Christmas and Bond - James Bond

Hope everyone is having good holidays! I'm finally getting a break the night before David, Gerdy and I head back to NYC as we're watching a James Bond marathon as rented from the library. I've hit most of my favorite Cleveland eating spots - Joey's Pizza, the American Tavern, Yours Truly, and tonight Village Square Pizza - so I pretty much can only sit here and blog!

I took a break from my computer - but I did cheat now that I have my free PDA from Nokia and Cingular...yippie! Yes folks, free. I was going to use Christmas money for a PDA now that I am a free agent aka contractless, so I researched the PDAs and learned that the sexy Trios have not-so-great sound, and I had no interest in a Blackberry for some reason, so I looked up Nokia and found its Nokia E62 had good reviews and a $50 special with Amazon, until I called Cingular to talk to someone about it, who told me that Nokia itself was offering the Nokia E62 for free with a 2-year contract!

Was that not the longest sentence? So I signed the 2-year contract and the PDA is mine...

But, onto Christmas, which was very eventful partially because it was David's first sleep-over Christmas, at which he was in high demand for paddle, golf, pictures, food and more food. David scored with a Christmas gift to my dad - a remote controlled Mosquito helicopter which was matched by a gift from my Nana - another remote controlled helicopter. So, without further adieu, here below my first animated .gif to illustrate the remoteness of the men in the family!


(that's my dad on the right flying the little white helicopter all around the room, which is pretty much all any male did who came over, and the helicopter did make it to my grandparent's to fly around their china dinner set)

Then, click here for the battle between the Evil Punching Snowman that showed up in our stockings as they battle the two helicopters in a "dogfight" looking quite like King Kong...it's our debut onto YouTube!


But onto more exciting things...stockings...my most favorite part of Christmas morning...


Santa found David and delivered a stocking with goodies in it, including a spaceship spin toothbrush and an Ohio State mug.


My brother and his stocking...


My sister at her annual stomping of my brother on Christmas morning with a newly added glass of Airborne to keep us all healthy...


And we finished it off with delicious bottles of Layer Cake, the velvety Shiraz grown from a century old French vine in Australia. We'll be hearing more about this yummy bottle, but in the meantime, you can ask your local wine store if they carry it. If you like a smooth red, you'll like a glass of this...


This was PRE-Christmas, but Oliver wanted to come and I had to include it...

I think that's all for now! I'm going to finish this night of Bond and get ready for the drive back to NYC...

Happy New Year!

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Happy Holidays! Christmas Card

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Unmarried Live Togethers Discriminated Against at Christmas

Unmarried Live Togethers are facing more tough times this year, battling through tense family telephone round-robbins. Females are often the hardest hit by such situations, as for some reason, daughters can do more damage than sons. During holiday homecomings, families would prefer the co-ed existence happen off of the family homestead and exist out of site at a hotel or a family farm. In Burton. Where there are murders. See the Burton Blog for more on the false sense of security of serene Amish country (because that is where this Mista will be staying - at the family farm - if co-habitation happens over the holiday).

Bridget Jones didn't have to deal with such situations, as she just didn't live with someone (sorry, Bridget). Director Julie Taymore may have something to say, being that last I checked, she was "happily unmarried for 10 years," which by now would be happily unmarried for 13 years or so. Bridget had to deal with Smug Marrieds at dinner, and while Unmarried Live Togethers consider Joyful New Moms with Adorable (and Growing) Babies and grandparents who think they will die before seeing a marriage.

Fortunately, discrimination seems to stop at the bedroom, as this writer's boyfriend has been invited to attend the great family Men's Luncheon, where men are men and sit around predicting important things like who will win the Super Bowl and what stock NOT to short (some Mista readers will know what unfortunate male family member of mine was advised to short Google without consulting his knowledgeable granddaughter on the matter). They must have needed a strong Sports Authority figure, who in a secret life is actually a sports "color" commentator who colors the game with fun facts like which player was deserted by their father, and which was slighted for the Heisman in 1998, etc. (ok, I made up that Heisman part b/c I don't know any colorful facts and the boy is out rollerblading).

Like common highschoolers, Unmarried Live Togethers are forced to abide by parent's rule if they want to celebrate Christmas under one roof, as opposed to being shipped off to Amish country. Even if they are almost 30 or nearly 43. And like common highschoolers, sneaking around upstairs is an option taken by many. And does anyone ever consider the Grand Pets in all of this? Schlepping back and forth from Amish country to "home."

Maybe we should unionize. That would make Republican fathers really mad (most of whom have such rules in the first place, so I suspect that many of us Unmarried Live Togethers who are facing such discrimination do indeed have Republican fathers, who can join a support group I started for my dad called D.A.D - Dads Against Democrats).

Conclusion? Look for sales of Baileys and vodka to be up this season as polite daughters sweetly drown frustrations in tumblers over ice.

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Christmas So Far...

Let's look at the little pile of Christmas accumulating on my desk:



Homemade AppleButter from TN that I got at Thanksgiving for Grampa and Someone Else,
chow chow for cousin with dog, teddy-bear sleep mask for some lucky Mista reader, lambskin for a brother-in-law of a Mista reader that will hopefully turn into a cigar holder today, silkcreened Notebooks by Saturate from the Curiosity Shop, and a Barista Starbucks French coffee press for Dad who has finally switched from Folgers and a dirty drip machine because a restaurant owner in Garretsville, OH told him to - forget that I'd advised him of that 6 years ago after working at a French cafe in Charleston! So now he gets a good one. But you could also get one at Amazon.

Can I tell you what I love about online shopping at little shops? They give you surprises! The Curiosity Shop included a Fortune Telling fish that curls up in the palm of my hand! If its head moves, that means one thing. If its tail moves, that means another. For me, they both moved, and it flipped all around! So it's meaning I'm In Love, Passionate and Fickle, all at once!

Speaking of In Love, David set up quite a nice tree, and even decorated the bottom with wrapped presents! So exciting. Number of time Oliver has knocked it over: 1.5. And speaking of Oliver, here he is, swimming in polkadotted tulle as I tried to make FashionMistas...




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David at Ikea Getting Cabinets?

I slyly told David that I wanted wall shelves with doors for my fabric for Christmas - ok, I tried to be sly, but sly wasn't working. So I get a call from him today, asking if by chance I were to get shelving for above my desk, how necessary are the glass doors...? Before hanging up he told me he was going to finish his Swedish meatballs...busted! David's at Ikea...

Could it be...



or


or


Or none?

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Stress Relievers :: Sunkist and Bikini Waxing

...first published on the Ladies Who Launch blog as a response to the weekly question, which this week is how everyone relieves stress...

Stress relievers for me, or so at first I thought, was eating big chicken burritos, carrot cake, Sunkist, or tall-half-caff-one-pump-vanilla-lattes, but then I remembered that those things all make me really groggy. Even Sunkist, but the orange soda is really more of a reward, not to be confused with a stress reliever (note to self), as it can pretty much put me to sleep with sugar overload.

Here's my stress reliever list:

• Bikini waxing. I'm not crazy, but you go in to a girl you know (preferably at an Aveda-affiliated salon), under a haze of Aveda candles. If the ripping of those strips doesn't whac you out of a stress zone, I don't know what will. I just always feel really great for some reason afterward. However, I am now lasering, but I still get the same affect. Could be from lots of bubbly talk with the esthetician whose main focus is making you beautiful.


• Salsaing to Estoy Como Nunca by Eliades Ochoa in my living room, a cd I found in the give-away pile of my building and just luv. A great remedy on the iPod on a subway ride home as well.


• Vacuuming with my super compact and fun Eureka to Bonnie Raitt's early bluesy album, Takin' My Time.


• Quiet time. Very valuable. If you live with a boy or a girl or a husband, this may need to be negotiated. I find that bribing with good, cream sauce-based dinners is a good bartering chip to be used against “the game” or “the stats” or “highlights” however “quick” they may need to be on (but try to serve on time).


• Cooking creamy dinners. I invented my 3-cheese mac and cheese after a very depressing time at a temp agency office while testing in Word and Excel when I first moved to New York. It was raining and I didn't want the rest of my life existing in Excel, so I had a little breakdown that involved serious cooking when I got home. Now I make Excel work for me. It knows who is boss and can induce states of euphoria when used properly.


• Jogging. The endorphins and oxygen to the brain is really important. And you might as well buy some cute jogging clothes. The last thing I bought were running skirts...


• Yoga. I don't do it all the time yet, but every time I do, I'm much more centered.


• Backgammon. Especially when you beat your live-in boyfriend or girlfriend or husband. Unless you lose because you're watching Men in Trees.

I have to go serve that creamy dinner now, but you get the drift.

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PS: My New Pink/Brown Desktop Wallpaper

A form of this image had been in my head for a while, and out it came when I designed the background for the new webpage for ReelInvitations.com. So, I expanded on it and just let dogwood petals fall where they may! Enjoy this free new desktop wallpaper from Katie James...

Click here to grab it from Katie-James.com!

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Heelys Roller Shoe- I Want!

All I want for Christmas is two wheely roller shoes! David, who I never give enough credit to for listening and being alert, picked up on my squeel for wanting the roller shoe when this little kid zipped by...




I am SO wearing these to work, IF I get them. Just think of all of the time I'll save from walking normally!

Get the ones above from Shoes.com. Check out other styles or put it on your wish list at Amazon...

Happy wishlisting!

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Silkscreened Christmas

Silkscreening is on the brain. That and softly colored prints that I can't get out of my head (see newly designed desktop wallpaper).

Shh, don't tell David that I'm getting him this silkscreened tie for Christmas from the cool designer who has other great stuff, CYBEROPTIX:


This just in! I just bought the one on the right - olive - and it is being custom made right now. I feel so special.

And if you paid attention to Daily Candy today, you saw a silkscreened notebook by Saturate. Yum! Stocking stuffer! I think I'll get one from the Curiosity Shop for someone in my family who I cannot mention b/c they read the blog...


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Brocade Clutch from my College Roommate!

Ooh, check out these purses from Allison Abney! One of my old college roommates from Charleston! Her purses are in my favorite store down there, Metropolitan Deluxe. That store is worth moving back to Charleston for, I love it so. I really should be making a desktop art for Katie James, but I'm sidetracked! Can someone tell David that I want the purple clutch for Christmas? Thanks. :)

Lotus Baby - this is the brocade one that I want


Bronze Baby - but I also want this one!


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Progress on the DebtOMeter

Love paying bills when the money is there. Yes folks, I was able to get out the big scissors tonight and cut some of that red thermometer away. This darn cat took a chunk of real money when we went to the vet today to get his official shots, so that's his Xmas present for a looong time. Click here for a picture of the DebtOMeter in a super nova...

PS: The funniest part about Oliver getting his shots today was that they made him lethargic, but he still tried to bug Dinah while she was sleeping on the couch. So he sneaked over and pulled a spring attack on her...his poor front leg (where the shot happened) failed him, but he did no deter, and continued to press into Dinah in the most pathetic way! Usually he grabs her with both arms. It was too funny.

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All Clean from Caffine

It's official. I've gone 2 straight days with no caffine, and no Advil. But I'm not gonna lie. This morning I work up with a strong urge for the tall-half-caff-one-pump-vanilla latte. Even as I write this I can smell it!!

I stopped drinking it for many reasons, and they include:

• Don't need it, I'm pretty much awake when I'm awake.
• I get the shakes if I don't eat, and then I've proven capable of consuming a bunch of brownies.
• CAFFINE WITHDRAWL HEADACHES. This was the main one. Even in TN for Thanksgiving, coffee was made, but it wasn't Starbucks, so I think it was a little weaker, and I got a withdrawal headache even after I drank it. So dumb.
• Sugar dumbs my brain, and I like my sugar in my coffee.

Shoot. This is really hard not to leave the office right now and get a red cup of Starbucks. Half the reason I like going in there is because of their super lovely graphic design on the cards, cups, napkins, etc. It's always an inspiration.

Ok, leaving to get lunch. We'll see how I do.

PS: I think this cup is Asian. It's from this blog...

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