Mostly Bored

September 8th, 2008

Women Against Sarah Palin

9/8/08 01:01 pm

Posting this today because I think it's extremely important, and hoping you all will take a moment to read it, whether or not you agree. There are some important issues at stake, and many myths to be dispelled.

Women Against Sarah Palin

xo

November 6th, 2007

(no subject)

11/6/07 11:15 am

whoa-haven't seen this place in a while...

Just wanted to post this little article written by my niece, who has discovered the resurrected sport of roller derby. Of all things.

:D

roller girl

ah I'm so proud.

Current Mood: amused

December 21st, 2006

Miscellany

12/21/06 03:45 pm

Is that how you spell it? I think so.

So it's the second week of my new job, and although I'm not terribly busy yet, it's going quite well. That could have something to do with the fact that my boss just told me I can leave at noon today and stay home tomorrow. YAY!!! I'm not officially entitled to any vacation time, since I started so late in the year, so this is a very nice little present. :)

I got new boots yesterday. They're the stretchy tall kind, and they're oh so comfy. I've been wearing heels a lot lately and my feet are decidedly unhappy with me.

I love the Rosie dissed Donald Trump. He's got to be one of the biggest jackasses out there, and she was so spot on with her comments. Good for her.

I found out yesterday that Howard Shore released two huge new LOTR compilations last fall. They're the complete recordings of the Fellowship and The Two Towers....they include the whole kit and kaboodle, including the EE music. They're very expensive ($75 each, give or take) but they're each 3 or 4 discs.   I don't know how I'm going to get them, but I am. Trust me. :)

Tomorrow is my birthday. My son's is Dec 26th. My advice is that if at all possible, avoid having children anywhere near Christmas.

And finally to all of you, Merry Christmas and happy New Year. I'm hoping and praying for peace, patience and perseverance.

Current Location: work
Current Mood: happy
Current Music: The Forests of Ithilien LOTR

December 4th, 2006

Four more days sigh

12/4/06 03:01 pm

Although I'm absolutely positive that I've made the right decision, leaving this job, this place I've been for 8 years, it's making me nostalgic, nervous and excited all at the same time. I know it's got something do to with getting older, realizing how quickly life flies by, and how transient our lives can be, in many ways...

Time to Move On

It's time to move on, time to get going
What lies ahead, I have no way of knowing
But under my feet, baby, grass is growing
It's time to move on, it's time to get going

Broken skyline, movin' through the airport
She's an honest defector
Conscientious objector
Now her own protector

Broken skyline, which way to love land
Which way to something better
Which way to forgiveness
Which way do I go

Time to move on, time to get going
What lies ahead, I have no way of knowing
But under my feet, baby, grass is growing
It's time to move on, it's time to get going

Sometime later, getting the words wrong
Wasting the meaning and losing the rhyme
Nauseous adrenaline
Like breakin' up a dogfight
Like a deer in the headlights
Frozen in real time
I'm losing my mind

It's time to move on, time to get going
What lies ahead, I have no way of knowing
But under my feet, baby, grass is growing
It's time to move on, it's time to get going

~ Tom Petty

Current Location: desk of doom-4 more days
Current Mood: nostalgic
Current Music: Moon River Cha Cha Cha - Henry Mancini

November 28th, 2006

Things I learned this morning

11/28/06 03:00 pm

I was listening to NPR this morning, and they had a little story about The Peanuts' Charlie Brown Christmas. Did you know that CBS almost didn't run the show at all, because they hated the music that Lee Mendelsohn had chosen? And that they also didn't like the idea of using untrained children as voice actors, and they weren't comfortable with presenting the concepts of questioning faith and the commercialism of Christmas?

Also, I learned that Vince Guaraldi was only 43 when he died, in between sets at a jazz club in Menlo Park. He wrote the music for 17 of the more than 40 Peanuts shows and movies.

Charlie Brown Christmas was one of my most cherished childhood memories...it was on once a year, and when you only get three channels, you really look forward to it. I still love Linus' speech, because for me, that IS what the true meaning of Christmas is.

The show is on tonight. If you get a chance, tune it. I guarantee you'll feel better after. :)

One the more personal side, I landed a new job. (!!!) I'm soooooooo excited. I start on Dec 11th. And instead of working in the 'burbs, I'll be commuting into Boston, which I haven't done in like 8 years. I love the city, and even though it will make my day longer, I'm very excited to go. It's a nice little bump in salary, so that's even better!!

November 8th, 2006

Hope for our future

11/8/06 09:39 pm

What you should expect is that I will work as hard and as smart as I can; that I will listen closely and carefully; that I will be straight with you, as I expect you to be with me; that I will make mistakes, as humans sometimes do, and that I will learn from them when I do; that I will bring every day the best that I have and the best that I am.

And what I expect from you is that you keep this renewed sense of community alive; that you see your stake in each other every day; that you ask what you can do to make Massachusetts stronger and do it; that you don’t let cynicism win, ever -- even when I make mistakes. We didn’t build up this grassroots just to win an election. We built up the grassroots to govern in a whole new way, to make change real, and lasting, and meaningful. And that means, to be sure, that we have to refuse the politics of division and fear “out there.” But it also means some changes “in here,” within the Democratic Party. We have to learn to listen to those who want to help with what’s wrong with Democrats just as openly as we listen to those who tell us what’s wrong with Republicans. See, the grassroots is a power of citizenship. It transcends party, it outlasts party, and it has to lift us all up. And it doesn't end with this election.

This is part of the acceptance speech from my new governor, Deval Patrick. The first African American to be elected governor of this state, and only the second in the history of the US.

I am so proud to live in this state today. I have so much hope. And I know it won't be perfect, but when you listen to a politician finally talk about hope, it's refreshing. It's uplifting.

Current Music: Rule of Three Lemonheads

October 19th, 2006

OK so remember the story I posted last week

10/19/06 01:43 pm

about the couple who just couldn't have babies on their own? I sent the woman an email, and actually got a reply from her:

Dear Liz,

Thank you for this lovely note.

I think you will enjoy the following update from an email the producer sent to me after the show.

*The response was OVERWHELMING and the story broke all kinds of unprecedented records!!! NBC Today show was concerned about losing viewership to the Mel Gibson interview with Diane Sawyer and the gap between the networks was narrowing but they won the Nielson rating by a whooping 1.5 million viewers (double their usual difference). They also had over 400,000 people view the piece online on CNBC and over 99,000 hits to the NBC website which usually averages about 17,000 hits. This was such an important story that has touched so many lives and Kathy personally received over 400 emails thanking her for starting the Jakob’s Room Project for family and friends to grieve their loss. *

PLEASE write or call NBC, saying "thank you," for airing such an important topic. Also, forward on to anyone who may wish to view it. Due to the response, they have reloaded the clip back up on the MSN site.

Here is the link:
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15227236/

Send emails to: Today@NBC.com and call: phone 212-664-4602

All the best,

Kathy Adzich
Jakob's Room Founder
www.trustingthejourney.com

I was so psyched to hear back from her, and so happy that her segment did so well...people NEED to know about this stuff.

ps-of course I emailed NBC today as well... :D

Current Location: desk of doom ( I think that was Sazi's descrp)
Current Mood: happy
Current Music: Filter Take a picture

October 16th, 2006

I think this covers it for a lot of us...

10/16/06 03:10 pm

Sleeping Where I Want To

This is my fav'rite disease.
I am sleepy with these dreams.
The TV is on.
It is seeping into me.
It is guiding my dreams.
It is only three,
so it's Jeopardy.
You can go and burst
my tiny bubble,
blow me off without a care
but I am sleeping where I want to.
This is my fav'rite time.
I can sleep until the phone rings,
and I doubt that it will.
You can go and burst
my tiny bubble,
blow me off without a care
but I am sleeping where I want to.

~ Nina Gordon

We're each on our little journey right now, and I wish to hell that we weren't spread out all over the damn place...some of you are in pain, some going through massive life changes, some just stressed out beyond belief...heading into winter, short days, long nights, cold...what I wouldn't do to just give you a hug.

You guys are my rock, even though we don't get to talk as much as I wish we could. One day soon we'll get together and have a little "what it's like to be a girl/mother/breadwinner/goddess" celebration. Because no one deserves it as much as we do.

<3 always.

xo

Current Location: where else :\
Current Mood: melancholy
Current Music: Bob Mould Heartbreak a Stranger

October 12th, 2006

This got me to thinking...

10/12/06 09:17 am

So today, I was watching the Today Show while I got ready for work. It's something I usually do, because I love Matt and Meredith and Al, and I'm just really thankful the stupid wedding segment is finished. Ack.

Anyway, I was drying my hair and knda watching, and I looked sideways at the TV, and noticed a woman talking and crying, and it cut to a man, also talking but looking sad, not really crying. So I of course turned off the blow dryer (I really should turn on that closed caption thingy) and started to listen. This was their story:

A couple is married something like 13 years ago, and she gets pregnant. Loses the first baby relatively early on, but has to actually deliver him, still born. Then, a few months later, she gets pregnant again. Same thing happens. At 16 weeks her water breaks and the fetus dies, and the poor thing once again delivers a still born. She, of course, cannot understand WHY her body can't do what God intended it to do.

OK-third time is a charm, right? She gets pregnant a third time, and the doctors sew her cervix shut and put her on full bedrest, in hopes of maintaining the pregnancy until at least the fetus is viable. At around 20 weeks she goes into labor, and they put her on some serious drugs to stop the labor. It gets to the point, after about another month, that her life is in jeopardy. So they deliver the baby, who weighs about 2 lbs. After a couple weeks in the NICU, they tell this couple that their baby, named Jacob, will not live. At 26 days he dies, and the hospital allowed this woman to stay at the hospital with her dead baby, alone in a room, to hold him and talk to him, for two days. TWO DAYS. It was one of the most amazing things I've ever heard. She said, that by being allowed to do this, she was able to grieve, really grieve, the loss of all her babies.

Now wait, it gets better...

So she gets home from the hospital and they bury this poor little guy. The day after the funeral, she gets a call from her NICU nurse, and she says "I've got a perfectly good uterus. Let's use it." So, this nurse agrees to act as a surrogate for the couple. The mom goes on hormones so she can breast feed the baby when he's born, which she does. They filmed the birth, and the second that baby was delivered, the mom and dad were right there, and they give the baby to her, skin on skin. I was just....blown away. And of course in a pool of tears at this point. Four years later the nurse surrogates again, and this time they had twins. And the mom, the one who lost all the babies, started a foundation to help grieving parents overcome their loss by setting up rooms in hospitals for families to use when children of any age die. I can't imagine how many families may be saved by this simple act.

They had the couple and the nurse on the show. I was just amazed by this story, how completely selfless the act was, how close they stayed. How these women helped each other in what has to be one of the most tragic experiences anyone can have. It was a great way to start my day.

Current Location: work
Current Mood: calm
Current Music: Welcom to Jurassic Park

September 26th, 2006

In with the Good, out with the Bad

9/26/06 07:05 pm

So I've made another, mildly momentous decision to leave the places on the internet that dwell on the negative, and perhaps find some places that build and encourage positive energy.

I've said this before, and have somehow gotten sucked back in the voids that bring me down. I'm amazed at how much time people spend on the internet talking pure crap and looking for things to snipe about. Whether it be on postboards, on LJ...not to mention, I listen the news obsessively, which is NOT good for anyone's outlook these days. I can't believe the negativity that people insist on generating. I want OUT.

I've also been trying to take better care of myself physically and emotionally. I'm concentrating on yoga more, and not just the poses, but also the ideas behind them. I'm learning to accept myself more the way I am, and trying not to worry about the 20 pounds I think I should lose. And of course I won't leave completely, but I learned that I need to let a lot more go, to just view and not voice. To accept and let people be miserable if that's the way they want to be. I'm starting to learn I can't change anyone's mind about things like that.

I'm glad I have you guys...the ones who read my LJ and are mostly responsible for my happiness in the Web world...I hope I can continue to lean on you all.

xo

September 19th, 2006

Finally! A new TV show that I love!

9/19/06 09:03 am

I wanted to post about this here...it's silly, I know. But I'm really excited about this new show called Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Wanna know why??

- Brad Whitford is in it. I've been hot for him since I first watched the West Wing all those years ago.

- Matthew Perry is in it. I've never been hot for him, but I love him as an actor and am really looking forward to watch him be someone other than Chandler Bing.

- Tommy Schlamme and Aaron Sorkin direct and write the show, respectively. I can't think of a better team. Other than maybe JJ Abrams and the guy who wrote Alias. Or did he do both?

- It makes fun of TV, and calls out all the asshole-ishness of the industry. I like that. A lot.

- I've seen one episode, but I already know something about all the main characters. There's nothing I hate more than having to WAIT for character development (a la LOST). I even like Amanda Peet. Although she needs to eat a few steaks or something.

If you like TV, are a little liberal maybe, and like fast dialog (West Wing or Sports Night), give this show a try. I haven't been this excited about TV in a long long while. :D

Current Location: wooooooooooooooooork
Current Mood: happy
Current Music: Starsailor - In the Crossfire

September 11th, 2006

9/11

9/11/06 10:09 am

So just that I've even writing this makes me feel so melodramatic, and there are plenty of places where my friends can post their own thoughts and feelings, remembrances and whatnot. But I wanted to do it here too. I guess because, selfishly enough, it makes me feel better.

I've been feeling unease lately, maybe because of the day, or maybe because I feel like there's been a lot of negativity surrounding me lately (my own doing, no one else's)...I'm trying to be much more conscious of that now, and trying to watch what I say and think, examine my inner self.

We all remember this day in our own way. Reading what other people have to say makes me feel better somehow. I've avoided it in the past because I honestly didn't WANT to remember. But now I guess I'm ready, at least to hear people's stories. I won't watch the movies, but I can hear the stories.

It's a way to heal.

August 29th, 2006

It's all downhill from here, baby!!

8/29/06 10:45 am

Today is my beloved's 40th. No, he doesn't read this, but I thought you should all wish him a happy birthday anyway. He's only the best thing that ever happened to me, my best friend, my soul mate, my apple a day (stole that from my niece's wedding vows-how COOL is that?)...

I'm having a bash for him next Friday...it's still a surprise, but I thought I'd tell him tonight at his birthday dinner. Not sure yet.

Current Location: where else? :\
Current Mood: relaxed

August 23rd, 2006

An open letter to Dave Grohl

8/23/06 09:47 am

Dateline: August 23rd, 2006
Boston MA

Dear Dave-
Thank you for playing the Wang Center in Boston last night. It was an enjoyable experience. I do, however, have some advice as you move on to other cities to bless fans with your presence.

- Please, please play A320. It's tailor-made for this tour, and it's an amazing song.

- Acoustic doesn't mean "take your current repetoire of songs and play them slowly."

- Acoustic also doesn't mean adding in additional instruments for the sake of having bodies on the stage, especially when the listener can't hear them.

- Add to the above -Just because you have all those instruments on stage does not mean you have to actually use every single one in every single song.

- Drop the gay piano player STAT. He adds nothing (except I do love the accordion), unless you take my advice on point #1 above.

- Petra is lovely. Give her a mic stand so she doesn't have to lay her mic on the floor during songs so she can play her instrument. Also, turn up her fucking amplifier so I can hear her violin and mandolin, which I'm sure contribute quite nicely.

- When will you understand that you are worlds better than Taylor when it comes to just about everything, mostly drumming? It makes me visibly cringe when I hear you refer to him as "the best drummer in the world." He's adequate, but I understand that he is your best friend and you want to keep him from getting too depressed and offing himself.

- To follow on the point above, unplug him, at least for this tour. I had floor seats, and all I could hear were him and the short percussionist person.   Please please do something to mute him. It's overpowering and really lessens the enjoyment. It's not a rock show.

- Another follow on the two points just above...I could have done with the elimination of the entire back row on stage last night. It would have been lovely to have you, Pat, Chris, Petra and Nate. In fact, I'm not sure I heard Chris or Pat at ALL. It was impossible for me to tell. I was completely distracted, as it were, by overwhelming percussion.

- Stop saying Fuck so much, ok? You're not 22 anymore. You're an almost 40 year old father of a small child. PLEASE, for the love of God, learn how to talk to your audience with cursing with every third word. I adore your stories (Friend of a Friend background was ace, thanks).   Heaven knows I swear with the best of them, but I think it's time for you to NOT do it anymore. It gets really old.

Again, thank you for doing your show in Boston. I take every opportunity I can to see you and the band, and I think the spirit of the show, the whole premise, is great. I hope next time it will actually be more "acoustic."

Sincerely,
Liz

Current Location: woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooork
Current Mood: disappointed
Current Music: Hurt- New Order

August 16th, 2006

Snow Patrol

8/16/06 01:07 pm

Wow. Saw them last night, finally...after cancelling in early June for Gary's polyps (EEK!), they were able to make it to Boston last night for the first show they've done in the US, and their biggest in the States so far (yeah!). Can I just say-this is one of the best shows I've ever seen. Not only did I know EVERY song, they sounded incredible, and Gary is just THE sweetest guy EVER (yes, even sweeter than Dave LOL).

I should mention that there was a slight scare because of the terrorist thing in London last week, and they had to cancel their West coast shows (sorry Tara!!!) because two of the guys were stuck at the airport. As it was, they barely made it to Boston, and they had to make do without their bags and their PCs, phones, etc.

If for some reason you've never listened to them, you really should. They're really wonderful.

Current Location: WORK
Current Mood: happy
Current Music: none-some stupid WebEx thing is preventing me from listening

August 3rd, 2006

waves goodbye

8/3/06 03:17 pm

Hey all-
I'm leaving for vacation tomorrow afternoon, so don't be concerned if I don't show up spouting nonsense for the next week or so. Truth is, we'll probably bring the laptop with us, so I may be around. I will TRY not to. I just hate the thought of any drama going down and me missing it. Like a real Suri sighting or something.

:D

xo ladies. I'm leaving your responsible for keeping this place clean while I'm away, and collecting links and such for me to read when I return.

Current Location: work for a little while longer
Current Mood: cheerful
Current Music: Blue Morgan - Million Dollar Baby

August 1st, 2006

Are things crazier than usual?

8/1/06 10:42 am

Or is it just me?

I need to spill a little, so bear with me.

I work with a bunch of whiny menopausal women. All they do is bitch about how hot it is in the office all the time and send emails to facilities. Then they send ME the link to send emails to facilities to complain. Ugh.  I'm not hot.

Those same women are also really noisy. Add a guy to that bunch and it gets REALLY loud. And annoying. Thank God for Yahoo radio and the movie score station they have available. I think I'd go postal.

Friends and others have gone beserk on the postboards and LJs. This one just attacked that one at Foo, and Sammies has gone apoplectic at Fandom Wank.   Lots and lots of personal insults being leveled, recriminations, crap like that. I feel like everyone is seriously on tenterhooks just waiting for the next explosion. I think I'm ready for my vacation.

Speaking of explosions, I watch and listen to the horror in the mideast on a daily basis now. For me it's a little like Sept 11 in that I can't stop listening, watching and reading. I'm obsessed. And sick over what's happening. These poor people, with so little to begin with, who have lived their lives being treated like trash by all those around them, including their own government (which cannot or will not protect them, mind you)....do you think they ask themselves "can it get worse?"   Where is the humanity? Can someone with power not stand up to what's going on, cut through the bullshit, and stop this before anymore babies die? Where is the reason? And how much will it cost to rebuild this country that just got back on it's feet? Who will do it? We're a little broke I think, what with rebuilding the country we just blew to smithereens.

Do I sound morose today? I don't mean to. We're looking at a just a couple days of 100 degree heat, which is nothing like what the West just had to deal with. I go on vacation in 3 days. My son's baseball team made the playoffs. I have nothing to complain about. I guess sometimes my little haven on the internet gets to be too much like the real world and it disappoints me.

off to cruise ohnotheydidn't.

xo

Current Location: work
Current Mood: sad
Current Music: Cutthroat Island Soundtrack

July 27th, 2006

Being 40 can really suck sometimes

7/27/06 11:42 am

Like when I'm eating blueberries when what I really want is a double cheeseburger.

:(

I've been trying really hard to combat weight gain since I turned 40. I swear to God it's like someone flipped a switch that turned my metabolism OFF. There was a time not too long ago that I could pretty much eat whatever I wanted and not gain too much weight. And if I did gain a few pounds over time, I'd just work out extra hard for a few weeks and lose it. Not now. Nope.

Then there's the gut issue. I've NEVER had a belly, ever. Now all of sudden I've got this thickness around the middle. Which is bad, because I've always carried my weight around my butt and thighs. Add the gut to that and nothing fits anymore. Dammit. I mean ROLLS. Ugh. It's just incredibly frustrating.

I know this seems so vain in the broad perspective of things. I hate that I let myself get hung up on stupid things like this. What in the world do I have to complain about, anyway? Just makes it worse.

On a much nicer note, I'm putting together a surprise party for my Hubby, who turns 40 at the end of Aug. We're having it at a local VFW post, and our favorite BBQ restaurant is catering it. I've invited about 60 people, and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm horrible with surprises, so I may end up just telling him, but who knows. As long as he doesn't know about until the plans are finalized, I'll be happy.

Current Location: work
Current Mood: cranky
Current Music: Foos- Exhausted

July 15th, 2006

Dead Man's Chest

7/15/06 05:03 pm

ok-so I finally saw it. Why am I less than happy?

I don't want to post much in case some of you haven't seen it...and it's not that I didn't like it. I just...well...it's just so different than I thought it would be.

Was any body else really bummed about the outcome? And not just because of what happened to...well, the Pearl, but because of what happened to the characters.

It made me sad. Really sad.

I'll post more later...

July 13th, 2006

Negative energy, bad thoughts, pessimism, lack of faith

7/13/06 11:55 am

So this has become my pet peeve on LJ these days...

Let me start by saying that I completely understand that the I have complete control over the journals I go to. And I understand that no one is happy all the time. But I've found, since I started my own journal, that this realm is a place that tends to hold a lot of bad thoughts and negative energy.

Just yesterday I found a whole journal devoted to hating a particular actor. Sure, I guess it would be funny if I too hated this particular person. But I happened to find it not only distasteful but a complete waste of energy. Why in the world do people devote so much energy and time to hating anything? Especially a celebrity? What a very sad way to live. How empty their own lives must be that they have to build themsevles up by tearing another down.

*sigh*

Then I go to another beloved journal, devoted to yet another actor, and find that there are those who are there just to berate and criticize said actor. I go because I'm a fan and like to get updates and all that. And yes, no one is immune from the snark or even completely negative statements and thoughts, but why bother when it's all you do?

It's obvious that the climate of the world is bothering me, the politics, the terror, the war, Ken Lay escaping prison (I swear he's in witness protection somewhere!!!)...I get overwhelmed by it. But why make it worse by spreading such bad energy? I'm not a hippy, but I do find it much easier to dwell on happy thoughts. Maybe I need to find new journals to frequent.

I don't know. *sigh*

EMO.

so post your happy thoughts here, will ya?

Current Location: work-can you believe it??
Current Mood: disappointed
Current Music: Veruca Salt - Wolf