Monday, July 31, 2006

CELEBRATING!


My birthday in the mountain time zone!

A Toast!


Raising our glasses because it's officially my birthday in Fargo, North Dakota and Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Birthday Eve Parking Spot



I picked a very appropriate parking spot for this evening, don't ya think?

Friday, July 28, 2006

Chocolate

I have loved this song since the first time I heard it back in March when my little brother Jimmy bought the album at Easy Street Records in Queen Anne. I am in melancholy mood today and this song has touched my heart more than usual.

Chocolate by Snow Patrol

This could be the very minute
I'm aware I'm alive
All these places feel like home
With a name I'd never chosen
I can make my first steps
As a child of 25

This is the straw, final straw in the
Roof of my mouth as
I lie to you
Just because I'm sorry doesn't mean
I didn't enjoy it at the time

You're the only thing that I love
It scares me more every day
On my knees I think clearer
Goodness knows I saw it coming
Or at least I'll claim I did
But in truth I'm lost for words
What have I done it's too late for that
What have I become truth is nothing yet
A simple mistake starts the hardest time
I promise I'll do anything you ask...this time

Thursday, July 27, 2006

Every woman...

Received an email from a friend today with the following. I liked it so instead of forwarding it to the female masses I decided to share it here.

=========

A woman should have...
One friend who always makes her laugh and one who lets her cry.

A woman should have...
A good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family.

A woman should have...
Eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal that will make her guests feel honored.

A woman should have...
A feeling of control over her destiny.

Every woman should know...
How to fall in love without losing herself.

Every woman should know...
How to quit a job, break up with a love and confront a friend without ruining the friendship.

Every woman should know...
When to try harder and when to walk away.

Every woman should know...
That she can't change the length of her calves, the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents.

Every woman should know...
That her childhood may not have been perfect..but; Its over.

Every woman should know...
What she would and wouldn't do for love or more.

Every woman should know...
How to live alone... even if she doesn't like it.

Every woman should know...
Whom she can trust and whom she can't, and why she shouldn't take it personally.

Every woman should know...
Where to go...Be it to her best friend's kitchen table or a charming inn in the woods when her soul needs soothing.

Every woman should know...
What she can and can't accomplish in a day, a month and a year.

Monday, July 24, 2006

DaVinci View?

Lunch with my brothers David and Jimmy at DaVinci Subs in Seattle's University District offered a *DaVinci View* for sure! ;-)

Acting like a kid again

The streak in the middle of the picture is my little brother Jimmy diving off the high dive into Green Lake.

SWIMMING!

My "little brother" at Green Lake.

Friday, July 21, 2006

Poetry on the bus

I rode the bus to work this morning. Since 1992 the King County Metro has sponsored a poetry contest; the winny entries appear on the interior of their buses. The contest is called appropriately enough Poetry On Buses. The theme for 2005 was Self Portrait. I read and re-read this poem on the way to work this morning and really liked it.

Rust
Let it go, just let me go.
You've built a vessel, let it float.
Let it rust, let me live.
Iron can't rust without some air.

-Jane Minifie, 12th grade

Manhattan Sunset

Another pic courtesy of NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day website.

A Manhattan Sunset Credit & Copyright: Neil deGrasse Tyson (AMNH)

Explanation: Today, if it is clear, Manhattan will flood dramatically with sunlight just as the Sun sets precisely on the centerline of every street. Usually, the tall buildings that line the gridded streets of New York City's tallest borough will hide the setting Sun. This effect makes Manhattan a type of modern Stonehenge, although only aligned to about 30 degrees east of north. Were Manhattan's road grid perfectly aligned to east and west, today's effect would occur on the Vernal and Autumnal Equinox, March 21 and September 21, the only two days that the Sun rises and sets due east and west. If today's sunset is hidden by clouds do not despair -- the same thing happens every May 28 and July 12. On none of these occasions, however, should you ever look directly at the Sun.

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Words to live by

Via bloglines "Quote of the Day" and a statement that I can agree with nearly every morning.
"Early morning cheerfulness can be extremely obnoxious."
--William Feather

Friday, July 14, 2006

Friday Night at the Pub

A friday night on the patio of one of our favorite pubs is the perfect way to end this crazy week!

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Another Beer Truck?

What is going on with the recent sightings of beer trucks in the office parking lot? Maybe they feel the stress level inside the building and are trying to offer relief, who knows?

Monday, July 10, 2006

Hot Tub View

I ended my day by soaking in the hot tub and watching the sky grow darker and the city lights grow brighter. Not at all a bad way to end a stressful first day back at work from vacation.

100 Questions?

I received this from my friend Mike back in April; it has taken a while to get through it but I finally finished it. While completing it I noted that some of the questions are missing. So although it titled 100 questions, when renumbered it ends up being just 93. Anyway, here goes...

1. ONE OF YOUR SCARS, AND HOW DID YOU GET IT? On my left wrist from a broken sliding glass door, the result of chasing my brothers through the house.

2. WHAT IS ON THE WALLS IN YOUR ROOM? Photographs of places and things I like.

3. WHAT DOES YOUR CELL PHONE LOOK LIKE? It's a silver and blue flip phone

4. WHAT MUSIC DO YOU LISTEN TO? A little bit of everything, when at home I am usually listening to my favorites list from iTunes.

5. DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME YOU WERE BORN? 9:23 a.m.

6. WHAT DO YOU WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING RIGHT NOW? To be done with PA school.

7. WHO DO YOU MISS? Several friends and family members that have passed away.

8. THE BEST TV SHOW EVER CREATED: My all-time favorites include Friends, Gilmore Girls and ER.

9. DO YOU GET SCARED IN THE DARK? Sometimes

10. THE LAST PERSON TO MAKE YOU CRY? My friend Bean.

11. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOGNE / PERFUME? Romance by Ralph Lauren

12. WHAT HAIR/EYE COLOR DO YOU LIKE ON THE OPPOSITE SEX: Dark hair/blue eyes

13. COFFEE OR ENERGY DRINKS? Coffee

14. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PIZZA TOPPING? Veggies

15. IF YOU COULD EAT ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE? A bagel with cream cheese

16. WHO IS THE LAST PERSON TO MAKE YOU MAD? My friend Bean

17. DO YOU SPEAK ANOTHER LANGUAGE? Not really, a little bit of Spanish and a little bit of Sign Language.

18. WHAT WAS THE FIRST GIFT SOMEONE EVER GAVE YOU? My mother gave me life (cheesy answer, I know, but it was a stupid question).

19. DO YOU LIKE SOMEONE? I like a lot of people.

20. ARE YOU DOUBLE JOINTED? No

21. FAVORITE CLOTHING BRAND? Whatever fits and is comfortable

25. WHAT'S YOUR DREAM CAR? A convertible

26. WOULD YOU FALL IN LOVE KNOWING THAT THE PERSON IS LEAVING? Yep!

27. WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO TELL SOMEONE HOW MUCH THEY MEAN TO YOU? You just have to spit it out, no matter hard it is.

28. SAY A NUMBER FROM ONE TO A HUNDRED: 1

29. BLONDES OR BRUNETTES? Brunettes

30. WHO IS THE ONE PERSON YOU CALL OFTEN? Jenna

31. WHAT ANNOYS YOU MOST? Stupid people

34. HAVE YOU BEEN OUT OF THE U.S.? Yes

35. YOUR WEAKNESSES? Delegation

36. EVER DONE A PRANK CALL? Yep!

37. WHAT WERE YOU DOING BEFORE YOU FILLED OUT THIS? Checking my email.

38. WHY DID YOU FILL OUT THIS SURVEY? Because Mike took the time to do it.

39. WHAT DO YOU GET COMPLIMENTED ABOUT MOST? My smile

40. WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF ALCOHOL BECAME ILLEGAL? Make my own.

41. WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY? I hate being asked this question, so I am not going to answer.

42. HOW MANY KIDS DO YOU WANT? Undecided

43. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Not really, my parents just liked the name.

44. DO YOU WISH ON STARS? Always!

45. WHICH FINGER[S] IS YOUR FAVORITE? Are you supposed to have a favorite finger?

46. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? A week ago.

47. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? I love my handwriting.

48. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Turkey

49. ANY BAD HABITS? Yep!

50. WHAT IS YOUR MOST EMBARRASSING CD ON THE SHELF? Most people would think that majority of my collection is embarassing but I would have to say the front runners are Rob Stewart, Barry Manilow, Helen Reddy and the Carpenters.

51. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I think so.

52. HAVE YOU EVER TOLD A SECRET YOU SWORE NOT TO TELL? No

53. DO LOOKS MATTER? Not to me.

54. HOW DO YOU RELEASE YOUR ANGER? By talking it out.

55. WHERE IS YOUR SECOND HOME? Don't have one.

56. DO YOU TRUST OTHERS EASILY? No

57. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOY AS A CHILD? Dolls and purses

58. HOW MANY NUMBERS ARE IN YOUR CELL PHONE? 73

59. HOW MANY LIES DO YOU TELL IN THE AVERAGE WEEK? None

60. IF YOU WERE KING/QUEEN FOR A DAY WHAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU WOULD DO? I am already the Queen of Everything!

61. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN A MOSH PIT? Yep!

62. WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A GUY/GIRL? Great sense of humor, smart, able to carry on a conversation

63. WHAT ARE YOUR NICKNAMES? Jewells and other not to be named here.

64. DO YOU UN-TIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Usually

65. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Heath Bar Crunch

66. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE COLORS? Bright Red and Cornflower Blue

67. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BAND? Carbon Leaf

68. HOW MANY WISDOM TEETH DO YOU HAVE? None

69. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Shasta (Carrie's Song) by Vienna Teng (You gotta love that DaVinci View).

70. LAST THING YOU ATE? A cookie

71. LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My mother

72. WHATS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ON THE OPPOSITE SEX? Smile and eyes

73. FAVORITE THOUGHT PROVOKING SONG: Eric's Song by Vienna Teng

74. FAVORITE THING TO HATE: Stupid people

75. FAVORITE DRINK: I love wine and beer and drink it most often. My favorite mixed drinks are Gin and Tonic and Long Island Ice Tea.

76. FAVORITE ZODIAC SIGN: Leo, I guess.

77. FAVORITE SPORT? Football

78. WHAT IS YOUR HAIR COLOR? Brown

79. EYE COLOR? Blue/Green

80. DO YOU WEAR GLASSES? Yes

81. SIBLINGS? 2 brothers

82. FAVORITE MONTH(s)? December and the autumn months (late September to mid November)

83. DO YOU LIKE SUSHI? Some of it.

84. LAST THING YOU WATCHED? News

85. FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR? Christmas

86. ARE YOU TOO SHY TO ASK SOMEONE OUT? I have been in the past.

87. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter

88. KISSES OR HUGS? Both!

89. RELATIONSHIPS OR ONE NIGHT STAND? Relationships

90. WHO IS THE MOST LIKELY TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS? I don't expect anyone to since I am not forwarding it via e-mail.

91. WHO IS THE LEAST LIKELY TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS? same....

92. IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME AND NOT DO SOMETHING YOU DID, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WOULD YOU? I wouldn't change anything.

93. IS ANYONE IN LOVE WITH YOU RIGHT NOW? That is none of your business! (Nice avoiding the question, don't ya think?)

Sunday, July 09, 2006

Discovery at Sunrise


Shamelessly stolen from NASA's Astonomy Picture of the Day website.

Their explanation: On July 4th, the space shuttle orbiter Discovery rocketed into space on mission STS-121. Now docked with the International Space Station, Discovery orbits planet Earth at about 27 thousand kilometers per hour. But in this dramatic sunset view taken in May, Discovery is approaching the service structures at Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39B at the blinding speed of (less than) 2 kilometers per hour. Of course, the orbiter, booster rockets, and external fuel tank ride on one of NASA's workhorse crawler transporters. Built for the Apollo program to carry the giant Saturn V rocket, the crawler transporters have seen four decades of service.

Loud Italians!

You can barely make them out in this picture, but there is a group of very loud people celebrating Italy's victory in the World Cup on the sidewalk in front of the white building. The are honking, screaming, yelling and whooping it up. I am excited for Italy's victory, but they are beginning to get annoying.