Half-way there

It occured to me that it might be slightly ironic that I left a Kohl's shareholders meeting to walk into a Target to shop this afternoon. Oops. Tonight I'm going to see a showing of Armadale at the Rep. It should be entertaining. If nothing else, free food and a play with some friends is lightyears better than going home to a husband who isn't speaking to me. Apparently I'm in the doghouse again. Whatever, he has to work on Saturday night, which should be the weekend night to celebrate my birthday. So the way I see it, I need to get out, so there's room for him to get in it! My sweater is back on track again. I have about 13 inches to go on the knitting. (the green is done, red still to go) Then I have to pick out the buttons and put them on, and presto! A nice, warm sweater that is unwearable until next Fall. Whooppee! Anyhow, it's payday, and the week's half over. So 3 cheers for that!

Blog Plugging

Wow, that title sounds a bit painful. Anyhow, I rarely discuss other blogs, and (gasp) never host permanent links to them as blogiquette says too. Anyhow, this is the newest great one I've discoveredy by listening to my latest addiction, Martha Stewart radio. Another facinating blog I read regularly is this one. ********************************************* Bobby Flay is presenting at tomorrow's big corporate meeting. Maybe if I had cable I'd be thrilled, but I really am not that interested. I'm just looking forward to the free food he's cooking! ********************************************* Beerman and I have a (sniff) preschool meeting for C-man tonight. Wow.

Game Day

That's some smile on my kid...

Whoa... is it Monday?

I swear was the fastest weekend in history. It's like I was at work yesterday... ugh! Saturday was a nice day. We went to Costco for the first time. Our neighbors are amazed we've held out this long. We even got C-man a membership card. (He just wanted his picture taken). So we now have enough food for a family of 12 for a year. Ahhh, I love buying meat in bulk. I got a ton of work done on my latest sweater. For those family members who had the cojones to mention how horrible another work of mine was, and that they "wouldn't wear it either" (when it was shown just to be funny as the caption clearly said it was stretched out and not on right as my child was pulling at the neck and sobbing buckets), I'm not showing this until it's done. So here's my progress so far in the green... It's knitted from the bottom of the back, up over the shoulders and down to the bottom front in one piece: Sunday was up and back to CJ's first communion. It was really sweet. Beerman and C-man went to the Brewers game. I have video, but blogger has been wonky and not interested in uploading it, so I'll try again later. When I asked C-man how the game was, he said, "The fireworks scared me, I ate ice cream, and the Brewers won." Two out of three ain't bad. The long-anticipated stimulus packages are starting today. I love everyone who debates what these will be spent on, as if it matters. Borrowing money from the Chinese to pay for Chinese goods does not stop inflation, consumer debt ratios, or strengthen the dollar, so it's a completely moot point. Basic economics seems to elude CNN and the average Joe, however, as nobody wants to shut up about it. Anyhow, here's the payment schedule in case you were wondering. Spend it wisely. Have a great week!

TGIFF

Happy Friday. My day started with eggs, and my most hated meeting of the month got cancelled. What can possibly go wrong for me when things start with that? For those of you who are actually getting a piece of the the borrowed money from the Chinese stimulus package action from the Chinese government, you'll be happy to know they're getting sent out the first week in May. So go buy your 80 lbs. of rice from Costco! The way things are going, flour and rice will go the way of the dodo. I'm planning on doing a little Costco shopping this weekend. It's Associate Shop Days at Kohl's too, so I'll hit the new Grafton store and Costco. Wow... I live a pretty exciting life. Sunday Beerman and C-man are heading to the Brewers game. C-man is so excited he can hardly stand it. I'm going to my godchild's first communion. When we told C-man about it, he didn't say, "I want to come with you to see my cousins!" like he usually does. Oh no, he said, "But you'll be back for the game, right?" That's my little baseball lover. He ate his breakfast with his glove on this morning while looking at the Jeff Suppan insert in the Journal-Sentinel. Enjoy your weekend!

Another Fine Day

Happy Thursday. It's especially happy, because it stopped raining. And Carly got voted off Idol. (Wow, I don't know what was worse, the creepy tattoo or annoying accent). And tomorrow's Friday. And I just ate some gummy bears. And, I'm planning on leaving at 4 from work today so I can pick up my books I got sent to my library.

Holy Nice Day

Ahhh, maybe spring is here. Then again, it's supposed to be in the 40s by the end of the weekend. Argh.

Now this is weird, even for Brazil. It's frustrating that they keep reporting it as happening in Sao Paulo, when it's really Paranagua. Paranagua, for those of you who didn't have the opportunity of lounging lazily on the beach there for the first time when you were 10, is in the state of Parana, south of Sao Paulo. In other words, that's like mixing up New York and Washington DC. I had hope for the guy, but it looks like they've given up the search. So strange.

I've been reading the Thirteenth Tale. I'm only about 50 pages in, but totally hooked. It doesn't go on my "Jennifer Recommends" list until I'm done, but it's got some promise.

Well, get out there and enjoy your day!

Yaaa-wn

Wow, I'm tired. C-man hasn't been sleeping, and when he does, I don't seem to with the rain coming. It's a big lose-lose. I tried to go to bed extra-early last night, but then C-man jumped in my bed, and woke me up. Game over. I'm hoping and praying that Pennsylvania just votes for Obama and finishes this race. It's also become a big yawner. Regardless, the WWE spot last night was pretty funny: http://www.wwe.com/content/media/video/vms/raw/2008/april15-21/6913858?zone=_index Happy Earth Day!

Monday-Monday

Beerman made it back home after being delayed, missing his connection, and finally making it home about 15 hours after he started. I'm so glad I don't travel for work anymore. One of my co-workers gets his hair cut at this place with ESPN on the TVs, they hand you a beer, etc. Anyhow, he went this weekend, gets there, sits down to the computer to check the sports scores while he waits, and this is what pops up. http://www.milwaukeebarbers.com/ I almost died when I read it! HA! C-man happily wore his Prince Fielder shirt today. I only have one more Brewers shirt clean... we're going to have to stretch these out. Or, I'm just going to have to go buy 4 more Brewers shirts, which is probably what I'm going to end up doing before all is said and done.

Zoo Day

On our last day before Beerman comes home, C-man and I decided to go hang out at the zoo. I don't know what it says about me as a parent that the happiest pictures I have of him are when he's eating his popcorn and his ice cream. Forget the fact that this was "lunch". Whatever, we had fun. ************************* I've now also come face-to-face with why it freaks people out when I meet them again after ages, and know minute details about their lives. It's not like I'm trying to stalk others, I just have a tendency to remember things about people that they say. I credit my 2 years in the political realm to this. As in, "Mr. Mayor, you remember Joe Smith from X Company." Anyhow, I bring this up because I ran into my rheumatologist at Trader Joe's yesterday. Now, I know I'm charming and stand out in a crowd (she says with sarcasm), but the man searched me out in the store, introduced me to his pregnant wife, and began asking questions about things I've apparently told him and almost no one else in the universe. He then proceeded to inform me that I haven't been to see him in 3 1/2 months, and I don't have anything on the books until June, and that is too long. "You should schedule something straight away, Jennifer!" Wh-wh-what?! He knows my appointment schedule!!! So either: A) I am such an incredible individual that no one could forget me B) I make quite an impression by sharing my life story with him when I rarely do that with anyone else (much to the chagrin of friends and family, I know) C) He's incredibly intelligent and I've chosen the right doctor I'm going with C. ************************* Beerman's on his way home, but is, of course, delayed in Minneapolis. Enjoy your Sunday!

Jennifer Said It'd Be Like This...

To show off, I announced my official status as the Amazing Human Barometer this week. So yesterday, despite every meteorologist saying it was going to rain and be miserable all day Saturday, I said, "I'm not feeling it, people." And guess what... sunny and mid-50s. I think I've found my new calling in life! (disclaimer: results not reliable more than one day in advance) C-man got 2 new Brewers shirts. I got tired of him asking if he could wear his JJ shirt everyday. So now he has a JJ, Fielder and plain Brewers shirt to get us through a couple more days of the week. Then we lunched at Culvers. Pretty fab day if you ask me. I officially finished the horrible, hated sweater I've been battling. I have half a mind to throw it in the garbage, but figured I should let my anger wear off a few days before doing something that drastic. Well, off to relax and knit my latest concotion before going back to baby clothes.

An earthquake woke me up?

Who would have thought an earthquake would wake us up. Of course, at 4:30 a.m., I had no idea what it was, but realized it after I got up. World is going to hell in a handbasket. Beerman was at the 22 inning game last night. He only stayed for 18, but only 18 is quite a statement! Enjoy your weekend!

Baseball Fever Pitch

I don't know what's better, playing baseball with C-man until I have to make him come inside at an hour that most kids are already in their beds sleeping while he sobs because he wants "just one more pitch", or having him say, "Video this hit, mommy!" Fun stuff.

The Tax Man Cometh...

...And the money wentith. Ugh. I hate April 15th.

***********************

Since it's such a surly day, I thought I would list my most-hated words (in no particular order because I hate them so much):

• Verbiage: mostly I hate this, well, because it's not a word
• Basically: way overused, and if it's really that basic, then why are you saying it?
• Virtually: it's acceptable if talking about a virtual world, otherwise, forget it, you sound like a pompous ass
• Literally: As in, I literally can't stand this word. As if it would be figuratively?
• Planful, Impactful, or any other made up -ful word
• Utilize: What's wrong with use?
• Incorrect use of "myself": It's "ME" in the predicate, people, "I" in the subject. So, give that to Tom, Dick or ME! Myself is reflexive, so I gave that to myself.

***********************

Okay, enjoy your crappy day.

Laugh hard at this one

An actual picture from e-bay. How do you know this table is being sold by a man?

Mawkish Monday

Mawkish: characterized by sickly sentimentality; weakly emotional; maudlin Jennifer is mawkish about the weekend having past. Going knitting tonight. Hopefully I'll finish this latest project from hell and can start on something quick and fun. If nothing else, it's a quick evening out with friends. The travel bug I sent on its way LAST Mother's Day is finally moving again after 4 and a half months in a miserable multi-cache. Yea!

Low Pressure = High Pressure

Everyone else belly aches about the rain and "wintry mix" because it's a pain. They don't know the half of it... C-man needs a haircut today. Afterwards, we'll go to Trader Joe's. Not just because skipping church to go to TJ's to get an orange balloon has become our Sunday ritual (my body CANNOT sit rigid in a pew for an hour... sorry, God, but you made me this way), but because C-man wants his TJ's yogurt. And secretly, I really enjoy buying healthy food. Just don't tell anyone, it'll ruin my junk-food image. The World Beer Cup is this week. Let's pray that this low pressure moves on so I can get C-man in and out of the bathtub on my own.

Happy Friday!

Enjoy the weekend!

The Masters is On!

Okay, I couldn't give a rip about professional golf. Until I learned about Adam Scott... whoa... Anyhow, what spearheaded this is when I got to work today, they started a pool, and I'm all about the competition. Each of us gets to pick 2 golfers. No one can have Tiger. The one who ends up the highest wins, get this, a soda. I picked Goosen and Garcia. Everyone laughed at me. Whatevs... it's funny. Those Cokes are MINE! ***************** Whoa, this rain sucks. The wind sucks even more. The predicted "wintry mixture" sucks most of all. The funniest is that Mom and Dad are on their way home from the warmth. Murphy's Law. At least I'm not trying to get out of Texas on American Airlines. HA! ***************** Juror #10 got dismissed around 3 p.m. He got to go to the courthouse doors twice and got sent back each time. So close, yet so far away from my dream. He is now free of further obligation for 4 years. This makes him enormously happy.

It's Hump Day...

Holy gloomy day!

I should still be home, on the couch, with hot chocolate in my hand and a crappy movie in the DVD player. Maybe a John Cusack flick or something equally bad. But alas, I am preparing myself to receive my final appraisal results. Beerman gave me this comic strip this morning in preparation: In other funny news, today is Beerman's first day of jury duty. He just shakes my head at my enthusiasm. I wanted to take his "first day of jury duty" picture, but he wouldn't let me. I did learn that if I ever get on jury duty, I can't knit. Apparently the needles are some horrible potential weapon. My cheapo needles almost break everytime I use them, but yeah, weaponry. Anyhow, Beerman's on jury duty, and I'm envious.

ETA: Beerman is officially Juror #10. Oooh, I'm sooo jealous!

In other birthday updates, I'm also in love with everything in this catalog.

Another day closer to the weekend

I am in a complete allergy-induced fog. I had to deliver 3 performance appraisals today, and cannot be held accountable for the things I may have said. Wow. Get this girl some Claritin! In another blog I read, she challenged people to admit what they have been wrong about recently. So here goes... I may have been wrong about my latest knitting project. It's supposed to be a gift, but I think it's going to end up looking like trash. It was the wrong thing to pick for this person, and now I'm completely upset. 60 hours of work (and approximately 2 more weeks to go) to get a crappy result. I'm so not pleased with my decision. But now I'm so far into it, I can't back out. It's like watching a bad movie... you just can't fathom it not getting better... And in case you didn't know, it's now officially my birthday month. Feel free to buy me any of this crap I'd like to have in celebration. Or feel free to think of something on your own. The thing is, I shamelessly covet everything I see, so it's not like I won't like it. Unless it has cats on it. I don't really appreciate things with cats.

Monday Musings

The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it. ~George Bernard Shaw

S'more Weekend, Please!

What a busy, wonderiffic weekend. The weather finally matches the calendar. We were outside a ton, getting a lot done, and even had the first s'mores of the season: I had a hot stone massage this morning. Hea-ven. Then I napped with C-man. Delicious. I just need one more day before I have to go back...

Finishing Things

Today is about finishing things, even if incrementally. So, things I've finished today:

1. Another piece of my latest knitting project. No, it's not completely done, since I have to completely re-do the first part I did, but one more part of it got crossed off the list over lunch, so I'm pleased.
2. My daily trivia contest, and as of right now I'm in first place. I finished with everything correct in 32 seconds, so I'm guessing it should stick...
3. The week. I love Fridays. It's when I start to think, "A whole weekend ahead of me, what will I do?" and then remember... I have a massage planned for Sunday! Delicious.
4. Invitations for the baby shower are ordered. And they're quite cute. Who knew how many butt-ugly ones there are out there to wade through. I made the last ones, but who has time for that? Hitting "send" is just so much more practical.
5. A major project at work that was due.
6. My chai latte. Okay, not a great accomplishment, but it makes me happy, so I'm including it.

Here's hoping the Brewers finish San Francisco. The Brewers, the Brewers, they're turning up the heat, YEAH!

Enjoy your weekend. I'm hoping with the 60 degree weather to get outside a bit.

What do you mean you lost my car?!?!?

I took my van in yesterday to get fixed. A few lights were going on, and other stuff happening I didn't like, and I am 3,000 miles from the warranty expiring. So, of course, they found a thousand things wrong they had to fix. When I got there at 5 to pick it up, they couldn't find the keys. But "Your car is right out that door." So I strolled over to see if my keys were inside. Um, yeah, no car there. So I went back in, and said, "No car, no keys." Instant fear in about 3 guys' eyes. Panic. Race around. They lost my friggin' car!!! 25 minutes later, they find it. WHAT?!?! Oh, and Beerman called me this morning on his way to work. "The oil light is still on." Unbelievable. ***************** We've got our anniversary trip booked. We're going with a new place this year: http://www.pinehurstinn.com/room-brownstone.php I still need to get our Wild Rice reservations! I drool just thinking about it. We haven't been on a weekend away in over a year. I'm so excited.

Is it only Wednesday?

Wow, this has to be the third Wednesday this week. I have to stand up and deliver for 2 straight days. I am going to hu-urt by Friday. So Bobblehead Gableman won. Boo. Crean is a Hoosier. Whatever. But the Brewers are still in first place. Yippee!

April 1st

Yes, today is April Fool's Day. And I have to say, I absolutely HATE April Fool's Day. Last night at 4 p.m., we all got called to an emergency morning budget meeting by my VP. It was an April Fool's joke. Are you effing kidding me? I hustled my kid up out of bed and rushed to work for THAT? And even then I was late. So not cool, I can't even describe it. Anyhow, this is a funny one, as long as it's not to me... The Brewers pulled one out last night. So much for Gagne being worth the cash. I guess when you're off the 'roids, you can't pitch 'em like you used to. I went to Stitch n Bitch last night. It always makes me laugh how much more bitching goes on over stitching. I've been working like a madwoman to get my project done, though, so I was truly multitasking. My latest project has become so tedious, it just needs to be done, already. I'm so close, I can taste victory! American Idol's on tonight. Syesha needs to go. She really annoys me. So does the dread lock kid. Any boy who's prettier than all the girls on the stage needs to go. Plus, those dreads make me want to vomit.