Seven.Caged.Tigers

At least the holiday itself is. I enjoyed myself as usual, and as usual it was a whirlwind few days. I can’t even mention all the lovely gifts I got but suffice it to say I got plenty of lovely gifts from gadgets to appliances and from clothing to books and everything in between. I just want to mention that my hubby got me a fantabulous gift. He got me a Casio Exilim Z55 digital camera. It’s tiny and cute and with 5 megapixels of resolution…

…and of course I love it. I hated to even ask for a new camera. I got one three years ago. A really nice one. A Olympus C-3000 to be precise. But in the last few years technology has changed so much that it not only feels like a dinosaur, it LOOKS like a dinosaur. This new Casio is beautiful. So to my hubby, THANK YOU!

In other news, my sister lost the Black Plague while she was in Rome. She and her hubby took a holiday vacation there and loved the giant Black Death microbe so much they brought it along. Somebody else apparently liked it just as much as stole it from their hotel room.

Hmph.

Which Family Guy character are you?

…I told you.

Only today and tomorrow and then my real holiday break begins. This week has been pretty quiet at work. I’ve actually gotten a good amount of crap done because it’s so silent, but that doesn’t mean I’m not bored. I am. In fact, much more of this and I’ll go completely out of my gourd.

Speaking of gourds, I am INCREDIBLY cold. The head in my office only half works. The fans from the ceiling work but the perimeter heat is non-functional. All I feel all day is a steady stream of sub-freezing air blowing on the back of my neck through the badly sealed windows. On the up side of things though, I’m not able to be tired when I’m shivering. So it all comes back to me getting a lot done at work. By the way, I’m not sure what gourds had to do with a damn thing in this paragraph. I just like the word. Gourd.

At home on the other hand, I’m just lucky to keep up with laundry (which is a never-ending job), the kitchen counter, and vacuuming. I wish I was a cyborg because then maybe I would be able to finish everything. Plus, cyborgs are cool don’t you think?

The holiday season is in full swing. This week will be busy. We have one Christmas at my in-laws house on Friday. It is with extended family. From there, we’ll drive up north to my parents house. We’ll be there until Monday. We’ll then return home because JT has a poker party at my house on Tuesday night. Somewhere between Monday and Wednesday (or so) we will have yet another Christmas at my in-laws with the immediate family. That will bring the total to FOUR seperate holiday celebrations. Not that I’m complaining…

JT and I did get a lovely gift in the mail yesterday from my sister and her husband. I don’t get to see Cheryl & Robin very often, so it’s always nice to receive communication from them. It’s unfortunate that England is so very far from Michigan. In any case, I got perfume–Hermes 24 Faubourg and JT got two AC/DC CDs. We in addition also were gifted the Return of the King special edition. By the way, the perfume makes me feel like a princess. There is something to be said for wearing high quality scents.

So. Uh. Yeah. That was a rather chaotic and pointless entry.

I live in Michigan. It tends to get cold here, but this time the chill has amazed me. Once upon a time, I lived WAAAAY up north. So far up north in fact that I got used to -5 degrees and below. Yes. You just read that right. But then I moved to Southeast Michigan into the land of slush and yuppies. It still gets cold, but no where near as bitter as my former home.

…that is until THIS stretch. Yesterday and today have been frigid. Yesterday it was between -1 and -5 degrees all day. This isn’t celcius we’re talking either, folks. I’m not sure how cold it got last night, but it was -8 degrees this morning. My car started and I have a warm coat so I was fine…but still. My body has grown accustomed to “fake cold” in the last five or so years.

JT and I have been burning our wood stove for added heat. That means my skin is dry, my nose is bleeding, and my hair is full of static. In the words of Paris Hilton, “that’s hot.”

This weekend outside of the cold was nice. My extended family Christmas was on Saturday. It’s really fun now. For years there were no kids. Suddenly, there are four between the ages of 6 months and 6 years. I love watching them opening presents and having a great time. They are what the holiday is all about for me. Oh yes, and my cousin’s little girl Olivia is in love with my husband. She is 3, but revealed her adoration during a self-written song apparently titled “Jeremy you’re taking my heart away.”

Kids really love my husband.

Saturday night we went to the land of the rich yuppies, Birmingham, for JT’s friend’s 28th birthday. I am exactly 10 days older than Sean and I never let him forget it. In any case, we went to an Irish pub called Dick O’Dowds. It’s a fine place. I didn’t let myself get too drunk. I had four drinks and managed to stick it out until the end of the night. Even better? I had a little steam left and managed to get Sean to do two Lemon Drop shots with me. Apparently he felt it the next day. I personally woke up a little dehydrated but otherwise I felt good.

Finally, I want to mention the coolest gift I ever got my sister. They are called Giant Microbes. Basically, they are plushie representations of microbes. My favorite? The flesh eating disease…

Please note the knife and fork, the bloody color, and (if you could see it) my laughter. They are as cute in person as they are online.

As ya’ll may or may not know, I’m an atheist. However that doesn’t mean that I can’t get humor out of religion. I took this from Jenn at Revelling.org. My new religion is based on the New Testament. Try your own mad-lib style religion based on the Old Testament, New Testament, LDS Text, New Age, or Atheist. Since I am already an atheist I just figured it would be more fun to spread my wings a little. I love the results. By the way, you can find the Religion Creator here.

To her husband’s surprise the Virgin Artemis Warthog was pregnant with child. Fortunately for Virgin Artemis Warthog, an angel explained that her child was Hilda Fangoria Christ, the world’s lord and artist, the glorious sister of God. At his birth angels told shepherds in the field to follow a shining pen to find him. Also, three furry hippos came bearing gifts of carts and lotions. Yea verily, and it came to pass, after Hilda Fangoria Christ was baptized by being submerged in bottles he gave the sermon on the coat. At the sermon on the coat Hilda Fangoria Christ taught: Blessed are the yellow for they shall run the books, and stupid are the wild for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Hilda Fangoria Christ also performed many miracles such as when he turned cameras into trees at his friend’s wedding, and made the striking man not so striking. Unfortunately the rulers became angry with the influence of Hilda Fangoria Christ, So they jumped him on a sky . But someday he will return in magnificent glory… So tithe and watch your back!!

I feel like such a bum. Last night I just came home from work and crashed. I’m in desperate need of that 2-week vacation I’ve got over the holiday break. TWO WEEKS! I’m going to have some serious time to unwind, sleep in, and be lazy. I like it.

So last night I got home, fixed a grilled cheese, rode my bike, and then watched TV. Actually, I watched TV while I ate and rode but I don’t count that as laziness. I began my evening with a viewing of Jeepers Creepers. Not that it’s a brill horror flick or anything but it moderately entertains. I then partaked in the season finale of one of my biggest guilty pleasures–America’s Next Top Model 3. Tyra is still the evil dictator. What she says goes. That much was clear throughout the season. Four people would say I like X, she would say I like Z. Z would make it through to the next round.

I was surprised at how it turned out. Yaya should have never made it as far as she did. She had some major attitude issues and when she missed an entire challenge because she was LATE she wasn’t retrimanded at all. Girl should have been verbally beaten for that one. Instead she was rewarded time and time again. I wasn’t surprised at the top 3–Amanda, Yaya, and Eva. What did come as a shock was that Amanda was the first of the three to go. She never took a mediocre much less bad picture. They just didn’t like her “in person” self. That left Yaya (da “queen”) and Eva (da “bitch”). In the end, Eva won despite her stature (she’s only 5′7″ gals).

I’m so impressed by my parents. They are becoming slowly but surely technologically savvy. I was the first kid I knew with a computer. Let me clarify. My father had a Commodore 64 for his classroom. He brought it home during the summer at which time I fiddled with basic in addition to high-class games like Cave of the Word Wizard and Summer Games. My friend Kristin also had a computer (I don’t know if her dad got it before or after my dad), but I was jealous of her game selection. She had Montezuma’s Revenge. It rocked. It almost was cooler than my ColecoVision. Almost but not quite.

My dad replaced the Commodore 64 with an Apple IIgs. It was a stupid computer. Retarted. I hated it. The Commodore was much, much better. My father got his first PC in 1991, I think. I was a freshman in High School. I’d already learned to program on the Commodore 64, and little did I know that this PC was going to change my little life. I loved it. I adored it. Day of the Tentacle rocked my world (among other games). Of course, I also got my first exposure to hacking, networked computers, DOS, and hardware troubleshooting because of that computer. In the end, I had something like seven or eight computer classes in high school. I was the epitome of nerd girl. That was a 486/DX2 66. The kids were so impressed. My parents didn’t replace that computer until sometime in 1997 or 1998. They replaced that computer last year (I think) with a decent Dell.

I guess I was always exposed to technology, which kind of accounts for my affinity (and the fact that I married a nerd boy). One thing my parents never got was cable television. They’ve got a sucky system they spend WAAAY too much money on. $50 a month for extended cable and truly crummy reception. They think it’s normal. My mom apparently got fed up with it. She broke down, got online, and ordered Dish Network. My dad is freaked out. They will get local stations of NBC, CBS, ABC, and FOX (not WB or UPN–there are no locals) but my father is fixated on the fact that they aren’t going to get THE local station he wants. What a freakazoid. I think he’s mostly freaked out that that he will have to learn something new.

I’s being installed on the 23rd of this month. JT and I will be there late on the 24th. I’m not looking forward to his threats of throwing it out the window, him throwing the remote, him pouting, or just trying to teach him how to use it at all. My father is easily frustrated by new things. I’ve promised them that they will love having satellite television. I just don’t think my father is so sure about all this new-fangled technology mumbo jumbo. This from a man who bought me a ColecoVision the month it was released and who brought home my first computer.

Hmph. Go figure.

First off, I want to thank the beautiful and talented Jeanna at emersongeek.net who volunteered out of the kindness of her heart to redesign sevencagedtigers.com. She didn’t want money (the woman is insane like that) only to have it in her portfolio. I thought about her offer for all of about half a second. The results are here. It will be up soon enough–at least once I get my blogger entries moved over to Wordpress. I can’t wait. Seriously. The girl is talented (and did I mention gorgeous?)

Second thing. Survivor. I haven’t talked about it much this season, but I’ve been watching. You bet I’ve watched every moment of the whole Vanuatu series. I will also say I’ve been rooting for Chris ever since it was just he and that group of six catty women. I loved every moment as he manipulated everybody. He wasn’t even sly about it all. But he had a benefit–women will fight and he could just sit back and watch the festivities. I loved the whole Eliza/Twila bitch fight. They were so much alike it was hilarious. I guess that’s why they fought. I also loved watching Ami. Girl was gorgeous, but she was cruel and evil. She should have gone down much earlier than she did. Scout also pissed me off, but mostly because she didn’t do anything all season. It’s like her bad knee gave her a buy, but the guy with one leg didn’t get any leniency.

In any case, Survivor is done. Who is up for the next season of American Idol? Raise your hands. I’m also excited for Carnivale (can I say this any more) and look forward to the rest of House and Desperate Housewives. Television is darned good this year.

Back in early November, I wrote about a former coworker who got married and went on a honeymoon to Thailand. While there, his new bride (a lawyer in Chicago) had a massive stroke. The doctors couldn’t do anything for her. The two (and later her parents) were in Thailand for a month.

Well, she died yesterday after a month and a half in a coma. A story about the situation can be found here. It’s all a big bummer. Most people don’t think about death when they are in their twenties. I do (I’m a major exception) but stories like this put everything into perspective. If there is one thing to be learned out of this tragic happening it is to live every day to the best of your ability. Life is the gift, but it’s up to you to make the best of it.

Life long. Live happy. Live free.

First off, I want to thank EVERYBODY for the wonderful birthday wishes. My husband did come through with a gift–dangly ruby earrings (with a small diamond in each). He does so well (save for the whole CD case/joke year). So thanks to Jeremy for my beautiful earrings (which are now hanging from my ears).

We went out to eat at Outback last night in celebration of my birthday and his last day of his Master’s program. Indeed–he finished that degree. People doubted he would attend college. He did. I never even fathomed he would attempt grad school and he did (and got good grades while he was at it). I’m always so impressed by my husband.

Not that the topic that follows has anything to do with what I just talked about, but stolen from girlwonder (who wished me a happy b-day)…Three Things.

THREE NAMES YOU GO BY:
1. Shelly
2. Michelle (god awful, isn’t it?)
3. Shell

THREE SCREEN NAMES YOU HAVE HAD:
1. lambchops
2. narcisse
3. sevencagedtigers

THREE THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
1. My intelligence
2. My baby blues
3. My creativity

THREE THINGS YOU HATE/DISLIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
1. My hands (aka bitten nails)
2. I’m judgmental (too much so sometimes)
3. I’m somewhat anti-social

THREE PARTS OF YOUR HERITAGE:
1. Scottish
2. Native American
3. German

THREE THINGS THAT SCARE YOU:
1. Pill Bugs (roly polys)
2. Zealots
3. Not having control

THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS:
1. Coffee
2. Computer
3. Food

THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW:
1. Light Green J. Crew Sweater
2. J. Crew Khaki Pants
3. Black Sketcher shoes

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE BANDS (or artists(at the moment)):
1. Modest Mouse
2. Franz Ferdinand
3. Jim White

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS AT PRESENT:
1. Somebody Told Me - The Killers
…uh…yeah.

THREE NEW THINGS YOU WANT TO TRY IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS
1. Getting pregnant
2. Learning how to better converse
3. Keeping the house clean

THREE THINGS YOU WANT IN A RELATIONSHIP (love is a given):
1. Honesty
2. Acceptance
3. Stability

TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE
1. I’m really freakin’ tall
2. I like some pop music
3. I love Apple computers

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS ABOUT THE OPPOSITE SEX (or same) THAT APPEAL TO YOU:
1. Long hair
2. Slender build
3. Beautiful eyes

THREE THINGS YOU JUST CAN’T DO:
1. Be politically correct
2. Not shop at Gap
3. Drive a totally crappy car (like, oh say, a 1992 Honda Accord)

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES:
1. Reading
2. Trivia
3. Collecting shit

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO REALLY BADLY RIGHT NOW:
1. Not be sick
2. Write a book with my sister
3. Be done with the holidays

THREE CAREERS YOU’RE CONSIDERING:
1. Teach (community college level)
2. Teach (high school level)
3. Writer

THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO ON VACATION:
1. England
2. Caribbean
3. California

THREE KIDS NAMES
1. Madeline Grace (nickname “Maddy” and Grace was my grandmother’s middle name)
2. Stephen Michael
3. Alicia (not sure about middle names)

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE:
1. Have children
2. Write a book
3. Be happy

I’m 28 today. Old, old, old…at least it feels that way. Fortunately (if it matters at all) I look at least five years my junior. I feel every second my age, and older if my mind lets me think too much about my body.

Last night, some of my friends took me out for dinner. Actually, they are “our” friends. In any case, we went to BW3 (my favorite restaurant on earth). Thanks to that group (Jim, Christina, Sean, John, Jeremy C., Scott, and Laura) for coming out in celebration. I’ve actually not had anything that remotely resembled a party in years. It really was nice and I’ve got oodles of love to offer up to all of them for their generosity.

As far as presents go, well, JT has yet to give me any. I’m curious about what he’s cooking up. I honestly am completely clueless. He refuses to give me presents because I’m so impatient. I’m sure it’s that, and not that he hasn’t yet bought them/it. I already got a gift from my parents–a beautiful Waterford Crystal bowl. I’m a sucker for crystal, and Waterford is just a bit too expensive for me to justify as a gift to myself. Thanks mom and dad! I also got four Kurt Vonnegut books from my Amazon gift list from my sis Cheryl and her hubby Robin. I got Hocus Pocus, Timequake, Mother Night, and Welcome to the Monkey House. Thanks, guys. Jim & Christina got me a lovely little kitty stationary set. It’s cute, retro, and pink(!)–thanks you guys also.

Now for Jeremy….hmmmm…..consider me antici—pa—ting it.

I’m also anticipating this being his last day of grad school ever. He finishes his last class tonight and will have earned his Masters of Business Information Technology with a concentration in Project Management. Of course he has no particular career goal in mind, but he’ll have it in hand. I’m so proud of him. Seriously. It’s a better birthday present than anything else.

I spent this weekend cooking three different soups (Cheesy Clam Chowder was the biggest hit), feeding about 25 family members, and not eating enough because I was way too excited. I wish I’d gotten to sample more of my other family member’s foods but my belly was all tied up. Oh well. It was still a grand time–though I must admit I’m getting more and more jealous about all of the babies (the newest being young Preston).

I also discovered a few things. I found out that the valedictorian of my high school class (a very nice girl) who married the elder brother of one of the nicest guys in the world who also graduated with me is preganant again. But more interesting is that her husbad (a JAG officer) is prosecuting the military folks who abused the prisoners at Abu Ghraib. They live in DC now, but I guess I never expected that to be what he was doing. Talk about a stressful occupation. I did a search (my dad told me to try) and I found this which proves it.

Actually, come to think of it that’s all I discovered this weekend of any real note. I have a certain Offspring tongue-in-cheek song stuck in my head for no good reason. I also feel a good bit of sadness. Between my house and my cousin’s house on Saturday we saw the aftermath of a bad car accident. I say bad because anything that ends in a car being covered by a tarp means there were deaths. When I looked in the newspaper, I found this. Two people died. I guess that’s what happens when you fail to stop when crossing a highway and are struck by a Yukon.

In any case, that was my weekend. How very exciting.