My Week in Three Words

That about covers my week. It started off with the chemical peel on Monday. By Wednesday the flaking and peeling started, and by Thursday my face was officially falling off. I've been brushing skin off my keyboard, lap, and sweaters all weekend. I think I'm finally to the point where the flaking has stopped. All in all I'm pleased with my first experience, and strangely, I'm looking forward to doing it all over again in March.

And your three words are???

I Need a Vacation, Or Maybe Not

I'm not sure where the rest of this week went. I've been thinking of all the things I could blog about, but never seem to have the time to get to it. I was forced to take Thursday off from work due to the fact that my face was falling off. The salon girls insisted that it was very important that I didn't pick or pull at the skin that was just barely hanging on. That was the hardest part. Much harder than the fact that I couldn't wear make-up. And I looked ridiculous with skin just hanging on my face. I swear I was shedding more than the dogs, and that is saying something.

I thought a day at home would give me time to catch up on so many different things, but I got sucked into preparing for my taxes for most of the day. Boy did that suck. And I'm still not done. I also started the process of planning for our next vacation. I picked out a tour, settled on a week in May, checked with the tour company on the availability, and I even called the airlines to check on flights. I thought I was well on my way to having a decision made and having part of the planning done. But no, it couldn't be that easy.

I got to work on Friday and realized that I picked the wrong week and because of a trade show conflict it would be better to go one week earlier. I was slightly irritated that I wasted time researching the wrong week, but oh well. I would make the next calls on work time so it wouldn't be that bad. And of course, nothing goes smoothly when it comes to vacation planning. After 20 minutes on the phone with the airlines I discovered all the complications with going the week earlier. Uuuuugh. Now I have to get special permission to ditch the trade show. That means we're going to be delayed by a few more days with booking the flights which raises the chances that seats will no longer be available . . . and guess what started to happen last night? My stinkin' neck and shoulder started to act up. Am I the only one in the world that gets stressed out by the mere thought of a vacation? This is ridiculous. I would be better off staying home!

Misson Accomplished

I actually wrote the following blog post for my YogaDudes blog, but I realized that I would like to have it documented in next year's blog book so I'm going to post it here as well . . .

I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time . . . the day that I can say my first experience teaching yoga is behind me. I guess I saw this as an initiation; sort of like using clip-in pedals for the first time. You know you’re gonna forget to un-clip and tumble during that maiden voyage and you just can’t wait to get it over with. Once you take that digger you know you’re officially an experienced ‘clip in’ biker and you can now ride with more confidence. That worked nicely on a bike anyway. I have no problem being comfortable and having lots of confidence on a bike. Hopefully some of this theory will spill over to my yoga mat.

I’m happy to report that my first class went well. I didn’t break anybody and so far I’ve heard some positive feedback. That’s a huge plus. I have to say it was more of a challenge than I expected. When I prepared for my final exam for my teaching certification I needed to prepare a one-hour class that would be appropriate for 35 – 45 year old yogis. When I did my research to see what that would entail, I decided to abandon the book and just do what I wanted to do. Luckily I didn’t lose any points for it. Actually, I scored a 96. But the bad part is that I didn’t pay much attention to what is appropriate for different ages or fitness levels. I didn’t think I would actually get a real teaching gig and I wanted to build a routine that I, myself, would enjoy doing. Well, now I regret not taking my studies more seriously.

I’ve always been in yoga for the sport of it. I enjoy challenging myself and pushing myself to the limits. I know very little about taking it easy and that is exactly what I need to do with this class. How can doing EASY yoga be so HARD for me? Oh boy, I have a lot of work and research to do. I’m out of my element. I make a better boot camp leader than gentle yoga instructor. Pray for my students . . .

It's a Girl Thing

And strangely Karlo is being supportive. I did something tonight that I have never really done. I totally splurged on myself and I have to admit . . . it felt really nice. Well, except for the skin burning part. Let me explain . . .

Last week while I was sitting in the chair at my salon getting my haircut I noticed a flier advertising some big event at the salon tonight. It talked about facial peels and although I had no idea what that was, I was compelled to inquire. One thing led to another and I got all excited talking to the skin specialist girls. They took one look at my dreadful skin and broke into a clinical discussion as to how I could so benefit from . . . whatever the heck they called it. I just had this feeling that I never really splurge on myself and dammit maybe it was time. So I booked myself a slot for my first ever chemical peel. They asked if I had any friends that I could bring along, but I didn't even bother asking anyone. I was just going to quietly sneak in, burn a few layers of my skin off and not say a word to anybody.

But today I was chatting with my friend Sue and I needed to let her know that I would likely not be at work on Thursday or Friday (due to my face falling off). When I told her what I had planned she went nuts. She had been wanting to do this for a while, but didn't know where to go. I was so thrilled that she wanted to come. Not only to have a buddy to hang with, but me bringing a friend would score me $95 in more free products. Yippee!

Well, I walked out of the salon with some shiny tight skin and a boat load of free gifts:

Over $200 of free gifts to be exact. In addition to the product, I got a free massage (targeted right to my problem neck and shoulder area - it was heaven), a free make-over with a makeup consultant (dream come true), and more skin consultations from a bunch of women, older than me, with positively no wrinkles. Oh, and free wine and snacks to boot. We had a ball! Unfortunately it still cost $400 despite the $200 of free products . . . with the promise to pay a whole lot more over the next few months. But I have decided that I'm worth it. I don't splurge in any other aspect of my life and it just plain felt good. It's about time I do things that feel good.

MacGyver Strikes Again

That is my week in 3 words. Remember the photos of random re-purposed parts? Well, Karlo has finally put them all together. He's been working diligently on this project all week and yesterday we assembled it. It took an emergency trip to Radio Shack, but we now have all the wires we need and everything has been hooked up and working again. Let me present our new TV stand . . . Ta da.

It looks very much like our old system (where the TV sat on a shelf attached to the post). But now there is no shelf, no supporting pole holding the shelf up, and best of all . . .

It swivels around so I can angle the TV toward the empty floor space. This will come in very handy for my Wii workouts! And since it swivels, why not go all the way and allow us to watch TV while we play pool?

Actually, my dream has always been to have a fish tank DVD and turn the TV into a giant aquarium to watch while playing pool. Now I can finally do that. And the added bonus is that the TV is no longer in the way of the cues while taking shots from one corner of the table. So many problems solved with one ingenious feat of engineering. Way to go Karlo! Here's a closer look at his handy work:

Another New Favorite TV Show

I just stumbled across another ‘Fringe-like’ favorite show. It’s not like Fringe in a scary, intense, eerie way, but it is like Fringe in a heart-pumping, keeps me wide awake until 10 PM sort of way. Believe me, there are not many things that can keep me awake while lying on the couch. This new show is called “Human Target” and it is very James Bondish. The story lines are exactly the same type of 007 plots and the lead man is just as handsome as Bond – only these stories only last one hour, which just happens to be the extent of my attention span. I can do just about anything for one hour, but almost nothing holds my attention for longer than one hour. I personally think all movies should have a one-hour limit. Did I mention that I took a nap in the theater in the middle of Avatar?

So you gotta check this new show out. It was on this week on both Tuesday and Wednesday night, on Fox at 9 PM. I’m not sure which night will be its regularly scheduled night. It was smart of Fox to run the premier right after American Idol. Is anybody watching American Idol? And if so, are you also finding yourself singing, “Pants on the ground, pants on the ground, looking like a fool with your pants on the ground?” I can NOT seem to get that stupid song out of my head.

In Three Words

Have you ever seen the segment on a morning show . . . Good Morning America (I think) where people across the country send in photos of their week in three words? I just love this concept and a few nights ago Jay Leno really cracked me up. He did his own version and it went something like this:

NBC
OMG
WTF?

This clever little piece inspired me to want to summarize all of my weeks this year with 3 words. Too bad I already missed a couple weeks. I think the two weeks I missed would be:

brand new start
my poor car

And last week would be:

I wonder what next week will bring . . . So how would you sum up your last week, last month, or today? Think about it . . . It's quite fun.

What's He Up To Now?

I know the above picture is out of focus, but I couldn't resist posting it because it reminds me of one of my favorite commercials. Can you guess which one?

That part that Karlo is holding is one of the pieces of his latest project. I got such a kick out of him showing all these parts to me that I figured I would document and share. Now, normally this sort of behavior annoys me to no end. We don't even want to discuss the previous 're-purposing' of my yoga mat, golf clubs, etc . . . But this time the re-purposing of objects were not valuable, and more importantly, not my objects so I'm more amused.

First, let me present an old satellite dish holder that the previous owner of the house left behind. This is the same smiley part above:

Next we have part of an old twin bed frame that we were likely never going to use again:

Then there's the scrap metal that Karlo bought home from work. This was part of the packaging that a huge machine got delivered on. Would have otherwise been thrown in the scrap yard:

And lastly we have parts of a trailer axel. I'm not quite sure how or where we had an extra axle kicking around, and if I find out that one of our very useful utility trailers is now out of commission somebody is going to be in a whole lot of trouble:

What on earth is he going to do with all these parts? Well, you'll have to stay tuned. The welding is underway right now and by the looks of my lights dimming I may need to shut the computer down before we blow a fuse. More to follow.

Taking Matters Into My Own Hands . . . To Fix My Hands

It’s that time of year again. The anger, frustration, and maybe even depression is starting to set in due to the terrible skin condition that plagues me every winter. I get so irritated that I have to live with the inconvenience of not being able to use my hands for every day tasks without severe pain. The simplest things; like washing dishes, folding laundry, pulling up and zipping my darn pants, or a litany of other every day tasks become so incredibly slow and difficult. It makes me want to scream. I find myself spending time thinking about moving South to escape the problem. I’m actually formulating plans and timetables of how to make it happen sooner, rather than later.

But this past weekend, after returning from a hand-numbing hike in the woods, Karlo pointed out the fact that I should be taking matters into my own hands. Why should I just live like this with no help from my doctors? I believe in alternate healing and homeopathic remedies and there must be some way to solve this problem. I got really energized and decided to do more research.

And the only thing (other than the obvious fix of moving South) that I found was a bottle of magic drops called Circu Live that claim to fix poor circulation. Hell, I’m willing to give it a try. So I ordered a bottle and it’s due to arrive in a few days. I cannot wait to see if it makes a difference.

A Special Day

We are not going to mention any names . . . but somebody got older today. And we've been celebrating since Saturday. We've had cake, dinners out, presents, dancing, drinks with friends, movies. Somebody is a pretty lucky old man. But we won't mention any names.

My Next Car

I finally got my Mini back. It broke on Christmas night and has taken this long to be fixed. Let’s just say that I’m not happy . . . about anything. About the outrageous repair bill, nor about the fact that I now HATE my car. I can’t even believe that I just typed that . . . I hate my car.

So many things went wrong. First the windshield got broken (which, by the way, is still not fixed). Then the transmission cable broke. I wish I took a picture of the broken cable. It looked as if a saber tooth tiger chewed through it. Then the rusted out exhaust system needed to be replaced because it had to come down in order to fix the transmission and was literally not stable enough to put back. In addition to this, the mechanic was a chain smoker and the interior of my car now smells like an ashtray. As if the bill and the stench wasn't enough to bring tears to my eyes, when I started the car and pulled out of the parking lot I was simply stunned. I could not believe my ears.

We opted to buy a high performance exhaust system, not because I plan to race the car, but because:

1. It was cheaper than a stock BMW exhaust.
2. It was made of stainless steel with a lifetime warranty, which is obviously better than the factory BMW piece of crap that I originally had.

It seemed like a no-brainer decision to me. Little did I know I would end up with the equivalent of a Harley. I feel like a 17 year old punk kid with a souped-up 1990 Camero. It’s ridiculous. Silly me. I expected a brand new exhaust system to be refined and QUIET. Instead it sounds like there is no muffler at all! The rumble of the exhaust actually tickles my rear end!

Karlo thinks it’s awesome and will improve the resale value of the car. Is he crazy? There is no girl that will ever buy this car now. I’m pretty sure only a boy can appreciate the ‘coolness’ of it. It’s terrible. I either have to buy a dozen new speakers to drown out the sound of the exhaust or better yet, ditch it and buy a whole new car. Karlo is in favor of the latter. So I surfed online this morning and found myself a new Mini . . . This is much cooler than a loud muffler.

Photo Challenge

I'm going to come through with some photos today, but unfortunately at the cost of words. I'm rushing as usual and I only have time to briefly explain my biggest photo challenge to date. Earlier this week I had a photo/video assignment on-location at a customer's shop. These days are always terrifying because I fear the worst will happen . . . my equipment will fail me, the subject matter will be particularly challenging, or I will make stupid mistakes that can jeopardize the success of the project. So much can go wrong and I'm still such a rookie in the video world. I'm also still a rookie in the photography world too and this last job was a challenge. Luckily I have a Nikon friend at work with much nicer equipment than my own. With the help of his (non-auto focus) lens I managed to come back with some decent pictures of the ridiculously small parts.

On Strike

I was going to post a blog entry to announce that I’m on strike due to the overwhelmingly disappointing response to my request for comments on the Brand Loyalty post. There are no excuses. I switched my comment settings back so you didn’t need FBI credentials in order to post a comment. Yet I only got one comment. How sad and disappointing. So I went on strike for a couple of days. OK, not really. I was actually sidetracked with making my third volume of the printed edition of my blog. Last year’s book topped out at 224 pages (or something close to that) and it took me a few nights to get it all organized and ready for print. After getting it all laid out I realized how lack luster the pages where that didn’t include photos. It made me want to set a goal for trying to post a picture with every entry . . . and here I am with my first entry since making this new goal and I have no picture. Pitiful. Does a screen capture count? I’ll get my act together one of these days.

Brand Loyalty

A while back I did a fun exercise of making a list of brands that I am loyal to. I have to say, this was a hard task for me because normally I buy whatever is on sale or convenient. It takes a lot to get me to spend more or go the slightest bit out of my way for a particular brand. I thought it would be fun to blog about it because I’m curious what brands you are loyal to. So here’s my list. May not be totally complete, as my real list is somewhere at home.

• Nikon – This one had to go first and foremost. It is so funny how most professional or serious amateur photographers shoot with either Nikons or Canons and are completely and utterly loyal to that brand. I’m a Nikon girl and will continue to be for the rest of my life. Here is a funny video portraying this loyalty.
• Keen – These shoes are on the pricey side and are really ugly, but I’m willing to spend top dollar for the comfort and performance. I LOVE them and have several pairs.
• Mountain Hardware – Once again, pricey technical clothing, but such nice quality that I am willing to spend more for the brand.
• Skagen – I’ve owed lots and lots of watches in my life, but I’m slowly converting them all over to Skagens. So far I have three in my collection, but hope to continue to grow it. I just love their very low profile.
• Bath & Bodyworks – I’ve tried so many different lotions and potions, but none of them seem to compare to Bath & Bodyworks. I always fall back to this brand as my favorite.
• Burts’s Bees – From the first time I tried it I was hooked. I don’t stick with all their various products, but nothing else has touched my lips over the past 5 years.
• Mini – Is Mini a brand? If so, I’m loyal. I’ll buy anything with a Mini logo on it and I swear it’s the only car I’ll ever own.
• Iams – When they are not eating wine corks off the floor . . . the only food our hounds will eat.

So tell me, what brands are you loyal to?

My Dream Come True

I always wanted a fish tank at work. I always wanted salt water fish. I always wanted fish that don't eat real food and make real poop. I always wanted a pretty tank that I don't have to clean. At last my wish as come true . . .



This is my sweet new 27" iMac sitting on my desk at work. I sprung for the $20 fish tank application and it's amazing. There are tons of different backgrounds to choose from and I decide which species and how many of them I want to fill the tank. Although you can barely hear it in the video, it has soothing bubbly sounds like a real tank. I can 'tap' on the glass (with my mouse of course) and scare the fish. And I can even feed them virtual food and watch them eat it. The good news is that the fish don't die if I don't feed them. At least I don't THINK they do. Boy, wouldn't that be a hoot . . . if I killed my VIRTUAL fish like I do my real fish! I can see my work productivity dropping like a brick.

Deep Breathes, Positive Thoughts

I really thought the new, even-numbered year would end much of my stress and bad luck. I had such high hopes for a more fun-filled, less stressful year. Let’s just say it’s not going so well and my neck and shoulder are back to killing me.

Yesterday we not only drove the Mini on snow-covered roads (with only 3 gears) to get to the shop, but we discovered that Cooper is sick. The poor dog has been throwing up since two nights ago. Karlo thought it best to not tell me about the 3 piles of puke he found in the basement yesterday morning. But when Jessica called to tell us that he threw up 4 more times at home we knew something was very wrong. I’m not sure who I felt worse for, Cooper for being sick, or Jessica for having to clean up after him all day. The vomiting continued last night and this morning and thank goodness for those saints at the Tolland Vet. They are really getting to know Karlo and I (and our various hounds) very well. They took him in the minute they opened this morning and it looks like he’ll be staying until later this evening at the very least. The good news is that there is no intestinal obstruction that will need surgery. Thank heavens.

So after this week, with seeing the vet bill and the car bill, I am just going to pray to God that we can get through one solid month without outrageous out-of-the-blue expenses. And to help that along I am just going to focus on deep breathes and positive thoughts, deep breathes and positive thoughts, deep breathes and positive thoughts . . . .

Riding in Luxury

Karlo finally broke down and moved the Audi out of the garage yesterday. We not only drove it to work, but also took a big journey to Rhode Island to go out line dancing. And what amazing luxury it was . . . . TO HAVE HEAT! Now I know how the privileged live. I had warm feet instead of blocks of ice and Jessica fell right to sleep with the heated seats. It was heaven.

And boy did we have fun line dancing. All of us! Even Karlo. We danced non-stop for 3 hours and stayed out way past my bed time. I guess I'm getting my Year of Fun off to a good start. The Wii has been helping a lot too. So far we had two game nights with friends, filled with so many good laughs. I'm simply in love with the Wii.

Let it Snow

Snow flake pictures in honor of the currently falling snow! That's some macro lens, eh? OK, so maybe the snowflake is a foot in diameter and is hanging in my window. Details.

I'm home alone, killing time waiting for Karlo and Jess to get home. Jess is flying in today and, of course, it has to be snowing. The poor thing had to first drive a couple hours, no doubt in snow, to get to Buffalo. Luckily a little (or a foot) of snow doesn't phase the folks in Buffalo. Then she had over an hour delay (on top of her 2 hour layover) in New Jersey. So I'm not going to complain about sitting in my comfy home, with my hounds and computer patiently waiting. I know all too well what's it like to be at the mercy of weather and airlines and the frustration of wasting your time, trapped in an airport. Luckily Jess has a lot more patience than Karlo and I and she will no doubt arrive as cheerful as ever.

Below are a few pictures that I took yesterday. We took a nice hike in our backyard. The sun broke through the clouds just long enough for me to run back to the house to get my camera. I just couldn't get enough of gazing at the water droplets hanging on the pine needles, just about to fall off. I only wish I brought out a tripod and had a nicer macro lens.





Looks like I'll have to wait awhile for all the snow to melt off the trees this time. We already have over 4 or 5 inches and it's supposed to snow all day! Still wishing I found some gloves warm enough to wear while playing with my camera . . .