Showtime Marathon

This weekend was all about recovery. I watched at least 10 episodes of "Queer as Folk" on DVR and several "Sex and the City" too. Someone told me that if you subscribe to Showtime already, that includeds being able to watch unlimited Showtime ON DEMAND too. I hope so, otherwise my Time Warner bill will be a treat next month.

Wow - I'm productive. However, I did make my Target run and was surprised to find a 6' fake Xmas tree that didn't look too bad, so decided to try it out. That was the end of Saturday productivity. Oh - got my hair cut too, which I think was bad for my scalp since I feel like it was doused with acid.

Then I made the *smart* decision to get out of the house and walked to a neighborhood bar for "special" people. It was packed, so I didn't have anywhere to even stand. I gagged down a beer and pretended that I was checking my messages while people looked at me like, "Is he alone?? Why is he just standing there in the middle of everything?" I left hoping they assumed I got stood-up. That's sad to think people would rather you got stood-up than go to a special bar alone. But, that's reality in my world when you don't really know anyone of my persuasion. So, I decided I couldn't stand to go back to the couch and I walked all the way across downtown to another, more exciting, bar of my variety. The Bolt. Yeah, as soon as I walked in I just wanted to bolt. It was hotter than hell and crowded like that too. Thankfully I found a small open space at the bar and was able to stand there to gag down a cocktail. This little guy next to me, though, was totally using up more of my space than he needed to, so kept bumping in to me. I couldn't even give him a dirty look b/c all I could see was the top of his short, stupid head. THEN, this younger guy I met out once before started yelling my name across the crowded, loud bar. I looked at him like, "Huh??" And his friends were smirking at me like, "Who the hell is he...?" I just said, "I don't think I know you" b/c it was embarrassing. Later I told him, "thanks for embarrassing me in front of your friends..." and left. God, people are stupid.

So then yesterday was more of the Q as F marathon. I rearranged furniture to make room for the tree and set that up too. Guess I can throw some lights on it tonight, but I'm not really feeling very jolly or merry. Maybe the Xmas CDs will help!

Happy 4th of July...from Canada

Nothing exciting today to report, that's for sure. So, here's a story that happened to me the weekend some friends and I decided to go Niagara Falls at the spur-of-the-moment for the long 4th of July weekend, 2003:


At about 5:30 p.m. on Thursday my friend Mike called to say that his & his friends’ plans to go to northern MN had fallen through, so at the last minute they decided to take a trip to Niagara Falls and did I want to go with them? So I said I would.

His friend Kathy got her Dad’s van and their other two friends, Kiki and Nikki, and drove to Winona from Minneapolis. We left Winona at about 9:30 and drove all night (not unlike Celine Dion) to Detroit for breakfast. Let me tell you, Detroit was desolate (being that nobody was at work). So we ate breakfast in Greektown and had this waitress who was like the pregnant version of Flo from “Alice.” We got done eating and Mike was accosted by “Greek Gary,” who was a homeless man wearing some sort of long cloth fashioned into a skirt/wrap, no shoes and a dirty T-shirt that was WAY too small. He didn’t speak English (we think it was either Greek or Crack Gibberish), but we deduced that Greek Gary needed a cigarette. When one was produced by Mike, Greek Gary let out a hearty laugh and proceeded to thank Mike in Crack Gibberish, all the while protruding saliva. It was horrifying, but still laughable. We toured the downtown Detroit area and surrounding neighborhoods…it was worn down. Our reason for the Detroit visit was the Motown Museum…closed.

Next we crossed the US/Canadian bridge to Windsor, Ontario (right across the lake from Detroit). That was a nice little city, so we walked along the lakefront & ate lunch at an Irish pub, where our server was from England and not a very happy girl. We went to a creepy souvenir shop and were followed around by the foreign owners who thought we might steal and were very unapologetic about following us. One friend bought something and they had to go down the street to get the change b/c the boss had lost the cash register key! It was a little odd. From Windsor, the Detroit skyline/downtown looks kind of nice.

From Windsor, we drove a few hours to Port Burwell, Ontario. The area looks the same as MN/WI…rural. The road was right alongside Lake Eerie, but the people don’ seem to realize they live on a lake. No docks…mostly plain, boring houses. We took a wrong turn in this town about the size of Lake City. Lots of Mennonites lived there and walked along the streets. We turned around a little outside of town at one of their Mennonite Groceries (for the summer farm workers) and saw a child of the corn (Mennonite), whom we nicknamed Ezekiel. He was about 8-10 years old, 4’ tall and about 20 pounds…he wore dark green polyester overalls that were a little too short, a plain shirt underneath and a generic green & white baseball hat w/ no lettering and a mesh back. He leaned against a post on the porch of this Mennonite store and stared into our vehicle with piercing blue eyes…wondering….plotting. We sat there for a few minutes just staring back at him in disbelief. Finally my friend Mike said he thought Ezekiel was staring into his soul. We whipped the van around to get out of Ezekiel’s cultish gathering place and with that, he lept off the porch and sprinted toward us. We all screamed in horror until we realized that his parents had just arrived and he was running to their vehicle…not at us. It was scary nonetheless and we always carried the sneaking suspicion that little Ezekiel was either riding on the roof of the van, or clung to the axel underneath.

We finally made it to Port Burwell; a very small town that has the oldest lighthouse on Lake Eerie’s North Shore. Of course as soon as we set up the campsite and got ready to visit the beach, the thunder & lightening began. We threw all clothes, etc., back in the van just in time before the monsoon hit (Ezekiel’s doing, we knew). Plans of sitting around a campfire foiled, we decided to visit Port Burwell’s only bar, Curly’s Cove (or something like it). I think the record scratched when we walked in…2 white boys, 2 white girls and a black girl (Kiki). Well, it was karaoke night, so it didn’t take long for us to cheer the locals on while they sang country hits and golden oldies. Kiki & the rest of my traveling companions got up to sing a couple numbers and people began asking us where we were from. By the end of the night, a local we called "Singin’ Cheryl" had dedicated a few songs to us, (she’s probably about 65 and married to Singin’ Ron, who had about 8 too many Canadian Molson’s). We decided to go swimming in Lake Eerie since the rain stopped, so left the bar after a couple hours…much to their dismay. We left with “Welcome to Canada, eh!” and “Minnesota, eh!!” cheers. Some followed us to the van. This was only after one of the challened Kiki to an arm-wrestling match and wouldn't let up until she agreed. He kept asking her, "How did you get such big arms?" She said, "From lifting forks to my mouth..."

After swimming, we returned to the campsite where we had a fire. A Canadian visited our site and proceeded to give us the history of Canada since we admitted to being very ignorant about their country. That was a treat. I suspect he liked our beer. I've since forgotten any Canadian history he taught us.

We left the next afternoon for Niagara Falls, driving across Ontario toward East Toronto and Hamilton (another bigger city), where we crossed Lake Ontario. Niagara Falls is a cool place. We took the “Maiden of the Mist” boat tour in the river at the foot of the falls. As soon as we got down there, the rain started. We all had to wear rain parkas anyway b/c of the mist created by the waterfalls. But because of the mist, water just sprays into the boat in torrents. Kiki stood in the middle of the lower deck, clinging onto a pole and screaming bloody murder…this was after she pushed a few white girls aside at the boat’s deck to vomit. On the boat, you discover that a 63-year-old female school teacher did plunge successfully down the falls in a barrel in the 1930s. Also, a 7-year-old boy also survived the fall in the ‘60s. If visiting the falls, I highly suggest going to the Canadian side. You can’t see as much from the American side.

After only two quick questions at the border, to our surprise, we re-entered America and were in New York. We took the quick drive to Buffalo and walked around the downtown theatre district looking for a restaurant. A bartender suggested Cazemel, a Mexican place. It was a fun bar/restaurant with patio seating and music…looked like a popular spot for Buffalo’s younger crowd. Buffalo is a nice city with an old downtown. Probably about the size of Madison, Wis.

We drove through New York, Pennsylvania and finally got to Cleveland really late. Of course, no tour of the weekend would be complete without going through the ghetto, so that was nice to see. We found a hotel in a less shady area of Cleveland and crashed. Yesterday, we got up and went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. It was cool to see…a little less than I expected, but still good. Lots of the displays are of clothes worn on their tours. Mostly ‘70s-today performers. While there, I saw Jim Morrison’s baby book and high school letter, outfits worn by Madonna, N’Sync, the Supremes, childhood drawings by Jimmie Hendrix & Jim Morrison, Elton John outfits, Mama Cass mumu, Elvis leisure suits, Bee Gees outfits, Rolling Stones things, etc., etc., etc. So, it was pretty interesting.

We left there, and I drove from Indiana to Madison…and we got home late last night. It was a fun time. And pretty cheap too with 5 of us splitting everything.

Anyway, that was my 4th of July weekend spent mostly in a foreign country(!). In 1999, I was in England on the 4th of July...I'm so pat-reotic.

Survey of the Lynne Variety

1. If you could have any three people over for TV dinners, who would they be?
Other than my Blog people, I'd say Charlotte, Carrie & Samantha's characters from Sex and the City...Miranda had to watch Brady.

2. What child actor would you choose as a roommate?
A current child star? Or one who used to be a child star and is grown up now? How about...Mindy Cohn? She seems like she'd be pretty laid back and fun (Natalie Green). Seriously, I don't know where the hell that came from...

3. What two people would you most like to be stranded on a desert island with?
Friend Tara and HotBabe - they are funny and they like to drink too. We *would* have liquor there, wouldn't we??

4. If you could keep only one possession, what would it be?
My pictures! I love them.

5. What celebrity do you think you most resemble?
People (a couple) have told me Vince Vaughn. I hope that's not true b/c I don't really see his cuteness shining through. Otherwise, nobody.

6. What other person on this list would you most like to go ice fishing with?
Whoever is going to burn down the shack with me so we can go to a bar.

7. If your life was a soap opera, what would your name be?
Reid Kennedy, of course...

8. What is your most treasured possession?
Didn't they already ask this?? My pictures (candids) are most precious after my clothes.

9. Which person on this list would you least like to spend an hour locked in a closet with?
Decisions, decisions!! An hour?? After spending almost 21 years in a closet, an hour is nothing. Any of you -- and for longer than 60 minutes.

10. What outfit do you own that you think you look the best in?
I did get lots of compliments in some jeans, a thermal and a zip up hoodie...?? Who knew...

11. When was the last time you cried while watching a movie or TV show?Oh lord. My friends say I don't have any emotions, but I kind of started crying over a Lifetime movie with Meredith Baxter Birney! Her really cute son committed suicide...sad. And what about "Terms of Endearment." Yikes...

12. What do you own that you are most ashamed to admit you own?
Ummm...oh, these swing dance instruction movies that a friend gave to me in college! I think she wanted to "practice" with me...They are kinda creepy.

13. What is your most recent sin?
Define sin...

14. What part of your body do you most want changed?
My tum-tum -- could use a little toning!

15. If you had to choose someone from this list to marry, who would it be and why?
Geez...Let me know when it's legal.

16. What is your most embarrassing moment?
I was a "Kids Teaching Kids" teacher in sixth grade and the little brat fourth grader raised his hand and said, "Ummm....your zipper is down." HORRID.

17. What is your worst dating experience?
The guy who wanted to be peed on. How come some guys get so weird?!?

18. What are you doing when you feel most attractive?
Having a good time w/ my friends at a bar...bar lighting is great for your complexion!

19. What is the brattiest thing you did as a kid?
I don't know how bratty it is, but I crashed into my Dad's Cadillac with a golf cart going really fast. Oh, and I broke all the windows out of some junked cars at an abandoned farm house -- turns out the cars were some crazy old doctor's collection. Other than that, ask my sisters.

20. What is the worst crime you have ever committed?
Vandalism of those windows and I do have a DUI under the ol' belt too. That was a bright moment. Waking up in jail is fun. I CAB everywhere now...well, if out drinking.

One of my college chums (indirectly, indirect)

It's a good thing

Looking over my previous blogs and what a downer I am!! Lordy. So, something good that happened to me recently.

I was on this website my friend chats with people on - you can see your friends, their friends, etc., and who did I happen to see?? KYLE CARLSON of the Abercrombie twin fame. He also attended Winona State at the same time I did, but I didn't know him. I said hi to him and he wrote back to me!! If you don't think my neighbors think there's a 14 year old girl living next door, you better think again. Highlite of my year!! My good friend played baseball with the twin, Lane, but I never met him either...Now I can say that I've met Kyle! Yay.

Ditched

It's a great day. I was talking to this really cute guy in Uptown (28) online and he asked if I'd go for coffee with him. I said sure, but needed to get ready first. So he said he'd call in 30 minutes and I told him where I live (to pick me up). He never called or showed up!! Justin in Uptown (like that's your real name), you are a mean jerk!! Dumb boys...I am *so* switching teams.

This ain't my first time at the rodeo...

Mommie Dearest was on HBO tonight. I love that movie, however campy & over-the-top/controversial it may be. Besides the obvious "No wire hangers", my favorite line has got to be after Christina gets caught making out and Joan Crawford pulls her out of Chadwick. Joan, in the car and obviously distraught, tries to take a drink from an empty flask:

Christina: There's a liquor store up on your right

Joan: I should have known...You know where to find the boys *and* the booze.

LOVE IT

Oh, and when Joan says, "Why can't you treat me with the dignity & respect I'd deserve from anybody on the street?!"

Christina: Because...I'm....not...one....of...your...FANS!!!!"

And who could forget the Pepsi board meeting? They try to kick her off and she says, "Don't F*CK with me, fellas!! This ain't my first time at the rodeo..."

God, I love that movie.

Picky, Picky!

Can I just say that the guys online sure are picky! Apparently smokers are the anti-christ. Ever heard of mouthwash, people?! Yeah, smokers use it too. Geez...

You're my cousin - "nice to meet you"

So my cousin's wife is in Mpls from Sacramento b/c she works for Target and had to come to the corporate office. She's really nice. I had never met her. I picked her up downtown and we drove to Hastings to meet my Mom at Applebees. She likes Minneapolis. I agree, it is a nice little city...and now it's 12:30 and I'm hungry again. Great.

Camera phones take blurry pictures, but that's my cousin Karen (she's pregnant), my Mom and myself hiding in the back.

That's it...

I subscribed to Yahoo personals today. Yeah, I'll admit it. I am now paying to find a guy to e-mail and maybe hang out with. Sad, but true. And I decided to be really, really honest (almost to a fault) on my profile. I said, "Yes, I smoke. Daily. No, I don't go the gym as much as I should. I have good months and lazy months. Yes, I probably go to the bar more than I should. I like to shop and watch TV/movies." Now, they can't say I didn't put it right out there to begin with...

There are a lot of health nut gay guys in Mpls!! Tons of their profiles were like advertisements for Abercrombie or Banana Republic...aren't there other somewhat-lazy, somewhat-cute guys out there who think of going to the gym and being healthy as work -- not to mention confess to hobbies like smoking, drinking, shopping and watching "Sex and the City"?

I should have written that I Blog a lot...that would really reel 'em in, I bet.

There's one for the fridge...

I really feel like I'm starting to look like I'm in my 30s (even though I won't even be 27 until March). I got my professional pictures back from stupid ProEx today and they...are....HORRID!!!!! Look puffy, ghostly, pasty, blotchy, bad hair, dead - just ICK. Totally not a Kennedy.

And I'm not one of those people who is always seeking compliments through self-deprecation. No, these pictures are BAD. The ones I posted last week aren't bad. But these new ones for work?? I even laughed (before the tears) at a couple of them. I thought, "When is the circus coming to town??" Seriously - bad.

No, you can't see them. Nobody will.
Ever.

And that's it. No more fast food. Starting gym routine again. Going tanning. STAT.

Black People Love Us

This is a really good website. It's both funny and a thought-provoker. Black People Love Us They get some idiots sending letters, though. Are people really that dumb??

Sideways - a movie

I went to see Sideways the other night at the Uptown. It was okay...rentable, but not really a must see. Had a few funny parts, though.

The Uptown needs to be remodeled. I like how it still has the art deco type look to it, but it seems kind of ratty or dirty somehow. Like it needs a good scrubbin' w/ some 409.

I'll be going there again - seem to have cool movies playing there.

Have a Grand Weekend!

Because I'm broke, and because I just should anyway, I'm going to spend the weekend at our lake home in Lake City. I won't have dramatic stories to tell on Monday, be forewarned. Just hangin' w/ my Mom!! (Oh, and the "lake home" is the *only* family home...just thought I'd try to sound Kennedy'esque)

Scraping the hell out of it...

It's getting to be that time of year again in the upper Midwest...the dreaded winter. I had to scrape my car this morning due to frost (not snow, thank god). Scraping is horrendous...it adds five minutes to the morning prep. Not to mention having to warm up the car before you go anywhere. I wish I could get automatic start put in my car...

Oh what fun it is to scrape...and scrape & scrape & scrape! Hey!

Doodling is not a Bad Thing!

Dan's recent post of his cartoons made me think of myself. Ever since I can remember, I draw all over everything - well, only in situations like the classroom and in meetings. I've recently realized that my whole life, teachers/bosses/co-workers, etc., have thought that I'm daydreaming and not listening because my face is always pointed at my paper, intently doodling an eyeball or a house or something equally boring. Anyway, I have been listening the whole time! How else would I have gotten good grades in school?? So, the other day my boss made me take notes on one of his endless whiteboard graph-type-things because he thought I wasn't paying attention. In fact he said, "since you're just coloring anyway..." That pisses me off. So, to my three readers: if you're ever a teacher or a boss, the person who doodles all over homework and notes may really be drawing and listening to you at the same time. Don't accuse him of coloring in front of classmates/colleagues!!! Okay, I feel better. Now I need to go draw a random person on my wall...

I hate Ivana from The Apprentice!!!!! Every time I watch that show she ends up in the board room. I've never seen her do anything productive. She needs to get her ass fired. Get rid of her!!

I finally figured out how to use the SOB - this is kinda blurry, but whatevah -- was also taken during my trip to Hilton Head, SC - a very fun place!

Hilton Head, SC

Fast Foodin' It

It's been a groundbreaking couple'a days for Kiddo. Ignoring the fact that he's supposed to have started his "diet" and gym routine, fast food has been the rule of thumb (and why am I talking in third person?). The kicker is that I've tried Chipotle and Lee Ann Chin for the first time. I've heard all the fuss and both have Rochester locations (at least Chipotle does), but I've just never gone...

Here's my take:
Someone skipped out on a training session here at the office last night, and subsequently missed the Chipotle. So the training lady came in my office with free Chipotle. It was full of mushy beans and rice and jalepenos. Yick.
Co-worker Angela and I went to Lee Ann Chin for lunch. I had the Cashew Chicken with wild rice & puffs. It's pretty good - no 'plaints. But I still don't see what all the fuss is about...

I've gotta go to the grocery store tonight. MUST!! But I dread grocery shopping...

Another survey

I rec'd one, so thought I may as well post it...


1. What time is it? 3:43 p
2. Name as it appears on birth certificate: Reid Nicholas Kennedy Windsor (I'm royal in two countries)
3. Nicknames: Jerk, Mean, Drunk
4. Number of candles on your last birthday cake? 26
5. Pets: Yeah right, like anything else deserves attention or emotion
6. Hair color: Boring Brown - I should highlite again
7. Piercing: one - it's grown shut, though...earrings are so 1999 (which is why I was still wearing one a few months ago before I lost it again)
8. Eye color: Blueish greenish grayish (depends on what I'm wearing)
9. Hometown: Dodge Center, Minnesota (Dee Cee High School, hats off to thee...blah, blah, blah...)
10. Town/City you live in: Minneapolis, Minnesota (Stevens Community)
11. Favorite foods: I would go insane if a virus wiped out the chictchen population
12. Ever been to Africa: Ummmm....too hot with too many flies. So, in the words of Oprah (Sophia) in Color Purple, "HELL no."
13. Ever been toilet papering: Not really, no. We preferred just to do drive-bys in good ol, Dodge Center (while sippin' on gin & juice)
14. Love someone so much it made you cry? No - but it has made me violently angry a few times. Revenge is a fun option.
15. Been in a car accident? Not really, no. Ditch a few times. ONE was my fault, thank you. And, no, I wasn't drunk. I was 16. And no, I wasn't drunk.
16. Croutons or bacon bits? Don't you put those on salad?? I don't have....experience....with that.
17. Favorite day of the week? Friday nights
18. Favorite restaurants: Hmmm....Jeffersons in Winona is an old favorite; otherwise TGI Fridays, and I recently ate at Brit's Pub in Mpls and that is a cool place. Nice atmosphere. Very authentic.
19. Favorite flower: Flower Power....I've got it. I can dig it.
20. Favorite sport to watch: If it's live and there's beer, I'll go. Television = none, thanks - bored out of my gourd. I went to the WSU game at the dome this wknd and was more excited to see the danceline than the game. But it was a fun game too.
21. Favorite Drink: Long Island Iced Tea or Jack & Coke
22. Favorite ice cream flavor: Anything w/ chunks of chocolate/peanut butter/caramel -- I'm going to weigh 800 pounds before long
23. Disney or Warner Bros.? For....what?? HBO & Showtime & FX shows are all I care about. And only the "racy" ones.
24. Favorite fast food restaurant? McDonalds - num. Again, hello Jenny Craig soon!!
25. What color is your bedroom carpet? I think it's kind of beige - typical apartment carpet - but so much better than 83 year old hardwood floors that haven't been properly maintained
26. How many times did you fail your driver's test? Once. I think that was the last time I cried...
27. Before this one, whom did you get your last e-mail from? Who knows. Probably one of my sisters wanting to plan Christmas. "Just get me a bottle of Jack and a carton o' smoke..."
28. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Banana Republic or Express Men -- As long as I have a huge nice wardrobe, I'm happy. I've worked at new job a month now and haven't worn the same thing twice yet. Don't tell my Mother...
29. What do you do most often when you are bored? Shop; Internet Blog; Email; find the jerkiest gay dudes out there and let them toy w/my emotions; oh, and TV
30. Bedtime? Between usually around 11-12 on week nights - sleep isn't a part of my weekend until Sunday
31. Who will respond to this email the quickest? Dunno
32. Who is the person you sent this to that is least likely to respond?
I don't even know who I'm sending it to
33. Favorite TV shows: Sex and the City, Nip/Tuck, Queer as Folk, Raymond
34. Last person you went out to dinner with? A date last night - I wound up taking about two bites of my sandwich b/c I could tell he wasn't at all interested...
36. What are you listening to right now? "Big Hits of the '80s" on Launch.com
38. What is your favorite color? Green
39. How many tattoos do you have? None, thanks
40. Time you finished this email? 4:09pm (had a few interruptions)

I'm Going to Betty Ford

What a crazy weekend I had...two co-workers and I left work at 4:00 on Friday for happy hour. That turned into a few hours, of course. Wound up at my bro's playing Trivial Pursuit and drinking pretty late. Gave co-worker ride home, though, at about 7:00 am. Then on Saturday a college friend got to my apartment at 10:00 (thank god I had just woken back up) to go see Winona State beat the hell out of Concordia (well, they didn't win by that much) at the Metrodome. We went to the tailgate first and were obliterated by half-time. We were just casually drinking and all of a sudden both of us looked at each other in amazement and realized that we were really drunk. Thankfully I had already seen my old WSU co-workers, so I can be pretty sure they aren't all at the water cooler today saying what a soak I am. After the game we pretended to be married (this was a favorite pasttime of ours in college) and met the nicest old couple also leaving the game. They said they met playing ping-pong at the dorms in 1940. So Jocelyn and I said we met at the dorms playing pool in 1996. We're going to hell. So, we trekked over to Grandma's to eat & consume tons of water. By this time I felt a little better, but didn't know how I was going to manage to still attend two birthday events that night. So, Jocelyn's real husband picked us up at some gas station (we had to sit on the curb like two punk teenagers waiting for him) and he gave me a ride home. By this time, I felt 50% better and not soaked in beer. I met my brother and friends at Elsie's Bowling/Karaoke Center (?) where they were all bowling and I just watched and joked w/ his friends (I don't bowl - sprang my ass bowling in college, seriously...then resprained it one day when I had a big sneeze while typing a paper in the lab. Thank god I was alone in there). ANYWAY...I stayed there for a few hours and then had to cab it back downtown to meet friend/co-worker for her birthday. They were at a club in La Meridian, but wanted to go to the Loon. Later we went back to the club and almost got kicked out for being snotty. We kept insisting that we were Kennedys and "don't you know who I am?!?" to the bouncers, bartenders, etc. DUH. I cabbed it home and woke up on the couch yesterday still wearing my coat & shoes. NICE. Betty Ford, here I come...

DVR is Like Cocaine

Yep, have only unpacked a few boxes in the week that I've lived here, but you better believe I've watched about 50 movies w/ my new DVR (like Tivo) and subsciptions to HBO & Showtime. And I used to feel the need to unpack everything at once - when did I become the guy who doesn't care if his place is a mess?? I do still care, just apparently care more about movies and "Sex in the City."

Mix 104.1 - gets me thru the day

I know most "hip" Twin Citiesans hate Mix 104.1 (The '80s Station), but I must say that several times a day it brings me joy. Right now, Cyndi Lauper is singing "All Through the Night" and me likes it. Also, I hear my other guilty pleasures like Journey, REO, 99 Red Balloons, etc.

It just wouldn't be one of my posts if I didn't say something negative. So here goes: they play PRINCE like every five songs. Prince bugs me. He's small and he smells (a friend of a friend met him at a party). Speaking of, he just came on...UGH. I'm switching to Drive 105...

It's Survey Time Again, Folks!!

Welcome to the fall 2004 edition of getting to know your friends. What you are supposed to do is copy (not forward) this entire e-mail and paste it onto a new e-mail that you'll send. Change all the answers so they apply to you, and then send this to a whole bunch of people including the person who sent it to you. The theory is that you will learn a lot of little things about your friends, if you did not know them already!

1. What time do you get up?
7:00 a.m. - This is not what my body enjoys

2. If you could eat lunch with one person, who would it be?
Nick Lachey. I know I could convince him to leave that Jessica. Martinis would need to be involved, of course. If he just won't listen, then I want to change my answer to the sister from Ferris Buehler's Day off, Jeannie. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE her!!! "Speak any English??!!"


3. Gold or silver?
All my dental work is of the silver variety, since I don't want to have my teeth pawned.

4. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
Friday Night Lights. Stupid. I should have known...since I'm such the sports fan. High School football to Texas is like teenage pregnancy to small town Minnesota. They don't dick around...or maybe they do. ANYWAY - it's serious stuff & everyone's involved.


5. What is/are your favorite TV show(s)?
I've been addicted to TBS lately -- Seinfeld, Raymond, Sex and the City...But, Will & Grace, Golden Girls, Mary Tyler Moore & Queer as Folk are other favorites - oh, and Law & Order -- and who could forget Punky Brewster...the list goes on...


6. What did you have for breakfast?
My healthy usual - cigarette & Diet Pepsi & then coffee....NUM!!

7. Who would you hate to be stuck in a room with?
A Show-Biz mom or dad & their singing brat. Or a hotel clerk from La Quinta Inn - Dallas.

8. What/who inspires you?
Laughing children, sunrise, the lord...oh wait - that's my evil twin. I'm usually inspired by greed, jealousy, booze, anger...

9. What is your middle name?
Nicholas -- I knew it was meant to be w/ Nick Lachey!!

10. Beach, City or Country?
Let's see....I don't really enjoy being lynched, so Country is out. Beach..hmm...are there any beaches in Minneapolis??

11. Favorite ice cream?
Yes'm


12. Butter, plain or salted popcorn?
Caramel or cheese -- of course, the stuff that's even worse for you.

13. What is your favorite color?
Hmmm....earth tones. Because I'm so earth-conscious...?

14. What kind of car do you drive?
The kind that will get me through another 2 years or so... '97 Pont. Grand Prix

15. Favorite sandwich?
The Flash (Erbert & Gerberts) on wheat w/ no onion -- it's the stuff that dreams are made of

16. What characteristic(s) do you despise?
ignorance, being mean to Reid'ness, non-conformism (weird ppl who wear all black to get attention, etc.)


17. Favorite flower?
Hmmm....haven't the foggiest...Sometimes I'd like to put a rose between my teeth and DANCE!!

18. Where in the world would you go on vacation?
Would like to go back to England and to Ireland, Sweden/Norway, Greece, Rome, Austria/Germany, Switzerland, Hawaii and Jamaica...and to Nick Lachey's for a long weekend.

19. What color is your bathroom?
Apparently a color that makes me not want to go to work...


20. Favorite brand of clothing?
I want it all - but have a lot of Gap, Marshall Fields stuff, Old Navy, American Eagle and want more Express Men and Banana Republic

21. Where would you retire?
A pub in England - or Bullseye bar in Winona -- may as well retire where I started

22. Favorite day of the week?
Any day that blasted alarm doesn't scare the bejesus out of me

23. What did you do for your last birthday?
Winona college bars - it's not the same as it used to be

24. Where were you born?
Crookston, Minnesota - or, as my family refers to it, Frozen Hell of the Disco Era

25. Favorite sport(s) to watch?
Ummm.....sport?? As opposed to a Lifetime movie, you mean?? WEll, I do enjoy attending games, but only because of the celebratory atmosphere. I just join in with the fans of whomever is winning, because really, what do I care??

26. Who do you least expect to send this back to you?
As usual, Nick Lachey -- but you better believe his attorney will be in contact again. It's like, "Maybe you're the one harrassing me, Mister Attorney!!! Now, scoot!!"

27. Who do you expect to send it back first?
Not really sure -- the attorney with a subpoena, maybe

28. What fabric detergent do you use?
Whatever's on sale at my Mother Ship --- Target

29. Coke or Pepsi?
I heart diet cherry coke

30. Are you a morning person or a night owl?
Do you wake up screaming bloody murder then cry because you have to get up?? Take a guess, genius.

31. What is your shoe size?
.....12

32. Do you have any pets?
Umm...not so much.

I like Winston's style

You know those e-mail quotes that people have at the end of all their e-mails, like a signature? I don't mind them, but have never felt the need to post one until now b/c there was never a quote that I felt inspired by...until now. Just read one in an online recruiting article and it was uttered by Winston Churchill:



"Diplomacy is the art of telling people to go to hell in such a way that they ask for directions."

I like it. It suits me. I need to learn how to be more diplomatic, though, because I usually just tell people to go to hell outright...

Thanks, Winston!!

VOTE

Whether you're a Bush or Kerry person...VOTE TODAY! It's important!! In Minnesota & Wisconsin, you can register at the polls and all you need is drivers license with current address or a utility bill - easy. If you live in Minnesota, find out where to vote by clicking here . Otherwise, go here and find your own state's website.

Now, don't you feel better about yourself?!?

It's Me!

This was at Hilton Head Island, SC in 2003 - but whatevah.

Dining Out & Non-smokers

I just thought of something...Is it weird that I totally don't mind going to a restaurant by myself?? I kind of like it, actually. I usually sit there and look at the other customers and listen to them talk...trying to figure out their story. Except last night I had to sit up in the balcony of Brit's Pub b/c that's the smoking section, and of course, the dirty/evil smokers have to sit up there. I'm tired of the judgement about smokers...YES, we know it's a bad habit. And, no, I'm outside, so I *won't* kindly put my cigarette out. Some geek man in a wind suit told me to get rid of my cigarette out once and we were outside!! I should have said, "Will you kindly let me burn you? Because you're a geek and really, that track suit has to go..."

U-Haul is EVIL

I think Satan is the CEO of U-Haul. Long story short - they are just a bad, bad company. Think being on hold for more than an hour (because I had to call them about 5 times). If given the option, go with Ryder or another moving company b/c U-Haul will give you a big headache. Seriously. Ick.

Chick 'er Cheatin'

Well, Warrant & Hairball were a no-go on Saturday. Didn't finish getting stuff in the new place until 7:30 so Tammy and I just went out for a while in Uptown (CC Club and the place across the street). There were some good costumes. I'd say my favorite was Anchorman. And there were a ton of Jennifer Beals "Flashdance" girls out...what's up with that?? Maybe they're all fans of "L Word"?

Although it was a bit chilly to be wearing my costume (it's basically like wearing a little dress), it went over well. People seemed to like...I went to the '90s last night and they had a Halloween party. 'Twas fun...but really crowded. One of the drag kings did a Michael Jackson Thriller routine with props and dancers & the whole nine yards...I'm assuming they were U of M theatre majors. ANYWAY, some good costumes there too. A few other "Dionysus" types, but mine was better. Hehe

NOTE: When going out to a crowded bar for Halloween DO NOT wear an obtrusive costume. I got jabbed & shoved by so many big costumes.

Oh, and I walked downtown to Target last night before going out and they were closed at 8:00...Stacy, please fill me in on closing times at metro Targets...I thought they were open until 10:00?? So, I just ate at Brit's Pub instead. I like that place...very authentice Englishness. Both the host and server really were from England.