Monday, March 31, 2008

Weekend Roundup

Friday:
-Wake up
-Have coffee and breakfast
-Laundry, laundry, laundry
-Get haircut
-Grab Chipotle
-Eat and watch TV
-Run to Target for a few things
-Shower
-Get everything ready for the morning
-Straighten hair
-Go to bed
-(Listen to new She & Him album entire day)

Saturday:
-Wake up early
-Get coffee
-Dress & do make up
-Wake Josh up
-Get stuff together and head out
-Get dropped off at District 10 Convention
-Wait, wait, wait
-Have a great time with fellow precinct delegates
-Leave after electing our delegate to State
-Head home
-Veg out on the couch till Josh comes home from studio
-Grab some Jack In The Box
-Eat & watch TV
-Hit the hay

Sunday:
-Wake up
-Walk the neighborhood and visit with Michael
-Have coffee
-Eat leftover Chipotle
-Shower
-Finalize grocery list
-Grocery shopping at Target and Central Market
-Make cookies for Kira
-Make pizza with Josh
-Eat and watch The Trouble With Harry
-Night night

Thursday, March 27, 2008

My Favorite Movies- 1930's

This afternoon when I breezed by Emily's blog I was so pleased to see a post about one of my favorite Woody Allen movies, Everyone Says I Love You. Another blogger commented that she wasn't very familiar with older films (kill me now if 1996 is old), and that she would love some recommendations from Emily. Well, obviously I am not Emily, but I thought this was a great idea. I immediately set out to come up with a list of my favorite movies to share with everyone. The thing is- I'm a big movie fan, especially older films. So, I've decided to share my favorite movies by the decade. First up is the 1930's, so here we go!

I'm a big Marx Brothers fan, and they made a lot of their movies through the 1930's.
Animal Crackers 1930- Hooray for Captain Spaulding! Groucho play Captain Spaulding, an African Explorer. At a party given in his honor a valuable painting disappears and lots of laughs ensue in the search for it.

Horse Feathers 1932- Funnily enough the song "Everyone Says I Love You" is the running theme of this movie, being written by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby, who also did the music for Animal Cracker as well as the screenplay for both. In this film the action centers around trying to improve a floundering college's reputation by getting together a winning football team- even if they have to buy the players!

A Night At The Opera 1936- This movie features some beautiful singing my Kitty Carlisle and Allan Jones, who the Marx Brothers are trying to help achieve the operatic success they are dreaming of, while tripping up the opera snobs around them.

A Day At The Races 1937- This is my favorite Marx Brothers movie. Groucho plays Dr. Hackenbush, who is hired to help save a failing sanitarium. The owner of the sanitarium is desperate, but not desperate enough to believe that her love can win the money she needs with his newly purchase race horse.

If you've ever read my blog before you'd know that I'm a big Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers fan. And again, like the Marx Brothers, they made almost all of their movies together in the 30's.
The Gay Divorcee 1934- Fred & Ginger meet under strange circumstances at the Custom's Office. He likes her, she hates him. She wants to get a divorce and her attorney just happens to be friends with Fred. Everyone goes to a coastal resort and things get harried when Ginger thinks Fred is someone he isn't. Fantastic dance scene to Cole Porter's "Night and Day".

Top Hat 1935- If you like design then you should watch this movie purely to see the incredibly art deco "Venice" sets. This movie contains probably their most famous dance scene ever to Irving Berlin's "Cheek to Cheek". Similar sort of preface to Gay Divorcee, but somehow doesn't take away from it at all.

The Thin Man 1934- This is one of my all-time favorite movies. William Powell and Myrna Loy make such a great team as Nick & Nora Charles that they made 5 more Thin Man movies after this, but the first is the best. Powell is a former detective, retired after marrying his well-to-do wife, Loy. But a Christmas vacation in New York drags him back into crime-solving when a former client disappears. Despite the mystery aspect this is a fantastic comedy.

My Man Godfrey 1936- My Man Godfrey stars Powell again, this time with his ex-wife Carole Lombard. Lombard is a flighty socialite, Powell a man down on his luck. A chance encounter results in her hiring him as the families new butler. But what will Godfrey have to endure working for a family just as crazy as she is? And what is the real truth about Godfrey? Again, too funny to put into words.

Stage Door 1937- This movie boasts a stellar cast of female talent- Ginger Rogers, Katharine Hepburn, Gail Patrick, Lucille Ball, and Eve Arden to name a few. The story of a group of struggling actresses who all reside together in a theatrical boarding house. A lot of comedy and a lot of drama packed in one little movie.

Bringing Up Baby 1938- In the first of their three movies together, Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant will make you laugh till you cry. Uptight scientist meets free-spirited socialite, throw in a dinosaur bone, a million dollars, and a leopard named Baby- it's a recipe for hilarity.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

The Waifs

In 2003 Steph and I saw this Australian band open for Bob Dylan. I fell in love with them. They've got a new album out, which I've got to get this weekend. I was listening to them earlier and decided I should share. The Waifs are a trio, two sisters and a gent. They all met while wandering around Australia as musical troubadours. Their bluesy, country folk sound is great. I've never seen a chick play harmonica like Vikki does. Anyway, here are two of my favorite songs that I wanted to share. :)

Lighthouse


Crazy Train (live)

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Sunny Day Dreaming

So, Josh and I have just begun the process of saving for a down payment, but every day I feel like I just can't wait. I've started collecting inspiration pics from my web wanderings, although I'm not sure if I will post too much because I've been a dummy and haven't kept a record of where I found the pics. But today I've been day dreaming of having an outdoor space. More than our small patio. Here are a few of the things that have been popping up in my dream.

Monday, March 24, 2008

Weekend Roundup

Friday:
-Oversleep
-Have breakfast
-Clean kitchen
-Vacuum
-Lint roll furniture
-Eat lunch
-Walk 1.5 miles
-Shower
-Blog
-Welcome Josh home
-Make pizza
-Eat and watch Broadway Danny Rose
-Go to bed

Saturday:
-Wake up
-Make scrambled eggs & pancakes
-Have breakfast and coffee
-Get ready
-Head to Amon Carter for photography exhibit
-Lunch at Dutch's
-Ridgmar Mall for unsuccessful shopping
-Target for cassette converter
-Head home, total shopping failure
-Hang out with Josh
-Make plans with Holly for Telegraph Canyon show at Lola's
-Get ready
-Head out with Holly and have loads of fun
-Get home
-Eat a bowl of cereal
-Fall asleep watching Arrested Development

Sunday:
-Oversleep, need to break this habit
-Finish grocery list
-Walk 1.5 miles
-Shower
-Watch dvr'd Everyday Baking
-Grab some Sonic
-Grocery shopping
-Make another yogurt cake (instead of that coconut cake)
-Head to Mom-in-law's for Easter dinner and a movie
-Get home
-A little reading and bedtime

Friday, March 21, 2008

Weekend Plans Pictorial

I decided to post about our weekend plans in picture form today.

Friday night:




Saturday:


















Sunday:



Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Say Cheese

I am really looking forward to this weekend. Josh and I have made plans for a lovely one. One activity I am really looking forward to is our visit to the Amon Carter Museum. I took a class there in high school, but I've rarely been back since. There is an exhibit that has really caught my interest and I can't wait to see all it has to offer. The Art of the American Snapshot, 1888-1978 traces the history of the snapshot in America after the introduction of Eastman's Kodak camera and film. This exhibition particularly speaks to me since it's about finding art in the average. And aside from the exhibition the Amon Carter has an impressive photography collection that I am really looking forward to perusing. I just finished watching the Ric Burns directed American Experience on Ansel Adams, so I will be keeping an eye out for this piece in particular.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lightening Bolt

Okay, technically it's just mid-March, so nothing is on it's way out yet. But it is definitely Spring in Texas. How do I know? Oh, let's just say a little rain cloud told me.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Kiss Me, I'm Irish!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day! As an Irish descendant, consider yourself hit with the Luck-O'-The-Irish stick. From me to you! It's the best I can do, short of handing over my four-leaf clover. And don't even think about asking. :)

Weekend Roundup

Friday:
-Work, blech
-Head home and check the mail
-Watch a smidge of TV
-Grab Chipotle for dinner
-Eat and watch HGTV
-Turn TV over to Josh for video games
-Watch more TV in bedroom and do a little reading
-Hit the hay

Saturday:
-Drag self out of bed
-Turn in work order on window
-Walk to park and back, bout an hour
-Open windows to keep apartment cool
-Start laundry
-Have cereal & coffee
-Work on week's meal menu and grocery list
-Finish laundry, only 5 loads this week, yeah
-Check mail
-Eat leftover Chipotle
-Grocery shopping
-Shower
-Get ready
-Head to Denton for Sunward show
-Grab some coffee at Jupiter House with Josh
-Hang out with band peoples- Doug, Jerko, Dan, Katie Jo, and Doug
-Say goodnight and load up the drums
-Sing Grand Street Cryers really loudly all the way home
-Stop off at Jack In The Box for late-night sustenance
-Fall asleep watching Arrested Development

Sunday:
-Wake up and lay on couch watching TV
-Have some cereal
-Get ready
-Head to In-Laws for small family lunch
-Visit and eat pizza, share NYC pics, and visit with nephew Griffin
-Go over tax questions and discuss investment ideas with Pop-in-law
-Stop by Central Market on the way home
-Fiddle around on laptop and watch TV
-Make griddle sandwiches for dinner
-Eat and watch The Critic
-Shower
-Lay on bed and watch Easter Parade
-Climb in bed and read a bit
-Go to sleepies

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Swap Goodies

I'm pretty behind on getting this up, but I still wanted to share what I got from Karla, my partner in Nicole's Garden Swap. Karla has a lovely little blog, little joys. She sent me a super cute necklace, set of notecards, magnets, great flower photograph, and really beautiful seed packet for my favorite flower. Thanks Karla!

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Mamma Mia

Patience is a virtue that I sometimes just can't muster! Why must I wait till summer?


Full Recovery and a Meme

I am feeling much better and am back at work today. I have no idea what brought on my headache, but I am glad it is gone, after two consecutive evening remedies of 3 Advil and 1 Benadryl. That's quite a medicinal cocktail, but it seemed to do the trick. No worries, I didn't exceed anything that my doctor has not prescribed me in the past. :) Monday marked my sister & her husband's first anniversary so I called the other day to give my congratulations. We are soon approaching an anniversary of our own, but I will write more on that another time. During my sick leave I managed to finish Pride & Prejudice completely, which has improved my reading streak. I seem to have broken, at least for the time being, my previous habit of stopping every book 3/4 of the way through. And after I take a small amount of time to revisit some P&P fanfiction, I think I will move on to Sense & Sensibility. And all of this planning leads me to the meme that my garden swap partner, Colleen, recently posted.

Five Things On My To-Do List:

1. Make special cake for my special guy.
2. Sign up for Ed's Camera Workshop.
3. Plan next week's menu and choose something to make for dinner at the In-Law's this Sunday, probably another yogurt cake.
4. Get a post up on Small Time Cooks, also probably the yogurt cake, ha.
5. Laundry. Really need to do laundry.

P.S.- 6. Post pics of what I got from my garden swap partner.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Sick Day

Home sick with a monster headache today. A big bummer cause I was really looking forward to my Friday off this week. I may just work a half day still, as Josh doesn't mind and my boss is going to be out of town. Anyway, just finishing up my blog rounds. Which means I'm about to tuck back into bed and tuck back into my current read. I wish every Colin Firth movie were based on a book. Reading is even more enjoyable when I can imagine Mr. Firth in each role. ;) Oh, and of course Ms. Austen ain't bad herself.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Weekend Roundup

Friday:
-Sleep in and have snow day with Josh
-Eat breakfast and coffee
-Do dishes
-Clean kitchen
-Clean bathroom counters
-Shower
-Read blogs
-Make plans with Holly
-Eat leftover Chipotle
-Make grocery list
-Go grocery shopping
-Unload cargo and start on dinner
-Make Sausage, Pepper & Onion Sandwiches with Oven Frites
-Eat and watch Arrested Development
-Hang out with Josh
-Hit the hay

Saturday:
-Wake up
-Have cereal and coffee
-Reload iPod shuffle
-Get dressed
-Go for walk around the neighborhood
-Make second yogurt cake
-Post blog entry
-See Josh off on his day of recording
-Work on financial planning
-Get cake out of oven
-Welcome Holly
-Wait for bro to drop off gifts from trip
-Head to Fuzzy's to grab lunch
-Back home to eat and watch Bridget Jones's Diary
-Follow up with Bridget Jones 2
-Welcome Josh home
-Have some cake
-Watch some 30 Rock episodes and have pizza
-See Holly off
-Watch a little over half of Valmont- what a Colin Firth day!
-Go to bed

Sunday:
-Oversleep, especially due to daylight savings
-Have cereal, coffee, and two clementines
-Read photography lesson
-Get dressed and go for neighborhood walk
-Run to Central Market for couple items
-Read Newsweek and eat leftover pizza
-Have some cake
-Work on taxes in bedroom while watching HGTV
-Give up on taxes
-Make dinner- vegetable enchiladas, mmmm
-Eat and watch TV
-Shower
-More TV and dry hair
-Climb in bed and read a bit
-Sleepytown

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Rainy Days and Mondays

Today is G-L-Double O-M-Y. First it was raining. Then it was sleeting. Then it snowed for a few minutes before it all stopped. And then it rained again. Followed by sleet once more. And now it's raining and sleeting at the same time. So, so dreary out my window. I needed some cheering up. Is it gray outside your window? This did the trick for me.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Civic Duty, Here I Come

I'm a delegate!

Monday, March 3, 2008

Weekend Roundup

Friday:
-Stay home because cat is possibly sick
-Do dishes
-Wash burner tins
-Clean off kitchen windowsill
-Scrub and deodorize wood cutting board
-Sharpen and hone knives
-Shower
-Grab some Chipotle
-Watch Arrested Development and eat
-Turn the living room TV over to Josh for video game time
-Watch HGTV in bedroom and clean out closet
-Put closet back together
-Do some reading
-Hit the hay

Saturday:
-Rise & shine
-Have coffee and finish grocery list
-Take swap package and shopping return to Post Office drop
-Go back home and get ready
-Head to Dutch's for awesome burger lunch
-Hit Target for grocery shopping
-Quick stop by Central Market for yogurt, run into Caren in the bakery
-Get home and unload all the cargo
-Go for lovely 35 minute stroll around the neighborhood
-Check the mail and find my swap package
-Make Lemon and Blueberry Yogurt Cake
-Listen to vinyl selections to decide what stays and goes
-Do dishes
-Blog
-Make pizza for dinner with Josh
-Eat and watch more AD
-Have some yummy cake
-Move to bedroom and watch netflix'd Fred Astaire movie
-Do a bit more reading
-Night-night

Sunday:
-Wakey-wakey
-Shower
-Start laundry, 6 loads, yuck
-Have cereal and coffee while reading Newsweek
-Finish up vinyl sorting
-Help Josh vacuum
-Continue laundry and tidying up
-Eat Chipotle leftovers and watch dvr'd shows
-Finish up laundry and watch more HGTV
-Do ironing
-Josh makes grilled cheese for dinner, eat with apple and pretzels
-More TV while marking decor ideas in Blueprint issues
-Hit the sack

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Resolutions Update

Thank you girls for saying some very lovely things in response to my last post. Made me feel warm and fuzzy. :) Well, another month in the new year has passed by. I didn't get quite as much accomplished this month, but there were a few things that I was able to cross off the list. Let's see how I did.

  • Read one book per month- Booyah February! I finished the Jon Stewart book I started on the trip back from NYC, and read both of Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones books. So that's a total of 3 books for the month of February. Heck yeah.
  • Savings account- I opened it in January, but this month we were able to really square away a lot of our questions about our savings plan. Once I do all the transfers in a day or two we will have 3 months worth of expenses in our savings account. We'll open a sub-account for down-payment savings, and we're going to increase the amount we're setting aside for taxes each month. We're even scaling back on our personal allowances to put more towards the house account.
  • Learn more about photography and new camera- Well, wandering around NYC with my camera was a bit of a lesson all on it's own, but I've also been doing some online research, and looked some different things up in the manual. I've also been wandering around Flickr a lot more, and testing the different settings on my camera by taking the same picture over and over with varying settings. Things are moving along, and I'm hoping to devote more of my time to this particular hobby.
  • Have friends over once a month- As far as entertaining, that didn't happen this month. We did do some socializing with friends that we rarely get to see though, so that was a pleasure. I'm definitely hoping to have friends over for dinner this month.
  • Work on learning French again- This has totally fallen to the wayside, where I'm thinking it's probably going to stay. I need to scale back on the interests I want to work on. Right now I'm concentrating on my reading, photography, and cooking. Maybe once I've gained some confidence and proficiency with the photography I can start working on French again. I don't want to give up the dream, but I don't seem to be able to make time for it right now.
  • Try four new restaurants- Last week Josh and I finally tried the new burger joint over by the university, Dutch's. Oh my gosh, it's so good! We love it, and in fact ate there again for lunch today. I heart the Bacon Blue Cheese Burger and their hand-cut fries. So, that's two new places we've tried, but they have both been burger joints, ha. We need to try something else next.
  • Keep up with Newsweek subscription- I'm doing better, but I still missed an issue a couple weeks ago. Going to work on making sure I get through it by the end of the weekend.
  • Get physical- Aside from all that walking we did in NYC I really hadn't done much else. I've decided that I am going to make exercise a priority for the month of March. I'm going to keep the goal short-term like that, so I don't have to think about necessarily making a life-change. Just a month change, ha. Today I took a 35 minute walk, exploring part of our neighborhood. I hope to take another stroll tomorrow.
  • Update money software- Still more of a bi-weekly thing, but at least I'm keeping up with it.
  • See a play- We didn't see a play, but we did go to see the UNT One O'Clock Lab Band, which was definitely something we don't normally do. It was my first jazz concert and I loved it. Hopefully we'll be able to find more fun things like that to do, including a good play.
Things yet to start/accomplish/continue
  • Eat healthier through the weekend.
  • Create a list of life goals.
  • Go to the zoo more often.
  • Visit the 3 major museums (1/3 so far)
  • Take shoes to be repaired and clothes to be altered.
  • Vacuum once a week. (Do not look at me like that!)
Well, all in all not too bad. Not too bad, I think. Now off to enjoy the rest of my weekend. You do the same!