One - uh, two more things ** By the way, I know I promised puppy pictures. I ran out of time trying to figure it out. I'm awful, but I really did try. I'll try again, and my goal for the weekend is to have them up. She's SO cute - I can't wait to show her off.

Friday Five Time:
1. Hey, baby, what's your sign? Do you think it fits you pretty well? Leo and it fits me very well. Even to the mane of hair (which is 4 inches shorter today, incidentally. And most people can just barely tell!)

2. What's the worst birthday gift you've ever received? I really don't remember receiving a bad birthday gift.

3. What's the best birthday gift you've ever received? A horribly tacky Isle of Bute souvenir thing in 1992 at the First Annual International Ceilidh Festival. But what made it super-cool is my mother was kind of a big deal in Celtic music in those days (that link is still our family business), and knew everyone. We spent the festival hanging out with the bands and the band that won, Stairheid Dynamite, who have since imploded, sang Happy Birthday to me from the stage. Then - this is the cool gift part - Billy Connolly signed the back of this horrible kitschy thing just for me, saying Happy Birthday, and said a bunch of very silly, funny, and embarrassing things in front of the audience as he presented it. It was awesome. (That was a magical summer, in fact, and all of this occurred two weeks after sailing into New York Harbor with for the Columbus Quincentennial on the USCGC Eagle with my mother and brother - who was stationed on it).

4. What's the best way you've celebrated your birthday thus far? Probably that one (above), but I've had a lot of fun birthdays.

5. What are your plans for this weekend? Today, bridesmaid's luncheon with my sister (just us, the Maid of Honor isn't here yet). Tonight, Chelsie's bachelorette party. Tomorrow, shopping for gifts. Tomorrow night, Joe's cousin's wedding. Sunday, Chelsie's bridal shower. Sunday night, recovering from all of the above. :-)
Posted 10:25 AM by Kerry O.

And so it begins ** It's a weird day already. Good things (i.e. my bonus, my daddy's birthday and my step-sister's bachelorette party) are happening today, and annoying ones. They brought Krispy Kreme donuts in this morning. There are moments when I am really bummed out by having Celiac. Oh, well. I'm also wearing tight jeans, and KK's wouldn't help them be any less tight! I get a half-day today, though, and Chelsie and I will be going to lunch at Havana Cafe, then off to her bachelorette party fun! I really hope we have a good time tonight. Theoretically, you only get one of these, so it's kind of a big deal. Joe will be going to C.R.'s bachelor party tonight too, so I hope they have fun. Interesting how boys plan their parties and girls plan theirs. We've been planning Chelsie's for months. As of Tuesday night, C.R. still didn't know what they were doing or who was invited - to his own bachelor party! They have it sorted out now, but I'm still glad we've known all along!

OOOOOOOH - the secretary with the bonus checks just showed up. I love her! Off to play with money...

From Holly:

take the which one of the trading spaces cast are you? quiz!


Posted 9:44 AM by Kerry O.

Very sad ** Missing reporter dead, officials say.
Posted 3:44 PM by Kerry O.

Oh no, Ohno, and other media consumption ** What did you all think of the Olympic short-track results last night? Did Ohno deserve the Gold?

What's up with Survivor having to reverse its results and give 3 people 2nd place? What's interesting is their web site doesn't have a single mention of it. Ignore it and it will go away? Can I feel that way about the show entirely?

I'm sorry to hear that Ralph Nader's book is a yawn, but not surprised of course. I am one of probably 12 registered Green Party members in this country (there ya go, learned something new about me, didn't you?), and I still didn't vote for him. I like the guy, but he wasn't destined to be president.

The Google logo is cute today. Go, curling!
Posted 9:28 AM by Kerry O.

Good, bad and then some ** I'm very disturbed by the recent activities in the Middle East. I know. That's like saying nuclear war is bad; it's quite the understatement. Actually, those two understatements may be related sooner or later, which is fundamentally what I'm uncomfortable with. Yes, I've heard the arguments about why that will never happen. But I also know that the emotions in the Mid-East leaders are at a boiling point, which overrides all rational arguments. I'm sick and tired of the U.S. funding their favored side of the fighting and trying to pretend they're not. Even reading the news, all we see is headlines like "Israelis see reminders of war with Lebanon," "Israel's new course of action" or "Israelis weary of battle." And I'm sick and tired of Yasser Arafat pretending he's not the conniving support behind Palestinian terrorists.

On the good side, puppy went with us for a walk last night and did fabulously. She doesn't mind her leash at all, and besides getting distracted once in a while, really seemed to enjoy herself.

It never ceases to amaze me how the simple, happy things in life always mean more as things around us get bad.
Posted 9:05 AM by Kerry O.

Couldn't leave well enough alone ** I'm done fidgeting with my site for the moment. Not my favorite, but it'll do. I needed a little change. Anyone know where my comment quotes are from?
Posted 3:56 PM by Kerry O.

Oh, well, okay then. ** Nice, clean educational fun.
"Several students involved in the male sexuality class last semester told the Daily Californian in Friday's story that the orgy occurred at the home of an instructor and was intended to help students get acquainted. It was not mandatory, an instructor said.

Students said some of those who attended also played a game in which they privately took Polaroid pictures of their genitalia, with the group later attempting to match the photos with the correct owner.

Another student told the newspaper that a group of students in the class chose a trip to a gay strip club as their final project, where they watched the class leaders strip and have sex on stage."
Posted 11:32 AM by Kerry O.

Nimrod ** I hate finding typos that are days old. You've all been staring at that "annviersary" down there for days, haven't you? Somebody tell me next time! That's like having broccoli in your teeth and grinning like a ninny at everyone. Bad, very bad.
Posted 10:39 AM by Kerry O.

Busy as a bee ** Ugh. This morning is ridiculously busy. I just cannot get going this morning. From the second my alarm went off today I've been dragging. Is it just me or is anyone else feeling this way? Probably just me.
Posted 9:09 AM by Kerry O.

Drugs are gooooood ** Benadryl liquid + sniffly wheezy puppy = passed out, sound asleep, not a care in the world puppy.

By the way, pictures of the wine-glass knocking, paper-shredding, Benadryl-doped puppy are forthcoming. I promise. :-)
Posted 9:50 PM by Kerry O.

How much is that doggie? ** A night post. Amazing. My puppy is in deep doo-doo. She destroyed my last glass of wine (only glass tonight - last in the bottle) while I was online. Just crawled on the couch to the end table (read: stool by couch) and knocked it clear off, onto our beige berber. Good thing Joe isn't home. He had to clean up her destroyed 1/2 Sunday paper and left-over palm tree trimmings in the whole house this afternoon.

Anyway... I'm also distracted tonight by Michelle. I just don't know what to do. I have tried being a good friend, I have supported her when she needs me, but I just can't deal with this drama anymore. She is chronically depressed, and just a tad out of whack. I love her dearly, she's my best friend (in case you're confused, I do have 2 best friends - the other is Ember). But I do not have the strength to watch her destroy herself. I've said the same thing time and time again, and she knows just how to get at me again. I am at my wit's end. For those of you who know the drama (I'll spare the rest of you for now {evil grin}) what should I do? I love her and don't know how to handle her always going back to him, always swearing she can't live without him and getting repeatedly hurt emotionally (and physically, some). Argh. I'm too busy for this.
Posted 9:29 PM by Kerry O.

Show me the money, honey ** Found out what my last-ever quarterly bonus (they're going to annual ones, effective immediately) will be, and all I can say is... Thank you, God. I can actually afford all this bridal stuff this weekend and next. It comes in on Friday. Amen.
Posted 10:46 AM by Kerry O.

7 things for which I give thanks ** Inspired by the guy everyone loves to hate, I am hereby giving thanks. I think I'm going to try to do this on here once a week. It keeps things in perspective.

1. For the 3-day weekend
2. For actually looking forward to coming back to work
3. For discovering a wonderful new restaurant in my neighborhood
4. For discovering it with my mother and my husband, both of whom I adore
5. For being comfortable and warm in my favorite sweater
6. For finding yogurt I can eat
7. For being able to afford yogurt and sweaters and new restaurants
Posted 9:08 AM by Kerry O.

Back to life, back to reality ** What a lovely, 3-day, blogger-free weekend. The only thing I don't like about 3-day weekends is trying to get back into the swing of my job. I don't mind coming back, I just don't like being so discombobulated on a Tuesday morning. Nonetheless, here I am, in a cloud of bliss from a wonderfully busy weekend. Chelsie's bachelorette party is this Friday, plus my bridesmaid luncheon with her Friday midday, then Joe's cousin's wedding Saturday evening, and Chelsie's bridal shower Sunday afternoon. Many many things to do still, so it's going to be a crazy week.

By the way, any of you who live in or pass through Phoenix, you must visit the new restaurant at 38th Street and Indian School, Roti Joes. My husband, mother and I were all blown away by their awesome food. It really is incredible. You'll also find yourself about 2 blocks from my house.
Posted 8:25 AM by Kerry O.