I'm Blogging?

I suppose it's been long enough. I've been so busy you know, with the stuff of life. Work, basically. And a wedding here and there.
This evening Daniel and I sat on stone benches in front of the Cafe Medici drinking a Toddy SS and brainstorming for a speech that he'll be delivering to a crowd at a Texas Tea Party Rally on Independence Day. I don't like giving speeches, let alone standing up in front of a crowd. I think I've said before it makes my palms sweat and my neck gets splotchy and I get cotton-mouth. But I can write a speech. I think.
In high school I was chosen to participate in a speech meet and the topic I chose was abortion. You know, I like to keep things neutral, non-polarizing.
Three days before speech meet I had to present my speech, completed, to the Rhetoric class and after 4 excruciating minutes Mrs. Brunson asked me to sit down. After class she told me she thought, from a competitive stand point, that I was going to fail miserably and embarrass the school unless by some act of God I got my crap together before Saturday morning (perhaps not in so many words).
Well, that evening I went home, wrote out a speech based on my index cards, stood in my closet, and read my speech to myself ten times before setting it aside.
Apparently those readings committed the speech to my memory it because I recited it to judges, competitors, and other students word-for-word on Saturday morning without even glancing at my note cards. And apparently it was a good speech because the crowd was nearly in tears by the end of the speech and I won the gold medal. I think I told some gut-wrenching story about a girl sitting in a clinic. Juno totally ripped me off.
Unfortunately Mrs. Brunson wasn't there to hear it. I think she was watching some team present a puppet show or some kid recite a humorous monologue. She was very surprised to see me win and she didn't conceal her surprise at all.
It must have been adrenaline.
I hate public speaking.
All that to say is: I could never, would never do what Daniel is doing on Saturday. When I think about it, it makes me want to vomit. I'd rather vomit than give a speech.

In other news...I am blessed. I got to see my parents and brothers last month and they were able to stay with me at my own house! Daniel and I loved having a house full of family. Hopefully we'll be able to return the gesture someday soon.
I was in the wedding of a great friend last weekend. It is good to be confident that a friend is marrying a good man.
I wore a yellow dress and about ten minutes before the ceremony I ripped a hole in the front of it with my pointy shoe heel. That was kind of awful but I don't think anyone noticed because Courtney and Ryan were so stunning.
One moment framed in my mind: walking a crosswalk on Guadalupe with the wedding party, all dressed in our yellow gowns, holding Courtney's train to keep it from dragging on the street.
It was a lovely wedding :)
Well. That's all for now.

'Feel Good'

DG and I watched the movie Penelope last night and we both really enjoyed it. It's one of those movie's about "self discovery" and all that mush. And I recommend it. There's a good amount of the silly and whimsical to get lost in. I love movie experiences like that.

Also, please watch this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QHbMojr7SQ

I love it!!!!

Make Way For Ducklings!

When I was a child I used to love the story Make Way for Ducklings. I remember looking over the pages and examining the beautiful brown-ink illustrations on cream-colored paper. I still have this book sitting on a shelf in my house. A couple of weekends ago when we had our wonderful houseguests I read the book as a bedtime story to the children.
Anyway...
At the entrance of our neighborhood there is a large pond inhabited by your typical pond creatures--including four ducks, two of which are male Mallards. This morning as I was leaving for work, the ducks were crossing the street to reach a nice little patch of bushes on the other side of the road. I had to stop my car and wait for them to waddle across.
In the movie You've Got Mail Meg Ryan's character says at one point, "So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when shouldn't it be the other way around?"
I happen to like it when things I see remind me of what I read. Because, we're all symbols of symbols of symbols right? Typology and all that.

Tomorrow is my birthday. Daniel's already given me my presents. This was a big birthday, folks! A real big one! I got an Apple desktop and Photoshop CS3 to go along with it. I never thought I'd ever own an Apple OR Photoshop and I am so excited. I really need to take the time to sit down and play with it because I have't hardly at all. I'm very intimidated by it, actually.

Netflix.com is becoming quite a habit for me. We've been streaming video like crazy--all BBC/Masterpiece Theater. Daniel and I are particularly enjoying a series called Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister. It's very clever and political, and I think I only enjoy it because Daniel does. I think that because I've tried watching the show on my own and I really don't plug in to it very well by myself.
My recommendations of what I've seen (if you're interested!):
I watched a wonderful, wonderful 11-epidsode adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre.
I thoroughly enjoyed a 4-episode adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's Wives and Daughters. Currently I'm in the middle of Anthony Trollope's The Way We Live Now, and it's pretty good. Not my favorite so far.
I've also watched hours and hours and hours of 30 Rock. So funny.

I also found a Jane Austen PodCast on itunes where I can download podcasts of someone reading her books! With a British accent!!

I made homemade Tiramisu and it is awesome.

Easter was great. Very low-key. But great.
Hope you all had a joyous Easter!

xoxo-KG

What to do, what to do?

What to do when Daniel's not around?
There's nothing like ironing pillowcases and singing Gershwin at the top of your lungs! At least, I've heard some people like to do that.

The girls at work like to call Wednesdays "Hump Day," but because I'm four I have trouble saying things like that. So I stick with "Half way through the week!" or "Wednesday."
This is one of those weeks that felt like Monday and Tuesday dragged on forever, but then suddenly it's Wednesday and today it feels like the week is flying by.

I've been listening to a lot of Michael Buble, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, and the like and I keep picturing myself dancing around a club in Casablanca with Daniel. Our church meets in the same building where they offer dancing lessons in the middle of the week and I've seriously been considering attending a lesson or two and seeing what I think. I actually got DG to agree to go with me some time...so we might actually do it! About 3 or 4 years ago Daniel told me he was getting me dancing lessons for my birthday...and I'm starting to think he just told me that because he forgot my birthday...

Speaking of dancing, we are going country dancing this weekend. That's not really what I picture when I think of dancing. I'd like to waltz or rhumba or something. But country dancing means you have to listen to country music, which frankly, I don't particularly enjoy. Plus, at most of these country dancing joints they serve two drinks: water and beer. And I don't drink beer.
But Daniel seems excited about going, so I'll go. I guess.

I have to savor every moment this weekend, because next weekend my days all belong to my employer. I'll be in Biloxi at a casino for a freakImean HAIR show. That's always interesting. It will be my first time in a Casino (besides the little ones they have on cruise ships), and it will be the first time I ever remember visiting Mississippi.

M-I-S-S
I-S-S
I-P-P-I!

I'll take a few pics of the place (although cameras are NOT allowed inside hair shows. Don't ask).

I'm going to go watch a girly movie or something. All by my lonesome.

Peace to you and your household.

THREE Years Ago To the Day...

I was in Edinburgh, Scotland--With my brother, Jim, Gloria, and Mary Joy.

In a bar's basement that was also a bar called Frankenstein's.

Across the street from John Knox's house.

Engaging in a little underage drinking. I drank something blue, and it was free. Just like this hat.

And having a marvelous time altogether.

...and it was at that time she realized she was a very dull girl indeed.

Ah.
I’ve been bitten by the blog bug again. I’m not sure what happened or when it happened, but it did and I’m glad.

This morning has gotten off to a sort of pitiful start. Just the sort of morning I love.
Fletcher pooped on the floor this morning somewhere between his kennel and the backyard. Sad, isn’t it? After eight hours sleeping in a kennel, he couldn’t hold it another second. Although his incontinence may have something to do with the fact that DG lets the pups out of their kennel and gets them all riled up. Meanwhile, I’m standing in front of the mirror fixing my hair saying, “Don’t be surprised when one of them has an accident. Don’t you realize they’ve been in a kennel for eight hours?!”
Right again.
Speaking of me always being right, on Sunday I told Daniel that “a prudent man would have thought to bring an umbrella.” We got caught in the pouring rain and his excuse for not bringing an umbrella was, “it was only sprinkling when we left the house!”
Then I threw out my “a prudent man…” line and he told me, “I don’t think you’re using that term correctly.”
“Excuse me?” I asked him, “You are questioning my word usage? Do you not know whose daughter I am?? Are you sure you want to do this?”
Unfortunately for Daniel, he isn’t genetically wired to back down from a fight—even when it would behoove him to do so.
So I whipped out my phone and logged onto Dictionary.com.
Prudent: adjective; careful in providing for the future; provident: a prudent decision.
I don’t think he learned his lesson. In fact, I think he was only defending himself because I hurt his feelings by saying he wasn’t prudent.
That’s kind of sad…

Where was I?
A pitiful morning. I stole a Dr. Pepper. Literally. I stole it (but not from a store…just from a person. I’m not that depraved. Well…). And I’m blogging.

So, I’ve gotten to a place with my new(ish) friend Amy B. We’ve started the nickname thing, which is always fun and means you will be best friends forever. At least, with me it does because it takes a special person to give me a nickname that sticks. And I’ve always wanted a nickname. My high school nickname “Meat” was simply awful—although associated with fond memories. But I am not the sort of person that you would feel comfortable nicknaming “Meat.” I would make sure of that.
But I digress.
I call Amy B. “A.G.O.B.” Those are her initials (including maiden-name). She simply calls me KG, which I like. And other people have started to catch on. I know, I know. It is both lame and weird that I get excited about these things, but I can’t help it. I’m half of a middle child and it makes me feel special and wanted, even though I’m not as smart as my older brother. What? Who said that?
I also think it’s “cute” that we call our husbands DG and JB. It makes one feel as if one is a close friend of another friend, even though one might not be.
But really, we are best friends.

Perhaps I should get to work.

Take is easy.

P.S. Incontinence: adjective; unable to restrain natural discharges or evacuations of urine or feces.
Ew! Ha ha!
I'm four.

Meditations and Musings

After a title like that I bet you were expecting something intelligent.

Well I'm sorry to disappoint you, we don't do that here.

Although my husband is playing "Stop This Train" in the background (coincidentally enough, there's a train whistling in the distance), and I've been watching Judi Dench on TV and that always makes me feel pensive.

And I got glasses this week. Like Tina Fey. It makes me think I could be funny some day. Or smart.

Well our guests have gone, and the house is empty and quiet again. It leaves me feeling somewhat forlorn. And the house, because of my deep-rooted lack of decorating skills is very empty (of decorative 'objects') and therefore echo-y(?), which can really make you feel alone sometimes.
Maybe I should invest in a couple more rugs.
But I do like the simplicity for the most part. I might like to have a few things hung on the wall here and there, but overall the lack of "stuff" lying around can be nice. It leaves fewer things to tidy up.

Soon we'll be preparing for another set of guests. The same amount of people, only larger in size--no offense. None of them will be sleeping in a pack-n'-play. In May my family will be visiting and I'll be taking a couple of days off to enjoy their visit with them. I'm so excited!
Daniel and I are already contemplating a few fun activities to remind them of how awesome A-town is.

Speaking of awesome A-town, the time has come for South by Southwest. The Pioneer Woman herself is here in Austin for the "bloggie awards" and I am contemplating ways to attend. I have no idea where it's happening or when...for all I know it may have already happened. But it would be cool to meet her in person!
I also would like to go see a SxSW film premier. I've always wanted to attend a movie premiere (premier? what is right?). I'll put that on my list of things I want to do before I die but never will because I'm boring.

Daniel and I spent Sunday afternoon watching movies. He got to pick one and I got to pick one. First it was his turn, and he chose What About Bob? which I slept through. And then it was my turn. I chose a French film called Hors de Prix (translated as "Priceless") starring Audrey Tatou. If it were up to me I would die and come back in another life as a dark-haired, skinny french girl with big Audrey Hepburn eyes and prance around in haute couture. But it's not up to me.
I liked my choice. It's a silly, whimsical, sort of sad-but-not film.
It is the story of a young, beautiful, completely broke woman who makes a living by preying on rich older men. One evening she sets her sights on a handsome young man in a tuxedo at a high-class hotel whom she believes to be very wealthy. Turns out he's just a waiter at the hotel.
The story takes an interesting turn that leaves you telling yourself, It's okay, they're French.
But, I liked it. It was ironic.
So sue me, I like almost all things French. Particularly the language. And the Cote D'Azur. Or perhaps I would. If I ever went there.

Well, believe it or not, I think I've run out of things to say.
I'll go dry my hair now.

Bonsoir!