Listen to Your Elders :)

U asked for it ....

Okay…..since the month is ending ……I gueeeeesss I’ll get this thing done.

Crazy, sexpot Ms. Mimi passive-aggressively tagged me ….so…here goes….

10 Years Ago—(1995)…..I have just finished my MBA at ASU and threw one hell of a formal bash with another grad –student (Cari)…..I Miss U Cari……so if in some strange way the universe gets this too ya…….give me a call …stop by…I’m still at the same addy!!!

Anywho……I had lived in the Valley since 1989….came out here on a vacation from Wisconsin and stayed. Quit my job over the phone and had my stuff shipped out.

5 Years Ago-- (2000) I actually had to check old planners for this answer……that is soooo sad! 9/8/2000 was the day I was divorced. This will be my 5 yr anniversary!! Yee-haw….I think I will need to celebrate!

Why did I divorce him??? Well…lets see…we had a ski boat already in the drive….but HE wanted another one……I suggested we SELL the first one and pick out another one together ….nope…..he forged my name and bought another HUGE ski/bass boat….and parked it in the drive. I actually had to pull a CBR and the loan paperwork to find out MY credit paid for the f*ckin thing! OY!

That Christmas..... I stuck a huge red bow on it and advised him “he and his new mistress (the boat) can go live somewhere else”

….sign here please…..take only these items….and if you think you have a snowballs chance in hell of changing my mind or taking anything else out of this relationship…….perhaps you should start thinking of who will be zippin around the lakes while the prison guards decide which pictures of "fun on the lake with D**'s boat you will get to see....

(yes…..I took up Buddhism after that period in my life…I was a teensy bit angry……LOL)

1 Year Ago--(2004) Buried in the 4th term of my PhD…..my joy consisted of getting more than 3 hours of sleep a nite……..

Yesterday—August 29th,2005, pretty uneventful day……Spent the day with my new friends at the organization I am contracted into. I will miss this bunch of eclectic individuals as my contract officially ends today….to all of you there …..(U know where LOL) …..thanx for accepting me into your close knit group for these 3 short mo’s……….Okay…….okay…put the kleenex away Gerard….Lydia made me write that …teehee.

Hey….how many of you out there work with a previous ROCK star? I’m not naming names …..but I have rubbed shoulders with the famous !! He’s soooo humble. Rock on T!!

5 (strange and obscure) Songs I Know All the Words To

1. the oompa –loompa song
2. the lull-a-bye (hush-a-bye mountain) sang in chitty chitty bang bang
3. Grandma’s in the cellar…gee can’t ya smell har…..making pancakes on a dirty griiiiil…..In her eye there is Mat…ter ……and its DRIPpin in the BAT….ter…….and the SSSNNNNOOOOTTT keeps running from her NOSE…..(from her nose……FROM HER NOSE>>>>>)……Okay you get the idea….I was a camp counselor…….there are many many more strange songs where that lovely one lies in in the recesses of my brain………
4. Mares eat oats and doe’s eat oats …and little lambs eat ivy…..a kid’l will eat ivy too……wouldn’t chooo? (my mom sang that to me at bedtime)
5. And last, (this one is going to age me)….The sugar hill gang….hip hop da hibbit to the hibbity…a hip hip a-hop , ya don’t stop rockin to the bang bang the boogie…say up jump the boogie to the rhythm of the boogity beat…..(I am sooo hip...huh? that hurt!.....my pride more than anything)

5 Things I Would Do With 100 Million Dollars

1. Invest ¼….
2. pay my debt
3. On the birthdays of my friends and family I would play like the Oprah show and grant unbelievable wishes!!
4. I would do random acts of kindness for those less fortunate
5. I would donate one million to my Rinpoche (Buddhist teacher), trusting he would know better than I what to do to assist the issues in TIBET.
6. Last, I would buy a jet…..and travel the world.

5 Places I Would Run Away To

I’m not a good runner……but if I could take my new jet??

1. Thailand
2. Tibet
3. Iceland
4. Canada
5. Scottish Highland

5 Things I Would Never Wear

1. My birthday suit at work
2. a fur
3. a nun’s habit that wasn’t a costume
4. a mullet
5. a condom

5 TV Shows

(that are current and I love)

1. 6 Feet Under
2. CSI
3. West Wing
4. The Practice
5. Rescue Me

5 Biggest Joys

1. My kingsize pillowtop, gothic bed dressed in 1000 count Egyptian cotton sheets, feather bed duvet and 10 king size pillows (moment of silence please)
2. my pets
3. discovering something new in my world (surroundings, in a book, about a friend)
4. MUSIC
5. playing the piano

5 Favorite Toys

1. other people
2. sex
3. my motorcycle
4. my computer
5. my digital camera

As stated previously, when tagged…one must “pay it forward”……..but I'm gonna just like Ms. Mimi and say if you find your blog over there on the right, then that means I probably find you interesting enough to want to read your answers to these questions :-) AND…make it HOT!! I like to enjoy my research breaks!!! LOL

Whew---HOOOO!!! Its Friday

My Starbucks Relationship is Jaded :(

The little starbucks GODDESS on the logo failed me today! Driving into work on a Monday am is never something I am joyous about....it signifies the true end to ones weekend.....but alas.....it's my current reality......so I suck it up. (so to speak).

This wonderful, 100 degree Phoenix am I entertained "zipping' thru the new Starbbucks drivethru that has been added to my normal drive route.

Now, one would think that 'drivethru' would imply a quicker buying experience?? as prior establishments have demonstrated (Micky-d's, Wendy's etc. )this to be a wonderful way to drive and dine.

That was my first mistake as Buddha would say......"expectations create disappointments!" . WHEN WILL I FULLY EMBRACE ALL THE TEACHINGS???....not just the ones that "fit" into my day?!?!? LOL

I digress....sorry....

So...the SUV in front of me had to have ordered caffeine for a multitude of individuals....as her order was now at 7 minutes !! .......That didnt really irk me ...as I understand the call of caffeine. The part that did irk me, however, .......was that as I inched closer to my reward (VENTI, SOY, caramel Machiatto, extra shot) .....I watch as the barrista makes it with COW juice !!.... EW!
then realizes what she has done....stops to talk to other aproned individuals about it.....and SLOWLY restart my drink......AGH!!!

15 minutes later.......yes.....15 minutes later (not counting the single 7 minute drink the SUV'er bought)........I'm on my way......

LONG story short ?!?!? THE DRIVE THRU is not quicker............its just LAZY.....ok....Im going to drink my coffee and munch my crumbcake.....and get on with my day............Ranting officially over.

Science?....Religion?....or just Nature?

"Buddhism has the characteristics of what would be expected in the cosmic religion for the future: It trancends a personal God, avoids dogma and theology; it covers both the natural and the spiritual, and it is based on a religious sense aspiring from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity."
—Albert Einstein

What to do with the side of a Shopping Mall - Niagara, NY

This is the work of an artist named ERIC (sorry...dont know that last name).....Definately has found the secret......love your work ....and it won't be work :)

My Weekday E ticket Ride ....YO HO HO......

Disney's E ticket....."After passing under the talking Jolly Roger, Pirates of the Caribbean visitors are rushed down two misty waterfalls, launching the ride into a dark and mysterious grotto. All around the boats, towering stone cliffs direct the current to wind through various dank passageways, as the theme song to the ride sets the mood."

My workday version: After passing under the Panini Deli sign, NDC visitors are rushed down two concrete parking ramps, launching their ride into a calm an mysterious corporate grotto. All around the hallways, towering cubicles direct the employees to wind through the various desks, as the last song played in the car sets the mood.

***** Each day as my little jeep drives me into and out of the parking garage....I am strangely transported back in time when I, as a little girl, rode the Pirates of the Carribean on a family vacation. I can still smell that canned Disney air....see the little pirates that ushered us into our boats........and hear the YO HO HO song..........

Did Someone Say Pool Party?!?!?!

Hey!!! Its Pool party season!!! And this little girl is all set to go!! Isnt she the shit ?!?

Ever Have One of Those Kind of Days !?!?!?

This Ridgeback's name is b'wana...but they call him Schmoopy....(after the seinfeld episode)......I found him on flickr.com which is a great site chock full of pictures of just about anything,,,,,,if you like photography as much as I do...you can spend hours browsing thru albums of some VERY talented people.......

Brains R Beautiful :)!

Take a stroll over to this site and enjoy :)

But ..."It's a DRY heat" >:|

Driving in Phoenix:

1. You must learn to pronounce the city name. It is: "FEE - niks."

2. The morning rush hour is from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00a.m. The evening rush hour is from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.Friday's rush hour starts on Thursday morning.

3. The minimum acceptable speed on all freeways-I-10, I-17, U.S. 60, Loop 202 -- is 85 mph. You may only exceed that speed on Loop 101, where the speed is allowed to match the highway number. Anything less is considered wimpy.

4. Forget the traffic rules you learned elsewhere. Phoenix has its own version of traffic rules. Cars/trucks with the loudest muffler go next at a four-way stop. The truck with the biggest tires go after that. (Note: East Valley, SUV-driving, cell phone-talking moms ALWAYS have the right of way.)

5. If you actually stop at a yellow light, you will be rear ended, cussed out and possibly shot.

6. Never honk at anyone. Ever..... Seriously!

7. Construction is a permanent fixture in Phoenix. Detour barrels are moved around during the middle of the night to make the next day's driving a bit more exciting.

8. Watch carefully for road hazards such as drunks, skunks, dogs, barrels, cones, cows, horses, cats mattresses, shredded tires, squirrels, rabbits, crows, vultures, javelinas, roadrunners, and the coyotes feeding on any of these items.

9 . You must know that "Maricopa Freeway, Papago Freeway and the I-10" are all names for the same road.

10. To find anything in Phoenix, it is required to know where Central and Washington are. This is our Alpha and Omega-the Beginning and the End.

11. If someone actually has their turn signal on, wave them to the shoulder immediately to let them know it has been "accidentally activated."

12. If you are in the left lane, and only driving 70 in a 55-65 mph zone, you are considered a road hazard and will be "flipped off" accordingly.

13. Ground clearance of at least 12 inches is recommended for city driving.

14. You are allowed to wear potholders to protect your hands and fingers during the summer driving months.PS: It was 123 degrees in Bull Head City on 7/21/05 !!!!

Thank You Michelle Beverly for pointing out -the crazy rules of driving here in the valley......and allowing me to realize I'm not alone in my inner-road rage fantasies as I drive home each day :)

A Picture is worth a thousand words........

She is soooo fortunate that she looks like a little sweet angel pup when she sleeps!! Here she is with her little Mini-McDonald Beanie Baby Frogger. So far her little shark teeth have chewn (is that a word??)...okay...DESTROYED the laptop charger cord ....my cell phone charger....Cellphone antenna...the mini mouse for the laptop.....and I've recently donated 3 more pairs of shoes ........SO..I'm going to go out on a limb here and say she is trying to tell me ...a) she really doesn't like being ignored when I'm doing research.or ..talking to anyone else...and b) she has different taste (haha...get it?) in shoes.

My Baby's Growing UP :(

Little Ms. ZOE had her first "leash experience" last nite :( Of course she did the usual "If I spin fast enough, I can unscrew my head from this bondage apparatus!" and then proceeded to plant the back feet as hard as she could and skidded a few feet before giving up.

I think it was more traumatic for mom than her actually ! Shes going to be 5 month's this Saturday August 6th.

OH....How they grow up soooo fast ......LOVE HER!