Monday, January 28, 2008

Time Slips By...

and leaves so little time for blogging. So here are some tidbits that I just have to share:

Saturday Chris and I were getting ready for a party with my sister and her college friend who eloped on New Year's Eve with a cop who is older than her father. I brushed my teeth and he bumped me out of the way and said, "Escucha me." So I turned to him and said, "What?" But he just bumped me with his hip out from in front of the sink and started brushing his teeth. "Escucha" means "listen" or "listen to me" but he was saying, "Scooch over." - Es Cucha - a new term I just love.

So the celebration was at The Tree House, a Clear Lake dive if there ever was one. The door looked like a huge piece of a tree that swung open to reveal a smoky interior with teal green carpeting. We were lighted upon by Rhonda's girlfriend who wore a giant toothy grin, and was so permed and blonde that I didn't recognize her. She was very happy and took us around to meet her new husband. Then we found a booth and ordered some beers. They had a little lounge act going with a woman who could sing a little and a guy who could play a little guitar but mostly they acted like a DJ. They announced Amanda and Brian as the happy couple and she coerced him into dancing with her. I, and I alone, have the only pictures of this because I happened to have my camera on me and no one else had thought about it.
Here's one where Amanda has just received a Beer-O-Gram - this is a cardboard bar coaster that customers could give to another patron to get a phone number or tell someone their name or buy them a beer. Amanda got this one from Rhonda - a souvenir.

But here's the thing - after that dance, they started playing music again and the first song was, Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under? by Shania Twain. I told Chris that when we have a similar party with all our friends around that that song would rank right up there among the top ten songs I don't want to have played. This list might also include Titties and Beer by Rodney Carrington, and just about anything by Billy Ray Cyrus. Yes, these songs were also played at the dive. We had a blast though and I got my ass handed to me at gin rummy with Chris.

Then Sunday we played another 18-holes of Disc Golf - this time with Colin. He wore camoflage so that he would blend in with the foliage around him.
Can anyone spot the 7-year old in this photo?It's a cherry life I'm living right now. Happy every minute.
Love to all.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

My Baby Famous!

Chris told jokes at Bojangles on Wednesday. He went on first and didn't get to finish his set but was, fortunately, invited to go back on stage next Wednesday. The show was a lot of laughs and my friends Toni and Rick came out to see it. This was a great surprise because I haven't gotten to hang out with Toni much in the last YEAR - ever since starting to work in Galveston - AND they had never had a chance to hear Chris tell jokes. Personally, I think he's hilarious. Here he is with his name in lights!

Monday, January 21, 2008

So far, the best day of 2008

Chris and I went to Jack Brooks Park to play Disc Golf, or Frisbee Golf, and had THE best time. Largely due to these shoes:

Thank you for my boots baby!

They saved my ass and they saved my toes. It was a little swampy and Chris planned ahead. He got these shoes for us at Academy - on sale for $10 a pair!! Due to these shoes I had absolutely nothing to complain about. I tromped through mud and walked through puddles and crossed deep patches of the course that were under about two inches of water and had the absolute best time.

I also significantly improved my frisbee throwing abilities.

It was a perfect and gorgeous day - about 53 degrees the whole time with sunshine and the beauty of the park all around us.

I'm new to disc golf and it's not a sport I had to play in P.E. throughout my education so here's an overview of the game. It's like golf - 18 holes - only instead of clubs and balls you throw frisbees.
Frisbees come in varying types like clubs - long distance drivers, fairway drivers, multi-purpose, putters. Each frisbee is slightly different. Some are thicker and weighty and others are almost flat.

So from the Tee you throw a frisbee as hard as you can. Then you walk towards it, mark the spot and change frisbees if you like and throw the next one. Once you are within 10 yards of the "hole" you have to start using the putter disc. The goal is a basket with some chains that catch the frisbees if you throw them right.

Chris has an amazing throwing style and the discs would just soar through the air like they were remote controlled. I took about 4 throws for each of his. Often the disc would fly in a completely different direction than I intended. At the last hole I lost a disc in a little river that ran through the course. Chris fished it out. He thought he would dreg the bottom of the river with a long stick to see if he could feel for it. He found a long stick and pulled it out of the water and the frisbee was snagged to the end of it. Yay!

Here's a picture of my caddy:


Anyway, we had a blast. I'm glad we didn't keep score because then my monumental loss would be quantified and who needs that?

Happy couple at the end of the day ~

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Cheesecake Euphoria


I know the woman who made this cake ~

It was the best chocolate thing I've ever put in my mouth. Ever.

It took her over 6 hours to make.

The crust was made by crushing graham crackers and adding chocolate chips and some vanilla and nutmeg and coffee. Then, layered at the bottom, was a dark chocolate ganash. On top of that was the cheesecake - the cream cheese mixed with sugar, ground espresso coffee beans, two shots of rum, a shot of frangelica. Then topped with a sour cream icing. Iced with lattice work stripes and decorations of ganash and an espresso bean at every crossing. I tasted this cake and I fell in love. It was amazing and delightful and wonderful and beautiful.

It was also Matt's birthday. Happy birthday Matt.
This picture illustrates that the cake was so delicious that people were eating it with whatever they could find - spoon, fork, knife. It also illustrates that I had probably had enough to drink prior to having the alcohol in the cake. But it was damn good!
In other news, it was once again election day in Pasadena. There was a run off election for Mayor because our previous Mayor, named Manlove, resigned with his sights on the now-vacant Delay congressional seat. In the first run off election there were about 7 candidates and the guy we voted for got a majority vote but none got 50% of the vote. So yesterday we went again to vote for mayor between only 2 candidates - Ralph Riggs and Johnny Isbell. At the end of the day we drove by the voting location in our precinct and learned that there had only been 54 people exercise their right to vote. While it's exciting to think that our votes actually counted for about 4% of our precincts say, it's also a little disappointing to think that so few people took the opportunity.

Oh and we still don't know who will be Mayor. We'll find out on the 29th. Elections are so mysterious now-a-days.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Make em' Laugh!

Last night Chris and I went to Bojangles here in Seabrook. We had earlier seen a sign out front reading: Wednesday Comedy Night. Chris likes to do some stand up every now and then. - here's a sample... I think he's really funny and so do a lot of people. He hasn't told jokes on stage in a LONG time - probably not since two summers ago. But he's coming up with some new material now. We had the best time last night and I laughed so much my sides hurt.

I recently listened to two Steve Martin books on my iPod to and from work - The Pleasure of My Company and Born Standing Up. In Born Standing Up, Martin relates how he got involved in comedy in the first place. He goes through ten years of his life doing stand up and the process involved with refining his act. So much of what he said made sense just because I have this experience of having seen Chris refine his act, labor over new material, repeating his jokes again and again to find just the right tone and inflection. It makes you appreciate what is funny even more.

So, what is funny? something shocking? something nasty? a little of both? the fact that it's someone you know on stage? I think things are funny that I can relate to. But I have to say I don't find a lot of female comedians funny. I can relate to periods, giving birth, dealing with men, and all the material about shopping with skinny friends but I don't find it funny. I don't want to go to a comedy show and laugh at jokes about women having periods. I also don't want to laugh at male comics joking about how they use women. The funniest joke I heard last night was so visual that you would have had to be there to get it about a cheap strip club in PoDunk Texas where the stripper was in a wheelchair. Now I can't relate to that at all - having never been to a strip club and not being a stripper. But I laughed my ass off. The other funny guy just did puns and looked like Peter from The Family Guy.

There was no sign up list like in other open mic nights. You have to talk to this short little Mexican dude in a suit who MCed the night. He did a brief interview of Chris and told him he'd be on the bill for next Wednesday. I'm really looking forward to hearing what Chris comes up with for next week and seeing him on stage. I'll be video taping so listen for my laugh on the video once it gets posted to youtube with the rest of his videos.

I'm sleepy and it's time for bed.
Sweet dreams.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

the Mad Potter

Today I painted some pottery at The Mad Potter. The first time I ever saw one of these "paint-your-own-ceramic" places was in Kansas City the first time I ever went to visit my aunt in my life. And it was just 4 years ago. I know!

So some friends planned this trip and it was a great idea. I walked around looking at all the chalky white plates, bowls, vases, piggy banks, and tiles. All kinds of choices loomed before me. I kept picking up a serving platter over and over again. It had so much potential, just like everything else sitting on the shelf unpainted. The platter was $35.00 and I had no idea what I wanted on it so I kept putting it down as well.

Then I saw it! A toothbrush caddy! What a great idea. Our toothbrushes just lie around on the bathroom counter and we could stand them upright in a perfect little caddy. I do know toothbrush caddy's exist in the world. I've just never liked one enough to commit to purchasing it. Therefore, there is no such caddy in my bathroom. Right beside this there was a soap dish so I grabbed that too. Chris was dropping me off and said he wanted something designy on it. At first I was thinking sun flowers but in the end - this is what we got.

Secretly I kinda love it. I know the painting isn't perfect or anything, and it looks like a 5 year old painted it, but I don't care. That's the best damned toothbrush caddy ever and if they had just ever had one in the store that looked like that, I would have bought it.

In other news, I might have lupus. My dermatologist did a biopsy on an itchy mole I got on my face in the last month or so and it came back positive for lupus. So they did a second biopsy on the same spot which turned out the same. Monday I'll go in for blood work. I haven't mentioned this to my family or friends yet (so if you're a family member or a friend - now you know...) because I'm waiting to see what the blood work says. I don't know much about this disease except that if I've got it, I've got the "discoid" kind. However, discoid lupus can, for no known reason, turn into systemic lupus - which people die from. Since that's such a downer I've been trying to not think about it until they are sure.

Happy Weekend!!
PEACE

Sunday, January 6, 2008

National Chelsea's Day a Little Different

When my daughter was very young, probably about 3 or 4 years old or so I went out for New Year's Eve and left her with a baby sitter for the first time. I know what you're thinking... Your daughter was 3 or 4 YEARS old before you left her with a baby sitter??!? Yeah. And the guilt haunted me the whole evening. Now, of course, I don't know why. I was young and a new mom, a single mom at that, so sinking myself into my daughter kept me busy. Actually, upon reflecting on it, I realize that I met a man who became my boyfriend when I was still pregnant with Chelsea and we were big homebodies. There was a baby in the house and we didn't go out much. We broke up (for the first time) the fall after Chelsea turned 3 so I believe that was the first time I went out on a New Year's Eve to a party since being a mom.

Anyway, the next day, New Year's Day, I took Chelsea out and we had a special little day just for us. I told her it was National Chelsea's day and she was SO excited! She had no idea there was a special day just for her. She loved it so much and I had such a great time too that I decided that we would always hold the first day of the year sacred as her special day. I told myself that this day would make up for the fact that I would be going out on New Year's Eve and leaving her with a sitter so I would have to make it up to her.

The years have gone by and this tradition has held fast. Every New Year's Day is Chelsea's special day and she can do whatever she wants on National Chelsea Day. Every year, however, I have not had a party to go to. Every year I have not left her with a sitter. In fact, I believe that even to this day I could count the times I've left Chelsea with an actual baby sitter on one hand. National Chelsea's Day has also changed over the years. When Chelsea was a kid "anything you want to do" included things like going to see TWO movies and getting gummy worms to eat in the theater and then getting ice cream at marble slab and then playing in the ball pit at FunPlex all afternoon and going out for pizza at night.

This year she wanted to get a tattoo and thought that she would get a yes just because it was National Chelsea's Day and she gets whatever she wants on National Chelsea Day. It's not that long to wait for her 18th birthday when she can make decisions about permanently altering her body all by herself and I won't be responsible.

This year, also, was the second year in her life when I didn't have a lot of money on the first of the month. I've always worked for UH since I was 21 years old and had my first job. And I've always been paid on the first of the month. Well as most of you know I changed jobs last February and have had to get used to getting paid every 2 weeks. As it happens, I got paid on 1/4/08 and that was as close as I could get after all the Christmas spending. So we had NCD today. But! Another but... This year, as many of you know, I started seeing Chris seriously and we've been living together since July when I moved across the street from his house and he moved in with me. So we all took Chelsea out to breakfast this morning at IHOP and then went on a search for the DVD series of the Gilmore Girls. I purchased season 5 for her and she wanted to watch them all for the rest of the day. And that was it for her. She just wanted a day when she could watch tv all day.

If there were a National Melissa Day I would want foot rubs all day long and maybe a massage and a nap with some lovely incense burning. And when I woke up there would be a wonderful cup of tea and a small chocolate treat and then a perfect comfy chair that I could curl up in and spend some time reading a book. What a treat that would be. To have time to read a book. Wow! Then I'd soak in a bubble bath with some wine and go snuggle up with Chris and have him read me to sleep. That makes me smile just thinking about it.

I do need to schedule more time with my daughter. I'll get better about that. I realize that I don't have much time left before she's off to college and then gone. I don't like to think about that day. Instead I'll think about my perfect day.

LOVE

Friday, January 4, 2008

A Cigar of My Own

I smoked a whole cigar by myself today. It's a wonder that I was by myself because this never happens for me. Living in a small apartment with three other people who have busy lives, alone time is a precious rarity. So I was alone and there was this cigar...

Partly out of curiosity and partly out of a sort of dirty greed I sat and puffed away at my very own kahlua flavored cigar and practiced blowing the smoke out of my mouth in various ways.

We aren't smokers generally so I had to get a blue glass cereal bowl to use as my ash tray.

Here's what I know about smoking cigars.

1. Obviously, the first rule, don't inhale. So what's the point?
2. There's no really sexy position to hold a cigar as a woman.
3. I can't blow smoke rings but there was no one around to laugh at my attempts.
4. It's only fun for a little while. Then it's like you're committed to this cigar and it doesn't taste so good towards the end.
5. Cigar smoke lingers in your house requiring additional airing out of the place.
6. You have a nice calm feeling about you while sitting there engaged in the activity of simply smoking a cigar. My mind wandered all over the place and I found myself visiting thoughts I hadn't thunk in ages. I literally feel as if the cobwebs were dusted from my mind.
7. Cigars get hot inside near the burning end. Also, the closer you get towards the end the more bitter the smoke tastes as you loll it about in your mouth.
8. I have the slightest tinge of a headache now and a terrible taste in my mouth.

My final thoughts on the matter are that I'm probably not going to be a regular cigar smoker. However, on occasion, why not?

In other news, Chris quit his job today. We're going out to happy hour to celebrate. Tomorrow we're having another couple over for shrimp risotto and bar hopping after the kids go to bed. Sunday I'm taking Chelsea to breakfast and we may catch a movie. I'm ready for the weekend!
Peace.