Once Upon A Time

Well the beach idea is

Well the beach idea is toast....sounds like Sunday as a whole will now be a washout with rain. Crud.

The wedding was very nice and quite interesting from my viewpoint since I have never been to a Hindu ceremony. I'll have to elaborate more later. The one thing I will mention is that despite leaving in plenty of time, I arrived at the wedding late because the Beltway was a virtual parking lot. That really sucked. I ended up getting off at a different exit and drove around in places in Wheaton and Silver Spring where I've never been. But I did finally find my way and I got there about 10 minutes into the ceremony. And clearly I wasn't the only one who got stuck in that mess. Uggh.

Now I better get going to the reception since it's about that time. I just hope the rain holds off until late.

Urvi's wedding is today. I

Urvi's wedding is today. I need to get white shoes yet, so I'm not quite sure why I'm here blogging. Then tomorrow I'm off to Philly for a conference/seminar thing that starts Monday. I think if the weather's good I may go by way of the Jersey shore first, lol. The beach in April? Bizarre, but it sounds like it may be warm after the rain passes through Sunday morning. And last I heard, no baby yet for brother and SIL. But coworkers said she won't make it through the weekend since it is a full moon.

I'm getting tired of reading

I'm getting tired of reading story after story about unconfirmed terrorist targets. Clearly the point of captured terrorists spilling the beans on alleged targets is to create terror via these FBI CYA warnings. [Yes, I meant to type CYA...figure it out.] And clearly this crying wolf will make us doubt the authenticity of a real threat. It's all part of their game. I'm just tired of playing.

And then this story bugged the shit out of me. It's shock value headline suggests that French Fries and Potato Chips cause cancer. Putting this out prior to publishing the data in a peer reviewed journal makes me doubt the soundness of its conclusions. I'm sorry, but anyone who is well grounded in science knows that in order to be taken seriously you need to publish the data in a peer-reviewed journal. Are the authors claiming that they are putting this finding out so we can all immediately stop eating French fries and potato chips? And the whole study of what is and what isn't a carcinogen can be a bit shaky. It can be either done using rodents or cell culture which may not always be indicative of human circumstances. These studies generally can suggest that a substance is carcinogenic, but absolute proof is hard to come by. On the other hand, the fact that smoking leads to cancer has been shown time and time again in human subjects that contiue to smoke. Yet even with that sort of definitive proof, many folks still choose to smoke. So I really doubt that folks are gonna stop eating fried foods due to *one* study.

Now the rain has come.

Now the rain has come. I managed to sneak in some shopping yesterday. Found 2 pair of slip on shoes at Rackroom Shoes. I managed to cause a stir when I was looking for the mate to the black sandal and couldn't find it. I mean none of the staff could find this shoe, lol. They looked high and low and no shoe. So I opted for the brown ones instead and got a black pair of closed toe slip ons, too.

Then, I continued on to Kohl's which was packed. It seemed like everyone was out looking for spring/summer clothes. Had to wait awhile for a dressing room before trying on a bunch of things, of which I only found two that fit and looked good. And for the skirt, I went back and picked out a 'small' since the waist was slightly big on the 'medium.' Well that was a mistake because the 'small' didn't look as good. The best item I found was a very light blue tailored skirt outfit that I didn't even try on because I didn't want to wait in line again. Tried it on when I got home and it looked great. It does a nice job of covering my pouch, lol. Now I need to go back to Rackroom for matching sandals. I swear I saw a pair that would match the color. This outfit should be perfect for the wedding I'm attending next week. (Hey Urvi...it's only a week a way! Holy cow!)

I think I may attempt more shopping today since I need an umbrella for my trip to London and perhaps a new carry on bag since mine has seen better days. And any clothes that would fit would be good. This 5-10 lbs extra that I weigh really sucks. Between my 'pouch' and my bigger chest, things just don't fit like they used too. And much of what is in style is for waif-like girls shaped more like young boys, lol. [No hips, no thighs, no boobs.] It's not like I'm fat, it's just I now have the curves of a woman approaching thirty. I never thought I'd ever complain about having a little more cleavage, but hey, they do make certain outfits inappropriate to wear. Going to the gym has only managed to add a few pounds to me. Granted muscle weighs more, but my pouch is still there. I guess I need to do more cardio. *sigh*

Well, I was up half

Well, I was up half the night on Wednesday, lol. Oh well.

Had a wonderful evening last night. Went out to Macaroni Grill for dinner with my friend Karen. I once again got the Chicken Portobello which is very yummy. Then we walked around the lake there and fed the ducks. Everyone seemed to be out on such a wonderful summer-like evening. And then we ran into my friend Tonya at the outside tables at Hamburger Hamlet, with her two little daughters and her parents. Jeff was away on a business trip. It was great to see the girls again because they have gotten so big. It's been nearly a year since I've seen them other than by picture. Chatted just a few minutes before their food came. Hopefully we'll be able to schedule a time to meet up again because it's not often we get to hang out. Her life is just so busy with the two girls especially with Jeff having travelled a lot recently being a part of Homeland Security.

Karen and I continued walking and had fun people watching. Some of the outfits we saw some of the women in were shall we say interesting? And found a few cute guys in the mixture. But most of the folks were out with their kids, rejoicing in the fine weather we were having. Supposed to rain soon, but so far this AM it's gorgeous.

So I better get out there....blogging can wait, lol. :)

Must be the combo of

Must be the combo of heat, lack of good sleep on the weekend, and PMS....I came home and went straight to bed and zonked out cold for 2 hours. It felt soooooo good. But knowing my luck, I'll be awake half the night now. One of the things they tell insomniacs is not to take naps. Luckily, I don't have insomnia much these days since changing jobs. :)

Well, as you can guess, I did not win the lottery. LOL. What would I do with all those millions anyway? hehehehe.

So as I mentioned above, it's been HOT here. The record high temp of 92 got smashed today. It was 97! In April, no less! Tooo freaking weird. Next we'll be having snow in July.

My brother is watching that new gameshow (what's old is new again mentality) Whammy! While as a child I liked Press Your Luck, I find that gameshow less satisfying now, but this new version goes beyond that to the point of annoying. I really could have done without this new version. But then again I also find Millionaire and Weakest Link annoying as well. I'll stick to watching old reruns of Match Game, lol. To be honest, my TV watching is pretty limited these days. I end up catching bits of whatever my brother is watching.

It's only three more weeks until Sue and I go to London. It's getting pretty exciting as we've picked out a couple daytrips (to Bath, Stonehenge, Avebury, the Cotswolds, etc.) So we will get to see a bit of England outside of London. It's gonna be one jam-packed week. I may need a vacation from my vacation afterwards, lol.

I find it interesting that

I find it interesting that while the world of fanfic would lead one to believe that most viewers are female, the email me and Pam receive about our Witchblade site is from guys.

Also, I was pleased that someone other than me made mention that they wanted the new season of Witchblade to start so that we might get stories other than Sara and Ian live happily ever after crap. I'm glad it's not just me that is seeking something of more substance. And besides, other than Ian's statement of "I love you...in unguarded moments," there is northing romantic between these two. I just can't see there ever being anything romantic between them...I think Sara would strangle him out of frustration in no time, lol. :) I think Ian is just meant to pine after her, his feelings unresolved.

Just found mention that Sarah

Just found mention that Sarah McLachlan and her husband Ash Sood welcomed daughter India into the world last Sataurday. Congrats to the new parents. :) Additionally her new album should be hitting stores in the next few months. It was delayed both due to Sarah's mother being ill and Sarah's pregnancy. I'm anxious for Sarah to tour for that new album since I was blown away by her performance during the second year of Lilith Fair. Maybe by next year. :)

Here it is...Friday again. It's

Here it is...Friday again. It's been a busy week that I didn't blog much about, LOL.

So instead....here's the Friday Five

1. What is your favorite restaurant and why?

Probably Il Pizzico. I love the authentic Italian food and the atmosphere. Not to mention I have many good memories there and and some more bizarre ones as well. But I'll keep those to myself, lol. :)

2. What fast food restaurant are you partial to?

Jerry's Subs and Pizza...the chain with the commercials impersonating anyone from Clinton to Bush to Martha Stewart. Except come to think of it, I don't recall hearing any of their zany commercials these days. And not sure if it's really a traditional fast food place, but I love Chicken Out Rotisserie. Kicks Boston Market's ass any day of the week. LOL.

3. What are your standards and rules for tipping?

I give at least 15% and if it is really great service (friendly, kept the drinks filled and we didn't wait forever for service), 20% or more. Kinda depends on cash on hand and who I'm eating with as well.

4. Do you usually order an appetizer and/or dessert?

If there is an appetizer I really like, then there is a decent chance of me getting an appetizer. Maybe less than half the time I eat out. Getting desert is pretty rare. Usually I'm too full to bother.

5. What do you usually order to drink at a restaurant?

At most places lemonade or water. Occassionally a coke or alcoholic drink. If at Chevy's and not driving or if hanging awhile, I'll get a Fruit marguarita. (Strawberry or Mango)

God, these are boring questions this week. Maybe I should submit some more interesting ones. ;)

Planned to blog on Monday,

Planned to blog on Monday, but Blogger was down. It seems I have allergies this Spring. I was having some congestion for the last couple weeks and was beginning to fear the allergies were to the new cat. Yesterday morning these allergies were at their worst. But when the front pushed through in the afternoon, miraculously I felt much relief. Damn pollen, lol :)

Had to take Tabitha to the vet on Monday since she has another UTI. It's been 5 months since the last one. Which the vet felt was good. My feeling was I hoped she wouldn't get anymore, period, lol. So I get to pill a cat all the next 2 weeks and continue with her special diet. I'm beginning to think there is no hope of ever saving any money these days. Another $100 for the vet. The only good thing is he's not going to charge me for the visit in May for Tab's distemper shot.

Trying out the Friday Five

Trying out the Friday Five for the first time.

1. What are the first things that you do in the morning to start your day?

I sit up, greet the cats (Tabitha and Gee) who have already begun to greet me, drag my sorry ass out of bed, find clean panties and a bra, and hit the shower. I need that blast of hot water to rid me of my grogginess. Then I choose clothes, get dressed, check e-mail and boards to see if anything needs my attention. Brian is usually up by this point and puts ESPN Sportcenter on and switches between that and the news. After ding my hair, brushing my teeth, etc., I grab my purse, my card, and my gym bag, and out the door I go. Then at work, if I didn't eat at home, I join the girls (Amy and Candice) in the lunch room for a hot chocolate and a muffin, bagel, or apple fritter. The girls, of course, have coffee instead. This is when I get the daily 'Good Morning' and smile from Charlie. (No, I'm not being dreamy, this has just been part of the routine since last August, lol. And even if something is bothering him, he still manages a smile for his friends.) That's how I start out my average day. :)

2. What are the last things that you do at night before going to bed?

I lock up the door, close out the lights, jump into my nightgown/shirt, brush my teeth and hop into bed. This usually involves the cats following me to my room, so inevitably they get pet or their toys tossed around to play. After a short bit of that, into bed I climb, where depending on the time, I may read a chapter of the book I'm reading before heading off to the land of Zzzzzz.

3. What daily routine have you recently added to your day?

In the last year, I've added going to the gym to my semi-daily routine. It does need to become more daily, but I like haveing some 'free' days to do other stuff.

4. What routine do you wish you get rid of?

Some days I think my morning breakfast at work, but I like chatting and laughing with the girls, and well, I'm a sucker for a nice smile. *sigh* I wish Charlie and I had never gone beyond being more than friends...it would make things simpler.

5. What's the one thing that makes you feel like something is missing if you don't do it some point within your day?

Going online. I feel like I've gotta check email, boards, newspaper. Additionally, many days I play some sort of game and surf some blogs. There are some days I don't check at all...but those are few and far between.

Why is it that if

Why is it that if you are single for any length of time people feel the need to tell you that '"it will happen when you least expect it to?" I have never quite understood that. Not making an effort to meet people basically succeeds in you not meeting people. LOL.

Actually, I wasn't the one who was told that this morning. Not sure what the convo was before but Charlie was being told that just as I was walking into the room. At that moment Charlie dropped one of the bagels he was arranging, lol. I couldn't help but find it amusing and ironic.

And so since Charlie isn't likely the one how do I go about meeting more men? (In a forum other than at work)

I'm leery of using a dating service, but maybe I should consider it. Overall, I could use a boost in my confidence since it appears to be at a low point right now. It's always tough when you are not quite sure what went wrong or if the 'end' has anything to do with one's self or moreso with the other person and their situation.

Additionally, work has been slow and not sufficient to keep me busy and my mind fully occupied. It has me considering looking for a new position soon--one more strictly research as opposed to development/validation. But since I've only been in this job just over a year, I'm not sure it would be wise to change again so soon.

So much to consider....

Yes, they are watching. But

Yes, they are watching. But who are they? An old article brought to my attention about internet net bugs. What you don't know could potentially hurt you.

Also, added some fresh blogs for perusing, since I've neglected to do that in a long while. That way you can take a turn at watching rather than being watched. ;)

Ticking away the moments that

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way

Home, home again
I like to be here when I can
When I come home cold and tired
It's good to warm my bones beside the fire
Far away across the fields
The tolling of an iron bell
Calls the faithful to their knees
To hear the softly spoken magic spells
--Pink Floyd, Time

Can I turn 30 already and get it over with?

Between work and world events, there has been too much focus on war, illness, and death. I need a break from it all. Hopefully the weather will be nice this weekend so I can get out and enjoy it. Escape into nature.

Otherwise, I need to finish doing my taxes and continue planning my London trip. I guess I'm thankful on one hand not to be in London right now since things are focussed on the Queen Mum's death. But on the hand, it could have been quite an experience to see such a major historical event as this is.