Walleye Sunset 2004

Picture from last year's Walleye trip



This picture has the power to calm...

Coworker moving on

Today my company will lose a very talented Unix Administrator who I have had the pleasure of working with for over 4 years.
I think that I speak for everyone in the office when I say that he will be missed, but I am glad to know that he has taken this new job opportunity. I'm sure it will be a rewarding experience - congrats!

All the best luck my friend.

Syracuse Skychiefs

Today I went to the Post Office to mail some certified stuff and on the counter were some free tickets to see the Syracuse Skychiefs play ball!

The Post Office guy said I could have some, so I took a few... looks like I'm going to see a baseball game :-p

I actually had a dream *weird*

Generally I don't remember my dreams - I guess I must be just too tired when I go to bed.
Last night I had a dream - and it wasn't really significant, but I promised myself that I would remember the next one that I could.

So, I was dreaming about a salesperson in my house - and we were talking about something really important. I think I was even interested in what he was saying. All of the sudden, he was breathing heavily and kind of wheezing - so I asked him "Are you ok?", and he said "Well, yes, but...", and I said "Are you allergic to cats?", and he said, "a little". So we went out onto my front porch and he stabilized.
Pretty short dream, huh?
The funny thing about this dream is that I remember thinking in the dream what I probably would have actually thought if the dream had been reality.

I was worried in my dream!

This may have been triggered by 2 cats very close to me in bed, I have no idea...

I hope the next one that I remember will be more InTeReStInG ;)

Dunkin' Donuts Cappuccino

Cappuccino, I've found, is good for increasing my happiness factor - even when everything else seems grim, the cappuccino's good taste doesn't change.
Thank goodness!

Could be worse

Things didn't go as I would have hoped after work today, but I guess things could be worse.
More later.

No class? Class is what I have none of - Today!

So, I just remembered that I have no class today. Funny because I was kind of in a rush last night to get my homework finished. I think it's great because it's kind of like we are getting a little break in the middle of the semester and we get a take home final (woo hoo).

So today I have unexpected extra time! Whatever will I do? Hopefully it will be warm enough later to get outside for a little bit.

The class that I'm taking, C++ Programming, will continue through the summer. It's not too bad actually because I only am taking one class at a time and this one is not taking a lot of time at all. Last summer was terrible because I was taking these Accounting classes that were famous for consuming all of my free time.. The material in this class is more enjoyable and I think studying will be more manageable in the summer months.

I am definetely, definetely looking forward to outdoor activities this year! I ran a little at the gym last night and I didn't have to stop as often as before. Thank goodness. I think using my MP3 player as a distraction is helping actually - it's great to have music playing when I'm pushing my body to the limit. I'm going on a 22 mile hike in August (3rd weekend) and I really want to be in superb shape for that.
My "Mummy the Peepshow" music works really well so I ordered two more CDs of them today!

Hmmmmmm.....later.

Spiders are creepy *shivers*

Especially big ones! NO Matter in what form - ewww...

Sundays go so fast, etc

I can't believe it's after 6 on Sunday already. I can definetely tell that spring is here because everything seems action packed lately and time is just flying by.

I just got back from the grocery store - bought stuff like yogurt, fruit, and lettuce because I am trying to eat healthy again to prepare for all of the outdoor activities of summer. Of course, I also had to justify the frozen blueberry pie purchase by telling myself that I will share - and besides, blueberries have antioxidants.

I'm really looking forward to going camping in 2 weeks! My dad, brother and I always go camping the first weekend of Walleye. I freeze every year - though I think updating my gear with warm socks and wool gloves really worked last year. I didn't freeze nearly as much! Though, it could have have been a more mild year too - I think it was, who knows.
I will go through the cold nights to enjoy waking up, making some good camp coffee, and heading out on the boat in the morning. There is simply nothing like it.

Are you ready to smile?

I went to China Road for some lunch and received the following fortune:
"Smile when you are ready."

I think it is pretty good simple advice, though it's not really a fortune.

So, today is Earth day. Maybe I'll go kiss a frog.
And as for you - please keep things clean and don't be wasteful. The pictures on MSN.com today relating to the environment (A Planet Under Pressure) are very moving - take a look.

Fortunately or unfortunately, you are not the last creature on earth.

CooCoo goes to the hairdresser - A picture story

AND NOW what you've all been waiting for (I'm sure) - those super interesting pictures that I promised you!

No pictures of BSO today - but like I mentioned before if YOU have any of the band or any that you think would be appropriate in expressing BSO (or now Potsie since they've added a link on their page to mine) please send to ME! :-D Thanks!

So this is the story of CooCoo and the hairdresser.
It used to be that I didn't even take myself to the hairdresser, so it was really unbelievable to me that I actually needed to take CooCoo, my darling persian cat, to the hairdresser.
Yet, I made the appt because she just has so much hair and is so much of a prissy little dainty cat that she really just does not want to be brushed as much as she should be and needed to be professionally dolled up after all winter. I made an appt at 'Pierres' ;)

It's always a big deal when one of the cats has to go out of the house.

First I had to print directions:


Then, I had to get the carrier out & inspected for safety:


Ernie really wanted to go:


But, I could only take Coocoo. So we took the long drive to Pierre's!
Boy, I thought it would be different than this:


But, Coocoo turned out ok and Pierre (aka, Steve) turned out to be an OK guy!
He even let me take his picture with Coocoo and the bow!
She really did not want to look at the camera though:


Both Pierre and I were clearing hair from everywhere for the rest of the day - but Coocoo was a princess for a day!

HELP - Going through DANCE withdrawl

I haven't seriously danced in over 2 weeks. Well, I guess I'm going to my Salsa Suelta dance class, which is kind of like dancing, but not really because it's all in a line and the instructor keeps stopping the music and teaching dance steps. It is enough to keep me sane - just thinking about it makes me happier *smile*

There hasn't been a dance in Syracuse for the last two Fridays before this, though I did go dancing two Sunday's ago briefly in Rochester.

Tonight I was helping a friend with his computer and didn't actually get out to dance until almost 1 o'clock. There was noone there when I got there mostly because there is this huge dance convention in Rochester - I didn't dance at all tonight but I did get to talk with the instructor one on one which hardly ever happens, so that was kind of nice! Well, there will be a dance next week after Wednesday's class, should be FUN :-D

Everything

The Beauty Scene Outlaws were very good last Friday! Their performance of the Klink was especially spectacular and I was dramatically expressing that fact to my friends. I understand that the band made a comment about misplacing the dance event (which I missed because I was out at the bar). This was my one opportunity to dance in front of an audience and I missed it!! So I will have to make up for it at the next BSO show.
The members of this band are very talented and famous so I was afraid to talk to them, though I did get a glimpse of them as they went out the door. ;) haha

Al, the also famous guy, was also there from SGBW and I was telling everyone how famous he was. ANYWAY - I hope you made it to the show because it was a BLAST.

I think most people at the show missed the evil zapping machine which actually sent jolts of electricity through my hand and made me scream every time. This rare device was addicting, yet painful.

I'm sincerely sorry, but I did not get any pictures of the show. I forgot to bring my camera and so I'd like to ask - if you were at the show and you you took a picture, please send it to me! MaIL Other pictures that you believe would relate to the Beauty Scene Outlaws will also be appreciated.

----------------------

So, the reason that I did not post yet this week is because I have been busy like crazy.

Last weekend I went to Toronto and it was incredibly amazing and awesome in every way even though some of the circumstances may have seemed disastrous to most people. One thing that has presented itself to me over and over this week is that everything is a matter of perception. The way that things are interpreted by a person become reality to that person and those who surround them.
In other words, it is best to have a good outlook on things!

This is why I did not get upset when my friends car broke down on the way to Toronto costing us extra time and money! I considered us lucky instead because I had AAA and we didn't have to pay for the tow or get stuck in a small town of Hamilton (which I am sure would have been nice anyway but we would have missed some things).

Events:
1. I got to see all of the locals at Canadian Tire in Hamilton.
2. Realized how friendly most canadians can be when two girls are in distress.
3. We took a bus from Hamilton to Burlington and took the Train to Toronto!
4. A lot of cool people ride the train (lots of interesting people, what do these people do when they are not on the train?)
5. Walked the streets of Toronto with luggage.
6. Rode in a Taxi Cab to a Mansion - where we were staying: Mansion
7. The mansion had free chocolate and antique furniture in the waiting room
8. Walked in Toronto - seems like EVERYONE has a dog and they are awful cute - it was especially awesome b/c we walked a long time
9. Had dinner and drank expresso after - *paid with Canadian money* oh my gosh it was sooo cool
10. Watched a concert of sorts - Andy Schovansky (sp?) - he was really cool "22 steps, from the walk to her door"
11. Walked into a Salsa club (too tired to dance though, and nervous so left) - AMAZING I want to go back, Oh yea, I'm going
12. Stayed in the mansion and asked "Omar" the attendant if I could take his picture before we left
13. Thrilled about going up in the CN Tower by myself (friend afraid of heights): Tower
a. Ascended many many miles into the air in a tightly packed elevator
b. Amazing view of water and city
c. Stood on and Jumped on glass floor (took picture of my feet on the glass)
14. Rode train (I had pistachios then) and bus again to taxi to car (took picture with mechanic and friend)
15. Went home!!

There is probably a lot of stuff I missed about Toronto but the thing that impressed me the most was the people.

Toronto = AMAZING = I'M GOING BACK!

---------------------

Ok, gotta run, more later!

BEAUTY SCENE OUTLAWS

I am going to the Beauty Scene Outlaws show tonight, at the Half Penny in Syracuse at approx 10 - 10:30 pm... Do you want to know why?


1. BSO is totally cool and they are going to rock the place
2. I normally would be dancing, but there is no dance tonight and I don't know why *pout*
3. BSO is awesome
4. There is this other band named Potsie that might show up (OR NOT)
5. It would be cool to see the reaction of the other bands if Potsie shows up
6. BSO is going to ROCK
7. My super cool friends will be there

There are many more reasons that you should go to the show too - these are just a few.

PLEASE VISIT THE BEAUTY SCENE OUTLAWS PAGE

Maybe I'll take a picture of the show to post here but I still have another picture story from this week to post that you are going to LOVE...too (just you wait!!). It'll be *crazy* picture posting time next week.

Yummy Chickpea Salad

I decided to start my "healthy" diet again yesterday (it's *nearly* summer don't ya know) and I found this recipe online for a chickpea salad - it was really simple so I made it for today and I found it very tasty (devoured it).

Here's how I made it...

1/2 can chickpeas
half of a green pepper cut up
a tiny red onion cut up
some sliced black olives
2 tbsp virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp white vinegar
Sprinkle of Basil

Mix all of that stuff together and put it on top of a lot of romaine lettuce.

It's sooooo good! It's important to like onions though.