Picking Up The Signal

The Prettiest Thing

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 01:33:09 GMT

The prettiest thing
I ever did see
Was lightning from the top of a cloud
Moving through the dark a million miles an hour
With somewhere to be

So why does it seem
Like a picture
Hanging up on someone else's wall
Lately I just haven't been myself at all
It's heavy on my mind

I'm dreamin' again
Like I've always been
And way down low
I still know

The prettiest thing
I ever did see
Was dusty as the handle on the door
Rusty as a nail stuck in the old pine floor
Looks like home to me

Now I'm dreamin' again
Like I've always been
And way down low
I'm thinkin' of the prettiest thing

--Norah Jones

The night of freaks...

Sat, 21 Jul 2007 01:02:18 GMT

First, I have no idea about the horcruxes. Nor do I know who dies. Mostly, I want to know if Snape is good. We can blame it on my irrational obsession with Alan Rickman (*swoon*), or possibly on the fact that Snape has been so intricately written that he truly could go either way. Regardless, I need to know. I promise, I will deface Rowling's Wiki entry if she doesn't tell us.

My theory: He's good. Dumbledore makes mistakes but trusting Harry with someone who could potentially be that bad is not his style. So, without further ado, Mir's Snape is Good theory:

Snape and Lily were in Potions together (we know this because Slytherin and Gryffindor are in the same classes). They are both talented in Potions, and Lily has a soft spot for Snape. Or, at least she pities him. I think Snape fell for Lily (duh), and in a desperate plea to gain her love, he used the love potion on her. The biggest supporting factor for this is that there are four major potions mentioned in book 6 - polyjuice, amortentia, Felix Felicis and veritaserum. We have seen, in great detail, three of the four. And we know Rowling likes to leave little clues.

I think Snape was caught by James and buddies drugging Lily with the love potion, and this is their motivation for "throwing him to the werewolves," so to speak. James and Sirius are cocky and egotistical, but something more than childhood spite must have occurred to have them risk Snape's life in such a horrific manner. In the end, James changes his mind, and spares Snape (much as Harry spared Wormtail).

So, Snape goes on to become a Death Eater, and James marries Lily. Everyone's fine until Snape hears part of the prophecy. He relays the information to Voldemort, and Voldemort decides the prophecy means Harry. My theory is when Snape discovers that he intends to kill James, Lily, and Harry, he asks Voldemort to spare Lily. Several things support this. First, Voldemort tries several times to spare Lily before killing her. We know from Cedric that he has no qualms about murdering, and doing so swiftly, so WHY spare Lily? We also know he "greatly rewards" those who are faithful. What if Snape's reward was supposed to be Lily?

Last part of the theory: Snape is remorseful, and when Harry pesters Dumbledore to tell him why he trusts Snape, for a split second, he considers it (Book 6). Then he decides not to. Dumbledore has his reasons, and obviously, he thinks Harry can't handle them. And Snape being in love with his mother is certainly something he can't tolerate. I also think Dumbledore assigned Snape to Potions as a reminder of his penance.

I don't doubt that Snape hates Harry. He hates him for what he is, for what he's done, and for where he comes from. However, he's bound to Dumbledore to protect Harry, and assist him in his final task. Even if that means killing Dumbledore. And even if he hates Dumbledore for resigning him to such tasks.

Other theories:

One of the twins dies. There's been a lot of foreshadowing - profitable shop owners disappearing, the twins' business ties to the Ministry, their blatant disregard for Voldemort.

The house elves are crucial to Harry's conquering Voldemort. They're the most powerful of the magical creatures, and Dobby has been instrumental in assisting him along the way.

In one of Rowlings interviews, she stated that Ginny was the most powerful witch, being the 7th child whose parents were both 7th siblings. I have a feeling her power will shine through in this last book, making her a worthy adversary.

And that's about it. I'm sure there are other small tidbits that help in strengthening my debate, but seeing as how we'll know the truth tomorrow, I figure this short essay should suffice.

Oh, and unlike the FREAKIEST nuts, I will not be getting my book at midnight. Mine will be delivered by Muggle mail some time this weekend. I still have to get through Book 6 once again. So please, PLEASE don't spoil it for me. Mmmkay?

I'm alive....

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:17:48 GMT

....but hardly.

You ever had those stressful times where an insurmountable work load is baring down on you, and you can't find one iota of motivation to even get started?

Where you bury all responsibilities into a crevice in the back of your mind and find every way possible to do anything but what you should be doing?

Where you let your own selfishness overcome your ability to be an adult and deal with the situation at hand, knowing that the child within will surface at the climax of your procrastination in the eleventh hour and help you overcome all obstacles (albeit with enormous stress) before your world explodes?

You ever been there?

I hate that place.

I obviously need a swift kick in the conscience.

Vertigo

Thu, 05 Apr 2007 01:47:34 GMT

The mother-in-law of one of my best friends died last week. He's been out of town, and just let me know today. I am very sad for his wife, and for the rest of her children. Unfortunately, it was always a looming possibility, and she was already in an assisted care facility.

Two hours before I got his email, my stepfather, who's been in my life since I was 11, let me know on a beautiful sunsetting Florida beach that the doctors told him the only way he's going to live through the next 10 years is to "pray." He had a stroke about two weeks ago, and while he's okay, aside from massive bruising and exhaustion from the drugs, he has the worst possible scenario for having another stroke. And the next time, it won't be small.

Are we really at this point in our lives? Are we really losing and about to lose parents? I always felt cocooned and comforted by the fact that my parents were the youngest in my class. At barely 50, my father still rides 15-20 miles on his mountain bike without breaking a sweat, my stepfather (52) was at seven percent bodyfat due to exercise and diet (a fact his trainer won't forgive him for), and my mother (who hasn't hit 50) is still mistaken for a woman in her late 30s, as well as as her granddaughter's mother.

As I've been creeping up the age chart, I seem to have forgotten that our parents are as well. Between my precious/precocious children and my parents, I am feeling more and more like the nauseated and vertigo-stricken victim of time.

Death, redefined

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 02:18:59 GMT

'What will your obituary say?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Oh, Michaelangelo, I'll miss you too!

Quote of the day

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 14:20:32 GMT

"Trust me, Bart. It's better to walk in on both your parents than on just one of them." -- Milhouse on "The Simpsons"

A good night

Fri, 23 Feb 2007 05:15:14 GMT

Tonight was good. I hit the local trail at 5:30, totally wired on caffeine and the idea of riding. It was in the high 60s and gorgeous out. The tunes were kickin', and I was flying down the trail in the wrong direction when I ran into two guys. I stopped on the hill to let them continue up it without losing momentum, but they were clearly already spent, so they urged me to ride on by.

I did, and finished a few miles later at a nice, wildly irresponsible 18 mph pace. To my surprise, the two guys were sitting on the logs, recuperating. The older guy, Mike, had never seen a Lefty fork before and began ogling my bike (it is a really sweet bike :-) ). We were quickly caught up in conversation, and I found myself standing there, enormously self-conscious. I was dressed in all spandex with my 13 extra pounds since December hanging around my hips. I had my new pink helmet on, and my iPod on my arm. Also? I'd forgotten my riding shoes, so I was wearing brand new, bright friggin' white tennis mules. With an all black and yellow riding kit. Needless to say, I was cute.

Anyhow, after a few minutes I still couldn't figure out why I'm all self-conscious and blushy. Then I realized the younger guy (a very hawt younger guy) Bryce, was looking at me. As in, not taking his eyes off me. AND?! His eyes wandered! AND I WAS IN SPANDEX!!

I was very flattered, but I made sure to throw in a "husband" remark to clear the air. I could see him out of the corner of my eye, his baby blues unrelentlessly staring at me, grinning this great grin. And it's no secret I'm a sucker for some baby blues. The whole time, I'm thinking 'THIS IS SO WEIRD' and 'I wonder if he's married' and 'I have GOT to get this guy's number because OhMyGod my single girlfriends would love him.' I even started mentally pairing him with the single girls in my phonebook.

After about thirty minutes of chatting, the sun had set and we decided to head back to our cars. I spent the drive home marinating in the whole "I WAS CHECKED OUT" moment. I've been checked out before, and I've been checked out since I've been married. But this guy liked what he saw in a vulnerable moment -- spandex with wind-blown hair and a geeky helmet atop my head. Not exactly Mir at her most Betty.

Recently, I had some professional photos taken for The Hubs. They did my makeup and hair, and fussed over me for about three hours. They took nearly fifty photos, and the end result was me looking at the finished products on the monitor and shaking my head in defeat. I hated every moment of the entire process, and the results weren't me. They weren't a sexy me, or the dolled-up me that goes out with my husband. They were nice, but I hated them (good news was The Hubs loved them).

What this guy saw tonight? That is me.

I will never be rail thin, but I am an athlete. I have no fashion sense, but every item I wore today is something I love very dearly (even the white mules).

The woman who just stepped off her most prized possession after a gorgeous evening on the trails? She was happy, and animated. She laughs easily and jokes readily. She loves her life, and appreciates the fact that her husband is the amazing man he is to let her have that hour to herself without a five minute reprieve after work. She will have an afterglow for days from such a fantastic ride, and is already anxious for her next ride.

She had wind-blown helmet head and an exuberant smile, and apparently, she was beautiful.

An update

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 02:27:49 GMT

I've had a lot of concerned comments and emails about how we're doing since my horomonal, "God, please spare me from my family" post. Sorry to leave you hanging. :-)

We're just fine. The vacation was exactly what we needed. Things were never rocky, just stressed. We're looking at schools, private schools, gifted schools, doing our first set of self-employed taxes, house hunting, grad school hunting, GMAT studying, appendectomy operation paying (yeah, try several thousand buckaroos), down-payment saving, and then the every day living kind of shit. You know, paying regular bills, doing chores, raising two kids, cleaning up vomit and doing a ton of work living.

We're looking to leave in June, and we don't know where we're going to live, and I'm talking city, state, house living. We have to make decisions beginning in May, and that's 10 weeks away! We're growing to hate this city, and The Hubs resents his lower-paying job. We've been in a rut for a while and we need out. We've been talking about big changes for a while now, and now is the time. We're going to go about this in the Pete Johnson fashion -- we're going to find the city, then find the job and school. We're going to find a place we want to live for the next 20 years and we're going to let our kids grow their roots.

Big decisions, big stresses, big strains.

I'm trying to convince The Hubs to take me skiing again next month. Maybe for TWO nights, if we can.

Embarrassing kid shit....

Sun, 18 Feb 2007 03:57:05 GMT

For them, not me. Me? I'm encapsulating every stinkin' moment for future use.

Austen weighing in on a long, yet innocent, first kiss lip-lock on "King Kong":
"EWWWW!! They're not even kissing. They're SUCKING on each other's mouths!"

And the boy:
"My ding-a-ling. MY ding-a-ling. I just wanna play with MY DING-A-LING!"

I was tagged, too

Wed, 14 Feb 2007 15:21:41 GMT

Guilt	What is yours?	Explain yourself
Culinary:	pasta	Glooooorious pasta! It's so good for the hips.
Literary:	Harry Potter	I'm reading the series yet again. Yet. Again.
Audiovisual:	Wife Swap	Yes. Reality television at its worst.
Musical:	KT Tunstall	I don't listen to the radio so I DIDN'T KNOW she was all over the radio!!
Celebrity:	Hugh Grant	Hookers aside, he's hot and I fall all over his accented self.

Now I tag:-

donquixote ohwell98 hbkrickj clibby42 and wyldanthem

to complete this same Quiz, Its HERE.

Color me stunned

Thu, 08 Feb 2007 16:59:11 GMT

Legwarmers are making a comeback.

I'm gonna hibernate until we're done revisiting the '80s.

Insult to injury

Tue, 06 Feb 2007 19:01:29 GMT

Damned heater went out AGAIN this morning. It's currently 58 in my house.

I can't wait to move.

False advertising

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 19:14:13 GMT

Commercial: "You're watching Ashley Judd in Simon Birch."

Me: "No, no we're not. Because Ashley Judd just bit it from a baseball to the head."

**Note to self: ALWAYS sit behind the fence at The Tank's little league games**

Perversion

Sat, 06 Jan 2007 01:39:19 GMT

"See Dick?"
"See Dick Work!"
"Work, Dick, Work!"

Is it bad that I'm giggling unstoppably?!

Stolen from Lucie, and ditto

Sun, 19 Nov 2006 03:52:46 GMT

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current street)
Wags Edward

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fav icecream flavor,favorite cookie)
Mint Raspberry Delight

3. YOUR "FLY Guy/Girl" NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)
M Ben

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)
Green Horse

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)
Leigh Atlanta

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first)
benmi

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite drink put "The" in the middle)
Blue the sweet tea

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)
Stanley Leonard

9. STRIPPER NAME: (the name of your favorite perfume, favorite candy)
True Love Mounds (hahahaha -- I can't make that shit up)

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother & father's middle name )
Gail Stanley

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Sun, 05 Nov 2006 03:46:32 GMT

NO, NO, NO! Mah HEART!!

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/11/04/doogie.ap/index.html

My childhood just took a blow.

Umm, shit.

Tue, 17 Oct 2006 23:00:04 GMT

Was anyone else aware that we didn't make E&P's "Best Journalism Colleges" list this year?

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/resources/journalism_schools.jsp

Dude. How sad.

Quick....

Sun, 08 Oct 2006 01:44:02 GMT

...everyone nudge O'Nealie. It's been almost a month. C'mon already. Where the hell is she?

While you're doing this, avoid watching the USC/UK game. Just don't watch. It'll only bring you down....

Banned Book Week - Sept. 23 - 30

Sat, 16 Sep 2006 19:54:12 GMT

Read one, yo. Join up, take a stand. These are the books of our childhood. Let's keep them around for the next generation's childbood.

http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bannedbooksweek.htm

1 Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
2 Daddy's Roommate by Michael Willhoite
3 I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
4 The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
5 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
6 Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
7 Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
8 Forever by Judy Blume
9 Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
10 Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
11 Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
12 My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
13 The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
14 The Giver by Lois Lowry
15 It's Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
16 Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
17 A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
18 The Color Purple by Alice Walker
19 Sex by Madonna
20 Earth's Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
21 The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
22 A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
23 Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
24 Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
25 In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
26 The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
27 The Witches by Roald Dahl
28 The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
29 Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
30 The Goats by Brock Cole
31 Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
32 Blubber by Judy Blume
33 Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
34 Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
35 We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
36 Final Exit by Derek Humphry
37 The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
38 Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
39 The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
40 What's Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
41 To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
42 Beloved by Toni Morrison
43 The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
44 The Pigman by Paul Zindel
45 Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
46 Deenie by Judy Blume
47 Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
48 Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
49 The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
50 Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
51 A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
52 Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
53 Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
54 Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
55 Cujo by Stephen King
56 James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
57 The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
58 Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
59 Ordinary People by Judith Guest
60 American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
61 What's Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
62 Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
63 Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
64 Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
65 Fade by Robert Cormier
66 Guess What? by Mem Fox
67 The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
68 The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
69 Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
70 Lord of the Flies by William Golding
71 Native Son by Richard Wright
72 Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women's Fantasies by Nancy Friday
73 Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
74 Jack by A.M. Homes
75 Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
76 Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
77 Carrie by Stephen King
78 Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
79 On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
80 Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
81 Family Secrets by Norma Klein
82 Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
83 The Dead Zone by Stephen King
84 The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
85 Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
86 Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
87 Private Parts by Howard Stern
88 Where's Waldo? by Martin Hanford
89 Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
90 Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
91 Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
92 Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
93 Sex Education by Jenny Davis
94 The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
95 Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
96 How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
97 View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
98 The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
99 The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
100 Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

Weekend recap

Mon, 11 Sep 2006 12:36:22 GMT

What a fucking weekend.

It's almost 9 a.m. and The Boy is still asleep. I'm impressed. We had to get The Kid up around 8 because we all overslept. She's definitely pulling a T this morning when she gets dropped off. And I'm SURE they'll be pleased as punch that her "well-rounded" breakfast consisted of raisins and .......more raisins.

The wedding was gorgeous. Erin was gorgeous. Carl was, I believe, drunk, but he was looking pretty good himself. No, seriously, props for a beautiful wedding, O'Nealie. We had a great time and loved visiting with everyone.

The car ride up was uneventful. We laughed, we sang, we watched movies. We took the metro into DC at night, and snapped some pictures of the beauty of the Capitol. The metro ride back was shit and the next morning, I DROVE into the city. And? We survived it.

The game. Fuck. Is there anything to say about it, other than I'm glad that most everyone at my table at the bar was drunk? And Blake, buddy, that hand injury? GREAT call. You wouldn't have made it out of the stadium alive otherwise.

The car ride home was rather uneventful. Steaks at the in-laws and a little rain, but overall, not bad.

Unfortunately, Lucie's ride home was not as good, but I'm relieved to say that while her car is in bad shape, she and Larrabee are okay, and that's all that matters.

What a long weekend. We really needed it. It was replenishing and our kids were so happy to see us. We've already agreed that once we dig ourselves out of the little money pit that is the car fiasco from a few weeks ago, we're going to try to get away more often.

We need it, and we deserve it.

ugh

Tue, 22 Aug 2006 13:50:07 GMT

Today....today is a bad day. I can only pray to God that it gets better. Because I don't know how I'll deal with it getting worse.

I want to vomit, but shouldn't. And I can't take my valium (believe me, I SO WOULD) because I have to drive somewhere in the next 2-4 hours.

No one has died, and no one is physically hurt, and I am so very, very grateful for that. However, It's 9:45 in the morning, and I can't stop shaking. The soundtrack to my terrible day is "Anna Begins." It just repeats over and over in my head. I need the kindness to fall like rain and I'm sure that every word is nonsense.

But that will have to do for now.

*pleaseletthisturnoutallrightpleasedontlethimbeasangryasIthinkheispleaseshowerforgivenessandkindnessandasenseofunderstandingthatsometimesshitjusthappensuponus*

*prettyplease*

Sun, 30 Jul 2006 03:37:22 GMT

Sweet! But I'd prefer "evil" genius.

grrr

Tue, 25 Jul 2006 20:05:17 GMT

You know, I am one lucky mofo. I know this. Really, I do.

But it's hard to remember that sometimes this is the life that people would die for. Times like now, when I have several THOUSANDS of dollars in paychecks not being sent to me. The work is done, the projects are through, yet there is no cash in hand.

It makes it hard to do anything when you have no idea when you're getting paid.

Da Visa...

Wed, 28 Jun 2006 02:11:40 GMT

HBK,

This one has your name all over it!!!

No fucking way, yo....

Tue, 27 Jun 2006 01:23:15 GMT

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/books/06/26/potter.deaths.ap/index.html