So my creative writing class's assignment this week is based on an assignment from last week.  Last week we had to bring in our favorite song or poem.  Then we counted the verbs, nouns and adjectives.  Someone else in the class sent us the number of words and types we needed, and now we are madlibbing our songs/poems.

I'm doing Foo Fighters "Best of You".  It's turning into a weird ass poem.

1. WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother's & father's middle names)
Colleen Michael  (same initials...not much of a change really)

2. NASCAR NAME: (first name of your mother's dad, father's dad)
John William (why am I a boy?)

3. STAR WARS NAME: (the first 2 letters of your last name, first 4 letters of your first name)
Wichri (that isn't too bad)

4. DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)
Pink Tiger  (this is stupid)

5. SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you live)
Michelle Plano

6. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite alcoholic drink, optionally add "THE" to the beginning)
Red Screwdriver  (*snrk* phallic much?)

7. FLY NAME: (first 2 letters of 1st name, last 2 letters of your last name)
Chis (it sounds like I would be talking like a 4 year old)

8. GANGSTA NAME: (favorite ice cream flavor, favorite cookie):
Chocolate Chip White Chocolate Macadamia Nut (perhaps a nickname is in order?)

9. ROCK STAR NAME: (current pet's name, current street name)
Tycho Nathan (hmmmmm that sort of works)

10. PORN NAME: (1st pet, street you grew up on)
BJ McDonald (his full name was Blackjack, but Blackjack McDonald totally works too)

Friday I learned a perk of working where I do!  It cuts about 45 min - 1 hour off of my drives to Houston/College Station :)  (If I were to visit College Station...and it's ON THE AGENDA...I just really want John to come b/c I hate driving and I tend to stay out of town longer when he's with me.)
So Friday evening was driving and then large margaritas at El Palenque with Abby, Michael, Amy, and Mark.  Also met a bunch of teacher friends of Abby and Amy.  Saturday we got up and went to Ren Faire.  Abby was all wench-ed up in her new outfit and I was looking flowy and peasant-y in my outfit.  Yay for cute Banana Republic tops and layered belly dance outfits.  BOO for -400 degree winds.  It was CHILLY.  We met up with Abby's pirate father and stepmother and tooled around.  It was a fun time :)  I like Ren Faire, it's nice to visit :)  Then we shopped at the hugeness of Woodlands Mall.  Then we met up with everyone again and I met two other people, Brian (Coach Cope or Cope) and Shelby (Coach Jackson or Jax) for sushi at Chi.  mmmmmm sushi.  Everyone was nice, Amy was attempting to play matchmaker with Brian and Shelby.  Brian is fun, except he likes to push the funny envelope at ALL TIMES to the point of obnoxiousness, but doesn't mind when you slam him to make him behave.  Several Bud Lights into the evening, it was fun :-D  Woke up this morning and drove home.  MASSIVE HEADACHE from not having any caffeine all weekend.  All better now.  Now cooking and cleaning and enjoying time with the hubby.
Amusement, walking in the door from a weekend away and going "Hey...my husband is *CUTE*"  :-D  hehehehe

Every year I get a child (or two) from an Angel Tree around this time of year.  Normally I get older kids, since I figure other people want to shop for the babies and toddlers.  This year, I resolved to get a youngin.

This one caught my eye...
He's 1 and it says on his card:
NEED: SOCKS
WANT: FIRE
and someone has written "Truck" beside Fire :-D  It made me laugh so I had to take his card :-)

People suck.
Not all of 'em.  But sometimes you have to interact with the ones that do.  Ruined my evening but whatever, I am mostly over it by now.

Haircut tomorrow.  Saturday is shopping for new work clothes and girl's dinner.  Sunday is bridal shower and hopefully hitting up the craft stores.  Also sewing once I can get my sewing machine to behave.  Cross your fingers.

I didn't do my writing today.  I should have.  I will attempt to do it tomorrow.  

Little Big Planet shipped from GameFly today so maybe I'll have a new game to play this week :)  That will be nice.  I also got the boxes cleared out of the garage today!

Hopefully tomorrow is a good day!

Per my Snapple lid today:

"Arachibutlphobia-
Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth."

...Dogs totally do not suffer from this.

This is the costume I made (with the child I made it for in it) :)  Apparently the head was a little too big, but the parents fixed it :-)  He is dressed as Po the Panda from Kung Fu Panda.

( Po! )I thought it came out well :)

Ok so the slogan for Sara Lee is "Nobody Doesn't Like Sara Lee".  1.)  This is poor grammar and, therefore, stupid.  2.)  I've had this wrong for YEARS.
I am so behind on my creative writing assignments it's laughable.  Oh well, thank goodness there is no grading in this class.  I will be playing catch up today and tomorrow night.
Weekend went really well actually :)  Brian, Dan, John and Gambit saw Zach and Miri, and said it was really funny.  They weren't sure if I'd like it though.  Apparently Gambit was in his usual movie form, and there were only 2 other people in the theater.  The other two people almost started a fight with the guys due to Gambit being boisterous.  Oops.
Saturday got up, had waffles, got hair done, went to Dan's.  Much drinking, Rock Band and B.S.ing abounded.  The giant cupcake cake went over well.  The artists got to draw a bit.  It was nice to see everyone that came and I know Gambit had a good time.
Sunday woke up to find Troy had left at 8:30 AM  (SAD) and so I made those that remained eggs, bacon and biscuits.  Then Michael left, and John and I went to go pick up stuff from Dan's and run errands.
Poor Mali is now coned due to two injuries on her head from Kara.  I attempted to sew the seams of my quilt together, but my sewing machine decided to puke on itself instead.  So one side of my quilt looks lovely and the other side looks like thread vomit.  I was MAD.  Tonight is doggy agility class #2.  Excited but tired.  
Good weekend.  This is my last week of being a Domain Administrator :(  How weird!!!!

Wednesday was my creative writing class at SMU.  It was SOOO much fun.  I like the fact that since it's extended education, it's mostly interested adults and not just college students looking for easy credit.  There are about 15 people in the class.  We had to pair off to interview one another last time.  I got the frumpy gay man with hearing aids.  My voice?  Doesn't carry.  So it was like pictionary interviewing :-D  It was fun.  I've got homework galore too.  I really like how it stretches me brain, since I've been so math based for so long it's nice to be creative again.  

Brian should be in town by now!  YAY.  I'm probably taking off shortly to get supplies for the weekend and to clean and bake.  Gambit is super excited (in his way) about this party.  I've also got to finish my coveralls, as ordering a men's small requires some reconstruction to make them less crotch-tastic.  Also removed the sleeves...so I'm working on getting them to look right.  I also pinned in about 3 inches of material at the waist so I will look less blocky.  I'm excited though :)

YAY!
Last night I finally pulled down the giant comforter and put it back on the bed.  I slept VERY soundly last night :)  However, I did wake at one point because I had Kara between my knees sleeping, Mali curled up next to my hip sleeping, and Tycho chose to plop down on my NECK and rest his head on my chin to sleep.  Thankfully he is tiny, so this isn't an issue, but if he does it as a grown kitty...that will be air-stopping.  He is quite cute though.  Unfortunately if you wake him while he's out of it, he starts licking you so he was licking my chin until I moved him.  Kitty piles are warm at least :)
Tonight is my class at SMU.  I'm excited :)  I don't even know the structure!  What if I have homework!?!?  I have no clue how to creatively write at will...  I mean, math problems, sure can knock those out in a half hour...but this will be different.  John is going to pick up while I'm at class.  I'm also taking my coworker her child's costume my grama and I made.  :)  And then tomorrow I have my first appointment with a podiatrist to look at my WEIRD ASS FEET.  Plus volunteering, plus more cleaning probably.  This has been a busy week for me!

Sometimes you just need the correct motivational poster in the office to get through your cynicism.

( Don't YOU feel motivated? )
That's all for today.

What a fun day.
I say day because my Monday has not ended yet.  Yup, no sleep for me...been working. 
I am tired.

Today:

-          Got up early

-          Got to work earlier…got mocked by random management for being here before noon

-          Mocked management back

-          Tried to find notary to get notarized copy of marriage license

-          All notaries at work are on vacation (not kidding)

-          Completed to-do list

-          Got flu shot at work

-          Go and pick up Mom’s dogs as requested- (the parents are in Vegas getting in tonight at 5 PM, so I grabbed the dogs from the kennel so they don't have to stay there another evening)

o   11 AM- leave work

o   11:35 AM- get to kennel

o   11:45 AM- go back with lady to get dogs

o   11:47 AM- Eli bounds out and pees everywhere, Elvis is a good boy and waits calmly

o   11:52 AM- still bounding and peeing while I'm attempting to gather bags

o   11:55 AM- Eli attempts to kill me by dragging me down cement stairs

o   11:56 AM- more peeing

o   12:00 PM- in car with dogs

o   12:20 PM- at Mom’s house, unload everything, let dogs outside, then crate and cookie them

o   12:30 PM- leave Mom’s

o   12:35 PM- am hungry and mad that the closest Taco Bell is too far

o   12:36 PM- Divine intervention- discover Taco Bell at Custer and McDermott – Thank Lord

o   12:45 PM- back at office…am fairly certain dog urinated on my new pants

-          Ate quickly, gave extra taco to coworker

-          Meeting

 

Have informed my mother I’m not picking up her dogs on a weekday ever again.

I may have stumbled onto a story idea in my brain.
How exciting!

Ok...so the women's conference also called into point a fact about my clothes.  I am unable to fit comfortably into many of my more business-y clothes.  Ironically, I can still wear 100% of my suits.  But my slacks and cute tops have become too small.  This is unacceptable for many reasons.
I will now consider it a goal to be wearing most of my business-y clothes by Jan 1.  Most are not hugely too small, so this seems accomplishable.  

Big surprise.  Took the job.  No details yet.

Kitten is having evening crazies, the girls are being cuddly as a result.

Today, I had to go to my annual Women's Conference for work.  They made us play the bongos.  DRUM CIRCLE.  I wander into the room of 1800 women at 8:00 AM.  The Conference was in downtown, so I'd gotten up at 5:45 to catch the train, as a result, I am not super duper awake.  I notice there are lap hand drums on every seat in the room that aren't occupied...and there are drums behind everyone sitting.  Oh. no.  Then after breakfast, they introduce Drum Cafe (www.drumcafe.com).  A middle aged man in a sleeveless shirt with a bandana tied around his head bounces on stage and proceeds to get people to yell back to him in a "wake up" manuever.  Thirty minutes of synchronized drumming, man bouncing on stage, etc. follows.  The point at which he attempted to get us to sing things back to him while drumming was when I gave the stage a look.  My boss caught sight of it and I looked over at her to see her pointing at me and laughing to the point tears are streaming down her face.  Good conference otherwise.  There is a Civil War cemetary by the Dallas Convention Center I wandered through on the half hour break in the morning, very interesting.  Also there is a large statue/display of iron longhorns and cowboys herding them from the Center down to the street.  Sort of neat actually.  I took pictures.  :)

Anyways.  Back to the office tomorrow.  Neil Diamond concert this week, 5k this weekend.  There better not be protestors this year.  Last year's 5K featured pro-life protestors, since Komen gives money to Planned Parenthood to fund breast exams.  Protestors were assuming these funds were used for abortions and protesting an event to help fund breast cancer research.  *grumble*  Protesting is fine, but can we find a more appropriate place please?  I.E. not an event where people are running at 8:00 AM.  It takes the joy out of it.  The 5K joy...not the protesting joy...I assume the protestors have fun.  Plus making my feelings known to the protestors last year cost me 2 minutes.  

Eli Stone was back tonight and it made me very happy :)

Ok so it's been a while.
The world continues.  Currently John is attempting to get roadies on Rockband.  Whooo Roadies.  Maybe they can come do laundry.

Apparently I will be starting a new job at TI shortly.  I didn't have a lot of choice in the matter really.  I mean, supposedly no pressure...but...( Job story )</div>
Also we are test driving a new kitten.  Originally planned to be a two week foster, he seems destined to be a permanent family member.  THIS IS THE LAST PET WE ARE GETTING UNTIL ONE OF THEM DROPS OUT.
( Meet Tycho )

Set to do two 5Ks this month.  Well, one 5-er and one 3K with my mom and her two doggies.  Also slated to start agility with Elvis either this month or January.  Elvis is my mother's older standard poodle.  This month also marks the start of my creative writing course at SMU!  I'd like to get to Houston and Ren Faire in November.  
Also due to my hubby's obsession with politics, I am looking forward to election day being done so I can watch other channels besides MSNBC.  Wheee :-D  Hey, as far as obsessions go, it's not a bad one to have!!  At least he's not looking at porn continuously or something equally icky.  I can handle a few weeks of politics to not have porn-spawned viruses and spyware on my computer.  It's a good trade.

That is the update from here.  And all of you?  How goes?

Is it just me...or does Senator Lieberman sound VAGUELY like Zoiberg from Futurama?

Ok so random story that made me giggle.  Last night as we were coming back from SMU, I got to thinking about IHOP.  (And Lewis Black) But mostly what sprang to mind was the fact that IHOP was the site of one of my larger fights with my first boyfriend. 
I made the syrups talk to one another.  Apparently this was quasi-embarrassing.  Then when I made Mr. Blueberry sing opera (softly), that was worse.  But the topper to it all was when he got pancakes, and dumped syrup on them, I made barfing noises.  As if Mr. Maple was losing his lunch on the dude's breakfast.

*I* thought (and still do!) that it was funny.  He did not.

Then I built a tower out of coffee creamers and suddenly he wanted to pay the tab and leave.  He wasn't a lot of fun.

At a meeting TODAY at work:

Me: *goes and gets the Microsoft sales rep and takes him to meeting room*
(female) Boss *Enters and sits*
(male) Coworker *Enters*
Rep stands up, greets by name, shakes hand.
(male) Coworker *Enters*
Rep stands up, greets by name, shakes hand
Boss: "So, do you just not shake women's hands?  Because I notice you only shake hands with the men."
Rep: "I hug!"
Me and Boss in unison: "Um...No"

Rep made it a HUGE point to shake our hands after the meeting.  Rep is now on to meeting me for the 4th time and still doesn't know my name.  He called me Christine and my boss corrected him.

Rep: "What, I got most of the letters, doesn't that count?"
Me: "No, for my name I sort of require all of the letters and having them pronounced in the proper order"