Jen_Lada's Blog

I don't pretend to be a morning person.

My unusual work schedule (like many of my co-workers) often gets me home around 11:30PM and I don't fall asleep for another few hours. So it's pretty common for me to still be drifting through a REM cycle til 9 or 10 in the morning.

So you can imagine my anger when I was stirred at 6:30AM by loud, jarring noise pouring through my open bedroom windows. "What the heck is that?" I wondered (actual thoughts censored for blog.) 

Hoping it would stop soon, I tried to roll over and drift back into dream land but the ruckus continued. With my annoyance level rising by the second, I leapt out of bed and peered next door.

Now my husband and I had just been complaining about the neighbors' need to cut their Serengeti-esque lawn the night before. So a part of me was pleased to realize that's what they were doing. But the other part - the sleepy part no doubt - couldn't believe they'd selected 6:30 IN THE MORNING to spring some ambition. I mean "come on!" 

I did the only thing a 'decent' neighbor could do. I went around and slammed shut all the open second story windows. Violently. Vehemently. I wasn't going to yell all the rude retorts rolling around my head. But I did want to indicate my annoyance. They continued on their mow-wy little way and I eventually fell back asleep.

But am I completely off my rocker to think that a deed like mowing - which will in-deed be heard by 'mow' than just oneself  - should be done at a 'mow' appropriate time? Jeez!

I dont' know if this has been discussed or divulged locally but if you've watched Idol this season you've probably seen the orange bracelet David Cook wears. The curiousity finally got the best of me this morning and it turns out it's a pretty cool, inspiring story:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyluBJsKB8g

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/mar/14/little-lind
sey-roses-favorite-idol-singer-wears-wr/

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/723363/why
_american_idol_contestant_david.html

The judges might have been pulling for DA over DC on last night's performance show but the rocker has been my favorite for weeks and hearing/reading the story of the orange bracelets only makes me want him to win even more!

No fancy dinner.

No heart-shaped box of chocolates.

No flowers.

No stuffed animals (gross- hate 'em)

My husband and I went WAY unconventional this year when it came to Valentine's gifts!

We exchanged cards....

AND bought a Nintendo Wii!

Our gift to each other!

It is a blast... Wii spent the whole evening playing tennis, baseball, boxing, golf and bowling - right in our living room! My biceps are actually burning this morning from the jabs, uppercuts and swings!

You know what they say about the couple that plays together.............. :) 

I love award season... even this year's with the Writer's Strike cancelling the Globes. So naturally, my movie consumption rate sky rockets about this time of year ( I even went to a few flicks by myself while staying in Green Bay.) They're not all award worthy but in the past month, I've seen (what I think) is an obsene number of movies. What do you think?

Knocked Up

Last King of Scotland

Reign Over Me

Good Luck Chuck

3:10 to Yuma

PS I Love You

Alpha Dog

No Country For Old Men (twice)

Superbad

Juno

Untraceable

Live Free or DIe Hard

Charlie Wilson's War

Atonement

Some were wonderful - 3:10 to Yuma, No Country, Atonement, Last King of Scotland

Some not so much - Reign Over Me, Good Luck Chuck, Alpha Dog (Sorry Justin)

PS I Love You made me cry.

Juno made me laugh.

Javier Bardem and Forest Whitaker are superb.

Anything I'm missing out on? Suggestions?

New Years Day seems like an appropriate time to watch (or re-watch) Professor Randy Pausch's Last Lecture.

You can find lots of copies/variations on YouTube but I like the way this one was produced:

http://www.oprah.com/health/oz/oz_20071022_350_10
6.jhtml

Enjoy. Apply. Repeat.

I thought I had out-smarted, out-played, out-manuevered and all in all avoided the cold that was making it's way through our building.

But it got me.

Now I'm a sniffling, sneezing, drousy, weak shell of myself. Not to mention, easily annoyed.

My head is throbbing. My ears are popping. My eyes are watering. My limbs are aching. And I have to make myself up so as not to disgust our audience. When really all I was to do is climb under the covers of my bed and hibernete until this cold works its way to some other poor sap.

I hate being sick. In case you couldn't tell.

sniff.

I love love love this movie!

My parents had us watch it every Christmas when we were kids... it still gets me even now.

"Every time a bell rings and angel gets its wings!"

Anyone else have a soft spot in their heart for Frank Capra's creation?

I knew it was windy... ridiculously windy. Windy enough to practically knock me over while running errands. Windy enough to make it rain horizontal. I knew it was windy.

But it never occured to me that the wind - the ridiculous wind - would be capable of pushing our gate open. Dumb. It wouldn't have been a big deal except our dogs were in the backyard. WERE.....

I was about 46 seconds from hopping into the shower when I heard brakes screech, a collision and a horrible prolonged yelp. "Did you hear that? I asked my husband. Instinctively, I sprinted downstairs only to find a frantic driver who'd abandoned her vehicle and was running towards me. "Is that your dog?" she shouted pointing to a heap of fur that only slighty resembled my dog. I screamed! It was.

We rushed Wrigley to the vet. Tears. X-rays. Heart-wrenching yelping. Waiting. More X-rays. More tears. Seditives. Brochures. Broken Pelvis. A few bruises and cuts. Could be much much worse.

So now I'm typing with one hand while my other strokes my heavily sedated/medicated puppy. They say he should be alright with a lot of TLC. I feel awful. I should have known better. The wind was ridiculous, afterall.

I don't do this sort of thing very often but I just had to pass the word on....

My husband and I took a couple of friends out for a late dinner Wednesday night and after much conversation, we thought we'd try out the newest restaurant on Jefferson St. (formerly Monsoon) called Mi-keys.

The place was bumpin' (Ladies Night will do that) and we were able to get a great table near the bar and fireplace. Our server was awesome - fun and engaging, even making helpful suggestions on the menu! And speaking of the menu - everything we had was WONDERFUL! The four of us enjoyed the Ahi tuna, the Meatloaf, the Tenderloin and the Salmon.... and there were zero complaints. All the sides complemented the dishes so well! The contemporary music made the atmosphere inviting and we ended up hanging around for hours (Apologies to our server for squatting.)

Sorry to gush but we just had such an amazing time, I thought what better way to thank the folks at Mi-keys than pass the word on to you guys. Maybe the next time you're wondering where to dine downtown, you'll consider this happening new spot with terrific food and employees! 

Did anyone else catch Britney Spears' AWFUL performance to open this years VMA's???

Can you say WRECK? What a joke! What was that ridiculous outfit? And were those dance moves? She looked like she'd never walked in heels before. I mean the lip synching was a given but everything was disasterous!

I'm not sure I expected much more from the fallen from grace pop star but her so-called 'comeback' performance did nothing but reconfirm her issues. She should stay off the stage, out of the clubs and spend more time at home with her two young sons. No doubt they're each saying 'Mom Gimme More..... Attention.'

Is there anything you find yourself buying over and over again? Not like items that need to be re-filled like shampoo or soap or milk - but a certain article of clothing???

Many women are obsessive about shoes and, don't get me wrong, I'm guilty of that indulgence as well (70 pair in the closet currently AND I just did a Good Will run.) But after pulling my whites out of the dryer this morning, I was shocked to find 13 white t-shirts - all mine! And upon reflection, I do find myself buying them all the time - at Target, the Gap, Express, H&M etc - if there's a variety of white t-shirt available, chances are I'll scoop it up. I think it's because it's a very versatile piece of clothing - dress it up or down, good for a night out or an afternoon at the gym. Also, they're very expendable what with being white and all. But I'm thinking if I can just about get through 2 weeks without wearing a white t-shirt more than once, I probably have enough, don't you think?

How about you? Anything you find yourself buying over and over for no apparent good reason?