Resolution Road

New Blog, Pass it On!

2013-02-02T19:04:00.002-08:00

I'm finally following through with an idea I've longed toyed with (and has been suggested to me by others). I'm blogging about how I live my fabulously thrifty lifestyle.

Check it out and pass it on: Sac Thrift Chick. I resolve to update this blog regularly.

Summer Snapshots

2012-07-10T01:06:00.001-07:00

Remember when you were little and time passed so slowly? It felt like the school year would never end and summer was so far away. Then summer vacation felt like it lasted so long, but not long enough? Yea, those were the days. I feel like time is always flying by me. I blink and another month has come and gone. Here's a snapshot of my fleeting summer, so far.


Enjoying the Sacramento Music (Jazz) Festival outside of Brooks Novelty Antiques and Records.


Participating in the democractic process, as I have every election since I was 18.

Seeing the hilarious "Wicked" at The Community Center Theater.


Finding chickens in our backyard, adding to the list of random animals which wander in.

Rockin' out to one of my favorite local bands, Bastards of Young. See my post on CIP.

Walking the dog through the nearby park under a cotton-candy sky.

Racing the sun on the way home from a Craigslist pickup in Folsom.

Eating ice cream on the back patio after a long day of moving furniture.

Concerts in the Park

2012-07-02T20:34:00.000-07:00

Summer means many things to many people. There's swimming, road trips, barbeques, fireworks, and for most teachers and students, a much needed break. For over a decade, summer has also meant one very important thing to me: Friday Night Concerts in the Park. I attend a few different CIP shows every summer.

I believe I first started attending CIP in 1999. That was the year I really got into local music scene.

At that time, these Friday Night Concerts were a big deal. This was before the days of Myspace and Facebook. Bands really worked their butts off promoting their appearances, enlisting the help of street teams and even sending out reminders via snail mail.

Every Friday night, by the time the headlining band struck its first chord, the area in front of the stage at Cesar Chavez Plaza would be packed with loyal fans and those just wanting to be in on the action. Standing against the gate separating the crowd from the bands on the cement stage, you could feel the energy. It was something special.

That "specialness" remained for years, but I noticed it tapering off the last few years. At first I thought maybe it was me. Maybe because I was older and had been to countless shows for over a decade, the excitement just wasn't there for me.

But it wasn't just me. My husband, who has been attending CIP since 2004, also noticed it. And it wasn't just that the crowds were smaller—which they were—it was that those Friday nights just didn't seem to be that big of a deal anymore. I noticed bands didn't promote them like they used to. The crowd just didn't react the same. The area in front of the stage was often depressingly empty.

The shows had become commonplace. Whether it was lack of promoting on the bands' end, people tired of seeing the same bands (a common complaint, although one I don't always think was justified) or maybe the fact that the scene seems far more fragmented (and with less of a good pop rock presence) than in my youth, I don't know. I just knew something had changed.

This year, a big drama-filled change occurred, and it's turned out to be a huge change for the better.

Under new leadership, the Friday Night Concerts in the Park series is back to its old glory. The park is packed on Friday nights (breaking records, even), but more than that, the park is buzzing with that energy you only experience at a great live show.

This is not to take away from what Jerry Perry did for CIP, because he did amazing things for it for many years. I wouldn't look back so fondly on those shows of years past if it wasn't for Perry's hard work behind the scenes.

This is to give credit where credit is due. So props (yea, I said props) to Play Big Sacramento. Say what you will about the name and the individuals on the panel, but as a group, they've breathed much needed life into CIP.

I've loved the shows I've attended thus far and can't wait to make the trek in freeway traffic for more. (OK, I could do without the traffic to the 5 p.m. start time.)

Here's some of my favorite "crappy cell phone" pics this year.

I make Aaron take a photo like this at every CIP. This was during The Infamous Swanks in May.

A disabled (and maybe homeless) man gave me this pinwheel during The Nickel Slots' set in May. I gave it to a kid.

7 Seconds inspired circle pits for people of all ages in June.

I dub this one, 'The cutest circle pit, eva!"

Aaron and me during 7 Seconds, one day before our fifth wedding anniversary.

Love at First Sight ... and Eight Years Later

2012-06-30T20:52:00.003-07:00

Do I believe in love at first sight? Well, that’s a complicated question.

If we’re talking shoes, handbags and my pets, then yes.

But if we’re talking the more traditional, girl sees guy and *bam* it’s love. Well, not exactly, but maybe sorta.

I met my husband online. On Hot or Not, to be exact. He has said when he read my profile, he thought, “I could marry this girl!”

I wasn’t quite as blown away by his first email to me, but I was interested.

We began chatting online, and I quickly started falling for him; however, it wasn't until I saw him standing at my door for our first date, the verdict was in: HOT.

Due to his being late (on purpose, since he didn’t think a local concert made a good first date), we ended up winging it. We went bowling, got milkshakes at Dennys, and played at a playground near his house in Rancho Cordova.

It was the most magical first date this girl could have. I think I started falling in love that very first date, and I think that’s about as close to “love at first sight” as you can get. I went home that night thinking, if he's for real, I could marry this guy.

And so I did. Exactly a year later, he recreated that first date, and at the end, proposed. On June 23, we celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary. It’s been eight years since that fateful first date.

To mark the five-year milestone, we took wedding anniversary photos at the park that started it all, Hagen Park in Rancho Cordova.

Here are some of my favorites. Thanks to Christina Campbell, Lifestyle Photographer.

There's even more here.

Updating an Antique Bedroom

2012-06-03T16:25:00.000-07:00

I recently got it in my head that I wanted to update our bedroom. We never really finished the bedroom since moving back in after last summer's mold problem. The only catch was, no extra money with which to do it. That might be a problem for most people, but not a thrifty pro like myself.

Problem No. 1:

It never actually looked this neat, except when we had company. Coloring is off in pic.

Our pressed-wood bookshelf style headboard was driving me crazy. The open space made it nearly impossible to prop up pillows to watch movies. And I was getting tired of all the random stuff left on it.

Solution:

This super-sturdy wood headboard not only has the shelf that my husband loves, and the solid back for pillows that I desired, but it also has a built-in reading lamp and two cubbies to store all the things that cluttered the last headboard!

Price: Free from Craigslist.

Problem No. 2:

Our white Ikea Kajak always looked messy, took up a lot of space and didn’t match our antique-style bedroom. It spins so you can show the mirrored side, but it was always so overflowing with towels, spinning caused towels to fall on the floor.

Solution:

This pressed-wood pantry fits perfectly next to our entertainment center, works well as a linen closet, and I love that it has doors so no one has to see our linens! Bonus: The bottom shelf stores Aaron’s music books, notebooks, harmonics and "box of stuff" that cluttered the entertainment center.

Price: Free from a friend.

Problem No. 3:

I don’t have a night stand. Not really. I have a wobbly bookshelf filled with beauty stuff. I pull a modern blue nightstand and a floor lamp in front of that at night. Tack-y.

Problem No. 4:

I had already dug into the mess when I took this.

The clutter! Although my husband is mostly to blame for this, I admit my part. He piles things on the entertainment center, the headboard and his dresser. I stuff the small built-in shelves with papers and random things that belong in the bedroom but don’t really have a place.

Solutions 3 and 4:

The small shelves now house all my lotions, body sprays and nail polishes. Lining everything up prevents me from shoving random items there.

This space is now officially my girlie corner of the room.

I sorted through my collapsible organizers and made better use of them. One continues to hold my belts and hair scarves. The second holds sunglasses, glasses, sunblock and all those little things I would stuff in the shelves (with plenty of room to toss in more). I moved the third to the entertainment center to hold the CDs and DVDs that were always lying around.

And I finally convinced my husband to unpack his boxes of stuff that sat on the entertainment center, driving me crazy.

Now, I just have to secure the perfect nightstand to fit between the bed and my antique dresser and decide on curtains. Aaron's agreed to hang curtains for our five-year wedding anniversary ... he really hates hanging things.

I'm also toying with the idea of some romantic word art above the bed. Something along the lines of this.

Freelancing is Not an Auction for the Lowest Bidder

2012-05-08T14:20:00.000-07:00

I'm hyper aware of what I post online could come back to bite me in the butt. For this reason, I hold back a lot. I rant to my husband. I rant to friends. I write in a locked journal. You get the picture.

You never know who is reading your little blog. In this case, I hope people read this post because I'm just plain sick of the state of freelancing. I'm tired of "wanna-be writers," as I call them, working for pennies and doubting that other writers actually receive decent pay from private clients.

In the world of freelancing, it's not "to each his own." When green-around-the-ears writers flood the market and accept meager rates, it drives down the going rate for all writers. I've seen it first hand. There's nothing more frustrating than wasting your time applying for a writing gig, only to find out it pays next-to-nothing once the gig is offered.

I recently had a pretty insulting experience with a start-up publication. I asked for the rates as soon as I was welcomed aboard. The pay per article was low but acceptable for a start-up, at least I thought. Then, after jumping through hoops with contracts and virtual meetings, I find out the real rates with the word counts. Laughable, insulting, ridiculous! But I seemed to be the only one insulted. Plenty of writers were eager for this opportunity—eager to pound out their best investigative journalistic work for a magazine looking to make butt-loads in advertising but not willing to pay even $.10/word.

I see it everywhere. Writers begin to think in terms of hourly rates. If they can pound out article after article in one hour, then the paltry per word rates really aren't so bad, they say. Sure, I write for a variety of places. And there's some justification for taking a lower rate from a huge company that pays twice a week, like clockwork—a place where things operate differently from the "real world" of freelancing. I do it. But that's the exception to the rule.

Writing for a ginormous content mill is not the same as writing for a private client or a magazine or a newspaper. Outside in the real world, you have to demand better pay. You have to realize your worth. Because the bottom line is, better pay is out there. But thanks to the over-saturated market of writers for hire, it's becoming harder and harder to attain. Places are paying less because writers are willing to work for less.

It's got to stop. The idea of "I'll do it for the clips" has got to stop, too. I've done it. I did it recently, accepting pay below my standards, and, surprise, surprise, I regretted it right away. The editor was unprofessional, and I'm still waiting on my copies of the magazine for those clips.

I know that times are tough and the market is changing. But it hasn't changed so much that I have to work for pennies, and I wish other writers would wake up and realize that, too.

Sunny Days, Keeping the Clouds Away

2012-04-18T19:19:00.001-07:00

Officially, it's been spring for almost a month, but it's only starting to feel like it in Sacramento. This beautiful, sunny Sacramento weather has inspired me to walk the dog more, spend more time in the sunshine and exercise more.

So far, I'm doing well on accounts, and my new giant trampoline is certainly helping with resolutions two and three!

The trampoline was a gift from a friend who is moving and didn't want to take it with her. Aaron and I put it together yesterday, and I'm having a lot of fun on it ... in small increments. I'm just too out of shape (and with heart problems) to bounce for very long.

Aaron and I, and by that I mean mostly Aaron, have been working hard to ready our large yards for human use. We tend to ignore the backyard all winter, until the grass grows so high, Gizmo gets lost in "the jungle."

Now the jungle has been tamed into nice, short suburban blades. Roses have been trimmed, weeds pulled and the yards sprayed for bugs.

Soon we'll go through the exhausting process of dragging the patio furniture out of the shed and setting up the shade canopy. I can't wait until I'm sprawled across the patio couch, reading a good book.

First roses of the season.

Our resident squirrels seem to be enjoying the weather, too.

Maybe we'll even plant some flowers along the fence, finally!

Hello, Spring!

T-Shirt Surgery FTW

2012-04-14T02:46:00.003-07:00

I used to be skinny, and now I am not.

Back in my itty-bitty days, I amassed a collection of rock band babydoll tees I haven't worn for years because I'm not an x-small in juniors anymore. Plus, I'm over the babydoll style.

Give me something loose so my pits can breathe and and my muffin top isn't popping out for everyone to see!

Not wanting to see my band tees go to waste (and too cheap to spend money on more), I long ago hatched a plan to repurpose them and finally made good on it this evening.

For my first project, I snipped away at my Ramones "Road to Ruin" babydoll I've had for over 10 years.

Yea, my camera phone sucks a big one.

This picture from January 2008 probably shows one of the last times I comfortably fit the tee. (That skirt, too.)

This outfit was for The Secretions' "That Kind of Girl" video shoot.

I cut the graphic into a patch. My paper slicer was handy for this.

I then hand-stitched the patch on this awesome black cold-shoulder tee I treated myself to for my birthday. At $7.99 on clearance from Delia's, I consider that a score. I got one in teal, too.

And, voila!

To christen my new favorite tee, I wore it to The Dollyrots show at The Blue Lamp.

Because I'm Awesome!

These semi-skinny jeans were also a birthday present to myself. They have a rhinestone button and were $10 from Ross. Once I got them home, I realized they are a little loose on my legs for skinny jeans. The Ross mirror tricked me, I guess. Still, $10 for Lee jeans I've seen at department stores for $30+? No complaints.

And yes, that's our bathroom trash on a table. It's the only way to keep the dog out of it. Isn't it cute? My mom decorated it with craft foam to match my shower curtain. It looks identical to the one JC Penny sold for a ridiculous amount. The thrifty and crafty genes are strong in my family.

Justice for Trayvon Martin

2012-03-31T18:33:00.002-07:00

On Thusday, I marched for justice in the Trayvon Martin case.

Justice. That's all I want.

In my opinion, George Zimmerman should be arrested and tried for his actions in Martin's death. What he should be charged with, I can't say. He may be guilty of manslaughter; he may even be guilty of a hate crime. And because of all his previous 911 calls for things that seem insane to me, I think his sanity should be evaluated by a state-appointed psychiatrist.

But, I don't have all the facts. No one does right now. And as much I have disgust for the man I heard using a racial slur on the 911 tape -- who by his own admission, followed and killed an unarmed teenager -- he should not be judged by public opinion, especially when there's still so many questions left unanswered.

That's the problem with how this case is being played out. Bits and pieces of evidence become public and people jump to judgements. A lot of the time, the "evidence" isn't evidence, at all. It's an anonymous witness or Zimmerman's father (who wasn't even there that night). It's a picture of Martin that turns out not to be Martin, as if how he once posed in a picture has any shred of relevance to his terrible death.

I read the comments to news stories. People comment on hearsay as if it's undisputed fact. People use the assault on Martin's reputation as justification for his death. People are cruel, ignorant and biased. And my gosh, our country is racist.

If and when this case actually goes to trial, I imagine the lawyers will have a hard time finding jurors who haven't formed opinions on Zimmerman's guilt or innocence. Most of those opinions will be based on inaccurate information.

As a journalist, I know that despite my obsessive following of this story and my knowledge of what information reported is fact, what is conjecture and what is just outright misinformation from unreliable sources, I still only have a small part of the whole story.

That's why I marched for Trayvon Martin. I want justice to be done -- justice that this case will go to trial and Zimmerman's guilt or innocence will be decided by the legal system, and the legal system alone.


Gathering for Trayvon Martin at William Land Park in Sacramento, California on March 29, 2012

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/04/01/4381721/marcos-breton-a-hoodie-didnt-kill.html#storylink=misearch#storylink=cpy

Marcos Breton: A hoodie didn't kill Trayvon Martin; Zimmerman's gun did via Sacramento Bee

A Mad Men Kind of Birthday

2012-03-15T01:05:00.005-07:00

I had given up on maintaining this blog, but Mad Men has brought me back. My Mad Men birthday party, that is.

I love themed parties. I love dressing up. Since I was a kid, I've felt like I was born in the wrong era. I drool over '50s and '60s cars. I have an addiction to vintage-style polka dot dresses. I know it's so trendy to embrace the vintage style, especially with the growing popularity of rockabilly, but I was pretty much born this way.

Planning this party was half the fun.

Wardrobe

Looking in my closet, two dresses jumped out at me. I ultimately decided against this sailor dress because it was more Peggy Olson at the office, and I was going more for Betty Draper hosting a cocktail party. Peggy has brains, but ice-queen Betty has style.

Menu

I would have loved to go all-out with the food, but we had a miniscule budget. We stuck with classic finger foods from the early '60s. Pigs in a blanket was the most hearty appetizer. Deviled eggs, chips and dip, veggies and dip, cheese and crackers, and jello rounded out the menu. I wanted to do fondu, using our awesome fondu set, but the menu was already stretching our budget.

Guests ate on our wedding china -- only the second time it's ever been used! And, of course, we drank from martini glasses and chain smoked. Well, OK, we drank generic 7-Up with maraschino cherries and pineapple chunks, and smoked candy cigarettes from Candy Heaven in Old Sacramento.

Memories

I smoked from my Gramma's rhinestone-encrusted cigarette holder, which was so very Breakfast at Tiffany's. I found the cigarette holder when I was packing up Gramma's apartment after she died. It was fitting because not only did Gramma smoke like a chimney during my childhood, but when she got her smokes and lottery tickets at the 7-11 down the street, she let me pick out candy, and I often picked out candy cigarettes.

Games

We played charades with clues relevant to the Mad Men era. In the excitement and laughter of the game, I forgot to take pictures. Everyone failed pretty miserably at this '60s Ad Slogans and Tagline quiz I adapted from Oprah.com, of all places.

Decorations

Speaking of ads, I decorated with print ads from the era, including some used on the show. I focused on Sterling & Cooper accounts, including Lucky Strike, Heineken, Belle Jolie and Kodak.

Much of the decor in my house already suited the era. I covered up anything that didn't with curtains and sheets. I littered the fireplace mantel with literature from the time and played '60s tunes on our record player.

Photo Booth

I used white lace polka dot curtains to turn our Ramones wall into a backdrop for photos.

By the end of the night, we had killed four packs of candy cigarettes and drank way too many mocktails in true Mad Men style.

Whatever Happened to the Customer is Always Right?

2011-06-26T18:30:00.001-07:00

At a time when people are tightening their belts like never before because the economy, for lack of a better word, sucks, businesses and service people should be going out of their way to please the customer, and to take heed not to offend the customer. Lately, I've noticed the reverse.

Take, for example, last night.

Husband and I are big fans of the Applebee's chain. They have this queso blanco dip that is too die for. (If you are a normal red-blooded American that likes spice and cheese, that is.)

We ventured to the Rancho Cordova location because we had been out shopping in the Sunrise area. We normally dine at the Arden location. So begins my story:

Our waitress greets us shortly after we sit down and asks, "Can I start you off with some drinks?"

I reply, "Water." And she replies, "Two waters, then?" Aaron nods.

Waitress leaves the table and I notice a flyer saying if your server does not offer you a Corona or margarita, you get a coupon for a free appetizer on your next visit. I point it out to Aaron, but it is too early to get excited over a free deal.

We settle on the Ultimate Trio, picking the three appetizers of Wonton Tacos, Steak Quesadilla Towers and the said Spicy Queso Blanco. Waitress takes our order, and to my delight, she still doesn’t offer the alcoholic drinks.

Aaron comments, "Maybe she doesn't think we look old enough to drink?" I laugh. We're only 27 and 30, going on 31, after all.

Everything is going well. We’re surprised by the amount of food, and I discover I love Wonton Tacos, made with "zesty pulled pork ... stuffed in crispy wonton shells and topped with crunchy Asian slaw with cilantro." Yum!

Several times our waitress comes by asking if we were ready for dessert, but we are both so stuffed, we can’t decide. The lure of dessert at $1.99 is too much for Aaron, so he talks me into ordering two Strawberry Cheesecake Shooters, promising he’ll help finish mine because I am oh-so-full. (What a sacrifice on his part.)

As Aaron's finishing off my shooter, the bill comes. We notice the waitress billed us for three appetizers at the happy hour price instead of the Ultimate Trio price, which is cheaper. We point this out and she replies, "Oh! You wanted the trio!?!"

Yes, that's what we ordered when Aaron said, "We're going to have the Ultimate Trio" and pointed to it on the menu and made our three choices.

Waitress leaves to correct the bill, and I (think I) overhear someone (her manager?) telling her that she actually served us three separate appetizers instead of the Trio. This would make sense, considering the large portions. But, I can't be sure that's what I heard or if that's what happened.

Waitress brings back the corrected the bill, and I show her the flyer for the free appetizer and say with a smile, "So, do we get this because you didn't offer us one?"

"I did! It's the first thing I do at every table."

Aaron and I look at each other confused. No, she didn't.

"I offer every table a margarita. It's the first thing I do because we get in trouble if we don't. Maybe you didn't hear me."

“Uh, no we didn't hear you ... ”

“Yes, because we get in BIG trouble if we don't. I make it a point because we get in BIG trouble if we don't.”

We laugh awkwardly. "Uh, we didn't hear it."

I'm now thinking, Wow. You can't just admit your mistake? You have to make us feel bad for you because you didn't do your job, so you're making us the bad guys if we push the matter?

When she comes back with our card, she hesitantly asks, "So did you want the appetizer? Did you want one right now?"

"Well, we're full ..." (Thinking, the flyer says it's a voucher for your next visit ...)

She reiterates for the billionth time how it's the first thing she asks and how they get in trouble if they don't, so we finally let it go.

Aaron tabulates the tip for our unprofessional waitress, because again, if we don't leave the minimum standard tip, we're the bad guys, even though my husband doesn't have a job and I'm self-employed and underpaid, we're still expected to leave a tip for a job poorly done.

---

I notice this just about every time I go out to eat. The servers don't work for their tips. They expect it. And when they make a mistake, they don't own up to it. I don't know if it's Restaurant Theory 101, but it's like they've been trained to say, "Oh, you wanted ... " instead of "Oh, you ordered ..."

Maybe it's human nature to use that dissociative language, but it pisses me off. Maybe next time I should reply, "Yes I did WANT that because THAT'S what I ORDERED, BITCH!" (OK, so maybe I'll leave off the bitch part.)

What happened to the customer is always right?

And what happened to the Applebee's manager or assistant manager coming by to check on the meal and make sure the server made the promoted offer?

Applebee's put us in the awkward situation in the first place by making it our responsibility to bring it up, and then our waitress made the situation worse. That's a sure way to lose customers. And that location certainly lost our business.

I just wanted my freakin' free appetizer. I didn't know my meal was going to come with a guilt trip for asking what I was entitled to.

Update: After complaining online, the manager called me, apologized for the waitress' behavior, and noted that waitress no longer worked there. The manager also sent me coupons for free appetizers/desserts. I am satisfied with the way the manager handled the situation. She was very professional.

Happily Married After

2011-06-25T01:22:00.000-07:00

Fourth row bleachers for Joan Jett

I'm 27 years old, and I've been with my husband for 7 years.

We met when I was just 20.

Aaron likes to joke he had to get me when I was young and dumb.

He's 4 years older. I like to tease him about how old he is. He is, after all, in his 30s!

I am especially proud of our relationship. I've had friends and roommates tell me they envy it and that they hope for the same thing in their lives.

Aaron and I spend a lot of time together since we're both home all the time, and we just love hanging out together. Lately, we've been spending a ridiculous amount of time together in a very small space.

At the end of May, we had to temporarily move out of our house because we discovered our house had serious mold. On top of that, we just got a roommate, so she had to leave, too. It was a nightmare.

At first, we were told, 4 days. That's how long we'd be out of the house for mold remediation. Then 4 days turned into 4 more, and 4 more after that.

Now, the mold is gone and the rebuilding has begun. New kitchen counters, new carpet, new paint, etc. We're supposed to be back in our house by July 1st.

In that time, hubby and I have shared a room with our cat and dog at my mom and stepfather's house, which is also home to my disabled uncle and stepgrandmother who has dementia. (Pac Man, the snake, is staying with friends.)

To say it has been trying would be an understatement. But through it all, I've had my wonderful husband.

We've both felt like we're going to lose our minds, like we couldn't take another day cramped in this room with the suitcases overflowing with wrinkled clothes, the small fan attempting to combat the heat of a Sacramento summer in a house that rarely turns on the A/C, and with the cat's stinky litter box not far enough away in the hall outside the bedroom.

But, I think we're still sane, because we have each other ... and Netflix on the Wii.

June 19th was the 7-year anniversary of our first date. June 23rd was our 4th wedding anniversary.

We celebrated by seeing Joan Jett and the Blackhearts in concert and Bridesmaids and Water for Elephants on the big screens. Our movies were free!

Even though our living quarters weren't what we wanted for our anniversary, we had an awesome anniversary because we spent it together ... and with Joan Jett!

Back, and Happy to Boot

2011-05-03T06:05:00.000-07:00

You probably thought I forgot all about my blog. This isn't true. Blogging crosses my mind all the time, but I'm just so busy, I have a really hard time taking time out to blog when it's time I could spend writing another article for pay I always need.

Being a freelance writer is tough; it's even tougher when you're the breadwinner with bills to pay and five mouths to feed. (Aaron and I have a dog, a cat and HE has a snake).

But, I haven't crashed yet from my day of cleaning, bill-paying and writing, so here I am.

I'm in an excellent mood thanks to the good news from the past few days: Obama and Seth Myers roasted Donald Trump at the White House Correspondent's Dinner; U.S. forces killed Osama bin Laden, and the Kings are staying in Sac, at least for one more season. All of the above makes me very happy.

I know some people love Obama, some hate him, many are disappointed, blah, blah, blah. Can we all just agree that Donald Trump is a douchebag and it was awesome to watch him squirm in his chair?

As a person of faith who is a pacifist at heart, I would have prefered that we captured and tried Osama bin Laden, but I'm a realist when it comes to the world, especially war, so I leave you with this:

I don't care if you've seen it a million times on Facebook. It's funny. If you can't laugh at that, it's time to pull the partisan stick out of your butt and lighten up.

Birthday Weekend #1

2011-03-14T16:23:00.000-07:00

My birthday weekend consisted of a lot of Buffy watching. Aaron got me season 3 and my inlaws got me season 4! I watched season 3 in about four nights.

Presents from Aaron

On Friday I rocked out to Kepi the Band, Captain 9's & the Knickerbocker Trio, and The Trouble Makers at Old Ironsides.

Kepi

Capt. 9's

Trouble Makers

I have to say, The Trouble Makers make me feel old. Here they are, many years older than me and with way more energy than me. And, it's the same way every time I see them.

Resting between bands at Old I

I didn't end up doing anything to my hair.

My bangs are a mess, but they're growing.

On Saturday, I had a nice birthday get-together at my inlaw's house. Amy baked delicious lemon cupcakes with lemon frosting that I couldn't get enough of. So good!

I will be celebrating my birthday again next weekend with friends. One weekend just isn't enough, obviously.

I Have a Problem

2011-03-11T02:41:00.000-08:00

A shoe problem.

When I went to put away my new birthday shoes, I realized I do own a pair of black flats. I had forgotten all about them because I never wear them because they're pretty uncomfortable.

That's my shoe closet, minus one shelf for slippers and sandals.

The bottom right pair be hubby's dress hoes.

They're Steve Maddens from Famous Footwear that I got a killer deal on -- $10, regularly $40.

I know compared to a lot of girls, I don't own that many shoes. But, considering I really only wear a few pairs on a regular basis, most of my shoes just gather dust from sitting so long. I have a couple pairs I've yet to wear out of the house. I just love shoes.

I don't regret my new purchase because the Madden Girl shoes kill my feet, and the studs scrape the tops of my toes, but I can't believe I completely spaced that I did in fact own a similar pair. I think my next shoe-related purchase will be full gel inserts. I really need them. Cute shoes hurt, even Chucks.

Happy Birthday to Me. I'm Old Now.

2011-03-10T22:59:00.000-08:00

I'm officially in my late 20s. I'm 27 today. I did not make my weight-loss goal, but with the stress of the last couple weeks, I didn't expect to.

I haven't had time to post as I'm trying to write more for my clients to make up for my husband's unemployment running out. The Sacramento job market sucks, in case you hadn't heard.

We live in a kind of a disaster of house -- a house I love, nonetheless -- and have had some major plumbing problems while husband does a DIY remodel on the master bathroom. Chaos is a good word to describe life lately.

I really wanted to treat myself to a few things for my birthday with my birthday money, but since we're in a crazy tight bind, I really held back and only got two things have been on my list for a long time:

black ballet flats, on sale for $11 at Payless

new sunglasses, because I lost my last pair in the ocean.

Payless has everything buy one, get one half off, so my sunglasses were $5.

I found the most AMAZING 50s cat-eye sunglasses with rhinestones at Icing,

but they were $14, and I couldn't bring myself to spend that much.

Maybe some day ...

I was at the mall to see Tangled. It was pretty cute. The Regal/UA theater at Sunrise gets movies after they have been out for awhile, so they are only $3.50 during the week and $3.75 on the weekends. They get a lot children's movies. It's a great way for a family to save money.

Take That, Uncle Sam!

2011-03-03T00:20:00.000-08:00

Taxes done!

What a relief. As someone who supports herself almost entirely through freelance work, filing my taxes is a pain in the butt. And, I'm ashamed to admit, I had a horrible record-keeping system this past year and had to scramble to gather all my expenses and deductions.

But, it's done! It's done! Hooray! Hooray! And, we get a nice refund.

I celebrated by splurging on a Living Social deal: two Fandango tickets for just $9 total. Now I can see a movie for my birthday. Hopefully I won't regret the theater-experience. Here's the deal.

Hair Tales

2011-03-01T03:47:00.000-08:00

It's March 1st. That means I turn 27 in nine days. Ahhhh!

I often change my hair for my birthday, and I'm totally unhappy with my hair now, but not sure what to do with it. I recently cut my bangs, and went against my instincts and snipped-snipped where I shouldn't have. I know the rules of bang-cutting, and I broke them. I'm at a loss. The color is fine. The bangs are horrendous. Much worse than the picture.

Here's my hair on Valentine's Day.

The bangs a tiny bit longer now.

Haircuts of past birthdays:

Last year, Great Clips cut my hair, and Aaron helped me dye it.
For the cut, I used a Katy Perry picture for inspiration.
I love her style. I just can't stand her when she opens her mouth.

For my 25th birthday,

I sported bangs I could wear straight or sweep to the side

with hair tapered in the front.

I was my go-to blond color.

I celebrated turning 24 with side-swept bangs and a lighter auburn color.

And struck another dorky pose, apparently.

I didn't get a special haircut for my 23rd birthday

because I was growing out my hair for my wedding.

My 22nd birthday was the year that started the birthday transformations.

Up until that year, I had had long, blond hair for a long time.

I dyed my hair a dark auburn,

Great Clips added layers in front and side-swept bangs.

Rory Gilmore's new college 'do was my hair inspiration.

Added bonus: Silly artsy photo.

SUGGESTIONS?

If I pin back the sides of my bangs, they look better. It's going to take a long time to grow out the hair that should have never been bangs. I shouldn't cut my bangs in the middle of the night. Lesson learned.

Witherspoon Wins Best Dressed ...

2011-02-27T22:51:00.000-08:00

In my book, anyway. I didn't watch the red carpet coverage, so I'm only basing this from the dresses I saw onstage at the Oscars, but she was stunning from head to toe.

She reminded me of one of my favorite vintage Barbie dolls.

See more Reese at the source: Just Jared.

Am I the only one that thought it looked like Halle Berry had sideburns? She was still gorgeous. But I couldn't stop staring at the sideburns when she was onstage.

I don't have a lot to say about the Oscars. It was fairly boring, per usual. The Inception intro was entertaining. I thought Anne Hathaway was charming, while James Franco fell flat. At least my girl Natalie Portman won. I love her career choices.

If you're interested in owning any of the films nominated for Best Picture, you could shop at my store. Just sayin'.

Netflix FAIL. 'Winter's Bone' Review.

2011-02-27T03:20:00.000-08:00

Saturday night I sunk into the blue recliner, tucked myself under the red velor throw blanket, set my bowl of popcorn on my lap and my glass of Strawberry-Banana Fruit Smoothie Splash V8 juice on the side table.

I was set for a long evening in front of the screen watching The Social Network and Winter's Bone with my husband and the fur babies, Oliver and Gizmo, lap kitty and lap dog, respectively.

Just 30 minutes into The Social Network, the disc froze. Aaron tried cleaning into to no avail. Thanks a lot, Netflix! I was disappointed since this meant I wouldn't get a chance to finish the movie before the Oscars, but I wasn't engrossed in the film. It's hard to enjoy a film with such an unlikable main character. Was Mark Zuckerberg a total dick, or what?

Frustrated, we moved onto Winter's Bone. Honestly, I really didn't know much of anything about this film. And, I didn't realize that in the film, Jennifer Lawrence looks so very much like my friend Amanda's little sister, Katie. The three of them could be sisters, with Jennifer and Katie as twins. Uncanny, and a bit distracting at first since the movie begins very slowly.

Lawrence plays Ree, a 17-year-old Ozark Mountain girl from a rough, meth-selling family. Ree takes care of her two younger siblings and depressed, shell of a mother. Her father put their home and land up as bond, but he's missing. If he doesn't show for his court date, her family will lose their home. Ree goes "huntin" for her father, trying to track him down through her extended, lawless family. No one wants her sniffing around, but she's determined to uncover the truth about her father, despite threats of physical harm.

Winter's Bone is raw and bleak. It opens your eyes to the real poverty Americans live through every day in the rural Missouri mountains. Ree teaches her young siblings to shoot squirrel for dinner. They have nothing else. Her family is vicious and hateful. They are like a mob family -- the poorest, trashiest mob family to ever live. The movie will haunt you. It aims to.

The Nominees:

~~Black Swan~~
The Fighter
~~Inception~~
~~The Kids Are All Right~~
The King's Speech
127 Hours
The Social Network
~~Toy Story 3~~
True Grit
~~Winter's Bone~~

Reviews: Black Swan; The Kids Are All Right

2011-02-26T04:31:00.000-08:00

I’m behind on my movie-watching and more so on my movie-reviewing. I hope I find the time to watch both The Social Network and Winter’s Bone before the Academy Awards on Sunday, but it’s going to take some real dedication on my part to put other responsibilities aside in favor of this mini resolution…

My brief thoughts on Black Swan and The Kids Are All Right.

Black Swan
Loved it. Even though I haven’t seen all the best actress nominated films, I’m rooting for Portman to take the Oscar for her portrayal of Nina. Portman’s transformation from the sweet, innocent, sheltered white swan to the ruthless, psychotic, sexual black swan was cinematic gold. I got a kick out of Mila Kunis’ rebellious, party-girl ballerina character, but it wasn’t an award-worthy role. The mother-daughter dynamic between Nina and Erica (played brilliantly by Barbara Hershey) adds another layer to the movie. At times, it seems that overbearing Erica, a former ballerina herself, has Nina’s best interests at heart; while other times you wonder if she’s just as screwed up as her daughter. As the film builds, you start to question what is real and what isn’t, but it’s best to just let the movie take you for the ride up to the nail-biting opening night of “Swan Lake.” Black Swan is a wild ride that I plan to take again and again. A twisted, beautiful, wild ride.

The Kids Are All Right

Really liked it. I appreciate movies that are part-comedy, part-drama because that’s how real life is. I love me some dramedy. The basic plot goes: What happens when two teenage children of lesbian parents contact their sperm-donor, disrupting the family dynamic the summer before the daughter leaves for college. The moms have been having problems and the sudden addition of donor-dad wedges them further apart. Loved Annette Bening as the more butch, control-freak, doctor mom with a drinking problem. But, she better not steal that Oscar from Portman, not that I’m worried.

The Nominees:

~~Black Swan~~
The Fighter
~~Inception~~
~~The Kids Are All Right~~
The King's Speech
127 Hours
The Social Network
~~Toy Story 3~~
True Grit
Winter's Bone

Flying Frisbees for Gizmo Girl

2011-02-23T20:59:00.000-08:00

I have been under the weather and sleeping 10 million hours a day (OK, more like 12 to 14), so I am really backed up on my paid work with deadlines staring me in the face. I keep staring right back at them and at the blank computer screen in front of me, but no words have magically appeared. I can't justify taking the time to write a blog; however, I can take a few minutes of out my busy screen-staring schedule to post some cute fur baby pics from my very outdated cellphone.

It was a beautiful, sunny day in Sactown, so I made Gizmo one happy doggy and played Frisbee with her in the backyard. She is 1 year old, very smart and crazy active and happy. We think she's a Chi/Jack/unknown mix. We adopted her from the Yolo County Animal Services Shelter in Woodland when she was 2 months old. She has probably played fetch every single day since we brought her home about 11 months ago.

'Lulaby' - Liked It. Didn't Love It.

2011-02-19T13:46:00.000-08:00

Last night I finished Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk. I previously mentioned how his treatment of sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS, really bothered me. It still does; however, it's not important to the plot.

What is important to the plot is the culling song. In investing crib deaths, reporter Carl Streator discovers that parents are reading the culling song to their babies to help put them to sleep, clueless that the poem kills.

With the help of three eccentric characters, Streator takes off on a cross-country trip to eliminate all copies of the poem, but he can't get the words of the culling song out of his head. When someone pisses him off, it takes everything in his power to stop the culling song from flying through his head. Sometimes, he can't help it.

Each main character has a different view of the culling song and how it should be used or not used at all. Real estate agent Helen Hoover Boyle has been using the poem for years, killing for financial gain.

The book is really a story about the death penalty and the consequences of immense power. Of course, it has a few wild twists at the end, which really aren't that wild if you paid attention to the whole story — paused and thought about the foreshadowing. But, as readers, we don't really pay attention, so Palahniuk gets away with it, just as Helen Hoover Boyle gets away with selling haunted houses. The potential owners never really look before they move in. They see what they want to see and ignore what they don't want to see. As readers, we do the same thing. It's what Palahniuk counts on.

Overall, I liked Lullaby. I didn't love it. I loved Fight Club. After a book like Fight Club, I had certain expectations. They were not met here. Maybe an author just can't repeat that level of excellence over and over. I loved Atonement by Ian McEwan. I think it's one of the best written books I've ever read. But, Enduring Love? It was OK. How to Make an American Quilt is one of my all-time favorite books. Unfortunately, when I checked out another Whitney Otto book at the library, I couldn't get through it. I can't even recall the name.

Maybe I just go into these books with too high of expectations. I don't have a favorite author for this very reason, although I do enjoy Jodi Picoult, but it's not as if she's writing at the level of Ian McEwan ...

Recommending Friends and Films ...

2011-02-18T17:48:00.000-08:00

Friday is "Follow Friday" on Twitter. I'm bringing the same concept to blogging. I need more interesting people to follow since many of my friends have stopped blogging. Recommend some peeps for me to read, and I'll do the same for you.

I recommend AMORRIS for yummy recipes and local coupon deals, and It's All Happening for fashion and green living tidbits. Check out Reading and Ruminations for book reviews by a girl who is, quite frankly, borderline obsessed with books.

When I get the time, I promise to comment on some of the great films I've watched recently, including Black Swan, Pirate Radio and You Don't Know Jack. The latter, especially, struck a chord with me.

As another mini-resolution, I'm trying to watch all the Best Oscar nominated films before the Oscars on February 27. Of course, since I'm poor, I'll probably end up only seeing the ones already on video. I have The Kids Are All Right, The Social Network and Winter's Bone queued up to come next on Netflix, so I'll at least have seen six of the 10 films by the ceremony, having already seen Black Swan, Inception and Toy Story 3.

The Nominees:

~~Black Swan~~
The Fighter
~~Inception~~
The Kids Are All Right
The King's Speech
127 Hours
The Social Network
~~Toy Story 3~~
True Grit
Winter's Bone

What great films have you seen lately?

Seriously, Adults? Seriously!?!

2011-02-16T02:29:00.000-08:00

(promotional image)

Nina is judging you for giggling through her intimate moments.

I don't go to the movies very often. My husband and I just don't have that kind of money. We used to go to the drive-ins every so often, but currently don't have the right kind of fully-functioning vehicle for that. (Long story.)

For Valentine's Day, we went to a matinee of Black Swan, a film I've been dying to see long before its release date.

I know when Black Swan first came out, a lot of people hadn't heard of it and didn't really know that it's a twisted psychological thriller and not some sweet, happy film about Swan Lake. Now that Natalie Portman has picked up just about every best actress award, and the film's been getting all kinds of buzz, including a Best Picture Oscar nom., I think the general public is better informed. At the very least, people sitting their butts down in the theater to watch Black Swan should know it's an adult movie.

Imagine my surprise when I hear a baby start to cry not five minutes into the film. Seriously? You brought a baby to the theater, and to Black Swan, no less? And, on Valentine's Day? Seriously? Bringing a baby to the theater shouldn't be allowed for ANY film (unless it's one of those mommy and me specials), but you had to bring a baby into an intense psycho drama? Seriously?

As if the baby wasn't bad enough, the adults in the theater giggled during the sex scenes and made various noises that implied, "We're too immature to watch these scenes without acting like 13-year-old school kids." Seriously, adults? Seriously? If you had read anything about the movie, you KNEW those scenes were coming, and you still couldn't just shut up and watch? You had to take the rest of us out of the movie with your childish behavior? Seriously?

I need to stop going to the theater, I think. I've had far worse experiences, and I still loved every minute of the movie (even when it made me cringe and literally cover my face with my hands), but I really expected more of the adults who would choose to see the very dark, artsy and unromantic Black Swan on Valentine's Day. I guess by expecting people to behave like adults and have a little common courtesy for others, I just expect far too much.