Saturday, November 29, 2008

WEEKENDY

What a busy weekend!

I barely had time to turn around yesterday between getting home and getting back in the kitchen to peel more potatoes. But dinner last night was amazing so it was worth it. Then Mom, sister, brother-in-law and I went to see Four Christmases. I thought it was really cute, and the previews alone are worth going to see the movie for. January and Februrary are going to be busy movie-going months, I think.

Then, today I had to shuffle some money around - you know, because I have so much. Just kidding! I had to close my old checking account, the one without online banking that was opened circa 1998. So I took that money along with some savings bonds plus the check from Allstate and I finally have all the money from my wreck deposited into my account. Hooray! Now all that's left is to buy a car! I really like the Nissan Altima that I rented to drive home for the weekend (actually, I rented something else and they gave my reserved car away - not my fault, so of course I refused to pay the $5 upgrade for the nicer car and made them give me the Altima anyway).

THEN I had to go get a quick eye exam so I could order more contacts, since they won't let you order more without a current prescription. Hogwash.

And finally, I went and got lunch from Taziki's, then I came home and put on my pajamas, and now I am going to get cozy to watch the Iron Bowl. War Eagle!

Friday, November 28, 2008

FULL

Happy Thanksgiving weekend, y'all. Hope everyone is warm and dry and full and happy.

I'm in Alabama now, ready for Thanksgiving with my family. Yesterday was my first Turkey Day in Nashville, where you may recall I supplied the hot bacon and swiss dip (a hit), the mashed potatoes (another hit) and this little bonus surprise: a double chocolate peanut butter pie. After perusing the internet for the perfect, pudding-free recipe, this is what I decided on.

Behold! (Most of) the pie:
Notice that crumbly Oreo crust, subtle yet delicious peanut butter filling and perfect chocolate glaze with a crushed peanut border. I was so impressed with the fresh whipped cream I made for the filling, that I made some more just to have on hand. Looks like this cooking thing is gonna be easier than I thought!

Now it's time to head back into the kitchen to make more potatoes for Thanskgiving, round 2. Too bad I didn't bring enough pie for everyone!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

BOTHERED

I have to tell you, this whole renaming the Student Union thing has gotten under my skin.

I have been reading about it on the Plainsman.com and I was trying to understand why the SGA would vote down the resolution to extend James E. Foy's name to the new student union building. Right now, the building will be named after whomever ponies up $25 million to pay for it.

I see the point that the $25 million will help keep student activity fees down, that the university can really put that money to use and it will been "ear-marked" for student development and programs. But when I was at Auburn, our student activity fees (go toward maintaining student union, campus programs, student recreation center, etc.) were already close to if not the lowest in the SEC. So with inflation and all the growth on campus, I think those could stand to go up a little bit more. But of course, I'm not paying those fees, so I don't really know. And it's not like students were ever lacking in something to do, without $25 million to blow.

But here's what I do know - Foy is a man. Foy is a building. Foy is a phone number; but to reduce it to just one of those takes away from what Foy really means and embodies to most Auburn students. Which is why when I read that a student senator - who was a CWE Counselor, no less - called Dean Foy a "cute old man," I about spit out my coffee:

"We don't remember Foy or are respectful of Foy because of the man he is. Because to all of us, he's just, he's great I'm sure, but he's still the cute, old guy that says War Eagle at pep rallies. I'm not trying to take away anything from who he is, but we're all passionate about Foy because of the building, because it is where we spent our time, where we ate lunch, not because of who he is."

You know what? This makes me sad. I have an e-mail sitting in my draft box to this young woman. I'm trying to decide if it's too "cranky old alumna" to send. It's a nice e-mail, not mean or condescending, just explaining to her that her choice of words were really offensive to me as a member of the CWE family and hopefully all the rest of you that sat through Dr. C's slide show, learning from where everything from our orange and blue to War Eagle! to the seal and the creed originated.

I guess it's a full circle. She is passionate about the building because of the activities that it houses, where she spent time and ate lunch. Those activities are there, that building is there, because of Dean Foy. She and the other student senators may not recognize that, but lots of other people do.

I'm sure there'll be a solution worked out. The alumni are up in arms. Maybe some of the Auburn people that read this blog can help me/us understand both sides of this argument, or at least how this girl spent a summer in CWE and still manages to think of Dean Foy as not much more than a "cute old man." In the mean time, read a three-part series chronicling how he is so much more than that here here and here.

A proud alumna with some "cute old man"

Monday, November 24, 2008

FAVRE

Suggestions for how "FAVRE" eventually became pronounced "FARVE:"

1. Accident somewhere in documentation that no one ever bothered to fix.

2. Laziness (4 generations ago: "fAH-vray;" 3 generations ago: "fAAhv;" someone in Boston: "fAHrv;" the entire world: "FARve").

3. Purely to annoy me.

WHETTED

This is going to be a quick week, but a busy week!

Today I have a site visit, an event, Kanye's new album comes out AND Allstate just called me - CHECK IS IN THE MAIL Y'ALL!!!
Tomorrow I will get a lot of work done.
Wednesday I will leave work early to get ready for Thanksgiving!

For the first time ever, my family will be split up on Thanksgiving Day. But that's okay, because Friday we will all be under my mom's roof, together again, and making our own Thanksgiving dinner.

So while Mom is with our extended family, and sister with her in-laws, I will be here in Nashville with C's family. While I am not responsible for too significant of a portion of the meal Thursday or Friday, I am happily contributing what I can. Thursday, I am providing the appetizer (hot bacon and swiss dip, a favorite dish that my sister makes often) and the most important side dish: fresh, hot homemade mashed potatoes. I figure since I will be eating most of them, I should cook them. I am also making the mashed potatoes on Friday afternoon in Alabama. I might even pull out my grandmother's potato strainer, just for fun. Mashed potatoes are one of my favorite things.

And speaking of favorite things, Oprah is airing her signature episode this Wednesday, scaled-back style. Whatever. Scaled-back for Oprah is only spending $1000 on a fridge instead of $3500 for one with a high-def TV. Who needs a high-def TV in their fridge? If you have one, please let me know how it has benefited you because I just don't see it happening.

Never one to be out done by Oprah, I am working on Lindsay's Favorite Things 2008. I know you can barely contain your excitement.

Number one on this year's list: my job. Which I am at right now. So I'd better get back to work!

Saturday, November 22, 2008

SAD

I guess this day was bound to come eventually. I just didn't think it'd be so soon.

I was at Target yesterday, strolling around, when I came to the electronics section. Not surprisingly, the neat colorful row of Friends season DVDs was the first thing I saw. As I walked closer, I kind of lost my breath.

My precious babies, my Emmy Award-winning television gold mine, was $12.98!!!! Is that what they have been reduced to? Even Will and Grace was holding strong at $34.99 a pop.

THIRTEEN DOLLARS. It's just not fair. I wanted to buy every one of them to preserve the dignity of the show.

Horrible. Just horrible. This recession knows no limits.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

BEATLEY

Last Friday, C and I went to see Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles. I am sure there are a lot of Beatles cover bands floating around, but this one has to be the best.

The show made use of two screens on either side of the stage, which put you in the era by showing important pop culture clips with sound bites of the Fab Four, and of course - plenty of screaming, fainting, maniacal girls.

The band did five sets: Ed Sullivan show, Shea Stadium, Sgt. Pepper, Summer of Love and Abbey Road. They had perfect costumes and wigs for each set. My favorite was the Sgt. Pepper set.

It was so much fun. I didn't know what to expect so I was blown away by how spot-on the performers were, how much fun the show was, etc. We were up dancing several times, and there were plenty of women up dancing the entire time. All ages were there - some dressed up, too.

So, I spent the rest of the weekend reading about the Beatles on Wikipedia and learning more about them: good, bad and ugly. I knew a little about them having grown up with a sister that was a big fan, but there was lots I didn't realize or fully understand (or really care to), starting with that they were only together for like six or seven years. Crazy!

But through my reading, I realized something else was brewing: a piqued curiosity about one John Winston Lennon, leading to a book requested from the library. I'm scared of getting sucked in.

Which brings me to my point: why do I get so fascinated by dead men named John? Cash, Belushi, now Lennon... coincidence? I hope so. It has to be.

Me and my dead men named John. What is that?

Sunday, November 16, 2008

HOWLING

More fun with a MAC. I am telling you, this little feature is a small reason I am looking at getting a MAC book to replace the dead PC.

(This one looks like the guy in Ratatouille)

ENTERTAINED

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!





Love it when JT makes a cameo on SNL. I've already watched that second skit like six times.

Monday, November 10, 2008

FINE

What a good weekend. Here's some highlights:

1. Saturday night, C and I dressed up and went to see Moonlight and Magnolias. It's a play about the true behind-the-scenes issues of Gone With the Wind. I never knew this, but three weeks into shooting, the producer fired the director and brought in a new one (pulling him off The Wizard of Oz). He also brought in someone to rewrite the screenplay, but that guy had never read the book before. So for five days, existing only on bananas and peanuts, the director and producer acted out scenes from the book and the writer typed out a script until they had a screenplay worth shooting. It cost the producer $50,000 a day to hold the movie. Interesting story. Moonlight and Magnolias is the five days. I liked it, but even more than the play, I liked getting dressed up and enjoying a delicious free dinner and hosted bar with some of C's coworkers. There was also a silent auction but we didn't bid on anything. We also didn't get a picture of us dressed to the nines, but there's more of these dinner/play combos in 2009 so stay tuned...

2. I went to Publix on Sunday. I have always shied away from Publix a) because there's not one near my house b) because I've always thought they were a little overpriced and c) there is not one near my house. I get their ads in the mail, though, so I've been eyeing their Buy One Get One deals for a while. So I was running errands Sunday and found myself near a Publix and I decided to drop in. I browsed around. Nothing was standing out until I got to the meat counter. I bought some ground beef and chicken for what seemed like a good deal. Then I got two bottles of coffee creamer. They were 2 for $5. I remembered I had a coupon for 50¢ off a bottle. I forgot, however, that Publix doubles coupons under 99¢. So the coffee creamer ended up costing me $2 per bottle, which is pretty good. And my checkout team was really friendly. But yet, neither of those reasons are why I'll go back...

3. Miracle of miracles, I FINALLY found some bagels worth eating at Publix. I used to have a bagel for breakfast every single day until mine (Thomas Multi Grain) were discontinued and since then, I haven't found any in grocery stores that were suitable. Multi-grain: is that too much to ask? Not to Publix. I was beside myself with glee to try one this morning for breakfast and was not disappointed. Now I just need to find some coupons for Publix bagels and I'll be set.

And lastly, I watched Fight Club this weekend. What a weird movie. Speaking of fight club, here's proof UAT and LSU have the worst fans in the SEC. Sad.

Friday, November 07, 2008

DISTRACTED

What a week. It has been up and down to say the least. Your Friday Five will recap:

1. I have a feeling Tuesday night will turn into one of those Where Were You When? questions. As in, where were you when you heard about 9/11; where were you when you heard Obama was elected? My answer: I was at Pizza Perfect with C, getting a late dinner after being sick all day. The very second after the west coast polls closed, up went the CNN Breaking News graphic and over was the election.

2. I got my hair cut this morning. I LOVE getting my hair cut. My stylist is so fun. I have been going to her for a year now, after randomly finding her in the phone book one desperate Saturday. She's the one whom I trusted to chop my hair last December, after only one visit. And today she told me how to cut C's hair with clippers and trimmers, since he bought some recently so I could learn how to cut his hair. We'll see how I do.

3. Enterprise has been calling me since Tuesday. Apparently, they sold my rental car while I still had it. That was dumb. I was supposed to turn it in tomorrow but they couldn't wait until then to get the car from me. How ridiculous. I told them I would to come by to swap it on Tuesday, but then I got sick and decided to go home as opposed to worrying about the rental car. I still have tons of stuff in the car that I haven't taken inside: boxes, hanging clothes, etc. So I wanted to unload that before I made the swap. But I didn't get around to it. Sue me. So they called me again yesterday and again today, when an Enterprise agent BEGGED me for the car back. I'm not kidding. I was already late to work because of my haircut and then I had two site visits and an event tonight, so I was a tad busy, to say the least. I asked him to wait until tomorrow, just 24 more hours, and then they could have the car back for good. That wouldn't do. I told him I would push a meeting and he could come in an hour and a half. "Miss [Last Name]... Pleeease." So I told him to come in 30 minutes. I mean really. It's your fault for selling the car while it was in someone else's possession. That's like Blockbuster renting a DVD they didn't even have. What bad business. So when the guy showed up with the new car, as we were moving things from one car into another, I (jokingly) told him I was shocked a company like Enterprise would commit such a blunder and how were they planning to make up for the inconvenience. I suggested a free extra day of rental, which he agreed to. I'm such a hardass.

4. Car update: they found the lady that hit me and she admitted to being uninsured. So Allstate sent me a check for my deductible, meaning I have still not paid a cent for this wreck. Unless you count the dadgum STRESS, and I have decided that sanity is priceless. Additionally, the car title has been one closed door after another. I mean you name it, it's gone wrong. Luckily, I believe I finally have the proper paperwork to file to get a new title so that I can give it to the insurance company to get some money for my car so I can buy my next one! But since I have to return the rental, I have to go without a car again for a while until then. So if you live in Nashville and have an extra car, or want to give me a ride somewhere, please let me know. And speaking of buying the next car, I am actually leaning toward NOT buying a Toyota because of that awful Saved By Zero commercial. I certainly wouldn't want anyone to think that I succumbed to or support that kind of incessant marketing.

5. Last but not least, Auburn's homecoming is tomorrow. Ahhh, memories.

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

POSITIVE

How is everyone? What's new? How's your week been? It's halfway over, hooray!

Did you know I was sick yesterday? I only went into work for two hours and then went to the doctor, who couldn't diagnose me. He told me to take four Motrin and go back to bed. Shouldn't you get your co-pay back if they can't help you?

I also got bad news regarding the car title yesterday. But I don't want to talk about it. And you remember what else I do not want to talk about: politics. But you're not here to read about it, are you? Go here if you are.

So let's talk about some things I do want to talk about: Hugs! Kittens! French Fries! Candy! Wine! JT!
Which looks best to you? I'm thinking the fries or JT.

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

ANTIPOLITICAL

Remember the good old days, when we could turn to Facebook for distraction from the real world? Facebook was (at one time) a place of entertainment, solace if you will, when you wanted to divert your attention away from elections or politics or at times, real life. Well, not anymore.

Don't get me wrong. I'm patriotic. I voted. But why do you need to know about it? Do you really care who I voted for? And most importantly, do I need to use my Facebook status to tell you?

If you want to know about the election, turn to Facebook. The rest of you, turn to me. Curl up here at Pearls of Wit. Take your shoes off and stay awhile, at least until the election is behind us. You know you can count on me when you want politic-free reading, so consider yourself safe.

Now, watch this clip from the last SNL, if you haven't seen it already, and then go get your free donut.

Monday, November 03, 2008

PEEPED

My favorite photos from Halloween:
Bo Peep had a great weekend. She found her sheep and then filled up her rental car for only $25 on Saturday. Hope you all had a great weekend!

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