The day after...

Maggie's first snow...

It's been steadily snowing in Las Vegas for like the last five hours and the news says it's not going to stop any time soon. That is just insanely crazy cool. We even got to leave work early. Snow day!!! Awesome. I took my dog for a walk when I got home. It snowed a little bit here when she was a puppy but it was nothing like this. This is her first real experience with a walk in the snow. When I first took her out and she saw the snow she turned back around but when she realized her only options were snow or no walk at all she decided the snow wasn't so bad.

I'm so happy right now...

"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

"It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

"It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled - Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America."--President-Elect Barack Obama

I refuse to use the obvious title...

I'm on vacation this week so I went to see Jersey Boys at the Palazzo tonight. It was incredible. It has replaced Stomp Out Loud as my favorite show on the Strip. Stomp Out Loud had replaced Blue Man Group which had replaced Mamma Mia but then I saw Blue Man Group again after I saw Stomp Out Loud and I really loved Blue Man Group so I was questioning my decision to give Stomp the edge but Jersey Boys clearly wins. It was the most expensive show I'll probably ever pay for but I didn't feel cheated at all. All the guys in it are super cute, too. Shallow observation maybe but important to my overall enjoyment factor.

I'm going to see "O" on Wednesday night. Another show I've never seen before because it's super expensive. I don't know what got into me this morning. I just broke out the AmEx, got on the internet and went to town with the ticket buying.

Yesterday I went to Hoover Dam and Boulder City. They have this old train in Boulder City that you can ride for $8. It was fun. They have really happy volunteers dressed in period train garb answering questions and stuff. Then I ate lunch in the oldest building in Boulder City. Built in 1931. I do love an old building.

Tomorrow is going to be a super long day. It better have a happy ending. I honestly don't know what I'm going to do if it doesn't

Bet you can't guess who for...

In other news, The Secret Life of Bees is a really good movie. Much better than I thought it would be. I was expecting something depressing but it was very funny. The acting was great across the board, too. Dakota Fanning is ridiculously talented.

Because I'm obsessed...

100,000 people at St Louis rally today

More talk about politics? Seriously?...

I’m sick of Joe the Plumber. His name’s actually Sam, he’s not really a plumber and he’s kind of a jerk. It’s enough already with him.

My neighbor has a poster of Obama taking up their whole front window with just his picture and the word HOPE at the bottom. It’s pretty awesome. I hope no one throws a rock at it.

I am full on obsessed with this election polling site www.fivethirtyeight.com. It’s ridiculous how many times a day I check it.

I have a very strong feeling that if Obama doesn’t win this election America will become like one of those low-budget futuristic movies from the 80s where everyone is dirty and wears burlap and lives underground because the sun is too close to the Earth and are forced to bargain with thugs for black market half-eaten apples so they don’t starve. Sports will most likely become very violent also. Players will die. It’ll be bad times indeed.

Just because...

A bit of bad advice...

From 1940s radio show “Alex Prescott, Wife Saver”:

A sheet of asbestos paper rolled into a cone shape will act as an oven when placed securely in a campfire. You stick the small end in a fire and it gives you a place to bake apples, eggs, potatoes and hot dogs. Toss them in like a horn of plenty and the fire lapping up the sides of the asbestos will turn them quickly into something to eat.

Eat them on your picnic table covered in peeling lead-based paint and have a big helping of red m&ms for dessert. Don’t forget the lawn darts!!

The one where I feel better...

Pretty good day today. The computer program testing that I wasn't really excited about doing at work was called off until further notice. I went to a new casino and ate at a restaurant where you pay 12 bucks and just pick food off a list and they keep bringing it to the table until you want to stop eating. I wasted a lot of food trying stuff out but it was all good and kind of a fun concept. Dan won HOH on Big Brother. Go Dan. Eli Mattson was on America's Got Talent. He's awesome. Go Eli.

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The one with a lot of complaining...

I have been full on bummed for like three days. I'm just sick of pretty much everything and everyone right now. I hate politics. I hate listening to other people's opinions about politics. I hate hate hate listening to stupid people's opinions about politics. I'm terrified that McCain is going to win in November. If he does I might pull a Baldwin and move to Australia or something. Although Baldwin just stayed here and revived his career with an Emmy-winning sitcom but you get my drift. I am bored. With work and tv and reading and food and everything. I tried to eat my way to happiness with some Panda Express but it took forever to get it and then the cook had poured like a whole container of salt in the fried rice which got mixed in with the chow mein making it all inedible. It was awful. I've been reading some new blogs lately and I can't stand the bloggers. Bunch of privileged brats talking about how hard it is to leave academia. Boo hoo. You're pushing thirty. Get a job. Arrggghhh....I'm in a really bad mood.

I feel I should say something pleasant. I washed my dog with fancy vanilla bath wash and she's never smelled better. I got a raise last Friday. That was nice. I've found a new old radio show called "The Halls of Ivy" starring Ronald Colman. It's awesome.

Those are some long arms...

I've been insanely into Michael Phelps all week. As I type this I'm obsessively checking nbcolympics.com for the results of his final race. (Delayed!! Torture!!) I'm pretty sure that I will forget all about him after this weekend but I thought I would commemorate my weeklong summer crush with a couple of pictures.

Now I want to go to Greece...

In honor of the incredible fun I just had watching Mamma Mia I present the songs that my nine year old self played over and over and over again singing at the top of my lungs. I don't understand why my mom never broke the 45s.

George of the Jungle should have been 3D...

I saw Journey to the Center of the Earth in 3D today. It was super fun. The parts where stuff jumped out at you were good but the scenery in 3D was the best part. Some scenes were really gorgeous. Plus, I had forgotten what a huge crush I have on Brendan Fraser. Such a cutie. Now I need to dig out my George of the Jungle or The Mummy tapes.

Ever since they opened the Rave Theater in Town Square I've been going to the movies like crazy. Next week Mamma Mia! Meryl Streep sings ABBA!! Hopefully I'll be able to get to my theater through all the Batman people.

Qu'est-ce que c'est?...

As I mentioned before, I'm trying to lose weight. I haven't told anyone at work though because I don't want a bunch of discussion about everything I put in my mouth. About thirty minutes ago someone called up and said that fancy cupcakes were delivered downstairs. I didn't go down to get one. Then that person called again to ask why I didn't come down to get a cupcake. Then someone emailed me about how great the cupcakes were and why wasn't I coming down for one. And then someone came by my desk and asked why I didn't want a cupcake because they were so delicious. It's diet torture and I can't even get mad at them because they don't know I'm on a diet.

Mmmm...cupcakes.

Update: The person that came by my desk earlier to tell me how great the cupcakes were just brought the box with the last two cupcakes to my desk, put it right in front of me and said if I didn't want one they were throwing them away. I said no. They looked pretty good, too. Because of my awesome willpower two cupcakes are in the garbage. I'm a cupcake killer.

Summer at the Bellagio...

I totally want to learn how to bend a bullet...

Wanted rocks.

That's all I had to say.

I just want my butt to fit in every theater seat...

So I started a diet of sorts this week. Nothing too terribly strict. More veggies & fish and no frozen, fast & junk food. I’m really committed to getting down to my goal weight this time. (Which I’ll just say is a looong way from my weight now and leave it at that.) So what should happen today? The receptionist calls to tell me that a vendor has brought over four heaping baskets full of snack cakes and donuts and all manner of dietbusting whatnot for the office to try. Oh well, it’s a good test of willpower I suppose. Lunchtime should be fun with everybody snacking away around me.

Completely by coincidence, I happened upon the Fat Acceptance movement on the internet. So I’ve spent the past couple of days reading about how all diets fail and if I do lose weight I certainly shouldn’t be congratulated for it because it’s the same as congratulating someone for staying with an abusive husband or trying to “de-gay” themselves. Or something? And I’m just going to gain it all back anyway. And I’m bowing down to the fatists. One blog tells you not to even bother registering if you’re on a diet or are thinking about losing weight on purpose ever. There were some interesting/entertaining blogs out there, though, with some good discussions in the comments. Including the one that doesn’t want me to register. My favorite is called Eat a Cheeseburger. And they talk about eating cheeseburgers a lot. And show pictures of cheeseburgers. Mmmm…cheese and meat and bread all hot and melty and delicious.

Anyway…I’m thinking if my diet can survive staring at free cupcakes the whole lunch hour and two days of reading fat acceptance blogs and people talking about cheeseburgers then I might be in decent shape to succeed

LA Vacation

Hollywood Walk of Fame. What? I was excited when I saw it. It's Yankee Doodle Dandy!


This was next door to the super-awesome Hollywood Museum in the old Max Factor Factory building and across the street from Hollywood High School. I didn't eat there. I just thought it was a cool sign.


Union Station
























Celebrity Sightings in Hollywood


Mural across the street from the Bradbury Building downtown. I love this. The Bradbury Building was pretty cool, too.


A fountain at the Adamson House in Malibu. The Adamson House was my favorite thing of the whole trip. Beautiful and interesting and educational and the tour was only $5.
The grounds of the Adamson House in Malibu. That's Surfrider Beach in the background.
Grounds of the Adamson House.
More Adamson House.

Ghost Town at Knotts Berry Farm.

Crazy-steep water ride at Knotts Berry Farm. I didn't ride it.
Rooster at Knotts Berry Farm. There were a lot of them by Independence Hall. I don't know why.

California Adventure Theme Park. There were these three singers and dancers that did a whole show and no one took any pictures or anything and then Mickey comes out and everyone starts snapping away.

From the Warner Brothers Studio Tour. This is where they filmed "The Music Man". And it was Stars Hollow from the Gilmore Girls. Which would be beyond cool except that it's where they filmed "The Music Man" and that trumps anything else. Robert Preston sang and danced right there!

This is what Friends used for Central Park in the scene where Phoebe runs funny. The place where they play Thanksgiving football was around the corner. On a related note, I saw the guy who played Phoebe's cop boyfriend in front of the Kodak Theater in Hollywood.

Street where they filmed parts of the movie "Rent". Namely the part where they dump all their flaming garbage out on poor Taye Diggs because they're not gonna pay rent. I love that movie. I really do. But I think they should probably just pay the rent.

Scooby and The Mystery Machine from the WB Studios Tour. This room also had the new Batmobile and the Weasley's car from Harry Potter and the General Lee. Fun.

Griffith Observatory. I really recommend the Leonard Nimoy movie in the basement. It's a very interesting look at the history of the Observatory and how they remodeled it. Plus, Leonard Nimoy is funny in it.

View of LA from Griffith Observatory.




I also went to the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens on the same day as Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell. They seemed really nice and happy. We were supposed to go to Universal Studios but we weren't much into after it caught on fire so we went to Disney that day instead. We drove down Sunset Blvd to Malibu and went through Beverly Hills and Bel Air and past a bunch of fancy houses. I actually liked the fancy houses in Pasadena better, though. The Pasadena ones all look like The Great Gatsby lives there. On the way back from Malibu we ate at Callahan's Diner in Santa Monica that opened in 1927 and didn't look like it's had a whole lot of remodeling since then. It was pretty cool. We went to the Tar Pits. They were interesting but smelled strongly of tar. Farmer's Market was great. I bought some chocolate coconut macaroons there but didn't eat them until I got home and they were incredibly delicious but it was too late to buy more. We drove down Melrose which was crazy and passed Paramount studios. Rodeo Drive just seemed like an outdoor Forum Shops so we skipped it. We rode the train and the subway from Pasadena to Hollywood. They were nice and clean. I think that about covers the main touristy things. We took surface streets most everywhere so we got to see a lot of the neighborhoods. It was fun but a little cramped and messy for me. It felt good to get back into the wide open emptiness of the desert on the way home.