So ... I practically grew up in a nursing home. My mother has worked in a nursing home for over 20 years, so as a young child I spent many a weekend painting nails, attending church, leading low-impact aerobics and playing the viola for some really really interesting entertainment.
Also, I grew up with cats … so when Mike sent out an article about a clairvoyant nursing home kitty … I just had to post!
This cat is called the “Grim Reapurrrrrrrrrrr” – very interesting … Thanks for sending, Mike!
Here's a fun tidbit about Hil you probably don't know. During the summer of '03, I sang and danced musical theater for prisoners inside an Austrian Prison. Crazy huh?
Our college musical group went to Graz, Austria every other year to be a part of AIMS (American Institute of Musical Studies). We’d perform gigs all over Austria – but usually the gigs would be in banquet halls, outdoor venues or castles. One gig was in an Austrian prison.
Why am I telling you this? Because of this You Tube video. I can’t decide about this video. Is it insightful? Impressive? A cultural lesson? Humorous? Surprising? Interesting?
Watch 1,500 Philippino inmates perform Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
A good friend of mine from agency days started at my company today! Lauren will be managing our tradeshow program.
I am excited for Lauren and me to pick up where we left off in cubicle land. Here's what you can expect:
1. Talking about the "boyish" things our husbands do 2. Lunching 3. Chatting it up about Harriet and Theresa 4. General merriment!
I am a little too excited. As of 3:18 p.m. CT, Lauren probably hasn’t received her laptop yet because she is in orientation … but … you better believe that she already has an e-mail waiting from me!
I apologize for the lack in posts. I also apologize for not returning e-mails.
Our annual user conference is in early August, so July is very busy! I have been working and working and working and I can’t think of a darn thing to write about. Please just know that I love you and I am thinking of you, dear blog reader.
When my muse returns you will be the first to know about it.
Today I want to share my favorite website with you, Google. Google is great! Here is how it works: you type what you are looking for …
Ha ha … you didn’t think I would review Google, did you? I know you know all about Google.
I am going to review the site Weslie and I are gaga over … iGoogle. Imagine opening your computer to your perfect website. A website with little windows looking into your favorite pieces of the internet.
HIL’S iGOOGLE FRONT PAGE:
Column 1 (left): NATI and WFMI stock tickers Austin weather and my family’s Oklahoma City weather Search field for Wikipedia and dictionary.com.
Column 2 (Middle): My del.icio.us bookmarks CNN.com World top stories CNN.com US stories GoogleNews top stories. Moving on …
Column 3 (left): Twitter feed Link to my Google Reader Labs (RSS feed for all my favorite online publications, publications I monitor for Work, and Sam and Julia’s blogs).
Then I have a “fun” tab and a “travel” tab for all the low cost airfare tickers and RSS feeds to interesting travel articles.
And my personalized scene is “city scape” which shows a city with the same weather as my city.
On 7.7.07, Deirdre celebrated her birthday! For those of us unable to celebrate on Saturday, we treated Deirdre to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory on Thursday.
As you can see here, Deirdre and I are enjoying our favorite martini, the Bikinitini. It tastes like a pina colada, but looks like a martini. So you are thinking "white frozen drink with umbrella" but you look "classy."
The phrase Deirdre and I have coined for the drink is "Bikinitini: the look you want with the taste you crave."
Another funny sidenote: Deirdre refuses to say "cutsie" words on menus.
She went to the vet on Friday to get a flea treatment, so she is all ready to party on her birthday. To celebrate, she will have the opportunity to lick the inside of a tuna can.
When asked about her 18th birthday, Mercedes tells me that she is excited to finally vote this year! She is endorsing Hillary Clinton. This surprised me, since Mercedes was raised in the predominately Republican State of Oklahoma. As a hard-hitting blog-journalist, I dug further to get the real scoop behind Mercedes decision:
“I am ready to see Socks back in the white house,” Mercedes says. “Having a dog in the white house isn’t helping the feline agenda at all. Spotty Bush will only pay attention to what dogs need. Sometimes I get all fed up with a bipartisan system. Cats and dogs won’t ever truly get along.”
You heard it here first, folks … one vote for the First Cat! If Socks comes back, Maybe Mercedes will be appointed to the Feline party's “Secretary of the Elderly.”
This summer, I am going to share my favorite websites and e-newsletters with you, dear blog reader. Yes, I will selfishly review TwoBluePeas.com (providing unique baby gifts, designer baby clothes and cool baby blankets) before this summer series is over – you better believe it!
This week, I want to highlight Gmaps Pedometer. I think this is a “mashup?” (Deirdre, please clarify). This is a big google map that allows you to plot your course on any neighborhood street. I use it to see how far I run. I used to just drive the course with my car and use my cars’ odometer to figure out mileage. “So if my car was at 101388 when I left my house and now it’s at 101390 …”
You type in the address where you start running and plot your course. The Original Milwood has so many twists and turns – I have endless possibilities!
I have been a loyal Ben Folds enthusiast for nine years. I remember being a senior in high school, listening to “The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner” in my car with Travis. I then realized that your sweet piano tunes spoke to my soul. I remained a fan even after I heard “Hospital Room.” I listened on.
I remember hearing “Magic” for the first time. It was so beautiful that I turned my radio WAY UP, and the loud timpani almost made me lose my hearing. I remained a fan. I listened on.
When you went out on your own – I didn’t leave you. Even though I really missed Darren Jesse, I listened on.
I remember being 21, jamming to “Rockin’ the Suburbs” with Joe in the practice rooms at McCrary Music Hall. I remember going on my second date with my now husband to see you at the Red Jacket (Matt was there too). I remember endless conversations about you in Penland Dining Hall with Brian, Joe and Matt (another Matt). I reserved a spot on your cruise to ask you in person, "Is Eddie Walker dead?"
Today, Ryan received an e-mail with the subject line: Ben Folds Experience important update! "Ooh – that sounds fun," I thought. I open the e-mail and it says you canceled the CRUISE? You canceled due to scheduling difficulties with other artists? This is one of many ways you have betrayed me, Ben. But, I will remain a fan.
I will listen on.
I have an idea. I have been in PR for four years and I have scheduled and promoted many an event. You should hire me to RESCHEDULE THE CRUISE.
iPerbole - The hype surrounding any product Apple unveils. "Claims that the iPhone will change the world are all part of the iPerbole surrounding the cultish company."
I can't complain about the rain. I just can't do it.
We've had rain for two weeks straight and I love it. I'm sitting here, listening to the heavy rain while Ryan plays guitar (and whistles) and I just feel cozy. I mean ... they might cancel the Austin 4th of July fireworks show and I DON'T CARE!
I know my Seattle friends are reading this and thinking, "Rain? I'll give you rain ... and a knuckle sandwich!" (what up, Al!)
Hear me out, PNW ladies. Here is the truth: All I see down here is the hot sun from mid-June through Thanksgiving (sometimes even Christmas). No wind, no chill, no clouds ... just the clear sky so bright you can't look up as the UV rays beat down on your young flesh choking choking you with 110 degree temperatures as the burn-ban-worthy-dry-grass causes your parking lot at work to spontaineously burst into flames near your car. This rainy season is a welcome change. Our grass is not brown ... but green!
(DISCLAIMER: I am sorry about Summer Flood ‘07 and I am sorry about Steph's flight problems.)
Today’s post is in honor of Ellie! She got a new job, and today is her last day at her current job. Ellie is in the “marketing for properties” business (sorry I don’t know the technical term) and is movin’ up the corporate ladder by taking a position as a marketing manager. Ellie already has a full schedule for her week off!
1. paint the office 2. go to the gym (We hear “Summer Slimdown” has begun!) 3. watch some daytime TV 4. work in the yard 5. "etc."
