Random Pics

Day 5 - San Juan

We docked at San Juan yesterday morning. Angie and I spent the morning walking around the town and doing some shopping. Laine - we found the butterfly shop and both bought some pretty bracelets there!
We also walked thru the San Juan Cathedral, which was really pretty to see.

Then we came back onto the boat and spent the afternoon laying out. We ran into 3 women from St. Louis that we had met the day before. We spent the rest of the day chatting with them, working on crossword puzzles and having some cocktails. The mom of the group actually got me a free cocktail for my birthday! haha :)

Last night, after dinner, Angie and I headed to the back of the boat where they had shut off all of the lights. There was a full lunar eclipse and the view was spectacular!!
Then we headed to the deck party where we ran into the girls from St. Louis again. We had some cocktails, did some dancing and chatted late into the evening. What a fun day!

Today we are sailing. Ang and I both got sunburned yesterday so we're making sure to lather on the suntan lotion today. :)

Also, it was great chatting with everyone yesterday! Sean...thanks for watching Pua! I'm glad she came out to snuggle on your socks yesterday. :)
Carisa, can't wait to catch up next week and Michi, no worries. Feel better soon!

Day 4 - St. Thomas (aka Drunk)

first let me preface this by saying we're drunk. i mean really drunk.

angie and i went on a boat ride out to a shipwreck. i'll tell you more about that later, when i'm sober. typing is hard right now.

lots of cool things: baracudas, sargeant major fish and a sea turtle (which swam so close to me i touched it's shell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and i've decided to get scuba certified. but i'll wait till i'm less intoxicated.

but more importantly, there was free rum punch and beer on the boat ride back. we took advantage of all it had to offer.

the captain of the boat asked me if i liked my rum "spicy", i replied "you fix it, i drink it" and boy was that spicy! i ended up passing it on to ang, who likes mixed drinks, and i opted to finish of the boat ride with beers. and then the captain liked me so much he gave me some beers to walk away with! so we walked around from shop to shop giggling and stumbling. people loved us!

hilarious quotes from the day:
"I got stung by a jellybean!" (this had us in hysterics for a good 30 minutes)

"I'm so glad Lance is marinating Nourney!"

"I love beer."

"And rum."

"If you get arrested, I'm not bailing you out."

We've become BFF with a guy named Vivek. He's awesome. He's the waiter for our fancy meals and we totally heart him. AND we ran into him on the isalnd of St. Thomas, at the Post Office!! Even though he told us he's not allowed to drink with the guests, we're hoping to secretly meet him out tonight. I wanna have a beer with Vivek!

Day 3 - Sailing

We spent the day sailing. It's still pretty warm and sunny but we hit really choppy waters and it was extremely windy. So much so that they closed the top decks due to extreme wind. The waves were hitting 7 feet and made a lot of people sick but Angie and I have felt fine all day.

We laid out all morning and I got a little sunburned on my stomach but nothing too bad. I keep lathering on the aloe vera every time we step back into our room.

After lunch, Ang and I went to an art auction and had some champagne while browsing the artwork. They had some Picasso, Dahli and Kincaide. It was kinda neat to see the art but really, we were just there for the champagne. :)

Tonight was formal night on the ship. Ang and I got dressed up and headed down to the Captain's party for free drinks and music. Then we went to dinner where we met up with some friends: Kelly, Stephanie, Janice and Stephanie. These are the girls that are assigned to our dinner table and we're all about the same age. They're all very nice and it's been fun hanging out with them.

Tonight I dined on minestrone soup, a salad, lobster tail with butter sauce and jumbo shrimp. I had the molten chocolate cake for dessert (again) along with a cappucino. Yum!

Afterwards all of us girls went to watch the Main Show, which was a lot of fun. All these dancers were dressed as 1920's style flappers and it was an hour long dance and singing show (sorta Vegas style). Then we girls went to the casino (yes Mike, there's a casino on the boat) but once we got there we immediately turned around and went to a different bar for karaoke.

Tomorrow is a big day so Angie and I decided not to go to the night club tonight. Instead we're settling into bed and trying not to think about how much the boat is rocking.

Will these waves ever calm down??

Here's a little list I made today.
Things I've Encountered So Far:
2 banana hammocks (um...eww)
1 woman with a severe eating disorder (we guessed she weighs 75lbs.)
1 woman with obvious fake boobs. (I don't get the appeal to those, at all)

Day 2 - Half Moon Cay

Today we sailed to Half Moon Cay, a private island with only 50 people living on it. Angie and I laid on the beach all day. The waves were too choppy for us to going kayaking, which was our planned excursion for the day, but we didn't mind at all! We slept and read magazines while listening to the waves roll up on the beach.
We walked up and down the beach and collected shells for Gavin and Max. We did spend some of the afternoon swimming in the water, so my skin is nice and dry from all the salt.
We're back in our room showering and getting ready for dinner (it's about 4pm right now). Tomorrow is a day of sailing...which means another day of lounging around, soaking up the rays and relaxation. I'm already starting up a good tan!

I'm having trouble loading photos onto Blogger. We have internet connection but it's moving really slow and I keep timing out. I will try again later. We got some great shots of the crystal blue water and white sand beach today. :)

Day 1 - Miami

Angie and I landed in Miami pretty late last night. After waiting for our luggage and the hotel shuttle we finally got into our hotel room around 2am. We were exhausted.

We spent this morning doing some shopping and having lunch in Miami. Then we cabbed it over to the ship where we checked in and settled into our room. We took Courtney up on her advice and immediately began exploring the ship. We found the closest door to the outside deck. We found the closest bar. The closest restaurant. etc. etc.

We grabbed an ice cream cone (!!!!) and strolled around outside in tank tops and flip flops. The temp is in the mid-80's (!!!!) with a slight breeze. It got chillier when the sun began to set and boat picked up some steam.

Dinner consisted of asparagus soup, shrimp, creme brulee with berries and a bottle of Pinot Grigio. (Although I did steal a couple of bites of Ang's molten chocolate cake. The pastry chef here is incredible...)

This ship is filled with the most exotic accents. It's fun to hear everyone talk. Lots of Aussies, which rocks.

Photos to come soon.

Parsley

I'm floating today.

~cheese platter
~flowers
~delicious meal
~an amazing gift
~but most of all, i'm touched by how much thought and time went into everything

You belong among the wildflowers
You belong in a boat out at sea
You belong with your love on your arm
You belong somewhere you feel free

I'm floating today.

Happy Valentine's Day

Are you really here or am I dreaming
I can't tell dreams from truth
for it's been so long since I have seen you
I can hardly remember your face anymore

When I get really lonely
and the distance causes our silence
I think of you smiling
with pride in your eyes a lover that sighs

If you want me satisfy me, if you want me satisfy me
If you want me satisfy me, if you want me satisfy me

Are you really sure that you’d believe me
when others say I lie
I wonder if you could ever despise me
when you know I really try
to be a better one to satisfy you
For your everything to me
and I’ll do what you ask me
if you’ll let me be, free

If you want me satisfy me, if you want me satisfy me
If you want me satisfy me, if you want me satisfy me
If you want me satisfy me, if you want me satisfy me

A Blessing in a Curse

I spent a total of 5 hours in a car today. The Furniture Team went out to Naperville to present new catalogue items to the Call Center Staff. Start time was 9am, sharp.

My co-worker, whom I had just met yesterday for the first time, offered to pick me up so we could carpool together. I said sure as long as I could buy her a latte for the drive. And so it began...

Neither of us were expecting this afternoon's snow storm. Nor were we expecting to hit heavy traffic at 3:45pm. I didn't get home until 7:15pm. It was a brutal drive home. Bumper to bumper, creeping and crawling along, my Thomas Guide sprawled across my lap as I searched for side roads and shortcuts.

It was a tough ride and we were both so desperate to just get out of the car and stretch our legs. But in the midst of all of our frustration, exhaustion and hopelessness, a friendship was born.

She and I began our morning with typical chit chat. Where are you from? How long have you worked with the company? What neighborhood do you live in? Nothing too deep or heavy, I mean we had just met and it was 7am. So we filled up the 90 minute ride with light-hearted conversation.

The car ride home, though, we began to tip toe around more personal topics. Do you miss your family? Where would you buy a home if you were to buy right now? The accident that almost took her husband's life.

And then there came the moment where our casual conversation turned towards friendship and we opened up and began sharing our stories, our thoughts and our feelings. That conversation was slower and more purposeful. It was lovely. We talked about relationships, home, children and then prayer. I have no idea how we got onto the topic of prayer but it just unfolded naturally. It wasn't a weird sorta of conversation, it was just simple and easy. And it didn't last for long but I remember peering out my passenger window at the snow falling down and thinking to myself, "God had to stick me in a car for 5 hours today in order for me to take the time to get to know this woman. And I'm grateful for that."

Who knew a traffic jam could create such a wonderful thing.

Drunktionary

Look at this fun new website!!

The Drunktionary

Mike set this up and I think it has the potential to be hilarious! We could help him achieve something worth discussing on National Arrogance Day!

Now, I know my friends (and readers) and we are just the people for this task. Click the link above (and note it's now on my sidebar), start brainstorming your Drunk Vocabulary, and submit it to drunktionary@gmail.com.

Let the games begin!

Flickr

I found these pics on Tim's Flickr page. These are photos he snapped at my band's last gig. These make me miss The Regels and Jimmy's blue guitar.
Tim is such a fantastic photographer.

Michelle, Ma Belle

Here's a photo of Michelle Norris! Ironically, this is what I thought Abby Ryan would look like.

Shadow Traffic

Michi and I were talking about how much we love NPR and I mentioned how I was curious about what the hosts look like.
So I found this photo of Abby Ryan. This isn't what I pictured, at all!!

Next up...what does Michelle (Pronounced "Me-shell") Norris look like?

Zebra Ball

Mike and I attended the Zebra Ball last night at The Peninsula. It was such a wonderful evening!

Picking Favorites

Here's a recent photo of two of my favorite people on earth, Sarah and Paddy. Only 9 more months until they get hitched!!
Points I will reference in my reception speech:
- Priscilla
- Donkey Soup
- Sarah and I laughing so hard (at Piece) that we still can't remember what we were laughing about
- How I met Sarah...and my haircut
- Indignant show and The Black Keys
- Battlestar Galactica
- Halloween

:)

Rock the Vote

Rock the Vote, folks!
Tom Petty:
a) awesome musician who has had a tremendous influence on American music
b) ok musician with some catchy hooks but not worth all the hype
c) Tom Petty, who??

815: Retrouve

Girl's night always means girl talk, wine and laughter. But the past two weeks it has also meant an action packed, suspenseful episode of LOST.
The boy looks like a young Ecko! I wonder if they are related? And a polar bear in the desert? And why do they want Ben? I think Ben maybe ran tests on them, when they were children, because they all showed signs of paranormal activity.

White Noise

We got hit with another snow storm today. I woke up to sleet and witnessed the ice turn to snow as the morning progressed. Working in a building made of glass has it's perks but it also allows you to watch the bad weather roll through. It was difficult to focus when I would glance out a window and see nothing but white. No trees, no cars, no distance buildings. Just white.

9 days. Just 9 more days until I will feel warm.

photo by Mike Phillips

Free Music Article

check out this article that Mike wrote:
Free Music Article


yay KCRW!

Super Fat Tuesday!

Eat, drink and be merry, y'all! And most importantly, VOTE!

Go Obama!

Suck One

While Sean, Ed and I worked on "getting medium" we all enjoyed watching the Superbowl commercials. Well, maybe not Sarah. Sarah wasn't enjoying much of anything yesterday. (Hangovers are the worst.)
Thanks Paddy for the fiesta!
Josh - I saw my first full length Semi-Pro premiere this morning! Feb 29th, folks!

Quadruple Bypass

On Friday night, Mike, Mike, Pete, Carisa, Michi and I got together for board games, beverages and Beastie Boys. Throw in some snow angels and the party is complete! Mike and I joined forces and flippin' rocked out on Cranium. We rule.

Oceanic

Even a snow storm won't keep me from LOST! Thanks Michi for having a plate of food ready for me when I walked in the door! Another great season has started and I'm looking forward to the wild ride that each season offers. Instead of piecing together the past, the writers are beginning to incorporate Flash-Forwards into the plotline. So now the viewer is challenged to piece together the future. I find myself wondering how the character is going to get to that particular point in their life.
Last season we saw Jack, some time into the future, in L.A., with a nasty beard, drunk and near suicidal. Last night's episode we saw Jack, some time in the future, in a business suit, living well, and mentioning he was thinking of growing a beard. So what happened in the meantime?

And who are the 6 people who make up the Oceanic 6? We know it's Hurly, Kate and Jack. Who else survived?
And who will decide to go back?

I still think it was Walt in the coffin but I am still trying to piece together that future timeline as well.

Here is the commercial that aired for Oceanic Airlines, during the show Eli Stone. Am I surprised that Oceanic is involved in the crash? Not at all.

Let's Get LOST!

I've waited months for tonight's premiere!
Did anyone notice that on last night's re-airing of 2007's season finale, the island's reflection in the water....was that of a city? Interesting...

Shhhhhhhh

We dance round in a ring and suppose,
But the Secret sits in the middle and knows.

~Robert Frost

*grins*

Pretty

Gavin got a guinea pig for his 5th birthday. He picked out a girl, albino guinea pig. And he named her Pretty.
Oddly enough, after looking at this photo for a couple of days she's sorta growing on me. She is kinda cute. But I still like the name "Shaky" more than "Pretty". But it's not my pet.

Spicy!

As a "Congratulations!" gift, my old vendor sent me matching Salt and Pepper grinders from Peugeot. It's in a custom color called "Curry". (oooh! alliteration!)
They are fancy and pretty and make all my food taste better. Bon Appetite!

Juno

I saw Juno today and it was as incredible as everyone said it would be. And like everything beautiful I encounter, I will scratch at it's surface on this blog but privately, it will seep into me and simmer.

It's still simmering.

I am a planet.

Love Me Sexy

Here is the music video "Love Me Sexy" for Josh's upcoming film Semi-Pro.

Powdering His Nose

The other day I mentioned the photo of Jack Nicholson with cocaine on his nose. He was walking the red carpet for some premiere. Anyway...I found the photo.

More Than 5 Years Old

Happy Birthday, Ang! To celebrate, I would like to buy you a drink. with an umbrella in it. on the beach. in St. Thomas.

Yahoo!!!

Jick

I need to improve my cribbage skillz. :)

5 Years Old

Today is Gavin's 5th birthday! He's getting a guinea pig!

Happy Birthday, Gav-man!

Inspiration

Tonight's two hour discussion about literature has inspired me to read/post some poetry.

My favorite poet, e.e. cummings:

i like my body when it is with your
body. It is so quite a new thing.
Muscles better and nerves more.
i like your body. i like what it does,
i like its hows. i like to feel the spine
of your body and its bones, and the trembling
-firm-smooth ness and which i will
again and again and again
kiss, i like kissing this and that of you,
i like, slowly stroking the, shocking fuzz
of your electric fur, and what-is-it comes
over parting flesh . . . . And eyes big Love-crumbs,

and possibly i like the thrill

of under me you quite so new

The Reminder

I am in love with this Feist album. I get so much music that I sometimes end up sitting on an awesome album for months before I get around to listening to it. This entire album is incredible.

The Park
Why would he come back through the park
You thought that you saw him, but no you did not
It's not him coming across the sea to surprise you
Not him who would know where in London to find you

Sadness so real that it populates
The city and leaves you homeless again
Steam from a cup and snow on the path
The seasons have changed from the present to past

The past
There's hope to have
In the past

Why would he come back through the park
You thought that you saw him, but no you did not
Who can be sure of anything through
The distance that keeps you from knowing truth

Why would he think, the boy could become
The man who could make you sure he was the one
The one
My one
My one

Cloverfield

Precious and I saw Cloverfield today. Holy crap.

I didn't breathe for the entire 90 minutes. Every muscle in my body was clenched the entire flippin' time.

Run, don't walk, to see this film. The sooner you see it, the better. I am not going to discuss the film's specifics because I don't want to ruin the experience for anyone.

Random facts: The film was supposed to be titled Greyshot (the name of a section of Central Park). But J.J. Abrams didn't want anything leaked so he gave it the fake name "Cloverfield" with the intention of switching the name at the last minute. But the film got leaked to the internet so they ended up having to keep the name Cloverfield. Cloverfield is the name of a street near J.J. Abrams office.

All of the actors agreed to the film without reading the script beforehand. During the audition process, the actors were given scenes from LOST to read. They also weren't told which characters they would play until 3 days before shooting began.

When you go see the film...watch the background in the last scene of the movie.

Also, stay to watch the credits. At the end of the credits a voice whispers something. If you don't hear it or don't understand it, email me and I will tell you what it says.


Holy crap.
*Update: here's a photo of the Cloverfield exit in L.A.

These Boots are Made for Walkin'

These are the new Anne Klein boots I bought this week. They make me fantastically tall and they are incredibly comfortable to wear. And they look best with jeans tucked into them.

These boots are made for walking
and that's just what they'll do
and one of these days these boots
are gonna walk all over you

Post Bulls Game

After the game, Hosti drove all of us over to Damen and Division to join in the celebration of Dennis' birthday. We went to Easy Bar where a whole bunch of people had been hanging out for a few hours. The beer was flowing and the shots were being passed around by the tray full.

And thanks Timmy for your generous gift! That was fun!!

So last night was a long night of the most random, unexpected awesome events. Being that was my first Bulls game, I must say it was truly memorable.

And I was super happy that I was able to text back and forth with Josh quite a bit before my phone battery died.

Thanks Sean for the ticket! I'm looking forward to a Blackhawks game!

This morning has been a little painful and I'm moving pretty slow but I don't feel too bad because I know I'm not the only one. I got a text from Sean this morning that said "Ouch. My everything hurts."

Misery loves company. :)