids -- hundreds -- so they always fill me with a little bit of dread.
In the early afternoon we went to check into our water park hotel. And when they say "water park" they mean something one tenth as cool as Wisconsin Dells. When we were given our wrist bands for the water park, we were told that we would only be able to swim that day from 4-9pm; the pool wouldn't open again until 4pm the next day by which time we would have checked out. Now, granted I don't stay at water park hotels all that often but in my experience you can use the facilities on the day you check-out even after check-out time. That the pool didn't even open until 4pm is lame indeed. I inquired as to what exactly I was spending over $200 a night for, if Libby could swim for a whopping five hours and was told that it included "kids eat free." Kids eat free? That's the best you've got? I asked to cancel my reservation and figured that Libby and I could find somewhere else to stay and swim. The manager kindly canceled the reservation, waiving the cancellation fee, and gave us the wristbands to the water park anyway. Libby swam for five solid hours while I read, and then we drove the hour home and slept there.
The dogs were still at the kennels the next day so we were able to sleep in and then contemplated our activities for the day over a leisurely breakfast. We actually started cleaning Libby's room (not a very fun activity but necessary all the same) but after a while I found it so soul-destroying that we had to do something diverting before the visions of adult Libby as someone who lived with piles of newspapers up to the ceiling, medicine ten years passed the expiration date, and bottles of urine in the bathtub took over my head. That girl hoards everything.
We had lunch at the restaurant of Libby's choice (Panera) and then went to the mall where Libby picked out a new outfit. She discovered the Limited Too and proclaimed it "cool" and "expensive." No kidding.
I've talked to Todd and Jesse a couple of times. I have no idea how much that's costing me but it's worth it (I say, until the phone bill arrives). I'm so glad that the boys get to spend this special time together. They get home on Saturday. As soon as I wash off the mud from the walk we just took with the dogs, Libby and I are going to enjoy our last evening alone together. Her softball game has been rained out and a hot chocolate and cookie from Panera are calling my name.
Tomorrow? Tomorrow is my special day! :)
Since selling my Porsche a few weeks ago, I've been agonizing over what kind of car to replace it with. I've considered every brand of used car available, and everything from the junkie versions of those cars with higher mileage, to the nicer ones with low mileage. In the end I finally decided on a 2005 325ci BMW w/23k miles. It still has a year left of it's original warranty, and since it's a BMW certified pre-owned car, it comes with an extended warranty that covers the car until 2011 or 100k miles, whichever comes first (hopefully 2011). When I lived in Germany, I bought a new 2000 323i BMW and really liked it, but I sold it shortly after moving back to America. Since then I've on and off thought about getting another one, especially since the 3-series consistently ranks as one of the best used cars in it's class.
For me it was a good compromise. Practical enough to drive to work everyday (27mpg so far), but yet nice enough to be a date car for when Janie and I go out. Plus I'm sure it'll get the Steve Betz seal of approval, which really, when you think about it, is what really matters. Janie named her Natalie....
