My aunt & uncle, our only relatives in the United States, are not doing very well health-wise, so my parents decided that they are going to go and help out for a while. I wanted to see them before their trip because we hardly ever get the chance to do so plus we take any opportunity to go to Porto's! I'm pretty sure that my dad hasn't flown since we came to California from Connecticut (25 years ago) and my mom hasn't flown since at least 10 years ago, so Nash & I tried to prepare them for what to expect: ie. take off ALL non-clothing items & put them in the x-ray machine, (yes, dad, even your keys and your belt key holder & your cell phone....) keep your IDs & boarding passes out, etc. etc. I hope it goes well.
I'm really feeling for my mom because this is probably the last time she will see her sister who is suffering from Alzheimer's & later life. My aunt is the oldest sibling of 5 so she had a big hand in raising her (the youngest) and even though I've not spent much time with my aunt & uncle, they have a special place in my heart because they were responsible for sponsoring my parents into the U.S. 35 years ago & offering our family the opportunities only available in America. I hope this Ft. Lauderdale trip affords them some special time together.
After seeing my parents, it was back home through some serious rain....the kind that makes you sleepy. But we made it home okay. Then to Thai Star to meet our best friend's beau. We really liked him & are very happy for her. Still not sure what we're doing tomorrow, but it's really nice to be home together :)
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Vacation - Day 3
Early early morning:
We went to the gym, did one of the Core Performance work outs & a BOSU finisher! Can't remember what happened after that....you're kind of in a daze after staying up that late. I'm sure we watched TV & fell asleep at some point.
- The boys played a Play Station 2 game called Guitar Hero (or as known by those introducing it to us: Guitar Heroin because of its addictive nature...) You have a fake guitar with different color game buttons on it and you have to hit the right color button as the rock song screen shows you at the same time as you strum the cords....sounds simple, but it can get very complicated. Apparently, you start to feel like a real rock star as the crowd on the screen cheers you on - or boos you off stage. Guitar Heroin has been known to be so addictive, that my friend, who shall remain nameless, actually put Ben-Gay or IcyHot on his hand after hours of hand-cramping game play just so that he could go a few more hours! It was actually very fun to watch & to rock out to classic bands & some not-so-classic bands such as the one that sings: a e i o u in Spanish!
- I prepared Nash's famous Cranappletinis for everyone (cranberry juice w/ apple vodka) - they were a hit!
- Then we broke out James' Scene-It game. This was so much fun even though the DVD didn't always work and we had to invent our own rules. Nash won.
- Finally crashed somewhere between 2 and 3 a.m.
- When we finally got up around 9 or so, we made our way over to our favorite San Diego breakfast eatery, The Spice House Cafe. Thanks to Tina & Scott for introducing us to this great place 3 years ago- we go there every time we visit San Diego. (For those of you that remember our anniversary trip last year, this was the place where I sobbed because the ketchup exploded all over me!) If you ever get the chance to try it, go for it...the French Toast is UNBELIEVABLE! Trust me. The Greek Omelette is also great!
- We went back to Lou's to rest off the food coma until the early afternoon & then we made our way back home to finish off our Cheesecake Factory leftovers.
- Thanks, Lou & James, for your generous hospitality. We loved every moment of it, especially Princess Anabelle.
We went to the gym, did one of the Core Performance work outs & a BOSU finisher! Can't remember what happened after that....you're kind of in a daze after staying up that late. I'm sure we watched TV & fell asleep at some point.
Friday, March 17, 2006
Vacation - Day 2
- Worked out (sans Sharlene ?)
- Cleaned up the house
- Picked up the rental car
- Dropped the truck off at the shop for the new windshield et. al.
- Stopped by the bank to make a deposit: BY THE WAY - If you are a banking professional in a branch and deal with customers in any manner, here's a customer service tip: KEEP THE STRIPPER SHOES AT HOME!!! especially if your footsies just hang off the front and the sides, please.
We finally met up w/ Luigi in the early afternoon:
- Watched his roommate's dog, Anabelle chase balls & RC cars in the yard (so cute!)
- Went over to the Wild Animal Park where we saw the lion cub, Koza, being silly & adorable in his pen. His companion, Cairo, an English Mastiff, was nearby keeping an eye on the situation. We also rode the tram, saw some cool animals (It was freezing, though!)
- Went to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory (yay!) and went over to The Container Store (double yay!) while we waited for a table. Had a number of Bellini's & about 1/3 of my food.
- Back to Lou's w/ some NewCastle, Heineken & my new-found like Hornsby's
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Vacation - Day 1
Today was the start of our "vacation" at home since D.C. and Michigan fell through. Northwest Airlines sucks.
- Dropped Nash off at the train so he could go to work
- I worked out with Sharlene (who kicked my butt in Boot Camp Amazing Race last week :( but good for you, Shar!)
- Walked/ran the Belle dog
- Picked Nash up from work (co-workers said they wanted to have him removed from the premises since he was officially supposed to not be there!)
- Walked/ran the godpuppies
- Hung out with Nash
- Make vegan Tofu PraRam for Jen
- Yoga
- Pick up antibiotics for stupid sinus infection just in time for our vacation
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Oprah in touch?
I had to DVR Oprah today because Beyonce was going to have a big announcement. It's not that I can't pass up anything Beyonce, but I like her music and I was intrigued by the commercial teaser. It turned out that Beyonce and her momma, Tina Knowles, are coming out with a clothing line. The premise is to offer affordable designer clothes to the general public. Some of it was cute. Slutty. Whatever. The point is that when Oprah asked them what the cost is, they said that jeans start at $118 and blouses at $100!!!!
Now, I've watched Oprah on and off since I was a kid, mostly on. My mom and I used to watch her when I'd get home from school when I was in junior high. And even with my mom's limited English at the time, we could bond over Oprah. We'd cry over the inspirational stories of people overcoming great odds, reunions of students with their favorite teachers, heroes being rewarded, etc. But in the last 7-8 years or so, Oprah has seemed a little more removed from the general public for me. There were the seasons where she sang the theme song herself -- you're talented, Op, but there are some things you should just let be; the too NewAgey for me Remembering Your Spirit sessions at the end of the show; calling $500 handbags "reasonable", etc. Even today, she chuckled about how much money she was making in 1984 - $24,000. Hey, I know plenty of people who make it on 24 Gs per year - combined!!! That's right...in 2006!!
So I was pleasantly surprised to hear Oprah question the price tag on this new clothing line by saying, "So you have to work to buy these." (Not that I think people shouldn't work to buy their clothing...but, really, me & $118 at Ross or Marshall's can fill up a Hefty bag {I once bought an entire business outfit, including shoes, for $50} [oh, and it takes quite a bit of time for most of us to earn $118, anyways]) And Momma Knowles says, "That's affordable, Oprah."
What? I don't think I can even go on. How out of touch can you get?
Now, I've watched Oprah on and off since I was a kid, mostly on. My mom and I used to watch her when I'd get home from school when I was in junior high. And even with my mom's limited English at the time, we could bond over Oprah. We'd cry over the inspirational stories of people overcoming great odds, reunions of students with their favorite teachers, heroes being rewarded, etc. But in the last 7-8 years or so, Oprah has seemed a little more removed from the general public for me. There were the seasons where she sang the theme song herself -- you're talented, Op, but there are some things you should just let be; the too NewAgey for me Remembering Your Spirit sessions at the end of the show; calling $500 handbags "reasonable", etc. Even today, she chuckled about how much money she was making in 1984 - $24,000. Hey, I know plenty of people who make it on 24 Gs per year - combined!!! That's right...in 2006!!
So I was pleasantly surprised to hear Oprah question the price tag on this new clothing line by saying, "So you have to work to buy these." (Not that I think people shouldn't work to buy their clothing...but, really, me & $118 at Ross or Marshall's can fill up a Hefty bag {I once bought an entire business outfit, including shoes, for $50} [oh, and it takes quite a bit of time for most of us to earn $118, anyways]) And Momma Knowles says, "That's affordable, Oprah."
What? I don't think I can even go on. How out of touch can you get?
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
The Boot Camp blogs
More MySpace re-posts:
Monday, November 28, 2005
Judge Judy is 10 years old
That's right. She's celebrating 10 years on TV this season. That doesn't seem right....hasn't she been on like 3 or 4 years? If she's been on 10 years that means that her show came on TV when I was 18. That wasn't that long ago, was it? I can't possibly be 10 years away from 18, can I?
Oh crap! That was 10 years ago!!
That was a Prilosec-free life -- the days of PB&J and pizza without heartburn. The days of the Silver Bullet and cows along the 15. The first run of My So-Called Life and Jordan Catalano's sexy lean. My run of the field with my soccer ball. The library, the cafeteria, the dorm, "the apartment," The Attic, Jamie, Ronnie, Fidel, Blackie, my house on Dixon (my parents still in Glendale), size 8. Good places, good people, good fun.
And life goes on. People pass away. Cars burn down. People get fat. Parents move. Friends get closer. New jobs come along. New people come along. New places come along. New fun comes along. Husbands. The late 20s come along. The 30s get closer. Life gets different, better.
And today is the start of "bootcamp"--another hurdle I've paid for in the quest for a smaller, lower-cholesterol, lower-blood pressure, healthier version of me. The start of cooking again. The continuation of a better life.
And who cares if I still watch MTV?
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Uninspired
Ever have one of those days where you want to get things done, but you can't quite put your finger on what it is you want to do? Not lazy like most days. Uninspired. Of course, it doesn't help that your triceps are so sore you've been reaching your face down to your hand instead of hand to face every time the phone rings or you want to eat...but that's supposed to be a good thing, a receipt for all the hard work. After all I did enroll myself in bootcamp--on purpose, and even paid to do it--so I should be all fired up, shouldn't I? Crazy Egg. We've all seen her.
So what do I want to be inspired to do? More 'Lick Lou' promotion? Keep reading 'Blink'? Install my new printer? Back up photos from my slowly dying PC? Sell a program? Exercise? Do the home-study con. ed. course that's been sitting here 3 weeks? Come up with a catchy name for the group blog I want to start? Come up with a list of friends who actually want to participate in the group blog? Find my documentation so that I can keep my ACSM cert? Not sure.
At least the day wasn't a total waste. I drank all the water I wanted to drink--2 days off of carbonation & caffeine (hooray, no headache yet!) Did a load of laundry. Spent quality time with my favorite kitty like I promised. Dropped off my prescription. Finished a work assignment. Had a great dinner with great friends. Watched the Donald fire 2 people in the boardroom! (awesome!) Updated my blog. I guess today wasn't so bad, not exactly inspired, but somewhat accomplished.
So tomorrow, I will kick off my day with a booty-kicking in Boot Camp. And when I have to rate my day's effort at the end of class, it's gonna be a 10 ...not one squat unsquatted, not one push-up unpushed. No opportunity wasted. Watch out, world. Crazy Egg is on a mission!
Monday, December 12, 2005
Beautiful surprise
6:15 a.m. Friday morning. The sun's glow peeked up at me from somewhere behind Lake Matthews. Orange and pink hues, beautifully combined but still defined, like the leaves on the tree by Elm Street. The air was crisp, clean, and surprisingly, not that cold. And although the sun was not yet in sight, the makings of a beautiful sunrise were present. It's amazing how God sends rain to clean out the sky. No smog. No fog. No gloomy clouds. The start of a glorious day.
I got to bootcamp 10 seconds too late--20 pushups as an apology. No big deal. I could not be fazed. Pushed out 20 like nothing. What's next? Squats. Sure. Rope jumping. Great. Run down the hill and bear crawl back five times. Wonderful. High-knee, low waddle, lunge, sprint, push-up and curl up through an obstacle course. Psshh. Even lapped someone. C'mon --give me something I can't do. What a 10 day!
As I made my way into OC in the early afternoon I marveled at the rich blue sky. Almost completely clear except for the occasional bright white cloud. It almost hurt to look at it this way, not our usual smog-dulled gray. I took in the semi-green semi-lush hillsides. Not green and lush like after the spring rains when the IE is a sight to behold. Not exactly brown either like when my co-worker from New York visited and asked what the dirt mounds were. They're our mountains. The splendid 951.
My body still buzzed from the workout. Or the allergens pushed, scraped and injected into me yesterday and the histamines they all released. It's official. Grass and oak trees and maple trees and pine trees and seven others that I can't remember. Plus a strong recommendation to exercise inside a gym. A supplement called Primal Defense. Daily squirting of baking soda, salt and Betadine up my nostrils. Perhaps a wheat-free existence. And shots twice a week. For a year. Hopefully.
I'm strong. Powerful. Some days more than others. But willing to find my beautiful surprise.
Monday, November 28, 2005
Judge Judy is 10 years old
That's right. She's celebrating 10 years on TV this season. That doesn't seem right....hasn't she been on like 3 or 4 years? If she's been on 10 years that means that her show came on TV when I was 18. That wasn't that long ago, was it? I can't possibly be 10 years away from 18, can I?
Oh crap! That was 10 years ago!!
That was a Prilosec-free life -- the days of PB&J and pizza without heartburn. The days of the Silver Bullet and cows along the 15. The first run of My So-Called Life and Jordan Catalano's sexy lean. My run of the field with my soccer ball. The library, the cafeteria, the dorm, "the apartment," The Attic, Jamie, Ronnie, Fidel, Blackie, my house on Dixon (my parents still in Glendale), size 8. Good places, good people, good fun.
And life goes on. People pass away. Cars burn down. People get fat. Parents move. Friends get closer. New jobs come along. New people come along. New places come along. New fun comes along. Husbands. The late 20s come along. The 30s get closer. Life gets different, better.
And today is the start of "bootcamp"--another hurdle I've paid for in the quest for a smaller, lower-cholesterol, lower-blood pressure, healthier version of me. The start of cooking again. The continuation of a better life.
And who cares if I still watch MTV?
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Uninspired
Ever have one of those days where you want to get things done, but you can't quite put your finger on what it is you want to do? Not lazy like most days. Uninspired. Of course, it doesn't help that your triceps are so sore you've been reaching your face down to your hand instead of hand to face every time the phone rings or you want to eat...but that's supposed to be a good thing, a receipt for all the hard work. After all I did enroll myself in bootcamp--on purpose, and even paid to do it--so I should be all fired up, shouldn't I? Crazy Egg. We've all seen her.
So what do I want to be inspired to do? More 'Lick Lou' promotion? Keep reading 'Blink'? Install my new printer? Back up photos from my slowly dying PC? Sell a program? Exercise? Do the home-study con. ed. course that's been sitting here 3 weeks? Come up with a catchy name for the group blog I want to start? Come up with a list of friends who actually want to participate in the group blog? Find my documentation so that I can keep my ACSM cert? Not sure.
At least the day wasn't a total waste. I drank all the water I wanted to drink--2 days off of carbonation & caffeine (hooray, no headache yet!) Did a load of laundry. Spent quality time with my favorite kitty like I promised. Dropped off my prescription. Finished a work assignment. Had a great dinner with great friends. Watched the Donald fire 2 people in the boardroom! (awesome!) Updated my blog. I guess today wasn't so bad, not exactly inspired, but somewhat accomplished.
So tomorrow, I will kick off my day with a booty-kicking in Boot Camp. And when I have to rate my day's effort at the end of class, it's gonna be a 10 ...not one squat unsquatted, not one push-up unpushed. No opportunity wasted. Watch out, world. Crazy Egg is on a mission!
Monday, December 12, 2005
Beautiful surprise
6:15 a.m. Friday morning. The sun's glow peeked up at me from somewhere behind Lake Matthews. Orange and pink hues, beautifully combined but still defined, like the leaves on the tree by Elm Street. The air was crisp, clean, and surprisingly, not that cold. And although the sun was not yet in sight, the makings of a beautiful sunrise were present. It's amazing how God sends rain to clean out the sky. No smog. No fog. No gloomy clouds. The start of a glorious day.
I got to bootcamp 10 seconds too late--20 pushups as an apology. No big deal. I could not be fazed. Pushed out 20 like nothing. What's next? Squats. Sure. Rope jumping. Great. Run down the hill and bear crawl back five times. Wonderful. High-knee, low waddle, lunge, sprint, push-up and curl up through an obstacle course. Psshh. Even lapped someone. C'mon --give me something I can't do. What a 10 day!
As I made my way into OC in the early afternoon I marveled at the rich blue sky. Almost completely clear except for the occasional bright white cloud. It almost hurt to look at it this way, not our usual smog-dulled gray. I took in the semi-green semi-lush hillsides. Not green and lush like after the spring rains when the IE is a sight to behold. Not exactly brown either like when my co-worker from New York visited and asked what the dirt mounds were. They're our mountains. The splendid 951.
My body still buzzed from the workout. Or the allergens pushed, scraped and injected into me yesterday and the histamines they all released. It's official. Grass and oak trees and maple trees and pine trees and seven others that I can't remember. Plus a strong recommendation to exercise inside a gym. A supplement called Primal Defense. Daily squirting of baking soda, salt and Betadine up my nostrils. Perhaps a wheat-free existence. And shots twice a week. For a year. Hopefully.
I'm strong. Powerful. Some days more than others. But willing to find my beautiful surprise.
Monday, March 13, 2006
Cold Front
It's cold in Southern California!!! That's right, folks. It's in the 30s at night (mid & upper 30s) and in the 60s during the day. Whoa. Alert the media....oh, they already have it covered. The first 4 minutes of the news I'm watching was all about how cold it is and how people are having to put more clothes on than usual to stay warm. Are they freaking kidding me? I know Paul Moyer and his ALF looking face is going to look grim about this tonight. Make sure and cover it with your Doppler, Paul.
2nd story: Pedophile attacks near an elementary school
3rd story: Newborn baby found dead near train tracks
And they have the nerve to call themselves the news?
2nd story: Pedophile attacks near an elementary school
3rd story: Newborn baby found dead near train tracks
And they have the nerve to call themselves the news?
Sunday, March 12, 2006
48 things about me...
MySpace re-post
Monday, November 14, 2005
Getting to know me…
Monday, November 14, 2005
Getting to know me…
- My dog broke my nose last December.....twice. But here's the kicker--it's 'cause she was afraid of a cat! The first time, she leaped over a table and a couch right into my nose so as to avoid walking by the kitty; the second time, she did one of those quick turn-your-whole-body-around crashing your hard head into mom's broken nose 'cause I'm paranoid moves because the kitty jumped on the back of the couch and she was in my lap and thought the vicious kitty was going to hurt one of us.
- My husband didn't believe me....but my doctor confirmed it by my signs/symptoms: the clicking of cartilage and pain in the bridge of my nose, not to mention the swelling, but said there was nothing we could do besides keeping dogs from jumping into my face with their heads....which is hard for me to keep from happening!
- I get heartburn when I eat peanut butter and jelly....which I used to do every day of my life in high school with NO problems
- I make the text in my web browser large so that I can see it. That's why I love Mozilla Firefox because it's much easier to do than in Explorer. You just press 'Control' and the + or - key. You can make text HUGE!
- I've had 3 surgeries in my life: 2 on my toes! and 1 to remove my wisdom teeth. I ate pizza after each surgery.
- Currently, guayava con queso from Porto's is my favorite food sandwich. You eat one, then eat your meal, and then you eat another. So yummy!
- Karma's a bitch: When I was little, I tripped my sister, which caused a split in her lip which caused her to have confidence issues as a teenager......so after 20 or so years with 4 weeks exactly to the day of my wedding, I kissed my neighbor's dog and he didn't want to be kissed and he tore open my lip so bad that you could see my teeth through the hole! and I had to get lots of painful stitches and now it looks like I used to have a piercing there.
- When my lip was torn open by a dog bite, my husband and I were calm, but if you were to throw some kind of slimy bug at us, we'd run around screaming like babies and I'd have a panic attack.
- I like going to the dentist. And I think that my dentist and my primary care doc are both super cool.
- I've never experienced brain freeze.
- I've never eaten a Twinkie.
- I didn't eat Doritos until my senior year in high school.
- I love cheese.
- I'd rather have dogs than kids.
- My dog has a Coach collar and leash and a string of pearls in her collection of things every dog needs.
- I used to be a personal trainer...after I got fat the first time and before I got fat the second time.
- I used to teach 6-8 Spinning classes a week for over a year.
- I ran a half-marathon. and then I stopped moving for a couple years.
- I enjoy Ashlee Simpson's Autobiography CD.
- I've had the same email address for over 9 years.....and only a select few have that address....the rest of you email me @ Yahoo.
- I didn't start having alcoholic drinks until I was 27. White Russians and Strawberry Margaritas are my favorites, followed by Mudslides.
- I highly dislike chocolate, although I'd be willing to try it with cheese.
- I worked in a library for 6 years.
- My husband and I got married by our friend....we asked him to marry us on a whim while we were at lunch....and he said yes so he got ordained online!
- Including my husband, I've only had one sexual partner!
- I check my cholesterol at least every 2 months. It's been as high as 289, but my HDL will always kick your HDL's ass.
- I took a picture with "The Big Banana" in Queensland, Australia and with an Aborigine in Sydney.
- I went to Chiapas, Mexico by myself when I was 19.
- I eat veggie meats named Wham, Prosage Links and Fri-Pats.
- I grew up in Glendale, CA although I was born in Hartford, CT. I hate going to Glendale now because there's so many people but I do it because Porto's and the Argentinian store are there and that's where you can get some of the best eatin' in the valley.
- I've had the same cell phone number for 7 years, except for the area code change.
- When I was a senior in college, my car burned down on a freeway exit ramp. I cried when the firefighter took an ax to the hood to get it open and put out the fire.
- When I was a senior in college, I fell off my bike and tore a ligament in my wrist. The orthopedist I saw didn't know how to deal with wrists, so he put me in a full-arm cast up to my shoulder until I could see the wrist guy.
- When I was in a cast during college, I had to switch cars with my dad because I couldn't drive my stick anymore.
- 5 days after I got my cast off, I was in a wedding, and though I'd desperately tried to tan my right arm to match my left arm, my right arm was stark white and I had to wear a strapless gown like that.
- My wedding dress was cheaper than my wedding hair and makeup!
- I listen to Christian radio when I'm in the car because it helps curb the road rage.
- I recycle and think you should too.
- I am usually very bossy, and then I get mad when people want me to tell them what to do.
- If I had a gun, I'd probably use it-- a lot.
- I've never experimented with drugs.
- I like Luis Miguel's music only. I do not like Luis Miguel. I love Ricky Martin and Ricky Martin's music.
- "Bad of the Heart" by George LaMond is one of my favorite old-school songs.
- I loved New Kids on The Block.
- I've never had a hangover.
- I don't have grandparents, so I took Nash's.
- I love my husband and Belle more deeply than anyone else in the world.
Friday, March 10, 2006
The Ellen Stories
Re-posts of my Ellen stories from MySpace:
Friday, August 19, 2005
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
I've been a long-time Ellen fan. Even through that show...the one that only aired a few times and that lady from the Facts of Life was on it. I watched Ellen kiss my favorite gladiator, Nitro. And when I heard she was going to have a talk show, I waited with baited breath....and loved it. I even recorded the shows on my old-fashioned VCR so I wouldn't miss an episode.
Well, I love the show so much, that I wanted to see Ellen in person, so I requested tickets---nothing. Then my friend requested tickets---nothing. Then I requested tickets in my husband's name---nothing. I don't get it. What do I have to do to see Ellen?
I am such a big fan of the show that I even took a picture for Ellen of a carved owl in the Petrified Forest last year on vacation. Those crazy hoots still crack me up...and that's funny because some of my friends call me "Egg". I found a cool polo shirt that has a cute little owl embroidered on it...I'll wear it to the show!...if I ever get in. There's a bird in my neighborhood that I think Ellen would love to hear...it sounds like a monkey! I know this all makes sense to those of you who watch the show. Don't I deserve to be able to see it in person?
Well, the final straw came a couple of weeks ago. My husband and I were on our way to Tokyo Yakitori in Burbank...or Glendale, I'm not sure which it is, but anyways, here I am on my way to 'Tokyo', as we call it, and I look to my left, and behold, The Ellen Show studio. So, I already know where it is. Unlike Kitty, I don't mind driving myself all the way from Riverside. I don't need a Hummer limo. I can go in my '84 Dodge Omni, that's OK with me. Heck, I can pick Kitty up on the way if she doesn't mind the heat and the fact that I have no air-conditioning. I just want to see Ellen.
I have come to an important decision. I am removing Ellen from my Dish Pass list on my DVR (yes, I'm moving on up!) until I am granted the opportunity to see the show in real life.
Will you join me? Boycott Ellen.
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
The Ellen saga continues....
OK, so yesterday was the first day of the Ellen DeGeneres' show new season, although today was the Season Premiere. and though I tried to get America on my boycott bandwagon (which I was only able to convince Ted & I scared Ferin away), I could not resist my Ellie and had to put her back on Dish Pass on my DVR, with Top Priority, of course. And of course, with all that has happened in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Ellen has once again stepped up to help as with the tsunami. Her friends and family in Louisiana were majorly affected by Katrina--how could I stay mad at her?!Well, if Ellen happens to read my blog, please know that I never wanted to not watch, nor did I want America to stop either because you are just too funny not to have in our lives. I just want to see the show--in person. Now, please do not come have the show in my house like the lady in Canyon Country. My house is tiny and you would not fit...however, I could always go to Kitty's....she can't live that far from me. and she has to have a large home to be able to fit those funny Great Danes of hers.
So, I have lifted my boycott. Dance on!
Thursday, October 13, 2005
No, I'm not sick, just calling in Ellen.
Guess what phone call I got today?...at 10 a.m.....which woke me up during The Price is Right (I just couldn't stay out of bed this morning-thanks to my Belle dog). So anyways, my phone is ringing and it's Nash asking if I "had" to be anywhere today. "Technically, no." Well, Tony had an extra ticket for the Ellen DeGeneres show and I had to be there in 2 hours if I wanted to go! Did I want to go? Heck yes!
So I straighten my hair and put on my new jeans and some makeup on and ask my friend Jenn to check on my nieces and nephews (the dog & cats) for me at Matt's and send an email to my boss: Hi Denise, didn't get much done on the project you asked me to work on, but I have a chance to see Ellen and just can't pass up this opportunity so I'll work on it tomorrow. bye...Then I hit the road.
We got to the show (Natasha and her mom had saved our place in line all morning --thanks!) and they proceed to tell me that one of the patients (at the clinic) goes to Ellen ALL THE TIME! so he hooked them up with tickets. And then I talked to some other people in line who said all they had to do was fill out the online form and someone called them to give them tickets!!! Do you think Ellen put a ban on me because I tried to boycott her? Nothing came of it, Ellen. I lifted my ban when the new season began and I wasn't convincing anyways!
Regardless, the show was fun. We thought that Kirsten Dunst was going to be the guest, so Meredith (Tony's wife) and I were kind of bummed 'cause we're not fans. But it turns out that was yesterday's taping and today's guests were Amy Brenneman, Jimmy Kimmel and Jeff Corwin. Not bad.....and then, it turned out there was a special guest they had to film ahead of time...you can see that on October 28 to find out who it was...and she was stunning. So we had lots of fun dancing....Meredith taught us her Pussycat Dolls dance and Tony did the worm to win me a T-shirt and I'm very happy.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
Friday, August 19, 2005
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
I've been a long-time Ellen fan. Even through that show...the one that only aired a few times and that lady from the Facts of Life was on it. I watched Ellen kiss my favorite gladiator, Nitro. And when I heard she was going to have a talk show, I waited with baited breath....and loved it. I even recorded the shows on my old-fashioned VCR so I wouldn't miss an episode.
Well, I love the show so much, that I wanted to see Ellen in person, so I requested tickets---nothing. Then my friend requested tickets---nothing. Then I requested tickets in my husband's name---nothing. I don't get it. What do I have to do to see Ellen?
I am such a big fan of the show that I even took a picture for Ellen of a carved owl in the Petrified Forest last year on vacation. Those crazy hoots still crack me up...and that's funny because some of my friends call me "Egg". I found a cool polo shirt that has a cute little owl embroidered on it...I'll wear it to the show!...if I ever get in. There's a bird in my neighborhood that I think Ellen would love to hear...it sounds like a monkey! I know this all makes sense to those of you who watch the show. Don't I deserve to be able to see it in person?
Well, the final straw came a couple of weeks ago. My husband and I were on our way to Tokyo Yakitori in Burbank...or Glendale, I'm not sure which it is, but anyways, here I am on my way to 'Tokyo', as we call it, and I look to my left, and behold, The Ellen Show studio. So, I already know where it is. Unlike Kitty, I don't mind driving myself all the way from Riverside. I don't need a Hummer limo. I can go in my '84 Dodge Omni, that's OK with me. Heck, I can pick Kitty up on the way if she doesn't mind the heat and the fact that I have no air-conditioning. I just want to see Ellen.
I have come to an important decision. I am removing Ellen from my Dish Pass list on my DVR (yes, I'm moving on up!) until I am granted the opportunity to see the show in real life.
Will you join me? Boycott Ellen.
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
The Ellen saga continues....
OK, so yesterday was the first day of the Ellen DeGeneres' show new season, although today was the Season Premiere. and though I tried to get America on my boycott bandwagon (which I was only able to convince Ted & I scared Ferin away), I could not resist my Ellie and had to put her back on Dish Pass on my DVR, with Top Priority, of course. And of course, with all that has happened in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Ellen has once again stepped up to help as with the tsunami. Her friends and family in Louisiana were majorly affected by Katrina--how could I stay mad at her?!Well, if Ellen happens to read my blog, please know that I never wanted to not watch, nor did I want America to stop either because you are just too funny not to have in our lives. I just want to see the show--in person. Now, please do not come have the show in my house like the lady in Canyon Country. My house is tiny and you would not fit...however, I could always go to Kitty's....she can't live that far from me. and she has to have a large home to be able to fit those funny Great Danes of hers.
So, I have lifted my boycott. Dance on!
Thursday, October 13, 2005
No, I'm not sick, just calling in Ellen.
Guess what phone call I got today?...at 10 a.m.....which woke me up during The Price is Right (I just couldn't stay out of bed this morning-thanks to my Belle dog). So anyways, my phone is ringing and it's Nash asking if I "had" to be anywhere today. "Technically, no." Well, Tony had an extra ticket for the Ellen DeGeneres show and I had to be there in 2 hours if I wanted to go! Did I want to go? Heck yes!
So I straighten my hair and put on my new jeans and some makeup on and ask my friend Jenn to check on my nieces and nephews (the dog & cats) for me at Matt's and send an email to my boss: Hi Denise, didn't get much done on the project you asked me to work on, but I have a chance to see Ellen and just can't pass up this opportunity so I'll work on it tomorrow. bye...Then I hit the road.
We got to the show (Natasha and her mom had saved our place in line all morning --thanks!) and they proceed to tell me that one of the patients (at the clinic) goes to Ellen ALL THE TIME! so he hooked them up with tickets. And then I talked to some other people in line who said all they had to do was fill out the online form and someone called them to give them tickets!!! Do you think Ellen put a ban on me because I tried to boycott her? Nothing came of it, Ellen. I lifted my ban when the new season began and I wasn't convincing anyways!
Regardless, the show was fun. We thought that Kirsten Dunst was going to be the guest, so Meredith (Tony's wife) and I were kind of bummed 'cause we're not fans. But it turns out that was yesterday's taping and today's guests were Amy Brenneman, Jimmy Kimmel and Jeff Corwin. Not bad.....and then, it turned out there was a special guest they had to film ahead of time...you can see that on October 28 to find out who it was...and she was stunning. So we had lots of fun dancing....Meredith taught us her Pussycat Dolls dance and Tony did the worm to win me a T-shirt and I'm very happy.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Lost in Cyberspace
I have a new DSL account with SBC/Yahoo or AT&T....can't keep these phone companies straight anymore. Either way, I decided to leave Earthlink after 9 years [among many other reasons, see below] because I can get my services less expensively with the new one. The big problem so far has been that in the changeover from Earthlink to Yahoo ALL MY PREVIOUS YAHOO EMAIL DISAPPEARED! I can't find it anywhere. I have a feeling that when it asked me for my password yesterday morning, it began to import everything into Outlook Express--which is no longer working. All I know is that all the email I've ever received into my Yahoo account is no longer there...that's why I haven't written back to some of you! I can see my new email once now, but it disappears after I look at it! I don't know how to get it back! Hopefully I will have time tomorrow to contact the Yahoo/SBC/ATT tech people and figure out how to get my email, my essence, back from the abyss of cyberspace.
I've had Earthlink services for a really long time....since I started college, back when most of us were not online! I've had friends and family join Earthlink through me, only to see them receive printers and scanners and 6 discounted months at a time. When I realized that my Auto Club membership entitled me to 6 months of discount on my DSL service, I called Earthlink so they could apply the discount to my account and they wouldn't allow it because I had a discount once when I bought my new computer through Dell for 3 months! What the hell? I don't understand why I can't have all the discounts I'm entitled to. I have, after all, been a loyal paying customer since 1997! It's not like I want them all at the same time. Just one discount at a time. I don't even want the same discount twice, just once...when I'm entitled to it. When I asked them if I could have the discount if I cancelled my account and started a new one, they said yes! What kind of logic is this? Has customer service just completely gone to pot?!
But I'm so attached to my email address of 9 years, so I'm keeping it for now, 'til I can figure this out. I think I'm going to have to write them a letter & see what they're willing to do to keep a customer. They ought to know that I'm one of those people that is majorly brand loyal. I've never even considered another cell phone carrier because Verizon has been great. I only buy California Real Cheese (even if Wisconsin puts out some good stuff). Heinz Ketchup is the only way to go. We always ask for Steven at El Torito because he offers the kind of customer service I can appreciate. Then there's Eric at K.O. and Bob at McKinley Auto - all about customer service. And I like to tell everyone about my good experiences with a company, but when you piss me off, you better believe lots more people are going to hear about it, Earthlink!!
Any similar experiences?
I've had Earthlink services for a really long time....since I started college, back when most of us were not online! I've had friends and family join Earthlink through me, only to see them receive printers and scanners and 6 discounted months at a time. When I realized that my Auto Club membership entitled me to 6 months of discount on my DSL service, I called Earthlink so they could apply the discount to my account and they wouldn't allow it because I had a discount once when I bought my new computer through Dell for 3 months! What the hell? I don't understand why I can't have all the discounts I'm entitled to. I have, after all, been a loyal paying customer since 1997! It's not like I want them all at the same time. Just one discount at a time. I don't even want the same discount twice, just once...when I'm entitled to it. When I asked them if I could have the discount if I cancelled my account and started a new one, they said yes! What kind of logic is this? Has customer service just completely gone to pot?!
But I'm so attached to my email address of 9 years, so I'm keeping it for now, 'til I can figure this out. I think I'm going to have to write them a letter & see what they're willing to do to keep a customer. They ought to know that I'm one of those people that is majorly brand loyal. I've never even considered another cell phone carrier because Verizon has been great. I only buy California Real Cheese (even if Wisconsin puts out some good stuff). Heinz Ketchup is the only way to go. We always ask for Steven at El Torito because he offers the kind of customer service I can appreciate. Then there's Eric at K.O. and Bob at McKinley Auto - all about customer service. And I like to tell everyone about my good experiences with a company, but when you piss me off, you better believe lots more people are going to hear about it, Earthlink!!
Any similar experiences?
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