Candy Hangover

Last night I had two of the last hot dogs from Dog Almighty's drag location for dinner. (Sadly, they're closing their 2nd of three locations.) They were tasty but I couldn't really enjoy them, as I kept thinking about how there'd be no more trips to DA for a long time (their only remaining location is wayyyyyy south). I also ate about 6 mini Butterfinger bars (damn, I love those things!), drank a couple vodkas, and made a pot of popcorn over the stove which I consumed hungrily.

Ahh, Halloween... I alternated between the six-hour GhostHunters live episode and playing Super Mario Bros on Debi's Wii. I finally went to bed around 11. I couldn't keep my eyes open. I also couldn't beat the damn game. I had a great time yesterday, but today's been tough. I took a nap at lunch, but I'd love another one.

Happy November, folks.

Finally Friday...thank the gods

It's been an interesting week. I got sick Monday night, resulting in a woozy Tuesday. Wednesday I toughed it out with my team at trivia nite to score first place! Last night the ever-lovely Nan had Baby G and I over for wine and girl-talk. Tonight I plan on planting myself in front of the telly and making some bracelets or something. I would go swimming but it's raining. AGAIN.

The World Series of Pop Culture 2007 ended last night. What a great show --- too bad it only happens once a year. One day, Baby G and I (and some unknown third party) will be on that stage, taking home that trophy...

Tonight should be a complete madhouse at every book retailer around the world. If you don't know why, you've probably been living in a cave. I plan to score the book tomorrow morning in the quiet light of day after a good night's sleep. I don't fancy long lines, overzealous adults, nor whiny wizard-garbed children up long past their bedtimes. (See photo, above, left.)

Kanonkop Kadette

South African wine, I love you. I just didn't realize it until Saturday, when I met you.

Calling all carts... Calling all carts...

I'm back from the 'liberrian' convention in DC. Whew! It's odd to be away from HN for so long, but also a much-needed break.

The weather was gorgeous (compared to here, where it rained the whole time and now the rivers are cresting...) and the food was delicious. We saw old friends and new museums. We took lots of goofy touristy pictures and walked about 8-10 miles over the course of 5 days. I witnessed a book cart competition and I saw Julie Andrews speak for her contractual 15 minutes. It was great! I even learned some stuff. I think Baby Guanaco had a good time, too.

Up this week:

• Laundry, grocery shopping, lawn maintenance (damn you, overly abundant rain!), cleaning my room.
• Sampling new wines (thanks for the Argentina connection, Nan!).
• Getting ready for the finale of Charm School.
• [Putting my portrait in the Lame Hall of Fame.]

Roller Derby!

Just got home from watching a TX Rollergirls bout. The Hotrod Honeys won! Shout out! Also, I'd like to give a shout out to Stef is Super for joining us at the derby and kudos on her spankin' hot new tattoo! I'm actually quite jealous.

Okay, I'm fulla Lonestar...ugh. Gonna go to bed.

Yes, we have no bananas

The weekend went well here. Got a lot of shopping and errands done, caught the next-to-last episode of the season of BSG, and even saw an Iron Maiden cover band crank it out Saturday night (as well as a couple other acts). For the most part, I avoided the crush of a local overblown music conference and enjoyed the company of pals and pets instead.

Today is back to ye olde grinde. I've decided to not drink alcohol until Friday. Yes, an entire week of sobriety. Can I do it? I hope so. It is definitely time for a 'reboot' on this body. It's gotta last me another 70 years, so I need to at least look like I care. So far, so good. I even got up early this morning.

And now for a restaurant review: Yesterday Baby G and I went to a local restaurant called Manny Hattan's with high hopes in our hearts for tasty NY-style deli food. What we got wasn't so good. In fact, we've decided not to return. Bypassing the menu offering of breakfast tacos (in a NY-style deli?!) I had a bagel sandwich with egg, cheese and pastrami, G had kerplatch soup and a chicken salad sandwich on rye. This food was okay; "fair" would be a good word to describe it. It was the 2 "fancy" pickles brought to our table on a bed of saurkraut when we sat down that did us in. We, being the curious eaters we are, of course ate some of each pickle. One was bland and very cucumber-y with a severe aftertaste of vinegar. Blech! The other was an overcured shriveled offering that had been seasoned with too much pepper. It hovered somewhere between "sweet" and "dill" without capturing the essense of either. This noncommittal pickle left both of us with a grimaced face. Even worse, the two samples of pickle kept repeating on us all afternoon, thereby erasing any goodwill inspired by the lovely subway tile decor of the restaruant, the one thing the place really had going for it.

To Watch or Not Watch

Wanna get drunk on a weekday? Wanna get drunk on a weekday for a reason this time? Wanna watch the State of the Union address tonight? Nah, me neither, but I did find this cool drinking game for those that want to simultaneously vomit in terror and vomit from Tito's. And for the responsible set, BINGO!

Back on the chain gang

Back at el officina today. It's okay. I had five glorious days off at no cost to me. Thanks, Mama Nature! I slept, watched tv, did crossword puzzles, drank beer, watched more tv, and chased the cats around. (They loved that, by the way. Not really.)

We suffered only one casualty. Our mailbox finally gave up in the storm. It had been on its last legs, but now I think it's dead.

The gods of winter have smiled...

...an icy smile. I get to stay home yet again!

Baby G and i went wandering in the ice to the gas station this evening. She kindly bought provisions and I am now full of sunflower seeds and coors light (thx mellen!). I love January. Or Janvier as zee Freench woud say...

I am delighted with the cold and the frost====mostly b/c the electricity has remained constant. I lurve winter. Bundling up in layers upone layrs. Drinking the heat in. Blinding the eyes.

Indeeed.

The deepest most profound happiness comes through love..

The other kind of happiness comes through matireialism and beer. Wondruful amber. Yes/

You go away for a few days...

...and the world keeps spinning. Indeed.

Let's see... Gerald Ford & James Brown passed away. Saddam Hussein was hanged for crimes against humanity. The war in Iraq rages on and Iraqi refugees are shut out of America. Oprah made me cry for an hour with her very special episode on helping the orphans of South Africa.

Closer to home, the holidays went smoothly and were quite a delight. I think this year was the best Christmas I've had in a very long time. Not just because I scored some nice presents, but because my family was in good cheer, my plane rides were uneventful and quick, and I had a roaring good time on New Years Eve with my pals. Baby G even treated me to a street vendor hot dog early Monday morning. My first meal of the new year, ending a night of overindulgence and dancing, a very fun start to a new year.

A lovely bouquet...

Found this site of interest: Cheap Wine Reviews. I'm a big fan of Yellowtail shiraz; however, I'd like to try some other cheap wines without dealing with real stinkers. I hate hate hate wine that has that plastic-babydoll aftertaste. I've winced from this effect many times while drinking various reds and whites. I'm not sure what kind of grape or processing causes that particular quality in a wine, I just know it's not for me. That's the big reason I've stayed with the Yellowtaiil shiraz --- it doesn't have that funky taste mucking it up. Plus, shiraz is typically a nice warm chewy wine.

Apparently Trader Joe's is the place to go for good cheap wine. Unfortunately we don't have such establishments around here. Any recommendations, Gentle Readers?

WOOT!

Wedding weekend is here. Everyone's favorite sprite, Booklahver, is gettin' hitched and yours truly will be preceeding her down the aisle on the arm of someone's relative or some young guy.

I flew in this evening and was plied with mimosas. Now I'm on the 'interweb'. Dangerous! Okay, I'm gonna be good. Mostly.

oh. my. head.

Wow. Usually Project Runway night isn't that heavy on the juice, but I think I overdid it. In fact, I know I did. I assume many of you Gentle Readers are wondering about the statement at the end of my previous post.

Yes, a wedding was discussed last night; however, there is no formal engagement, nor is there anything set in stone. If you'd like to send a new toaster oven or vacuum cleaner our way, please be our guest. We are not ones to refuse anyone's generosity (that is, unless you're trying to unload 8-track cassettes or the taxidermied head of any animal).

Baby G? Help!

ima narcissist when i'm drunk

who isn't?

seriously?

in fact i'm drunk right now. on project runway juice. (that Laura, whata bitch.)

i'm also listening to regina spektor and a bit of her space holiday. awesome.

back to the narcissism: I had to go over to my fellow duplex holder's apt tonight to --- yes --- ask the kids to turn down their music. i pled "old lady" and they most graciously complied. [the gray hairs work!]

irony? i'm now listening to my music at a blaring volume.

Baby G has left the building.

Oh, and we're getting married in the spring.

For realz.

Too much Project Runway Juice is not a good thing

I overdid it last night on the shiraz, or PR Juice as I like to call it. I'm pretty sluggish today. Oy. No one got kicked off the show last night, so I was a bit disappointed that Jeffrey (aka "Neck Boy") was sticking around; however, there are still 3 episodes left. Anything could happen. Big shout-out to Abbe for bringing me and Baby G a meatball sub. Yum!

I made 2 sales yesterday in my little side business. Yay! I am also in the midst of working on a brand spankin' new website created solely to showcase my pieces. It's taken a lot of my attention this week, but I want the rollout to be as fabulous as possible. Friends of Tiny Robot will receive this news sometime soon.

An interesting(?) development: One of my colleagues, whom I thought was nice, is very very slowly getting on my nerves. Let's just say that lately, her enthusiasm for her job has made me believe she's nothing more than a cloying kiss-up. Hmmm... she's not the next RTG, but news of her antics could find its way to these very pages. Stay tuned.

Shout Shout Let it All Out

Woke up this morning with a nasty little headache, most likely due to all the Project Runway Juice I drank last night. Hey, Project Runway Night only happens once a week, can't a robot indulge?

It was quite lovely -- Baby G grilled kabobs and Mel-a-rific concocted a deliciously sinful advocado and salsa dip for the bag of zoxcheetle (as I like to pronouce it) chips we scored earlier. Yum! I really don't remember the episode too well, except that a sassy Pam Grier-inspired outfit won. Heidi, of course, annoyed the crap out of me with her prissy accent.

In other news: Congrats to St. Gorton! He was recently accepted into graduate school. He's very intelligent for a fisherman and purveyor of fine fish products, but I hope he doesn't rest on his laurels for too long; grad school is no picnic. Seeing as how he'll be extra busy with his studies, the dearth of posts on his blog will probably continue. 'Tis unfortunate, but necessary to be sure.

I want that one

Some kids salvaged some books in a late night dumpster dive and built a bar out of them. An excellent way not only to recycle, but to entertain.

Snow is forecast for tomorrow. I'm not putting all my eggs in one basket, but it sure would be nice to have a three day weekend.

Baby G and I saw Capote Tuesday night. It was a well made film. Phillip Seymour Hoffman played the title character in such a convincing way that you really felt empathy for him in the face of his heartbreaking dilemma despite his character's overwhelming selfishness. After seeing it, I can understand what everyone has been raving about. Mr. Hoffman was Truman Capote. Heath Ledger's character in Brokeback Mountain was also wonderfully executed. I'm not sure who should get the Oscar for these two understated yet emotionally charged portrayals. I believe a game of eenie-meenie-miney-mo is in order. Heh heh -- "mo".

Vacation '05: Day 11

Well, it's over. Today was kinda anticlimactic. I feel like my vacation never really started. Wow, eleven days of being away from work and I still feel as angsty and worn out as I did on August 31st. Eh, what can you do?

I did a lot of loafing today on principle. I watched 5 hours of Property Ladder. I enjoyed a couple cold PBRs and lemon cookies.

I also did a lot of 'responsible' things like put new sheets on the bed, research a project, prep some homemade Christmas present ideas, and create my academic calendar for the semester. I couldn't help myself--I finally felt normal today after a long week of feeling crappy. If there were Razzie awards for worst vacationer, I'd most certainly be a nominee this year. Oh well, there's always next year, right?

I've been Watching your world from afar I've been Trying to be where you are I've been Secretly falling apart --Aqualung

Happyland, Here I Come!

Okay, the tire is fixed. I'm only out twenty bucks. Turns out it was a nail and a wee patch did the trick. My darling friend Bess graciously kept me company at the bar next to the repair shop; she with her gin & tonic, me with Dos Equis. She is such a witty and fun person!

I have my next summer read on order. It should arrive next week. (Keep your eye on the reading section in the right-side column for details.) On my way home from the bookstore, I treated myself to a thoroughly delightful/disgusting dinner of fastfood. I'm now snacking on some chocolate and enjoying a cold crisp beer while watching Reese Witherspoon dish it out as Becky Sharpe in Vanity Fair. I'm going to gain 10 lbs before Baby G comes home on Monday. There'll just be more of me to love. Heh!

Summer Solstice Slipping Slowly into Shameless Self-Promotion

[Viva la alliteration!]

My mother says the same thing every year on this day: "I hate to see [Tiny Robot's] birthday come, it means the days are going to start getting shorter." Now you know where I get my unbounding optimism from. But seriously, I love my mother but I've had to learn to read between the lines with her sometimes.

So far, it's been a fantastic day---no Kitty 500 at 5am, Baby G made me some terrific breakfast, my car wasn't stolen, and RTG half-heartedly croaked out a hello to me (meaning he's either taking the giant hint that I do not care for him or he's feeling ill today---either way, if he's quiet, I'm happy). We'll see how the rest of the day goes. I have two meetings to sit through before I can make my escape.

There's a bottle of shiraz out there with my name on it. Only 7 hrs to go...