Blog Sabbatical

Hate to break a resolution this early in the year, but I won't be posting this week. Just wanted to give you a heads up that it is intentional.

Women Are Crazy & Men Are Stupid

My friend Katie is such a great person to talk to when I am upset or questioning things. She has this way of putting into words feelings I have that would remain an indecipherable mess without her insight.

She really makes me feel normal in times when I feel insane. Plus she makes me laugh.  Her words tonight:  "As a woman you can see you are being crazy and men can see they are being stupid and yet there is nothing you can do in that moment to change it. So we're all trapped in this crazy cycle and every now and then we have to get into arguments."

Once again I find myself thankful for my friends.

I Really Do Work in PR, Don't I?

Paul and I have decided to spend this week apart thinking about whether or not we want to continue our relationship. It was a mutual decision.

Dillema

Have you ever been in a situation where it is crystal clear what you should do but you just can't bring yourself to do it for whatever reason? I am there right now. I am caught between doing it right away or dragging it out to make it more fulfilling for me. I just don't know what I will do.....

Green Line Fun

There is something comical about watching a chubby, pasty white man in his late 20s - early 30s sit on the train speaking phrases into his phone such as "word up" in front of a group of black teens. Did I mention he looked like an uncooler Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons? It was just what I needed to start getting out of the funk I've been in since 4 am.  So here's to you CPWM. Thanks for the comedy intended or not.

Brokeback Mountain

Melissa, Agie and I saw Brokeback Mountain tonight. It was fantastic. I'm going to put it in my top 10. I can completely understand now why Heath Ledger is getting all the recognition and accolades. It isn't because Jake Gyllenhaal is bad, it's just that Heath is so freakin fantastic in this role.

Being the mature person that I am, I thought it would be a good idea to guess how many people would walk out once they realized it wasn't just any old Western. I guessed 3, Melissa 6 and Agie (always believing the good in people) said none. Make your own guesses. Answer will be at the end.

Turns out it was not nearly as explicit as we had been led to believe. The first scene between the two is a bit shocking but that is as graphic as it gets, it is quick and is not anything more than the heterosexual scenes in the movie. That said, I did find myself beyond disturbed by a part in the film. There were *shudder* rodeo clowns. I hope I'll be able to sleep.

The answer is 2. Same as Syriana.

Go Hoyas

Last night I went to the Georgetown Providence basketball game with Paul, Katie, her man Peter and Paul's friend Anna. It was a pretty good time. Paul spent most of the night talking with Anna which was good because I was not the best company. Plus it is always nice to see her. She is a very nice, interesting person. She is a quiet girl and I haven't quite figured out if it is because she is shy or because she doesn't like me but it doesn't really matter. She is a good friend to Paul and that is what's important.

Movies

Looking forward to seeing Brokeback Mountain tonight with Agie (our men have no interest in seeing it - go figure) and I realized I haven't spread the word on a couple good flicks I've seen the last month or so.

We got passes to see an advance screening of Memoirs of a Geisha a couple weeks ago. As one who really enjoyed the book forever ago when it first came out, I was very excited about the film. I don't think it let me down too much. It was very well done with great acting and beautiful scenery.

Last week (maybe longer - right before Christmas) Jim and I went to see Syriana. I really enjoyed it and so did Jim. Pretty much the Traffic of oil. Katie gave it a hearty rec last night. Considering she's worked in the Middle East, DC, and Switzerland, it's a pretty good endorsement.

Oh Katie

You may think this is going to be about the impending (or so they tease) demise of TomKat aka the relationship that made Tom Cruise look even more insane and ruined Katie Holmes forever, but you would be wrong.

I just turned on the Today Show and saw something that gave me hope this will be a good day. Katie Couric is wearing a puffy shirt. I'll admit, I'm not sure why it delights me so, but it does and with the way I've been feeling all week I'll take what I can get.

Reason 8 Sports On East Siiide Sucks

Look at the posting time and know it is still the 4th quarter of the Rose Bowl. I shouldn't complain. At least it isn't triple overtime like PSU last night.

Football and Patriots

Why is that every football game has to showcase the military either in the pregame or halftime show? We get the point. You aren't a real American if you don't love football and soldiers. I never thought I'd say this but go USC. I am going to go now and watch for my drunk friend Mark who is a lucky enough bastard to be at the game.

About 60% of What You Say Is Crap

Dave v. Bill O'Reilly. Pure gold. I love Dave Letterman even more now. Thanks Randy!

Scrub In

5 minutes into the season premiere and it is already good. I will miss the Bluths but at least I'll have Zach Braff to hold me while I cry. A small comfort but I'll take it.

Arrested Development

Any fan of the show knows the episodes get better everytime you watch them due in part to the jokes you missed the first time around which usually involve running jokes like "Operation Hot Mother". For this, Fox has a link on the website for "In Case You Missed It". Click above, then find the link in the upper right.

Some faves:

• At Tantamount Studios, Maeby is reading a script titled Operation: Hot Mother.
• The letter says the S.A.D. (Sons and Dads Reunion) center is located “at the corner of Hyde and No. Hope” streets.
• The banner at the sendoff party Lucille is throwing for Buster reads, “You’re killing me, Buster”.
• While driving and telling Michael that Buster lost his hand in an accident, Lucille clips a wooden figure that asks residents to “Buckle up”…and clips off his hand.
• Buster’s medication includes the instructions, “Take three by mouth daily for hand pain (Phantom).”

Test

I may have just discovered a way to keep my resolution to update my blog. Oh and a good reason to embrace the blackberry. Word of warning though - this may increase typos.

Ahoy Maties

Click above for an outstanding trailer for Pirates of the Caribbean 2.

Life Has Changed As I Know It

Our IT guy just installed my blackberry. My plan is to not tell my boss it is up and working until he asks me the status again. We shall see.

Quote of the Day

To Agie from me: "I like your husband better than my boyfriend".

Don't worry Paul. It's only because he makes her hot toddys when she's sick.

Appropriate/Inappropriate - You Make The Call

Stephanie just came by with a donut from Steve's our little sandwich shop downstairs. Agie and I didn't realize Steve's has donuts and expressed our surprise. What can I say? It's a slow morning here. My boss then decided to poke my stomach and say "No more donuts for you". I probably would have been offended if my stomach wasn't getting flatter and more toned from all the running I've been doing the last month (training for a 1/2 marathon - yes, I know I'm insane but I have lost almost 10 pounds). So I poked his and said "Oh, no - more like no donuts for you". Jerk. That last part was just in my head.

New York State of Mind

I really should not be allowed to interact with people when I am this run down. Yesterday I awoke to the sound of my alarm going off at 5:30 am. I pretty much didn't stop going until I got back home at 1 am. We threw an event in New York last night and decided since our entire department was going to be up there we should have our committee meeting that morning. So my boss hopped on a plane Sunday evening and stayed overnight while the rest of us caught a shuttle flight at 8 am which meant I had to leave my house by 6:15 am. We got to New York about 1/2 an hour before the meeting started and after conferring with a coworker decided it would be best if two of us ran some errands while the meeting was going on so that things would go smoother for the evening. Luckily our errands were pretty much shopping so among other things, we had to go to Tiffany's. We spent a couple hours shopping, grabbed a slice for lunch, saw the tree at Rockefeller Center, waved to Katie Couric and made it back in time to head over to the venue to set up for our evening event.

We had about four hours to set up and we used every single minute available. Then 2 and 1/2 hours of the event, being charming, smiling prettily, standing in heels that I'd been wearing all day. The event was an outstanding success, great media attendance, member companies were happy, etc. We whisked off to the airport a bit after 9 to catch our 10:40 flight and landed back in DC just after midnight in the snow. I crawled into bed at 1 am only to awaken a short time later to my alarm.

I am exhausted and want nothing more than to crawl into my bed and sleep until tomorrow. My boss is coming into the office sometime after 3 (Why God? Why?) so I know it's going to be a hectic three or so hours until he has to leave for an event tonight. I am not looking forward to working with a well-rested individual who even at my best and most well-rested grates my nerves at times. So when I asked Paul if he had plans for this weekend and we got into the whole "you ask this every week why don't you just say hey I want to do this how does that sound" bit I got irritated with him and snapped a bit because really all I wanted to know was if he had to work either day.

I feel bad that I took out my frustration and tiredness out on him. He doesn't deserve my crankiness. I was just telling Jim last night how great Paul has been these last couple weeks since he got back from Thanksgiving in NC. It's not that he wasn't nice to me or didn't treat me well before, but something just seems different and it's been really, really great. So now I have to suck it up and apologize for being Crabby McCrabbs-a-lot. Dammit.