Skiing pics

Just to prove that I did, in fact, go skiing this past weekend, I thought I'd post some pictures.

This is me on the lift:


And this is a picture of Kelly and I on the lift:

See??

Proof that I was there. :)

Alright, there is actually one picture where you can tell it was me on the lift - but I look like Jabba the Hut Skier and it may be one of the most unflattering pictures ever.

Here's me outside of the place where we ate lunch. My hair looks special...I know. But it helps keep it out of my face-hole while skiing. Also, the day before when I had it in braids down the side of my head, it looked even more stupid. Trust me, this was an improvement.

This post is so overdue, even I'M ashamed :)

I can't believe that I have let this much time pass without telling you about the COOLEST thing I received in the mail a little over a week ago.

I got a valentine. IN THE MAIL!

How fun is that?

The best part is that it was from my friend Kristi and I was touched at how thoughtful it was of her to have sent it to me.

She rocks.

And I suck. See, I decided that I am no good at remembering people's birthdays well enough to post about them each year. So I stopped. Only Kristi's birthday is in December...so she got screwed. I mean, I remembered her birthday and sent her a message via FB or MySpace (you know, something REALLY touching), but I didn't write about her on my blog.

Let me just say that Kristi was one of my very favorite residents that lived on a floor that I was the RA of. She was the most polite resident ever and I could never go near her room without hearing fits of giggles. She and her roommate, Sara (and usually two girls across the hall), were always having fun. Except when we had fire alarms that were pulled in the middle of the night. FOR SEVEN WEEKS IN A ROW. That sucked.

But Kristi? She was great. And now that we're older, I'm getting to know Kristi better...and I love the woman that she's become. She is a fantastic, smart, beautiful person who I'm so lucky to have gotten to know! :)

Thank goodness for HULU

So I called DirecTV on Saturday morning and explained what had happened and what I tried to do to fix it. And they were all "Yup. Sounds broken."

So they swore that they'd have the new HD DVR to me on Monday. When I came back from skiing last night, I rushed to my door like the Christmas that I was 5 and I asked Santa for a pony. And was equally as disappointed with what was waiting for me (i.e. my neighbor standing on his lawn in a robe). And oh, how I wish I was kidding about that.

So I'm hoping that it'll be here tonight. But like Great White sings, I'm "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" ...uh...baby.

I was actually pleasantly surprised with my patience on the phone with them...and now that I know that HULU exists, I am okay with catching up on the last three episodes of Grey's Anatomy and Heroes sometime this week. I'm even trying to be okay about re-setting up my prioritizer.

Things I'll miss:

• Justin Timberlake's SNL episodes. Because "Bring it on down to Omletteville!!!!" is the funniest thing EVER.
• Rob and Big's episode where they dressed up like two ladies on a cereal box.
• Eddie Izzard's "Dressed to Kill"

I just really want it to be here tonight, because I am ADDICTED to "The Biggest Loser." Yes, I know it's reality TV and I should be ashamed for watching it. But it IS motivating...and sometimes even eye-opening as to why I might be reluctant to shed my excess weight.

Look, at least I'm no longer watching "Survivor." (sigh) I'm a work in progress.

You've got to be freakin' kidding me...

First, I just want to say that I tried Fiber One Bars in the flavor of chocolate mocha. It tastes like coffee flavored ass. Maybe the ass of the coffee bean? I don't know. What I do know is that they should rename it as "coffee in the shape of bars with the texture of oats -- now with 800% more fiber!"

So I hardly ever do this, but I decided to call and complain...because I do like their other flavors. Typically when you complain at the number on the box, they give you coupons. And I'm all about free things these days. Anyway, I'm giving the lady my information ... she asks for my name and I said, "It's Anne - A-N-N-E" and then we went on to my last name which is "Not Kennedy." When she read me back my information RIGHT after I gave it to her she was all "Okay. So your name is Annie" and then just spelled my last name. And since she was nice, I just agreed. Only, I pronounced my name. It's Anne. Pronounced the same as "Ann" but NOT "Annie." OMFG I wish that didn't annoy me so much.

Secondly, my best friend is coming in town this weekend. Her flight gets in in about an hour and a half and I thought a nice touch to her coming to see my place was for it to not smell like dog badly. So I decided to vacuum up all the dog hair I could see. I do this twice a week and am amazed that my dog has any hair left on her body. Seriously, when I empty my vacuum bag, I'd swear a Sasquatch has been in my house. But alas, I digress.

So I just got done vacuuming and then my power goes out. It goes out even though I'm done vacuuming. Why? I don't know.

So I walk outside to flip the breaker. I walk back inside and see that my TV is on (it was when the breaker tripped). Only it has this on it:

Only at that time, it was only 1% complete. It's been an hour and a half.

My hope is that when I get back from picking up Peoria Kelly that it will miraculously be working. It was just over a year ago that I had to replace my TV...and I'm just not up for dealing with TV/DVR related issues again.

P.S. Since I took that picture, it is now up to 67%. I'm trying to contain my excitement.

Just so you know, it was consensual...

Alright, yes.

That is a picture of a guy in a box.

What can I say? It was a slow day.

*for those that noticed my title of this post before I changed, it, I'm not a COMPLETE idiot. Or at least, that's what I'm claiming.

525,600 minutes

Last week, was a very important anniversary of sorts. Well, maybe not "very important" but something blog-worthy. :) See, a week ago today it had been year since I started blogging openly on Blogger. You might notice posts that went back before then - but that's because I stole them from my myspace blog (which I found out keeps only the 4 most recent posts).

I had used it before then to keep my thoughts - an online diary of sorts that was available to no one other than me. But it became evident that I had much crap to share with everyone. Some funny, but mostly just pathetic. :)

In the past year, I went from 1 view per day to over 40. I know...it's small potatoes compared to you guys, but that's some serious growth in one year! I started to think of other ways to measure the progress of my blog. And that's when it hit me.

This weekend, I was listening to Rent's "Seasons of Love"...and realized that that would be a cool way to benchmark my blog-iversary. I've been through some changes this past year. I fell in love, I decided to get healthier, I mourned the loss of something that I know will never be, and I've started to realize that I might be enough...I started to love ME. I've realized that this past year COULD be measured in love - and much of it given from you.

If you're not gagging on the syrup-like sweetness so far, let me just be clear. You have supported me in times when I felt so very unworthy of your support. You have cheered my successes and laughed with me in my complete failures. You ROCK.

And since it's my blog, I've decided to share my 10 favorite posts in no particular order. No really, there is no reasoning behind this list...and I'm trying to decide if it is worth putting it in some kind of order or if I should just take a pill to stop my eye from twitching.

Steadfast
Just Like Lance...only not
At least my hair looks cute
Why you should join Facebook and why my friends want to de-friend me
Many the Miles
Shiny Happy People (Holding Hands)
Letting It Be
You're what?
Why I peed my pants on the way to work today...
Today's Chemistry Picture

The gays come up with all the good stuff

I was checking through my Reader and noticed the title of an article on 5280.com. It's titled "Mass Make-Out Session Planned for Tomorrow at CU." How could I not click?

I love the gays. You guys have all the best ideas. And I'm not just talking about Beyonce's dance moves or the BeDazzler.

In case you haven't clicked, what's essentially going on is that a bunch of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students are going to be "challenging" societal norms by making out like "crazy" for two minutes at 11:53 a.m. with whomever they want. Then, apparently, just as quickly as it started, they will go back to their lives.

But really, doesn't that sound like something some frat guy came up with? I mean, can't you see some guy who looks like Seth Rogan with a beer bong and pizza stained shirt getting up on a table at a party and announcing that for the next two minutes you NEED to kiss whoever is next to you? Sure, he'd belch afterwards, but I can totally picture it.

My only beef (haha) with it is this sentence: "The kissers will be joined by their straight allies."

(sigh)

I can't even get action on Friday the 13th at an organized kissing rally. New low? Yeah, it's right about now.

Smart enough

I just got an email from one of our outside sales reps.

He was sending the email to one of our factories that, admittedly, sucks. The gal he sent the message to is new in her position and he decided to give her some background on the order. He opted to copy the person who previously held the position (Amy).

And then he wrote this:
"I have copied Amy, not because she is very smart, but she did handle the earlier returns I am referencing."

Um...ow.

Now, Amy isn't particularly smart...but she is MEAN and she holds a grudge longer than anyone I know. So she's smart ENOUGH to figure out how to make his life a living hell.

Guys People can be so clueless sometimes.

Coolest. Name. Ever.

Today we got a fax from this guy:

I'm sure someone knows if it's illegal that I'm posting this guy's name and signature or not. But for now, I don't care.

I picture him looking like this:

In case you can't tell, he's getting ready to ask me to pet his monkey.

Common Courtesy

A guy in our office is engaged. He's a really nice guy, but like most engineers isn't quite aware of social situations.

Friday he comes up to me...

Him: Hey Anne. I checked with Larry and he said it was okay.
Anne: What was okay?
Him: Well, Larry said that it was okay that I borrow the extra chair in your cube for this weekend.
Anne: Oh. Yeah - if it's okay with Larry I guess it's okay with me. (Larry is our operations manager - so all our stuff in the office is his responsibility).
Him: I'm having an engagement party.
Anne: Um...okay...
Him: So I just figured that it was common courtesy to let you know that I'd be taking your chair. (he names three names) are bringing their chairs to the party, so I only needed a few more.
Anne: Wait. You're saying that it's common courtesy to let me know you're going to be borrowing my chair for a party that other people in the office will be attending but that I'm not invited to?
Him: Yes. Exactly.
Anne: I do not think those words mean what you think they mean.

Annnnnndddd....SCENE.

I'm not even kidding...that is almost word for word how the scene went down.

Makin' music...out of nothin' at all

My friend, Rex, used to say that he would always put on an Air Supply album if he invited a girl over and wanted to get lucky. And by "lucky" I think he meant holding her hand or perhaps comparing how far they'd travel to see Christopher Cross in concert.

Anyway, last night I made a great mix of some of my favorite mellow artists from Van Morrison to Marc Broussard. I'd call it my make-out mix, but let's be honest, I'm not exactly doing a lot of that these days. This mix has a subtly sexy vibe that goes just as well with a glass of wine and a bubble bath as it would entertaining someone in my place.

Listening to it at work (as I am today) seems somehow slightly (and delightfully) naughty...like wearing sexy underwear under jeans and a t-shirt.

It's decadent...and just the kind of spoiling I needed today.

Loss of a part of me

One year ago today I lost an aspect of me. I no longer was something I always swore I'd be.

I can't go back - even if I wanted to.

And apparently, I'm still dealing with it.

Tonight I'm mad about choices that I've made and about choices others have made.

I'm mad that it's still affecting me and that I'm still waiting.

A year ago today I became a fool...and I guess it's easy to say that I haven't stopped.

Rave or relaxation? You decide.

"Bob" received a gift at Christmas time. The gift was a water fountain thing...you know, like for relaxation/meditation purposes. Personally, I can't imagine having something running water at my desk all day - mostly because running water makes me want to pee...and they frown on peeing at your desk at my work.

Anyway, the water fountain (is that what it's called?) broke. And it started making a lot of grinding noises, which apparently are not relaxing. So "Bob" went out and bought a new one. It looks like this:
In case you can't tell, that's an orb of power on top of the three tiered water fountain thingie. It's got fluorescent lights that pour out of the rotating orb - giving it an almost rave-like feel. I don't know if it came with a hit of acid or not, but it seems like having that next to my desk would make me want to only listen to Erasure. Which, I have to admit, I want to do pretty much all the time anyway.

Seriously...if you listen closely, you can hear "It's Raining Men." I'm just saying.

So in order to take a picture of the machine, I had to tell "Bob" that I wanted to have my own relaxation picture in my cube. And since "Bob" is so helpful, s/he was all "You should take a picture of Martin's rock garden too!" So I had to.

So here is Martin's rock garden:And now my deception is complete.

I'll never cheer for the Steelers again...or maybe I just hate February

I went over to Matt and Kelly's house to watch part of the game. I ate my weight in the most delicious "pigs in a blankets" ever. Seriously. She might have injected crack into the weenies. All I know is that they were the best thing...ever.

Anyway, I opted to meet my friend Greg for a beer after the game. When we were leaving the restaurant and as we were approaching my car, I noticed piles of puke next to my passenger door. I was bummed...but that was only until I noticed that my window on my car was smashed. Then I was just sad. :(

Now, MINIs have a HUGE side windows. My passenger window was shattered - with glass pieces all over my car. It was then that I realized that I had done something I usually never do...which was leaving my iPod in the car. So I opened the door (which sent the rest of the glass that had been upright falling into my car) to see if it was still there...and I could see in plain view that it was. My radio was there. My glove box was untampered with. But the blanket and Whole Foods reuseable bags that I had folded in the front seat had been decidedly relocated to my driver's side seat.

I have a couple of theories:
1) A drunk person fell into the window and then needed a bag to keep throwing up in. He took one and then shoved the rest into the driver's side.
2) A really bad burglar decided to steal the iPod but then got distracted and opted to move stuff anyway.
3) A drunk person fell into the car and then to make it look like it was a robbery, moved the stuff.
4) The drummer from the date a couple of weeks ago really did just want to know what sitting in the passenger side of the car felt like.
5) Kurt Warner was so pissed at losing the game that he decided to smash a window in Denver.
6) Cheering for the Pittsburgh Steelers is bad luck.
7) The month of February is cursed. Why, in a few short days it will have been a year since my rear window EXPLODED while driving on my way to the airport.
8) Two words: Keyser Soze*

Do you have any theories?

*I just told Larry this theory. And was all "Who?" And seriously, if you don't know who I'm talking about, do yourself a favor and rent (and watch) "The Usual Suspects" RIGHT NOW.

Better than the Superbowl Halftime Show

I love this video.

It was the free video of the week last week on iTunes...and I love how it's made. The song is pretty groovy too.