Big Hands You Know You're the One

I have big hands: a large square palm and long slender fingers. I wear a size 8 surgical glove. In leather gloves I'm a at least a size 9. I have been looking for a new pair of leather gloves, but I have yet to find a pair that fits.

I can reach a full octave (or more) on the piano between my thumb and pinky, but sadly, I can't play the piano.

Today we went bowling. Trying to find a bowling ball is always fun. My thumb has a tendency to get stuck. If I pick out a 14 pound ball I can usually fit my fingers in, but I bowl even worse with a heavy ball. Maybe I should learn to palm it like the guys in the lane next to us were doing.

I'm not sure what my point is here. I guess I'm just whining, but I wish these manotas were good for something.

The Universe is Screaming

The Universe is screaming at me, but I'm not sure what it is trying to say or what I'm supposed to do. I feel like the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Holocaust, Auschwitz, and anti-Semitism keep popping up. When I received a letter from the Anti Defamation League asking for money I thought that might be what this is all about. I sent them a check, but the Universe is still screaming. Maybe I am filtering, because when I think about it -- it isn't just anti-Semitism I'm hearing, it is discrimination in general -- hate.

I have certain scripted answers to hot-button questions. When people used to ask me what I was, I would make them come out and explicitly ask me. I would make them just as uncomfortable as they were making me. I don't get upset anymore. I have my scripted answer. Sometimes I still make them squirm. I just don't see why it matters what race or ethnicity I am, so I make them pay for my scripted answer. I think maybe what I need to do is compose a scripted answer to hatred. I need to have something ready to say not just when I hear someone say something anti-Semitic in front of me, but anything discriminatory. Maybe that is what the Universe is trying to tell me. I need to grow a pair and speak up.

Babysitting Bailey

After ten years Bailey is finally warming up to my dad (or using my dad to warm up). My parents spent a couple days in DC while we were in NYC and took care of Bailey while we were gone. I can't believe how well Bailey and my dad are getting along. He's been combing her and she just loves it. She curled up into his lap the other day, but we missed the photo op. Today she laid with my dad on the couch during nap time. I'm sure him feeding her beef jerky helped strengthen their bond. I wonder if she's going to miss my parents when they leave.

Colbert Report, November 19, 2009

Last week we were able to see a live taping of The Colbert Report. We arrived before 5:30, which we thought was on time, but people had started lining up at about 3pm. We were pretty much the end of the line. Three people in the standby line were also allowed in. I didn't know who the guest was until we were standing in line. It was my boyfriend, Elvis Costello. I can't think of anyone else I would have rather seen! Two great guys in the same room at the same time!

Because we were the last of the line we didn't get seats but instead stood the whole time. We had a good view of Stephen, but couldn't see his first guest because of the angle. There are TV screens everywhere and it was kind of interesting to see how so many people were watching them instead of the real Stephen right in front of them. They actually take breaks at the commercial breaks to tweak things. Stephen had to do a couple of retakes and one of the breaks was pretty long, so the taping lasted longer than it normally does.

Elvis Costello came out, and he had no voice so he played the guitar while Stephen sang. After that I think Stephen played the guitar and sang (Elvis tried to sing along). That part (and others that we saw) aren't in the actual episode. We both really enjoyed seeing the show live. It was interesting to also watch the final product. Everyone who works for the show was really great and looked like they were having a great time. Oh, and we got to see Stephen out of character. He held a brief Q&A session before the show began. It was a great experience.

Numbers and Timestamps

2:30: Alarm went off, the wind howled and I rolled over

2: Number of pairs of socks, pants, and sweaters I put on

2:41: Tied my shoes

3:08: Arrived at Best Buy

41: Temperature according to my car

242: My approximate number in line

4:20: Received a voucher for a laptop

8: Gig of RAM the laptop has

2: Number of pages I managed to read while standing in line. At first I was so far behind the store there were no lights to read by.

5:00: Doors opened

A Pair: I need to grow one. I didn't say anything to the pair of guys that cut in line right in front of me as we were walking toward the door.

2: Number of lines I stood in

1: Number of things I bought

3: Number of people I saw selling their vouchers

5:38: Got back into my car

500: Gig of memory the laptop has

5:57: Climbed back in bed

7:00: Had breakfast with Dad and Ross

7:10: Went to bed with Mom

9:47: Woke up

3: Number of other stores I might brave today

Skype Moments

We occasionally skype with Robert, Ethan, and Tiffany. They called last night and we were able to hook up via skype. My parents are here, so they also got to say hi. Ethan was super excited because he just got back from his birthday trip to Disney World. He drew some things and showed us via the webcam. Ethan is a very good artist.

At one point Ethan started saying "tickle, tickle, tickle." We all cocked our heads and Robert said "Ethan, you can't tickle them with the mouse pointer." We all cracked up as if we really had been tickled. It was a classic skype moment.

Big Birthday Trip

We headed to NYC to celebrate Ross's birthday. In a way I'm sort of sad that we didn't have a dessert party, but we had plenty of desserts in the city.

Our treats included: orange ricotta lobster tail, berry tart, birthday cake from Magnolia bakery, pineapple sorbet, mascarpone sorbet, apple caramel tart with cinnamon gelato, chocolate napoleon with vanilla ice cream, strawberries with zabaglione, and lobster tail pastries with cream. I wanted to bring home a dozen of those lobster tails, but I resisted. I will have plenty more desserts to eat tomorrow.

Mouse in the House

I was swinging around a little rubber mouse by the tail a la Rabbids Don't Know What To Do With Cows. On my second or third try I got it to hit the wall and it stuck (by its back)! I had a good laugh and just left it there. A few hours later it walked all the way down the wall and stuck by its feet. Ross had forgotten all about it and when he saw mouse shaped movement out of the corner of his eye he freaked. He got me back later when he emailed me with the subject line of mouse. I thought we had a mouse in the house, but he was emailing me to tell me that it fell off the wall and left an oil stain. Ha!

Circles

I'm back to thinking about where I could build a bunker in my house. Sometimes I obsess over it. I have the fourth volume of the Dark Tower on request at the library. In the meantime I started reading something much scarier than Stephen King could ever come up with. I finally started reading The Family by Jeff Sharlet. I had it checked out, but was hesitant to read it because I knew it would be scary. I got maybe a third of the way through it, but had to turn it back in. The book is about the history of fundamentalist Christianity in America and The Family. The Family is a secret organization. I can't explain it. I'm not sure what is more disturbing, how much power they have or how they operate. Women only serve the members of the organization, they aren't part of the power plan. I'm not sure I want to finish the book. Sometimes ignorance really is bliss.

My mom recommended that I watch Constantine's Sword. I finally sat down and watched it (through Netfix online) last night. Wow. I highly recommend it. Two thousand years have passed. I live in the United States of America. Still, I don't feel safe. Still, I obsess about the bunker.

Again, best I should not think about it too much. Instead I eat cake.

So Shiny!

I caught a glimpse of my rings in the shower the other day. Boy are they shiny! While I was home my dad cleaned and polished my wedding band and my two diamond rings. Wow! I forgot how they could all sparkle. My dad was even nice enough to clean and polish Ross's wedding band too.

Speaking of jewelry, I've been jade shopping online again. My mom wanted a jade pendant. So far I have bought her 3 different ones. While I was at it I bought myself a couple. I'll take a photo of them all when they come in. I have had my jade bangle for almost 2 years now. I am so itching for a new, smaller one. Dad says he'll shop for one at the jewelry show in February. I also saw a really nice jade cicada pendant online. Even Ross commented on how nice it is. Of course we like it....it is 500 bucks. Well, 499! Hahaha.

Yoga Focus

The last few times I've been to yoga I have really tried to focus on drawing up my kneecaps. Keeping the legs strong the entire time turns yoga into really intense exercise. A while back my yoga teacher talked us through handstand. I needed her help to get up. I've been really practicing it since then. I think I've almost got it.

Today in class I was able to kick up into forearm stand from dolphin pose. I think I did it on my first or second try! I shocked myself. I was even able to bring my shins against the wall. My toes were pointing toward my head, but I don't think there were anywhere near it. I suppose it was a baby scorpion against the wall. Now I have something new to practice.
As in a lot of yoga poses I think the prep and positioning are actually more important than strength. I started in downward dog and then brought my right knee to my chest and kept my toes on the floor. I think that is important. I'm really up onto my toes. I think it helps if I shift my head down (to look at my feet) and my weight forward. I kept doing this step by step, but it is a lot easier to get upright if I do it in one fluid motion.
I kick off the right toes and swing the left leg up.
Almost there.
Up into the handstand. I try not to lean against the wall. I think I need to bring my hands a little closer together. Oh yeah, my muffin top is all that!

The plan is to go to yoga twice this week and twice next week. I'm trying to get back in shape.

Halloween Fun

We headed to Germantown yesterday for some Halloween fun. We carved pumpkins, decorated sugar cookies, and went trick or treating with the girls. I carved the spider pumpkin, Valerie carved the face (that Evelyn chose), and Ross carved Shaun the Sheep. Ross's turned out really well. Trick or treating was a little tricky because it was raining slightly. Poor Evelyn had some trouble walking in her long Glinda dress. That girl made out like a bandit. 100 pieces of candy, and most of it was chocolate!

Today we went to Wally World and Target for post holiday sales. Ross found some candy and I found a set of fall cookie cutters. Now I'm going to have to make some super buttery cookies.

We all thought this was just adorable. Julia was seeking refuge from her big sister and ran to Ross. Check out Val's blog for pictures of the girls in their costumes and the decorated cookies.