Thursday, February 28, 2008

thursday weirdness

Last night, I went to the gym for Turbo Kick and all was fine. No problem with the Pilates ball injury. To my knee. From Monday night's Body Sculpt. You remember.

Tonight we had a bottle of Merlin Park Shiraz and then a bottle of Pepperwood Grove Syrah and then opened a bottle of Merlot which we did not finish. We decide that Thursday night is the night for weirdness and gossip, which we engaged in. Maybe about you.

So I'm going to see Ann Jenks April 4-7, during which we are driving to Winnipeg to see Todd Snider on April 6, the good lord willing and the creek don't rise. It's 400 miles and mostly interstate so I think it will be about 6 hours which is one hour less than we drove to see Todd in Tennessee last August. We love Todd. I'm listening to Happy to Be Here right now.

Today, I got my passport picture taken because my current one expires at the end of March but I don't need it to get into Canada anyway in April so whatever. The picture taken today held next to my old one displays in full array the aging process. JFC. So Amy said I needed to part my hair on the other side so I did so we'll see if that helps.

OMG, work is so hard and I hardly put up any news at all. I just have to deal with all the other stuff, like ad campaigns and software fixes and cams that don't post to the web. And you people just think they pay me the big bux to get you stories about Britney. Shuh.

And for God's sake, watch this video on YouTube and the response one.

Love you. xxxxxooo

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

whew

Now it sounds like an exhausting weekend. Friday, Nick Moss, we need to talk about the logistics for this. Saturday, gym, radio show 1 to 3:30, and I have coupons for the Community Day sale at Elder Beerman and it's the Welders. I may have to take Monday off. Because next week Erin, my web producer, goes to Hawaii for two weeks. I can take Mondays off now because Erin works 6 to 3 and Jen works 6-9.

I have a theme for my radio show: three in a row. I feel you can get a good feel for a musician from 3 songs in a row by them, preferably from the same album. I have some artists in mind. Email me (debweiser@email.com) if you have a suggestion. Todd Snider, Levon Helm, Lyle Lovett, Toni Price, Amy Rigby, Deadstring Brothers are on tap so far.

Driving to work in the year's biggest snowstorm turned out to be a real bust. The roads were plowed and dry for the most part. The worst part was getting out of my driveway which I just put it in reverse and gunned it. Connie came over and shoveled my walk and driveway end where it had been plowed in in thanks for the Lion King tickets. She and Amy are going Wednesday.

I was nearly killed last night in Body Sculpt class by exercise. Fell off the Pilates ball while doing pushups and banged my knee on the floor. I mention this today because it hurts today.

Monday, February 25, 2008

one thing after another

Here's how things work with me: if I have a project, I find anything else to do before I'll do it. Like tonight, I got home from the gym at 7:42 after gassing up the car and buying smokes (good idea: go to the gym and then buy smokes) and decide I have all the time in the world to sort through my closet and possibly install that light fixture I bought and maybe even clean out my dresser drawers which are full of clothes I never wear. But alas, I have done dishes and laundry and diddled about on the internet so that now it's 10 p.m., time to hit the sack.

The problem with that closet, besides there being no light in there and more than half my clothes are black, is that, oh that there's no light in there and half my clothes are black. I wear the same three things to work every week and I'm just sure there are probably other outsuits in there but I'm not seeing them. I wish I could wear uniforms to work. So today I went to Macy's to return something and bought 2 more tops. Which will be lost in the closet.

Also, I discovered that I had signed up to pay my Columbia gas bill online and although I kept getting these email notices that I had a new gas bill, I find today that I have not paid for THREE MONTHS. It's a wonder the heat is still on. So I paid all of them today. Man, how long does it take before they send you the cut-off notice?? Plus I pay it at some website called e-bills or something and I of course forgot my login which turned out to be the regular old login luckily because I emailed them to ask for my password and haven't heard back.

Plus we are in another winter storm warning with possibly 7 inches of snow coming. Hmm, like last Tuesday, when it took me an hour and a half to get home because I thought driving down Reynolds and Conant would be faster. Ha. Oh wait, that was 2 weeks ago, not last week. Tempus fugit.

And now I look out and see the snow is falling. Hoo freaking ray.

I did cook Sunday: stuffed pork tenderloin in the crockpot with sweet potatoes and a roast chicken. Like I need any more cooked chicken in the fridge. Tonight I overcooked some broccoli. And I have salad stuff. So I'm good. Tomorrow night I'll make chicken soup.

And There Will Be Blood was like a miniseries you wouldn't watch the next installment of. It had this screeching soundtrack and that Daniel Day-Lewis was just a blustery asshole, the kind you know plenty of and why would you make a movie about them? At the end, he stove in some guy's head with a bowling pin and then there was blood. But the Daniel Day-Lewis guy won best actor in the Academy Awards so I guess I'm no judge of acting.

Nighty night.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

last week of february

YAY.

Tuesday night, Amy and I went to what was billed as debate viewing at the uptown between Hillary and Barack on tv. Very lightly attended. We left after an hour.

Yesterday was Brian's 50th birthday party at Howard's in the afternoon. There were many people there and JoeBob Duda played and there was a ton of chow and I didn't take my camera. Send me some pictures if you got some. It was a swell time. It was a real sunny day and about 30 so I walked down and back. Sunny again today, but not quite as blue sky. And a little windy.

Friday night, we went to see No Country for Old Men, for which the better part of, somebody had their hand up to block the screen from various shooting and bleeding and stuff. But we all liked it. Then I came home at 1 a.m. and posted the video of the Hillary visit to 13abc.com.

This afternoon, I'm going to see There Will Be Blood at the small mall at 4. Before then, I need to do some cooking school. But that's about my entire plan. Maybe some CD burning. Listening to Levon Helm's Dirt Farmer.

This weekend there is Nick Moss Friday night and the Welders Saturday for which they say they are starting at 9. And Rod's Collision returns to Howard's on April 12. And it's GNO next Wednesday which we hope will be better attended than January's.

Monday, February 18, 2008

Windy city

Man, it was windy today. But partly sunny and above freezing, so not so bad. Here's an annoying wind story: Yesterday, I had seen this gallon plastic milk jug in the driveway and as I was leaving in the car, I thought "Better pick that up." But I don't. So about 11 p.m. as I am in bed, I can hear the wind playing hockey with this jug between my and Mrs. Eilert's back gates. I put on shoes, go out, toss it in the trash. About an hour later, I hear the wind whip the top open on the trash and BY GOD whip that jug out onto the driveway to batter it back and forth again. So I have to go out a second time and jam it securely in the trash bin. I hope I have not angered the wind gods. I always fear a road sign shearing free and slicing my head off in the freak accident way in which I expect to end my days.

I did a radio show from noon to 2. Last night I did my taxes and I get a grand total of $500 back from state and feds combined. But not paying, except $92 to the school district because I only had that taken out of my check for a little over 6 months.

Then I had cooking school where I made yam, turnip, watercress chowder and mushroom onion quiche and some wacky sauce for chicken for which I have not made the chicken yet. But it's only 6 p.m., might still. Plus I'm going to prepare a vat of mac and cheese with smoked sausage to tide me over. Had to take a break and do dishes before round 2.

What's coming up this weekend? I don't see anything on the calendar but I'm going to IKEA on Saturday with some women from work. Brian's birthday fest is at Howard's Saturday 3-6 which looks like I'll miss. Sorry. Student Loan is at Howard's Friday night but I'm sure too late for me.

Kelly called me at the radio show to say the Dirty Dozen Brass Band is the closer Saturday night at the Swamp. Plus he's really close to getting Graham Parker, an old rocker guy. And since Shemekia Copeland is at the Ark on Saturday May 10, she may also appear at GFT around that time. Also Patrick Sweany is scheduled for the Swamp and is apparently a blues guy from Northeast Ohio. Listen to the cuts on his website. Sounds pretty good.

OK, back to the kitchen. (now it's later) Have the mac n cheese in the oven. Good day's work and enough food to feed an army for a week, as long as the power doesn't go out.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Happy Birthday, Mr. President

Thank heavens I have tomorrow off. Yesterday I went to Turbo Kick and then ate at the Corner Grill and did a radio show. Then the wimmens went to Creative Elements in Grand Rapids where they were having a wine and cheese for wimmens. Then we went to Amy's and played cribbage and euchre.

Friday night, I had a couple beers at Howard's and saw the John Jorgenson Quintet at GFT. They were very good.

Here's how the kitchen looks now. I like it. Still needs ceiling lights and maybe a cabinet or something out by the table and a poster frame for my tomatoes print. Click picture for larger view.



Tonight we are going to see Rod's Collision at the Coats for Kids thing at the Blue Devil. Today I did nothing.

So Amy and I decide to bag on the Rod's Collision thing. But I must point out some upcoming stuff. Nick Moss and the Flip Tops at the Blue Devil on Feb. 29. Welders the next night at Howard's.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Major progress

So I got the second coat of orange on the kitchen annex and the second coat on the trim and I got the curtains up on the side windows but alas, I bought a cafe rod instead of a spring rod for the big window across the back so although I have the curtains for it, I don't have them up. Tomorrow night I will get the right rod. Had to scrape the windows where I overpainted.

Also I put the striped rug I used to have in the living room into the kitchen annex. It's very cozy. I looked at moving the table and chairs from the front room into the kitchen annex but it seemed crowded. This took the better part of 9 hours. Plus I cooked salmon and broccoli but didn't get to some of that other stuff. Cleaned out the fridge. Posted the school closings to 13abc.com as some districts were already canceling classes tonight for Monday.

Listened to Prairie Home Companion, This American Life, I Enjoy Being a Girl and the World Music Show. And I have a radio show this weekend. On a big day, which includes the GNO at Creative Elements. The night before is cards at Deb and Ron's and/or John Jorgenson at Grounds for Thought.

Monday night, Body Sculpt at 6:30. Haircut Tuesday. And no work on Monday, the 18th.

Watching the Grammys. Saw Tina do Proud Mary and now Aretha is on, belting out a big tune. Saw Brad Paisley sing I wanna check you for ticks. Lovely sentiment. And now they have Keely Smith out there. She won a Grammy in 1958 for That Ol' Black Magic. Crowd shot: Bonnie Raitt and John Hammond. Daughtry, John Fogerty, Foo Fighters, Bruce Springsteen, Wilco up for best rock album and the winner is Foo Fighters. Well, I won't be seeing the end of this show.

Ready for bed but alas I have all my jammies in the laundry.

OK, a 5-day week coming up. I hate those. I've only had to do 2 since the first of the year.

Also, the humane society took in 105 dogs and other animals from a home in Stony Ridge. They need help. Visit their website to see how you can help.

Great ad on the Grammys left over from the Super Bowl. Watch it here.

Saturday, February 09, 2008

February-itis

That kitchen is the never-ending project. Today I painted the trim Cornerstone, a very slightly green cream. Now the orange in the outer kitchen annex thingy needs a second coat and then the trim needs a second coat. But maybe then I'll be done. Maybe I'll work my ass off on it tomorrow. But tomorrow is cooking school so we'll see. On tap, salmon, pear cobbler, pasta sauce, quiche, broccoli.

Tonight Sherry and Amy and Connie and I are going out to eat and then over to Amy's for drinking and chat and possibly games. I went to Turbo Kick today and Pilates on Thursday night. Or what passed for Pilates, as the whole thing about it is the breathing and moving combo and this chick did the movements so fast you couldn't do the breathing.

I've been buying floral bouquets at Kroger to pretend it's spring. I had irises last week and some red somethings this week. I though they were freesia but when I googled a picture of them, they were not what I have. Also I bought ice cream at Meijer. Two kinds. It was on sale.

When I was in New York, we had 2 hours between our meetings and dinner on Tuesday, so I walked from 63rd and Broadway to 91st and Broadway, stopping in various stores along the way. Didn't buy anything. Saw some underwear that was $82. A pair. What's up with that? It wasn't even real fancy. Tried on some pants in Ann Taylor. Some shoes in another store. Stopped in at Filene's Basement but nothing caught my eye.

Thursday, February 07, 2008

Back in the small town

New York was uneventful. I didn't take my camera so no pictures. I got there Monday, had dinner with Anne at Rosas Mexicano. Two days of meetings. Flight was delayed coming home so I got home at 11:20 instead of at 9:20. The drive home from the airport was dicey but apparently not as dicey as if I'd gotten home on time so it all worked out OK.

I hear GNO was non-existent. Fred and Sherry went to 149 North as it was Fred's birthday and nobody else showed up.

Nothing happening this weekend. Maybe I'll paint, as I bought trim paint and already painted the kitchen annex Southwest Amber like the kitchen.

Glad it's Friday tomorrow.

Sunday, February 03, 2008

Sopranos

I finished watching The Sopranos last night, Season 6, Part 2, Disc 4. Earlier having read critiques focusing on the death of Tony and all the foreshadowing and analysis, I choose to take the hopeful road. It's just the mother of all cliffhangers but with (spoiler alert) Phil Leotardo dead and his henchmen not all that keen about offing all the Soprano crew anyway, I don't see why things just can't go on, la tee dah. Sure Sil's in a coma and Bobby's dead. But even Janice said, and I think only half-jokingly, that she had to watch her figure so she could snag another husband. Plus Uncle Junior is totally wacked out and he was one of the few people left that could put a wrench in Tony's works.

The whole nuclear family is together at the end and Tony, after looking toward the Last Supper scene at the back of the restaurant, chooses instead to just take a booth, play some tunes, order some onion rings. Onion rings, the circle of life. And that whole Meadow unable to parallel park thing, I think it showed how amidst all the angst and horribleness of the world, we are still caught up for too long with some minutiae like inability to park. To fit in. And the tune, Don't Stop Believing by Journey. Life's a journey. Yada yada. Well it was a swell ride while it lasted.

So leaving for New York tomorrow, back Wednesday night. Cold still lingers on so I'm less than enthusiastic about going. Now I'm stalling from painting the room beyond the kitchen. Just pour the paint in the roller pan and you'll have to do it. I even have my painting t-shirt on.