Weekly Ponderosa

After 20 months of trying, we finally came in first in Quizzo. We have come in second many, many times and each time we are thrilled, but to finally come out the victor is, well, totally sweet. We didn't know what to do. At the end of four rounds we were tied with one other team, and thus there was to be a shout-out best-out-of-three challenge for all-out victory. Of course the tie was with the ever-present (and ever victorious) Smartypants, a team we revile but a bunch of people we quite like. Doug manned up and took the shout-outs and after a tense few rounds the victor was announced and it was us! If you don't play trivia with the same team week in and week out it probably isn't too interesting, but for those of us who have had this Monday tradition, it is a pinnacle.

Last Saturday I was driving from Wedge Brewery to Nathan's house and there, standing on the corner of Hillard and Biltmore in the pouring rain, was a no-armed midget. Just standing and staring. It was almost 11pm. Ian said it best, “I felt like I was suddenly in a David Lynch movie.”

My old teachers are in town this weekend and I can't wait to take them out.

I can't believe how fast the day goes when I'm working on something I like.

Nathan has the Playstation 3 karaoke video game (as does Ian and Tammy) and for some reason I'm quite good at it. Except after a few hours of beer and singing “Total Eclipse of the Heart” I lose my voice.

Jane got new bookshelves and I finally unpacked books that have been in boxes for nearly three years and I swear I could hear them sigh. I love owning books; I have reread most of them at least once and I do use them as references or recommendations. I love the library but there is something so important to me about owning a book.

There is a White Stripes song that has the line, “It's the truth and it don't make a noise.” For some reason I'm been mulling over that for quite a while; wondering what sort of noise truth doesn't make. I guess lies are more the rustling type. I think of them as sound like a bag of chips, where no matter how hard one tries, they are going to make a whole lot of very recognizable noise.

Weekly Ponderosa

Haven't done a weekly ponderosa in a while so sit back, relax and enjoy the buffet.



A redneck cashier in a fabric store correctly used the words cantankerous and minutia in a conversation with me that lasted less than two minutes. That is awesome.

Monday night Katie and I really wanted ice cream but the grocery store was closed. I stopped by a quasi-sketchy BP station and found they had three kinds of Ben and Jerrys. I picked up two pints and placed them on the counter. The cashier rang up the first then looked at me and muttered, "rich lady." I don't know either.

Ani Difranco is playing at the Orange Peel in March. Anyone? She's always good...

Friday night I met Cara and Margarita at Zambras for tappas, dessert and Spanish wine. A chill girls night out was necessary. Then Margarita and I stopped by the shop and drank moonshine with Adam and Brad while we talked about travel, pranks and whistles. Quite the jump in conversations and environments.

Women talk to themselves. A lot.

This is what my high school principal looked like. Seriously.

Now that I have my Sundays back I'm relearning them. I'm rusty at Sundays.

In a world so full of gadgets and high tech stuff, I love how much bright sunshine still has the ability to change things. So simple and yet so powerful.

For some strange reason, strangers feel the need to ask me what size I wear and then scoff, mock or make a snide comment when I answer them. I've actually had people become offended. Recently I've actually thought about lying and saying I'm bigger than I am. I don't understand this. I am the way I am, leave me be.

Yesterday my IT guy was wrapped in syran wrap by my coworker and they were giggling like little girls. Thank you for that.

Ponderosa of the Week

Two best text messages of the week:

"I kinda just want to get drunk, dress up like a fairy and throw glitter on people. But I want to do that pretty much every day." --Margarita, on Halloween plans.

"Yesterday I was called 'city boy' three separate times. I'm beginning to wonder if I smell like an appletini..." --Paul W, who happens to live in rural Wisconsin.

Friday night I lost my voice playing a karaoke game on Nate's PS3. That was really, really fun, especially since I kept winning. I like winning. And Cara and I dueling on "Total Eclipse of the Heart" as a finale was just...wow. Had problems talking Saturday but totally worth it.

This week I told someone they were a hermit and they told me they were going to choose to think I was referring to the type of cookie. New fact for the week: hermit is a type of cookie. Who knew.

Thanks to Nate for this Article on 5 Presidential Elections Dumber than this one. Anytime sarcasm, snarkiness, nerdy and American History combine I call it a good time.

Four weddings already lined up for summer 2009. Wow.

Weekly Ponderosa

Back to the tidbits kiddies I'm beat!

(1) Tina Fey as Sarah Palin was clutch...it really is creepy the similarities. Why do only the comedy shows have the wherewithal to call out the BS? Why are the Daily Show/Colbert Report/SNL the shows that actually go, "Hey, you guys realize this is all spin and absolute crap, right?" No wonder we are getting more cynical. PS I looked up what a flerg was...just go to Urban Dictionary. It fits.



(2) Thank you Drew Brees for absolutely killing my fantasy standings this week. Of course the team I was playing in that league was comprised of many of my players from my other league, so I knew I'd probably win one and lose won, which I did. And in real life Brees was playing my Redskins, so sorta glad he sucked.

(3) Leave for VA on Wednesday right after work for a wedding (surprise! A wedding!) Another bonsai trip with another huge one sitting on the horizon. I love to travel but it truly does exhaust me.

(4) I watched "Snatch" again on Saturday night. I love that movie. It is such a guy film but also is so funny.

(5) Jonathan and I were speaking vaguely about our personal long-term plans last week and it made me realize how few of them I actually have. I made a whole bunch after college but they blew up in my face so fantastically that I haven't made many since then. I need to get over that and start thinking about what I actually want. Cuz I have no idea.

(6) There is a prank war happening at work. And it gets better and better. I love my coworkers and essentially disdain my job, but I guess it is the people that make the experience.