F.Y.I.

In case anyone noticed...  After hopes of creating the world's best new blog this year, I dropped off the face of the earth.  For two reasons:

1.  Our computer is in our "bonus room" - the room over the garage that is kept at a temperature akin to what meat is stored in.  dead meat.  i can barely last 10 minutes without the beginnings of hypothermia setting into my fingers.

2.  I've been working like a madwoman, trying to impress anyone who might give me a job in six months, and writing a lot of bills.  on capitol hill.

Will work on a space heater...

T.G.I.W.

In light of my obvious inability to keep up with The Hills discussion, I resolve to start 2009 by steadfastly reporting on The City.  It's also part of global changes I am making to my blog that you will slowly see...  Including more trashy t.v.!  Yes, yes - the guilty pleasures I love I won't hide any longer.  I'm pretty sure my t.v. watching is on par with a lonely, awkward 15-year-old girl - which seems to be the target audience of the shows I watch judging by the cleverly placed advertising.  But more on that later.

Ah, The City.  Thank God It's Whitney.  Let's start with the first episode, "If She Can Make It Here..."

Recap:  So, Whitney "gave up everything" to move to NYC and pursue not only a job at DVF but also an Australian hunk named Jay.  She has a "downtown" friend Erin and a "social" (because when you have too much money, you can drop the last syllable of words with reckless abandon) co-worker named Olivia.  She rocks at her first fashion show during fashion week, spends time with Jay, and attends a dinner party organized by Olivia. 

Commentary:  OK, surely you can tell that I love Whitney.  I think she is poised, intelligent, and stunning.  Overall, a great role model for young women.  But the first I don't know how many seconds of the opening episode are devoted to Whitney scripting an intro in which she repeatedly reminds us how much she gave up.  Really?  If she hadn't belabored the point, perhaps it would be no big deal, but honestly, how are you really giving up "everything" when you take a job that is advancing your career?  Whatevs...

Luckily, they quickly moved on to show Whitney in a crazy yellow dress on her first day of work.  One word describes her outfit: yowza.  The construction workers she passed on her way to the office agree.  Makes me regret not taking full advantage of my skinny days in a get-up like that.

However, seeing the daunting and dangerous staircase at DVF does not make me regret living a more down-to-earth lifestyle.  DVF must be one sadistic lady to force fashionistas inevitably wearing insanely high heels to strut up and down that maniacal set of stairs.  My feet hurt just thinking of it.

And what's up with Olivia?  I can't tell if she really is an obnoxious snob, or if MTV just wants me to think she is.  I lean toward the former when I recall how she cut everyone off at her dinner party to ask Whitney why Jay was not there.  What would she say?  "Um, well, I think he's worried we're spending too much time together, but what he really said was that you're a bitch."

But was that Veuve Cliquot in his hands when he did arrive to the party after all?  Mmm...

 

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Something strange happened.  Perhaps because this is our first year in our first house.  Well, for whatever reason, I caught the holiday decorating bug.  It's our first year actually attempting some holiday cheer and I thought I was doing a pretty good job, but as I looked through the pictures I snapped, they all seem to be missing something...

The banister...

...looks rather dull.  I'd like to hang some ornaments throughout, but my cat would inevitably knock them down and the dog would inevitably eat them up.  Hmph.

Our front door...

...needs more lights!!  

An inside door...

... is actually in my opinion properly outfitted with a simple hanging Santa-Star creature made by my very crafty mother.

And my piece de resistance...

... my mantle, inspired by an idea in Real Simple, I think could use a couple of small wreaths hanging from the wall above.

Well, I'm already counting down the days until all this Christmas stuff is marked down so I can scoop up some great bargains and ensure a plentiful decorating spree next year.  I tried to snap a picture of my neighbor's outside display - think Clark Griswold - but alas it didn't come out.

I just have two words for them, though: game on.  I'm talking lighted reindeer, crazy lights, the whole nine yards.  Watch out for Xmas 2009.

Until then, enjoy this shot of our state's capital - next to my new place of work:

Astronomical Phenomena

One thing I love about my home is star-gazing.  Not the kind of stars you see in L.A. or NYC.  Real stars.  I can see the Little Dipper on a regular basis and sometimes the Big Dipper.  

That's about as advanced as my knowledge of constellations goes.  I was walking Bear outside in my neighborhood on the night before he went into 

acute kidney failure, and we saw  a shooting star.  I've never seen an actual shooting star before.  

It was pretty amazing.  Not really like this picture; it kind of twinkles like fireworks.   After seeing it, I had a sense that everything would be OK.  And a couple of weeks later, after a very large vet bill, Bear turned out OK and I landed a new job.

Last night we saw the crescent moon, Venus, and Jupiter combo.  That was really amazing.  The planets looked like they were Christmas lights on our neighbor's house.  To look up and see planets so close (well, relatively speaking) is mesmerizing.  I tried to take a picture, but this is the best shot (the crescent moon is in the upper left hand corner, then the lower dot is Venus and the dot to the right and slightly higher is Jupiter) (and click on the picture to make it bigger):

 Bear, however, was less enthralled.

He doesn't get bogged down by astronomical happenings.  He just wants a cozy spot to sleep.

 

Happy Thanksgiving

This year, particularly the last week or so, I have a lot to be thankful for.  

I'm thankful that my precious Bear aced his follow-up tests and his kidneys are normal.  He'll live a normal life; he won't need medication or shots; and he can eat normal doggy food.  So now we spoil him shamefully and kiss and hug him at any opportunity.  We even let him sleep on the couch.

I'm also thankful my pretty kitty is still a pretty kitty.  

She's been the bargain pet this year - cheaper to adopt, and no vet trips.  Apparently cats aren't interested in eating a whole plate of brownies - and thus requiring a trip to the emergency vet to induce vomiting - or eating a container of Advil - causing acute kidney failure.  Which all supports the fact that cats are far superior and more intelligent that dogs.

And, other than Bear being alive and healthy, I am most thankful that I GOT A NEW JOB!  I've been miserable at my current position since last December.  I've been contemplating completely drastic career changes, disappearing to Rio de Janeiro, and careening off bridges.  But thankfully I found a great new position working with my state's legislature.  I start in two weeks.  

Which means, I quit the day before Thanksgiving.  It was really difficult for me to do, despite my intense hatred for my job.  I wish it had gone down something like this.

But instead I took the advice of most on-line job resources and tried a more diplomatic approach that went surprisingly well.  

Just don't tell you local senator/representative that I semi-regularly watch The Hills.  They may not understand.

Finally, I'm thankful I got my Christmas present early:

So I could bake a bangin' apple pie for Thanksgiving: