Tag, I'm it

I know, I know, I blogged already today, but I realized that I was tagged by my good friend Christina a while back and I never responded. Since I'd like to have a reptutation for good blogging etiquette, here's my list:

Jobs I have had:
1. Register girl/pizza maker at RoundTable Pizza (I learned how to make a great pie, and met my husband. Not bad all around, for a first gig.)
2. Activist (I stood outside and tried to get people to sign petitions. Yep, I stank. Also, I don't think I really knew what I was asking people to sign. That probably helps.)
3. Chiropractic assistant ( I learned how to do massage, lured my husband into marrying me with promises of deep tissue bliss, and then, well, stopped doing massage. Sorry, Paul.)
4. Customer service for dental insurance (prerequisite mind numbing job one must have prior to thinking "maybe I could do something more with my life.....")
5. Office manager for urologist (yeah, it is weird.)

Movies I can watch over and over:
1. Elf
2. Steel Magnolias
3. Sense and Sensibility (or Pride and Prejudice)
4. O Brother Where Art Thou
5. Ferris Bueller's Day Off/Tommy Boy
6. Spiderman 2
7. Arsenic and Old Lace/His Girl Friday/It Happened One Night
8. Anne of Green Gables/Anne of Avonlea
***I agonized over this list. This is really hard, to just narrow it down to a few. I'd like to apologize to all the other worthy films I haven't mentioned. I mean, I'm sorry, Princess Bride, I just thought you knew it was a given that you're a very important part of my life!!****

Places I have lived:
1. Simi Valley, CA
2. Ogden, UT
3. New York, NY

TV shows I watch:
1. So You Think You Can Dance
2. Heroes
3. PBS documentaries
4. I Love Lucy (this is what good comedy sitcoms are all about, in my humble opinion.)

Foods I like
1. Cheese (aged Gouda is my current favorite)
2. Brownies (a little gooey)
3. Mars bar (deep fried, especially....mmmmm...)
4. Italian
5. Indian
6. Cupcakes
7. Pudding

I'd rather be:
1. Eating In n Out hamburgers
2. Eating In n Out hamburgers in California with my family
3. Reading a really great book on the beach
4. Laughing
5. Talking to Paul

Websites I visit daily:
1. Email
2. Blogs of friends
3. The New Yorker, for the Shouts and Murmurs, but not daily. I just felt it needed a mention.

A category I'm adding-
Favorite movie quotes:
1. "I don't want to be a pie!!" (Chicken Run)
2. "Say, any of you boys smithies? Or otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts?" ( O Brother Where Art Thou)
3. "I'm sorry that I ruined your lives, and crammed eleven cookies in the VCR. Love, Buddy." (Elf)
4. "This place is just like Santa's workshop, except it smells like mushrooms and everyone looks like they want to hurt me." (Elf)
5. "It rains nine months out of the year in Seattle." ( Sleepless in Seattle. I don't know why, but I just laugh like crazy every time I hear that line. Go figure.)

The Empire has Struck

Well, Friday was my turn to plan our weekly date. Renting a movie now seems like a fall-back, ("or we could....rent a movie....") but when I was growing up, renting a movie was the absolute ultimate in excitement. We would go to Albertson's, and rent a VCR, and pick out a Disney movie, ("Swiss Family Robinson" was a favorite) and we'd get TV dinners. My favorite was always macaroni and cheese. It came in this little aluminum container, and it took like five hours to make, (it seemed) and since for me macaroni and cheese was pretty much the best thing in the world, it never really seemed like enough. I remember using my spoon to scrape out every last remnant of cheesy goodness....good times. So, on Friday night, Paul and I got to relive some of the magic of childhood past. We feasted on microwave chicken pot pie and macaroni and cheese, followed by a dessert of microwave popcorn which we ate whilst watching The Empire Strikes Back, which I had never seen. DEFINITELY my favorite Star Wars flick, and it was great fun to hear Paul describe all the Star Wars toys he used to play with as a kid. You're really never too old to pretend you're fighting someone with a light saber, even if that someone is your wife. We also rented Willow, but since we're old now, we couldn't stay awake to watch both movies.....how embarrassing!! We couldn't even stay awake for all of The Empire Strikes Back!! We had to finish it last night!!! When did we get so old and tired??!!!!! I'm using a lot of exclamation points!!! Anyhoo, a great time was had by all. Well, by me and Paul. (No more rhymes now, I mean it!!! Anybody want a peanut??)

I like Paul

Okay, so I'm still new at this blogging thing, and I can't figure out how to cut and paste what I wrote at the bottom to put it here, and I'm lazy because it's a million degrees in here. I apologize in advance for all the scrolling muscles you have to use.

cute

cute + andrea

cute paul expression + andrea

Hmmm..... did I mention how much I like Paul? Well, I do. Personal opinions about the validity of hairstyling competitions aside, I really have nothing but positive things to say about the guy. I think he has pretty positive feelings about me, too. I'm not saying this without any evidence, either- I just don't think that you don a Statue of Liberty foam headband and black socks and sandals for someone you have only lukewarm feelings for. Paul, you'll let me know if I'm reading that wrong, won't you? Unfortunately, like so many worthwhile subjects (the lochness monster, the chupacabra, bigfoot), Paul is fairly difficult to capture on camera, so I have to build up my digital portfolio of Paul pics....ooooh, I like that alliteration. So, I now find myself facing a problem: do I make you all want to puke your guts out with just how much I totally, really love Paul? Are you going to be grossed out if I blab on and on about how he brings home mac and cheese from Miss Mamie's, and does the laundry, and makes dinner, and has nice long talks with me about our feelings even though it's really not his favorite thing? I really don't want to disgust you, it's just that I like Paul. Here are some favorite Paul quotes:

"You just stop being such a cutiecutehead.....girl...."

"Know what will make you feel better? Scratching my back."

"Don't doubt me." (usually I raise one eyebrow after this one.)

"You're so pretty. Do you need to wash your face before bed?" (then I tell him I just washed my face.) "What?? No way. I couldn't tell! You don't need any makeup at all." (this one always goes over well.)

Thanks, Paul. You completely rock. Sorry if I made anyone puke.

Nice quote

"Every noble impulse, every unselfish expression of love, every brave suffering for the right; every surrender of self to something higher than self; every loyalty to an ideal; every unselfish devotion to principle; every helpfulness to humanity; every act of self control; every fine courage of the soul, undefeated by pretense or policy; but by being, doing and living of good for the very good's sake-that is spirituality."

-David O. McKay

Wow, right? I found a lot to think about in this quote, lots I'd like to work on....what do you think? I especially like "every fine courage of the soul".....yeah, that's nice.

Squirrels are the enemy

I wish to educate you all on a subject which I feel to be most important and which I feel is, by and large, neglected: Pooping Squirrel Awareness. Because of their bushy tails, charming nut eating habits, and large doe-y eyes, squirrels have a reputation for being harmless. This is absolutely not true. Let me, if you will, relate a personal experience. About a year or so ago, Paul and I were enjoying a relaxing afternoon in Central Park. We had just had some outrageously good soul food, and we were reclining on a blanket when we heard some frisky squirrels being, well, squirrelly, in the trees above. No sooner did we hear the squirrels make their presence known than did I feel a drop of....something....directly above my upper lip. Upon further examination, my worst fears were realized. The squirrel had, indeed, pooped on me. After making lots and lots of really high pitched squeally girl noises mixed with some choice words directed at the squirrel ( I think I used the term "stupidsquirrelhead" quite a few times), I doused myself with hand sanitizer and vowed never to think squirrels were cute again. They say time heals all wounds, and by and large I have found this to be true, but if we are to truly learn, we must retain some memory, yes? Some kernel of knowledge must be gained? So, when I was walking home from work last evening, and a frisky squirrel darted across my path making those stupid squirrel noises that I'm supposed to find cute, I reflected on my past experience and thought it warranted sharing. If I can help at least one person to not be pooped on by a squirrel, I'll have accomplished my goal. Thank you.

HairWorld: The Pursuit of Excellence | Preview | PBS

Hairworld: Great Debate, 2007 Andrea vs Paul

Some of you may have heard that about once a year, Paul and I have a Great Debate. The debate is never scheduled, and is generally about some obscure or silly topic that really shouldn't provoke such strong feelings. For example: The Great Pancake Debate of 2004. This debate was sparked by my preference for a slightly underdone pancake and centered around Paul's feelings of superiority in the field of pancake making due to his many stints as Head Pancake Chef during several Boy Scout outings. This particular debate lasted well over two hours, ending in our eventual collapse into laughter. I mean, it was just so silly, really. Last night, as we watched the PBS documentary Hairworld: The Pursuit of Excellence, the debate ensued. Is styling hair worthy to be in the same class as competitions such as the World Series, or Olympics or the Superbowl? Andrea pro, Paul con. We had a spirited discussion complete with some very intellectual phrases like "you've got to be kidding me", and I'm proud to say that I ended the discussion with a well timed and thought provoking "whatever". I think that won me the debate, personally, (This actually might not be true, but it's my blog.)