you bet your fanny

http://www.azcentral.com/style/seasons/articles/090407fannypack.html

So according to this article, fanny packs are back. Strange, it seems for some people they never left.

I for one lament the return for these reasons: 1 - "fanny" in the name. 2 - seems to sit at the very point on one's body that needs the least packing. 3 - It reminds me all too much of a certain family's mom who was not very nice.

Can we not just carry bags like civilized people?

This better be the best Thai food ever

The other day I went to get some Thai takeout. The staff was very nice and poured me some water while I was waiting. Then the waitress brought me my bill: $110.68.

She had added an extra zero. But here's the catch: they didn't know how to cancel the transaction. Or they didn't want to. I heard the owner grumbling about the 50 cent fee. So they gave me $100 cash back.

Ordinarily I would be pretty annoyed. But it was some damn good pad Thai.

Newest Member of the Family

Meet Beverly. She's 7 months old and she is meant to keep Merriweather company. And chase her around so she loses weight.

I chose the name Beverly because it sounds like an old lady. One of my favorite names for a pet was Lazy Dan. What are some of the best pet names you've heard?

Fun with Photo Booth

chocolate guilt

The other night I ate something called a "chocodile." I think it's a cross between a Twinkie and a Ding-Dong. It was good, but not chocolicious. And not worth gaining 2 pounds.

The explanation

I got kicked out of Bashas' because I was doing a story about people who volunteer their time and drive elderly, homebound people to do their errands. One such errand that day was a trip to the grocery store. I had a photographer with me, so I was a little more obvious than usual. We got about halfway around the store before we were met with two store managers who told us very nicely to park it outside. we sat at the deli in the front and waited. Neither their photos nor their name got a mention in the story.

Where You've Got a Friend

Today I got kicked out of a Bashas' grocery store

oh brother

Today while driving around in my parents' neighborhood, I saw a man outside his house with no pants on. He had a shirt. Luckily it was a long shirt. Kind of like a night shirt I guess. But mostly it's kids you see wearing night shirts, and really, this was kind of a button-down shirt. And he was no kid.

Settling in Mesa

Starting tomorrow I will be working out of Mesa. It's a good thing, despite having to say goodbye to my beautiful desk and my two windows. And the loads of wonderful eating options available in Scottsdale. Mesa has The Sandwich Mile. And a reputation for bug problems. Yahoo!

Deathly Hallows

I just finished reading the last Harry Potter book. It didn't take me too long - I was pretty much rushing all the way through it to see how it ended. I finished it at about 1 am or so. Then I went to use the bathroom and the toilet overflowed onto the floor.

Other than that, though, I really enjoyed the book. I think if I could find fiction meant for adults that grabbed me as much as that series did, it would be a good thing -- seeing as how I am not 12, teach grade school or have an 11th grade reading level.

Homemade web site

Wanna see a very simple Web site?

www.yourlegacyinprint.com

I made it. It's my first try. I have big plans to make it better soon. In the meantime, you can enjoy some Microsoft Clip Art photos that I found under "seniors."

And if you happen to know anyone who wants to write down their life story, have them contact me.

My brutally honest personality results

Your Score: Busy Body- ENFJ

73% Extraversion, 60% Intuition, 46% Thinking, 73% Judging

You manipulative busybody! You're what some might call the "backseat driver" of life. You know, the one who knows exactly what everyone else is doing wrong and how they should go about fixing it. You're always trying to change everyone else.

The strange thing is, you can generally get whoever you want, to do whatever you want. What's that? You want me to stop insulting you...well, alright...but only because you asked so nic...WAIT A MINUTE!

Stop sticking your cumbersome nose where it aint't wanted. You're like an oversized sniffer dog, trained to sniff out everyone else's problems, yet oblivious to your own.

For one you worry excessively. The fact that you're also incredibly sensitive to criticism probably has you on the verge of tears right now. Get a grip.

You have powers of manipulation unlike any other. You know all the gossip and you know how to ultimately use it as blackmailing material.

You could potentially be the ultimate evil villain... if not for the fact you choose to use all of your powers for good, rather than evil. How honourable. How admirable and praiseworthy. How pathetic.

While you're helping others out and pushing them into the limelight, you're left in the background to inhale the dirty smoke of their success. Nice one.

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If you want to learn more about your personality type in a slightly less negative way, check out this.

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The other personality types are as follows...

Loner - Introverted Sensing Feeling Perceiving

Pushover - Introverted Sensing Feeling Judging

Criminal - Introverted Sensing Thinking Perceiving

Borefest - Introverted Sensing Thinking Judging

Almost Perfect - Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Perceiving

Freak - Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Judging

Loser - Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceiving

Crackpot - Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging


Clown - Extraverted Sensing Feeling Perceiving

Sap - Extraverted Sensing Feeling Judging

Commander - Extraverted Sensing Thinking Perceiving

Do Gooder - Extraverted Sensing Thinking Judging

Scumbag - Extraverted iNtuitive Feeling Perceiving


Prick - Extraverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceiving

Dictator - Extraverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging

Link: The Brutally Honest Personality Test written by UltimateMaster on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

MORE elbow grease

Did lots of work on the ol sticks n bricks in the past couple weeks.

In the "before" photo, you can see a blank white wall on the left. That's the wall we painted.

And in the updated pics of the dining room, we added a darker color of green on the wall and a new light.

Next stop: the bathroom!

I'll keep it brief

Yesterday I finally faced my fear. It had been lurking in my storage closet, which already was scary because it had spiderwebs and leaves.

This was the fear: A pair of men's white briefs that someone (construction worker? previous tenant?) had left on the top shelf of my storage closet.

I decided to tackle it with this tiny broom I have. The handle is maybe 3 feet long. So I carefully hooked the undies on to the end of the broom and walked with it dangling in front of me to the dumpster. That was when I discovered the second pair. I HAD thought there was just one pair. No. Two. So yet another trip to the dumpster, with some neighbors eyeing me cautiously. Oh, and one dirty white sock, too.

The guy's a pro

On Sunday, as I was exiting the Flagstaff Wal-Mart, I met a professional hobo. He was a grungy, bearded man on a bike with a cock-a-mamie story about needing money for bus fare so he could get to a train station then to Las Vegas then to Wyoming or something.

"Now since I'm a professional hobo," he said, "I have a service to provide." His services featured mostly window cleaning. And he pointed out the difference between a hobo - who is willing to work for his handout - and a bum - who just wants to leech off people.

Well, his scheme worked. I didn't need the window washed, but I did need a little karma. PROFESSIONAL karma.

Can we use the vacuum for this?

Today an electrician came to the house to look at installing motion sensor lights. He brought his little boy with him. He was about 9.

I tried to be hospitable: I gave the kid Capri Sun and some fruit snacks. (Just ignore for a minute the fact that I already had this stuff in my cupboards and eat like a preschooler.)

By the time the two were leaving, the little boy was complaining that he didn't feel too good.

He was right.

He threw up in my doorway.....and my carpet....and my walls....and some of my picture frames.

Tonight on 24

A few days ago I turned 24, an age I consider respectable. Non-respectable ages include 11, 15 and 19. I realized I've had this blog just over a year, and last year I went through a few things as I turned 23 (semi respectable). So I guess I'll turn it into an annual tradition.

Things I've accomplished since June 2, 2006:
- moved into my own house
- dropped a dishwasher off at Goodwill even though it still had some water in it
- ran a half marathon in San Diego
- bought a newER car. My first SUV. Look out environment!
- rode a horse in a parade
- survived a midnight break-in at said house

Things I'd like to accomplish in the coming year:
- move closer to being debt free
- nourish the memoir-writing business I'm starting with my friend
- publish at least three freelance articles
- win a journalism award
- get a passport
- run another half marathon, possibly a full
- become more spiritual

If anyone has any more suggestions of things I should/should not do in the coming year, please comment!

Me encanta la musica latina

Lately I've been loving Latin music, including artists like Juanes, Shakira, Nelly Furtado and Bebe. I have my friend Amanda to thank for this - she burned me a rockin CD. Although I guess Bebe is from Spain - does that count as Latin? I say yes.

I also realized in the past year or so that technically I am a quarter Mexican. Not Hispanic. But Mexican. My grandmother was born in Mexico and maintains dual citizenship. So boom - I could've had so many more scholarships. I'll keep it in mind for grad school. Then they will take one look at me and send me back to WASP-ville.

the irony

I was looking for a nutrition book at Changing Hands the other day and noticed they put all the diet books next to the cook books. Sadistic.

Albuquerque is for spellers

I stole this from my sister's blog. It's awesome! You can type in whatever you want and it becomes a sign:
http://www.redkid.net/generator/roosevelt/
Click this and scroll down.