Bones

I'm into a new show. A show by the name of "Bones", which airs on Fox on Wednesdays at 8pm. Some reasons to watch:

1. David Boreanaz. He's funny, he's been on Buffy and Angel, and I love (I challenge you to make fun, I'm being serious) those 2 shows. In fact, I would love to get someone else hooked on them, via renting from Netflix or checking them out from the library. The library was how I discovered Buffy, and I'm not sorry.

2. Emily Deschanel. I think her character is interesting and funny. She's a big word using smarty-pants with lots of funny interactions with people more hip than she is. It's quite entertaining. Plus, she's based off a real person, which is kind of neat.

3. The opening title is written by The Crystal Method (love the Crystal Method, especially while rocking out in the car--without Miles, don't worry), and isn't nearly as stupid sounding as most TV show's themes.
4. The mystery. It's a crime show, and true to American television demographics I fit right in and like shows like Law and Order, CSI, and now, Bones.
5. Because you have nothing to do on Wednesdays.
6. Because you have the same taste as I do, don't mind admitting to liking these types of shows, and will do as I say.

p.s. I'm watching disc 5 of season one this very minute!
p.p.s. other shows I have fallen in love with this past year TBA

stream of consciousness

i went to the temple for the first time in almost a year (for shame!) last night and it was really fun. the detroit temple is neat because it's just a little one, but it still has that bright temple look to it, especially with all the snow around it. we have had snow falling out of the sky every day for about 7 days, and while it's never been much all at once, the days have added up to making for some nice scenery around here. without snow, Michigan is a little drab with all the grey clouds.

speaking of clouds, M took a plane ride with us over the break and discovered an interest in clouds from flying through them for 4 hours. he also developed an interest in planes, but not directly from the plane ride itself. it was mostly because the grandparents we were visiting live under a flight path and there was a plane overhead every 15 minutes. in fact, he was pretty confused when we got on the plane to come home and showed it to him, since it wasn't up in the sky and making a lot of noise. we'll have to work on that connection.

speaking of noise, we have some new upstairs neighbors who vacuum every night around 7:30. they're very nice, and the little boy is the funniest one of all. the first time i met him he invited me over and tried to throw a snowball at me. it was pretty great :)

speaking of great, Arc of Justice is going well and is almost halfway read. this is important because i must finish soon. the Book Club chose a book a few days ago, and i'm not in the mood to read 2 books at the same time. sometimes i AM in that place where i can split my concentration, but not this time. it might have something to do with the book we chose: One Hundred Years of Solitude, which for some reason seems a daunting read. but it's not even that big. i've read bigger books without much problem, but this one just seems like i might need a lot of effort to read it. of course i haven't even read a single page, so it's pure conjecture on my part. it might be the readinest book ever, and here i am slandering it. if it turns out that way, i'll make a public apology to it and take it back.

this next topic has little to do with the last paragraph, and more to do with the fact that R just walked in and asked how the "R is the greatest guy in the World" blog entry was going. so now i'm about to write a few things about him to get him off my back about it. he mentions this every time i'm on the computer, blogging or not. R is the greatest. R is the best. R is fun to talk to, even when he doesn't want to talk because it's past midnight :) (that would be my fault, gift of gab that i have). but seriously, R IS the greatest guy in the whole world, and you heard it here. from a very impartial judge.

speaking of judging, there's a funny bit on Arrested Development where they get the actor named Judge Reinholt to come on the show and be one of those TV judges on in the afternoon. also, Judge Reinhold is the same guy that played the Close-Talker on Seinfeld and takes Jerry's parents out on the town. funny guy.

speaking of funny guys, my child is one of the funniest ones in my life. he was so excited this morning to see his daddy was home that after breakfast he just ran back and forth in the main room shrieking and laughing. he also laughed pretty hard yesterday while stomping in the snow drifts that have accumulated this past week. AND(!), we find ourselves full circle to the original topic up top. good job me :) snow.

I'm an aunt!

My sister T had her baby V last week, and he's beautiful! He weighed close to 9 pounds and was 21 inches long. It sounds like the doctor was right to induce T so early, or he might've gotten stuck or something. Plus, V was born on R's birthday, with only 2 1/2 hours to spare (before being born on a less cool day). So now R feels a kinship with his new nephew and has sent a copy of the Miles Davis album "Kind of Blue" to try and influence his birthday-sharer's interests :)

It's a nice thing, to have nieces and nephews on both sides of the family now. I was the only one out of my siblings with a kiddo until last week, so now I'm Aunt K on both sides, and it's nice! It's made a little neater (sorry R's family's kids) by the fact that we have genes in common, you know? It's my sister's baby, crazy! Plus M might play with the little guy at future Christmases or what have you. It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside!
.................................................................................................................................................................

Also, my little sister M is turning 19 today. I'd like to give a shout out to her, and how great I think she is: We have a lot in common and love to talk about anything and everything. She will vent to me, and let me vent to her. She's extremely understanding and really listens when you talk to her. She used to have long long hair, but from what I've heard, has cut it off in a fetching new do. She is attending hair school in Utah and is enjoying it so much that she's actually excited to have a job in her field (a good thing to feel). She's got freckles, and because of them reminds me of strawberries. She's got good taste in music, and likes to go to live shows. The voice mail message on her cell phone says "You've reached M. Congratulations." and makes me laugh every time. She's beautiful, and has repeatedly amazed me with her determination and ability to make her goals come to fruition. She's worked hard to get where she is and knows her worth and is proud, but is still grateful for what she's been given. She has dreams and aspirations that are all about being artistic and wholesome and creative, and is admirable for it. She's basically wonderful. Happy Birthday Mimcay! You're the greatest and I love you :)

updates

1. I have made it 4 out of 10 pounds for my goal of March 1st. good job me! I'm also very sore right now, thanks to my tyrant of a kickboxing teacher. So many kicks, so much leg-burning.

2. I have read more pages in Arc of Justice, and it's pretty much sucked me right in. It's about Clarence Darrow and the case he took involving Ossian Sweet. It's a saga of race, civil rights, etc. (To quote Simpsons: Lisa: You're like a modern-day Clarence Darrow. Attorney-at-law Lionel Hutz: Is that the black guy from the Mod Squad?)

3. M is securely into his new tantrum-throwing phase. It's (seriously) a good thing that I've been referencing a book called Positive Discipline for the First Three Years, or I might be more frustrated. Instead, I feel empowered by my ability to not lose my cool and try to help the poor little emotional guy.

4. I like my new CD by Jamiroquai. I believe it's called Dynamite, and for good reason. It's good dancin-in-da-car music. It's also good distract-your-toddler-with-dancing music. Plus, hello, it's Jamiroquai. You can pretty much get any CD by them and enjoy the groove that will ensue. Please, if you have the means, I highly suggest you pick one up. It is so choice.

5. Lastly, I'd like to admit that I have way too many bottles of lotion, and have decided to lotion up at least once a day, probably after showering, in an effort to rid myself of all these lotions. Most are half empty, or forgotten in the cupboard. But I don't want to be embarassed by the movers in May when I need an entire box labeled "Lotion". That's just silly. So, a-lotioning I shall go.

two books

i would like to recommend a book called A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, even with it's accompanying profanity. it was quite funny, and yet also poignant and even heartbreaking. i read it with my book group. so far i only know that i've read it and my pal Kristen who lives next door (and just gave us free internet access to their wireless connection) has read it. i don't know if the other two gals have gotten around to it yet. that's the problem with book groups, trying to get on the same timeline. on the one hand, i'm glad to be in a book group: you read with a little more purpose, have people to discuss the book with, i tend to pay attention more to details and trying to remember them. on the other hand, what if the other members are offended by the profanity, what if they don't finish it for a long time and it's a little awkward. it's a gamble, those book clubs.

i'm also going to prerecommend a book called Arc of Justice, on R's recommendation. I have read 5 pages. i'll report more later.

i'm going to also shockingly mention another book, even though it means that i will flagrantly disregard my own title to this post. it's called The Stranger and will take about one afternoon to read. it's translated from the French, and is also the impetus behind a The Cure song which I have been singing in my head ever since I finished said book. again, happy reading.

What I did for Christmas break

Ahem,

Here is a rundown of what our Christmas was all about:

First we stayed home in Michigan prior to, and up to 3 days after, Christmas Day. M brought home a flu-like virus (I know it's not the flu, since we have had our flu shots. Plus, the doctor said so.), gave it to me, and I gave it to R. It wasn't actually that bad, except M couldn't shake it for a few days, and R's sickness coordinated with late Christmas Eve/Christmas Day which was sad :( But Christmas was good. M got an Elmo. I got a Sonicare toothbrush. R got Seinfeld Season 7.

We got over the sickness. We got excited about going to R's brother's wedding. We flew to AZ the day before and stayed with our favorite relatives: N and K and O (R's brother, and subsequent wife and child). We went to the wonderful sealing and were pretty misty-eyed. We took pictures, and it was cold, but the babies were CUTE! Any miniature versions of Sunday clothes are to die for!

We spent our week in AZ playing outside, running outside, looking for summer housing, seeing family, eating a lot of good red meat at R's parents house and at In-N-Out Burger, and getting more Christmas presents from R's fam. We got Little People dinosaurs and a mini keyboard for M. There were some ill-fitting shirts. There were some interesting book choices. (Anyone who knows R well will appreciate the mismatchedness of this gift: R got a book by Mitch Albom that wasn't "Tuesdays with Morrie". Heehee!) I got a cool salad dressing thingy from The Pampered Chef. We also had fun cooking together at N and K's house. We made fish tacos*! We made creme brulee! We made fondue!

(*Now I must rave about fish tacos: First you catch (or buy) some yummy Albacore tuna or Mahi Mahi, you marinade it in fresh lemon, soy sauce, and brown sugar. You grill it to perfection and set it aside. You warm or lightly fry up some corn tortillas in some oil. You cut up mango into chunks. You shred some lettuce. You grate some cheese (preferably some organic white cheddar, yum!). You make the Pico de Gallo: 2 cups finely diced tomato, 1 cup finely diced onion, chopped fresh cilantro (one big bunch), olive oil (about 1-5 tablespoons-ish), hot sauce (preferably Cholula, also yum!). Now you build your fish taco. Tortilla, fish, cheese, pico, lettuce, mango. Enjoy!!)

Okay, so we've now been back from vacation a couple of days. We are rested and happy and even ready for the last semester at Michigan. We are excited about moving, graduating, M's upcoming 2nd birthday, new jobs, possibly a new pregnancy (later in the year, i'm NOT pregnant now). I think 2007 will be a good year. I will turn 27, wow! I will have my 5th wedding anniversary, double wow! I feel good about it :)

If I had money

I would buy a better apartment after we move this summer. We are currently looking and can barely afford the necessary 2 bedrooms available.

I would buy my Lancome face cream.

I would enroll M in Gymboree for the next 4 months. He's QUITE the active child, and when you mix it with a small apartment and snow outside it makes for a sometimes-restless K, and an always-restless M.

I wouldn't freak out about the repairs we just finished on our freaking car. Stupid brakes.

I wouldn't apply for food stamps for the 2 months prior to R's new job and after we move from Michigan where we currently have food stamps without any application process (yuck!)

So basically I would skip the next 8 months and jump to the new job beginning in September. I know that we'll be more than fine after that date. But these next few months until then are looking anything but breezy. I will refer to it as the storm before the calm, if you will. I will also acknowledge that there are plenty of ways that it could be much worse than this. I will even admit that I'm being a baby. But it's my blog! I can be self-absorbed for now and then make amends later. Right? Okay then. I'm being a baby. I'm depressed about the lack of fun trips, the lack of freedom to buy the occasional clothing item. To quote Arrested Development, I just have to put my head down, power through...