I won't grow throw up!

Peanut butter salmonella cases top 600

OMAHA, Neb. - The number of people sickened since August by peanut butter tainted with salmonella has grown by more than 200, according to a new federal report. The outbreak, first reported in February, now includes 628 cases in 47 states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.

It is the first update on the number of cases linked to the outbreak since early March, when officials said 425 cases had been confirmed in 44 states.

ConAgra Foods Inc. recalled all its peanut butter after government investigators linked the bacteria outbreak to the Omaha-based company's Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter.

Things that sound dirty but aren't.

scrutator (skroo-TAY-tuhr)

noun.

One who investigates.

Good news... I hope.

A few weeks ago I came home to a most unwelcome sight in my mailbox - a big thick letter from the California Franchise Tax Board. Well my hunch was correct. It wasn't good news.

To my dismay, the letter referenced my 2004 taxes stating that I had taken improper deductions (based on the year, I can only surmise it was tuition that I deducted) and that I now owed over $600 in principal and interest.

So I called my trusty accountant (who has been doing my taxes since birth) and faxed over the hatemail letter. Since today marks 2 weeks since I've heard anything I decided to call them up. My accountant informs me that he's in the right and that he's confident that he'll win this for me. And his assistant told me that when he's this confident things usually turn out well. Keep your fingers crossed for me. That's $600 I'm SURE I can find another use for!

Back at work.

I ended up actually taking the day off yesterday because I seemed to have a little emotional and anxiety flare-up that I wasn't expecting. I suppose it's only normal. The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of change and excitement - graduating, the parents and inlaws meeting, Wes being here, changes at work. Now my mind/body are starting to catch up.

I guess you could say I don't handle change well. Sure I can kind of go with the flow as it's happening, but then I get sort of gripped by fear and uncertainty later on. I don't know how to explain it except that for a few days, even minor tasks seem insurmountable.

The frustrating part is that I know that things will be better soon. Sometime next week I will be wondering why the simplest things threw me into full scale panic attacks and why eating seemed to be such a chore and why nights seemed interminably long and lonely. I really do know that it will be ok and that I'll probably have months of clear sailing ahead. But then every so often, something will throw me for a loop and I'll take a few steps backwards. I'll be anxious and worried and fearful that I will never be "normal". That these episodes, however brief, will be with me forever.

So please forgive me if I'm absent for a day or two. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel (and I know it's not the oncoming train) but my thoughts are scattered and I'm keeping to myself for a bit.

Recovering from weekend.

This weekend was super fun and just what I needed to unwind from the hubbub of the past few weeks. Friday we kicked off the weekend with a half day off work and headed downtown to Chinatown for dim sum lunch at the Empress Pavilion. After a great lunch, I headed home for some relaxation and knitting.

Then, at 6pm, it was time to head down to Hermosa Beach for our very first pole dancing class. I have to say it was both exactly what I expected and nothing what I expected. We started out in a dark dance room with two poles in the middle of the floor. The lighting was low (and vaguely pink) and the mirrors were covered in satin. The first 45 minutes was intensive yoga and strength training - our muscles were all like jelly after that. The next half an hour or so was learning how to use the pole in a way that would keep us safe - learning how not to strain muscles. Surprisingly, the whole class was great fun! I think we're going to sign up for the 6 week session.

Saturday was a relaxing day. I spent all day at the knitting store working on a variety of projects and chatting with the knitting groupies. It was super soothing for the soul. I arrived home in time for a dinner and a movie with my sweetie, The Secret Garden.

Sunday was laundry morning. I had a mountain of laundry that I hadn't tackled in a while (and all of Wes' clothes!). So I perfected my new method of sleeping late AND doing laundry. Basically you wander over to the laundry room in sweats, and start your loads. Come home, set a timer, and go back to sleep on the couch until it's time to dry. Then just repeat. You've slept late AND have clean clothes to show for it!



Sunday afternoon was gaming, and then Sunday evening was a party at a coworkers. It was a blast! The men played video games (even I got sucked into it once) and Guitar Hero ruled the evening. The party went super late and ended with Uno and great conversation.

Yesterday was a little less fun (mostly because of the 3am the night before), but I went shopping and for pedicures with friends. Last night I caught up more on Season 5 of 24 and headed to bed early. All in all a great weekend. Is it really time to work again?

A Mathmatical Equation

Half Day at Work + 3 Day Weekend + Dim Sum Lunch + Knitting + DVR TV & Movies + Party on Sunday + Manicure/Pedicure/Shopping on Monday = VERY HAPPY GIRL

Even Mountains of Laundry (-) and Paying Bills (-) can't detract from this.

*Insert Witty Title Here*

I just don't have a title for this post. Today, a friend at work talked me into the most "un"-me activity I can think of. That's right, tomorrow night she and I are taking a pole dancing class in Hermosa Beach. It's supposed to be great exercise, and great for toning all your muscles. They recommend you wear yoga clothing and come ready to sweat. Heaven help me... I'm gonna rock that pole, start on that exercise program and probably going to make myself (and everyone else) laugh...a lot.

Charity Blankets 8 & 9

Just off the needles:

Charity Blanket #8 - Psychedelic Ripples



Charity Blanket #9 - Charlie Brown Ripples

Daily Horoscope

It's time to tackle certain situations that won't be ignored any longer. The stars say it's time to get in shape physically, mentally and spiritually. Once you begin the process, you'll find that you don't want to stop.

Dammit. This means I need to stop procrastinating and go to the gym and find a new job.

On Dodger Dogs and Knitting Goodness

1. Dodger Dog - Check.

2. Dodger Stadium scoreboard. (Dodgers won 3-2!)



3. The little devil knitting (or crocheting rather) in the stadium.



4. Owners of LYS having a little fun. ("Aknits" and "Shaneedles")



5. Celebrity sighting of the night: Me with Crazy Aunt Purl. (She's super sweet!)

My new motto.

C'mon its Vader and Cookie Monster. It's GOTTA be good!

That Great American Pasttime

Tonight I am going to a Dodgers' game. But this is not any Dodgers' game - it is 2007 Stitch 'n Pitch night and the knitters are out in full force! Tonight I'll board a bus at my favorite LYS and head out to Dodger stadium to enjoy a night of baseball and knitting with the greater Southern California knitting population. And though it is a sporting event, and I was tragically born devoid of the sports gene, I'm beyond excited. I have my bag of knitting materials packed, my early leave approved by the supervisor and I'm ready to knit. Take me out to the ball game!



PS It kind of helps balance out the fact that Wes left this morning. :(

Perfume

I recently finished reading Perfume by Patrick Suskind. This macabre story isn't for the faint of heart, but is a great read. Unfortunately, I saw previews for the movie before I picked up the book, so I had a vague idea of what was coming, and the shock was somewhat lessened. The story is very intriguing despite knowing where things were going, however. If you're up for a bit of ghastly surprise, along with some 18th century knowledge of French perfumes, this one's for you.

ETA: I still haven't seen the movie, and I probably will, although I don't think it got great reviews and I can't imagine it will be as artfully done as is the prose.

A Wicked Weekend

This weekend was wonderful! The only thing marring it is the return of Monday and the office drudgery...

Friday night Wes and I joined up with some work friends and we all went to dinner and to see Hot Fuzz. I have to say, it was quite amusing. I was a big fan of Shaun of the Dead so it was fun to see the cast reunited in something entirely different, and yet still equally as funny.

Saturday morning, Wes and I slept in a little and then headed down to Orange County for a friend's wedding. We spent some time at South Coast Plaza, grabbing a yummy lunch and wedding present and assorted shopping (great sales!) and then headed to the church for the wedding at 2pm. The church was gorgeous.

Then we checked into the hotel (the Costa Mesa Hilton) for the night and went to enjoy the reception in the evening. It was a beautiful wedding and the bride and groom looked ecstatic. The food was fabulous... especially the chocolate mousse wedding cake.


Sunday we slept in a little, had breakfast at the hotel and then headed over to Hollywood to see Wicked. I have been waiting for months to see the show and let me tell you, I was not disappointed. The show is FABULOUS. The women who played Elphaba and Glinda were excellent, and the story had all these funny quirks and twists that I wasn't expecting. The music is pretty good (minus a few clunker songs) and overall I loved it!

After, Wes and I headed home and got comfy for a relaxing Sunday night. We watched our last Netflix movie, Children of Men. It was pretty good. I won't say it was the best I've ever seen, but it had an interesting "Brave New World" feel to it.

Overall, it was a great weekend and I'm so glad that Wes was here to share it with me! Unfortunately he goes back to Kansas tomorrow until July or so. I'm gonna miss him.

Someone with a lot of creativity....

time on his hands, and a death wish. Watch it before he's strung up by his toes and the content vanishes. One man explains copyright law... using Disney films.

Holy KEEERAP* That's ME?!?!?

To: All Staff
Subject: Job Well Done

This week [our office] hosted a multi-day meeting [with the head honchos]. The purpose of the visit was [to evaluate how we're doing]. A lot of preparation was required for these meetings. I would like to especially acknowledge [Coworker A] and [Coworker B] [who prepared for Day 1], and Laura, who did a huge amount of work [for Day 2].

Warmly,

The Director

*Details changed to protect the job.

Dreams

Dreams are a strange thing. Somewhere at night, when your body is resting and your mind is free to roam, your subconscious takes over and throws a party. Sometimes my subconscious just takes the events and thoughts of the day, and puts them in a blender, rearranging them all in a nice puree. Other times, it's like my subconscious has discovered crack or LSD and just started making stuff up. My subconscious enjoys certain themes as well. In my dreams I am a total butterfingers - glasses, ceramics, anything breakable just slips from my hands and shatters. I often chew gum in my dreams and it sticks to my teeth like glue (reminiscent of my life in braces).

Last night my subconscious had a little fun. I was back performing in a play, as I did in high school. My high school drama teacher, always temperamental, was sitting there in the audience frowning at our efforts to put on a play. As the play continued (the Friday evening show) I suddenly realized that I have a wedding to attend this Saturday, and theatre tickets on Sunday (I actually do!) and that I wouldn't be able to perform. Simultaneously, the ceramic flower pot I was holding slipped from my hands and shattered. I realized with horror I was going to have to replace the prop and face the director's wrath for missing the final two performances. I woke up in a cold sweat.

All I have to say is TGIF! Wes and I are off for a romantic weekend. Tomorrow one of my MBA classmates and his sweetie are tying the knot down in Costa Mesa and Wes and I have planned a little getaway down there. Sunday we've got tickets to Wicked. I'm so excited! Hope y'all have great weekends and I'll be back with more tales of fun and amusement on Monday!

Totally useless information.

Strangely and stupidly addictive.

A little devlish humor...

Found here.

Blocked.

For the past week or two I have been suffering from a loss of blogging mojo. First I was sick, then busy, and now I just don't seem to have anything interesting to write about.

I could write about The Good Shepherd which Wes and I saw last night. It was a crazy confusing movie but really good. Matt Damon was excellent, as was the supporting cast. I was totally confused by what was going on and Wes probably got tired of my repeated queries "What just happened there?" but we really enjoyed it.

Or I could write about how I started knitting my new sweater. I chose to knit it in a rich blend of wool and cashmere, Rowan Cashsoft DK in a burgundy called Poison (that seems to look brown everywhere I can find it on the web). So far I have a bit of the neck done.

Or I could reveal that I'm kind of a closet conspiracy nut and that I'm fascinated by things like the JFK assassination. And my interested was piqued by this tidbit from Slashdot.

Or there's always the office gossip about Paris in the slammer.

But truthfully, none of these makes an incredibly interested post. Ahhh the ennui.

It's always about who you know.

Just ran into an old colleague in the elevator here. He heard that I had graduated and wondered what I was up to. Let him know where I was looking and he mentioned calling over there and putting in a good word for me. Hopefully we'll get some good news soon!

The Man Movie

Wes and I are enjoying spending the week together and even got to go out on a mid-week date last night. I can't wait until he lives here and we can do this all the time!

Our chosen movie of the evening was Spiderman 3. I have to say that I enjoyed sitting in the theatre and watching it. It had a decent plot, and enough scenes with great effects to keep things interesting. However, I do have to make the following observations:

* Try as I might I just can't seem to care too much for Tobey Maguire or Kirsten Dunst. They're both mediocre actors as far as I'm concerned, and while it's fine for a flick like this, it doesn't really satistfy my appetite for really good acting.
* There were some plot holes. For instance (and I'm not giving away spoilers) if Bernard really knows the information he communicates to Harry, why didn't he communicate it earlier in the saga? Wouldn't it have basically eliminated the second movie?
* LOVED the music, especially Kirsten Dunst's songs as the actress. I wonder if that was really her singing or whether she got dubbed....
* Guess who was listed in the credits for special effects... my very own workplace! I guess I finally understand why we weren't supposed to look.

Anyway, I wouldn't call this a must see, but it's definitely ok for an entertaining evening.

ETA: I guess someone had these Top 10 things to say.

Help I'm trapped under a mountain of PowerPoints...

Trapped in a military briefing. It isn't pretty. I'm up to 40 slides and will be at 80 before tomorrow ends and the presentation is finally given Thursday morning. To tide you over until my humor returns:

Blood Diamond: Wes and I watched this last night and it was quite good. Leo DiCaprio was really great (loved his accent!) and I always love Djimon Honsou. The movie was incredibly well done and highlights a problem that most of us who are safe in our own homes in America don't think about much.

Stay tuned tomorrow for a review of Spiderman 3 (which I keep calling Superman and shall henceforth just be known as The Man Movie).

Hoping our honeymoon goes more smoothly...

Passengers rescued from cruise ship off Alaska

(CNN) -- All of the passengers aboard a U.S. cruise ship were evacuated early Monday morning after it ran aground off the southeastern coast of Alaska, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

The U.S. Coast Guard, Alaska state ferries and about 50 volunteer rescue boats removed the 248 passengers aboard the Empress of the North approximately 50 nautical miles (57 miles) from Alaska's capital, Juneau, near Icy Strait and Chatham Strait.

The ship was still flooding, but was traveling to Juneau under its own power. Thirty-three of its 75 crew members stayed on board for the trip.

An oil tank was breached, but there is no pollution in the water, officials said.

Coast Guard spokesman Mark Guillory said the Coast Guard was trying to decide where to send the ship for an investigation into why it hit rocks in the island-dotted Alaska coastal area. Empress of the North was on the second day of a seven-day cruise from Juneau.

Life after Graduation

Given that it has been less than 72 hours, but it's pretty much the same as before. I do get to skip school and homework tonight and head home to chill with my sweetie, but I don't feel different now that I'm a graduate. There's also still the looming question of WHAT NEXT and I've got to resume that job search thing to get myself out of my current position (where I'm pretty much stymied).

I'm also still recovering from the full weekend, the hike (my legs are SORE!), and just the general flurry of the past few weeks. Luckily today is a fairly easy day, so I'm just getting busy work done at work and ticking things off my to do list.

More interesting news when I hear some!

Ready for Tadpole

Geocaching

Today we spent some time with my in-laws (to-be) and heading out to show them Calamigos Ranch (where we're getting married!). Then we went into the Santa Monica Mountains on a long hike and geocaching trip. I made it in 2 miles and saw the beautiful waterfall, but I didn't quite make it to the geocache as the last 400 feet were heavy rock climbing ones.




Poor Wes twisted his ankle on the rock climbing so we're going to take it easy tomorrow. Just some game and resting. I'll leave you with a picture of the little guy we saw on the way out.

Proof.

I'm in control... really I am.

Out of office message: ON.
Reservations: MADE.
Gown: PRESSED.
Mother's Day Presents: WRAPPED.
House: CLEAN.
Nose: STILL RUNNING.

(I have never ever had to blow my nose like this people...it's a miracle I'm not drowning!)

Heaven help me... my inlaws and my parents meet for the first time tomorrow, I officially graduate and I might go more than a few hours without having dire need of a Kleenex box. Let the games begin people!

Mama's got a new dress.

Aka, I call this experiment a success...

The Finance

The Finance (the discipline, that is) and I, we have a stormy relationship. Every time the Finance starts talking about Betas and risk and portfolios, my eyes get a little misty and glazed over. I can balance my checkbook, and keep my retirement account afloat, but that's about it.

However, my b-school classmate Frogpod has started a Finance Podcast called Market News Today. Now he and the Finance, they're like THIS. Check it out if you're financially inclined.

In need of a steam 'n seam.

One baby kimono, pattern here, 3 skeins of Koigu and size 2 Addis.

P.S. On the sickie update, I feel semi-normal and am heading back to work tomorrow. Ignore the incessant sneezing and nose-blowing. I'm going for a Kleenex product placement soon... they should be paying me for this publicity!

The finals are over....

It's time to COMMENCE!

And thus ends my graduate career....

The perfect gift for the guy/gal who has everything:

Get it at Ebay for a limited time only - one imaginary friend up for auction.

One miter...

Two miter, three miter, FOUR!


Just needs a border.

Sickie update: It's in my throat now... no voice to speak of and a nasty cough. FABULOSO.

It's my party...

And I'm home sick. Yes I'm actually missing my party - I sent my friends and the theatre tickets to Pasadena without me. The only saving grace is that I ended up watching a great movie, The Inside Man with my fiance (who's a saint for putting up with me moaning and groaning about being sick this week). Hopefully the big three-oh will be better.

Oh, but there is this...

Ye Olde 29th Birthday

This is it peeps. The last year of my 20's! (well ok the new decade doesn't officially start until 31, but that's a debate for later) Tomorrow at 5:08pm I will be the ripe old age of 29. To celebrate I'm going to a local pub tonight with friends from work and enjoying burgers and hard cider (only 1 for me since I'm still dying sick.) Tomorrow I'm working at the yarn store, and then catching dinner at a fondue place in Pasadena and a show, The Capitol Steps, with some girl friends. Sunday is collapsing in a little heap and trying to catch up on sleep, study for the final on Monday, and clean house and press the gown.

Have a great weekend all!

If I were a dwarf...

Today I would be sneezy. Y'all should go out and buy stock in Kleenex. If I don't get better soon I'm going to have it delivered by the truckload.

Looking out for ya.

12 things every blogger should know.

The ONLY good thing about being home sick.

Still sick...

So I'm sending you here for a laugh instead. Forwarded to me by a friend and intended for Light and any other Gilbert and Sullivan freaks fans.

We are not amused.

Here it is, 3 days until my birthday, 9 days until graduation and of course I'm sick. Due to the fabulous performance review I received last week I'm at work today, but I'd really rather be at home watching bad tv and moaning. Instead I'm here sucking on cough drops and life savers, enjoying a tasty ramen lunch and hoping for 6pm to get here STAT. No witticisms for today. You'll have to just talk amongst yourselves.

Shapes and Colors

A little more of the project I'm working on:

T minus 10 days and counting...

All papers: DONE. Senioritis: FULLY INFECTED. Finals left: ONE. Preparedness to Graduate: WAS READY ONE YEAR AGO.

Let the games begin!

Making the rest of us look bad.

34 Duke Business Students Face Discipline for Cheating

Thirty-four first-year business graduate students at Duke University cheated on a take-home final exam, a judicial board has found, in what officials called the most widespread cheating episode in the business school’s history.

I just don't have words to explain my disgust and anger that they're ruining it for the rest of us who choose to pursue a graduate degree to LEARN rather than copy off of other's papers. Read more about the train wreck here.