December 25, 2006

Fambly

For 3 years I have woken up to "mama!" For three years every request was either preceded or ended with "MAMA!". If papa tried to help there was often a "No! Mama do..." At times I felt enslaved, I must admit. While on this trip, though, GRANDMA! is the new hero. Or DADDY! For half a second, I'm sure my shoulders droop. Then I realize that this is something I've dreamed of! So here I am, while Ruby is happily taking a bath with her daddy in attendance, goofing off!

While on our trip west, Ruby has learned to love her cousin Emma and rough house with Uncles James and Eddie. She's learned that Grandma can be counted on for blue yogurt, great hugs and many, many book readings. Grandpa is always good for a tickle and the Aunties are quick with a hug or a smile. I, for one, have never eaten so many cookies in my life. And here? They have DRIVE-THRU coffee stands. You don't even have to leave your car to get a Medium skim latte with sugar-free vanilla.

It's amazing how quickly everyone feels like family again. These are folks I married into and I'm lucky enough to adore them! The teasing, the laughing and the story-telling are a warm concoction. My mother-in-law has a home so comfortable, if she cares that there are messes, she doesn't let on. With this many folks, it's easy for things to get cluttered and sticky and for feet to be put up on furniture, it quickly feels like home. 

Everyone is stuffed and happy from a yummy broiled salmon dinner, the girls are singing jingle bells in the bath tub and I'm sure there will be dessert and beer to warm us further. Ah, the holidays! 
Posted by Pagalina at 20:57:28 | Permanent Link | Comments (2) |

December 24, 2006

Oh the wilds of washington! It's 7am and it's still really dark and I'm exceptionally blurry. Ruby is happily entranced by spongebob this morning so I'll drop you a quick note to say travel went just peachy. No matter how you slice it, it was a looooong day but we made it intact. Uncle James picked us up bearing sippy cups of milk and little bags of cheerios and Ruby passed out for the last car-leg home. 

Yesterday we took her and her cousin Emma to what amounts to a Habitrail for kids. Remember habitrails for hamsters? little tubes that looped about and the little fat guys would waddle there way through? I followed Ruby along many of the trails bonking my head once and squealing a few times on one very fast slide. It was a blast. 

I think today will be the day we get unjetlegged and Ruby really gets her groove on. I had underestimated the effect of the time change and new surroundings. Lessons learned, eh? 

Happy Christmas eve, hope this finds you in a warm cozy place! 

Posted by Pagalina at 10:17:08 | Permanent Link | Comments (2) |

December 20, 2006

Stupid Server

My apologies for the screwed up template, mf'in BLOG.COM!!! Just when I was whining for folks to comment! I got the header back and the basic template, but don't have the time to noodle with the CSS like I'd like to. dang it. We're off to Sedro Woolley, Washington tomorrow. Please pray for us; we're traveling with a 3 year old. ( I still want to hear from you! )

Posted by Pagalina at 22:17:05 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

December 18, 2006

Delurking Holiday 06 edition

Hey, as a little old christmas gift to yours truly, would any of you kind folks who regularly read Zoomaru give me a shout out in the comments! I see some interesting locations popping up in my site stats like Glen Burnie, MD; Columbus, OH; Redmond, WA; and Hanover, NH. Glad you're here, would love to "meet" ya! So just say howdy and make my day!
Posted by Pagalina at 16:31:47 | Permanent Link | Comments (15) |

Round and round

I’ve been trying to diagram our weekend. Since I often design charts and graphs for projects at work, this should be a piece of cake. Should it be a pie chart? Or an bell arc? Regardless of the visuals, either I was an insufferable bitch all weekend or my daughter was an insufferable brat. Which? I could ask my hubby, but that’s exposing my sensitive underbelly. And that belly is a little sensitive at the moment.

Rather than actually using my four year design degree, and 18 year industry experience, I’ve decided to rely on the old corporate standby for my charts: Micr0s0ft Powerpoint!

Hmmm. Is that how it went down? Pie chartness? Does it really equal 100% pain?

Wow! What a shiteous template I've selected for this uninspired bar chart. Maybe my job is secure! And I've assigned WAY too much of the blame on myself. Let's try another:

That looks all action oriented! "So, Bob, you're in charge of actualizing the inventory readiness factor...."

I'm still not sure how to chart this damn thing, but maybe I'll just take it easier on myself AND Ruby, see where that gets us! Perhaps I can get Richard to put together a chart, too! Richard!!!! I'm calling you out! Come on! Let's have a Powerpoint Chart Buster! Hey MONICA! Chart me your weekend!

Posted by Pagalina at 16:24:40 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

December 12, 2006

Bipolar TV watching

Would it shock you to know that I'm flipping between "The Year Without Santa" and "Dr 90210"? One a classic cartoon redone with actors like Dan Goodman, Michael McKean and Eddie Griffiths the other a Discovery channel show about plastic surgery.  We're all lucky that I'm not also swilling a beer and eating chips. Richard's at a client dinner and I have complete control of the TV!! I'm fascinated by many spurious topics often found on Discovery or TLC. Transgendered people, dwarves, conjoined twins! oh my! I love it! I also love love LOVE plastic surgery before and after shows excepting for the unfortunate surgery scenes interspersed. Hence my flipping back and forth with the Santa show, I'm trying to avoid all sights of blood and body fat.

My method involves hitting the previous channel button without looking at the TV screen if possible. Not the most fail-safe plan. And for the record, breast reductions are disGUSTING. I guess I'm interested to see how differently the subjects look afterwards and also their motivations. Certainly many, if not all, of the procedures are result of vanity, but so many are a result of deep insecurity. This is not to say that I don't have a concise list of nips and tucks that I'd undertake if the lottery were to come through. But I think I'm realistic enough to know that getting veneers on my teeth will not suddenly transform me into a super model. It's more like moving that piece of furniture that you've been tripping over for years. Ah, now THAT’s better.

What a coincidence, really! That I chose today to give Zoomaru a little bit of a makeover.
Posted by Pagalina at 15:27:14 | Permanent Link | Comments (6) |

December 11, 2006

Legacies

2006 is swiftly coming to a close. On a personal level, despite the machinations of a mischievous toddler, this year was a lot more stable than the last 3 or 4. We didn’t move, change jobs or have children, so things were on a more even keel. But you can’t help but reflect at the year past. I’m a huge fans of those “year in review” bits online and on TV. It’s strange to see all the folks who passed away this year, and there are always a couple that really kind of pain me. Weird, isn’t it? I never met these people, but I’m truly bummed that they’re not here making this world a better place.

Ed Bradley’s death, for one, saddened me. From all reports, he was a stand up kinda guy. I know watching him on 60 minutes, he always seemed totally connected to his subject. After seeing his 60 Minute’s tribute to him, and how he connected to music and musicians, I was even more touched. A man of passion and compassion. A man that inspired many and never seemed to have complained about the obstacles he most assuredly faced in an industry that judges and promotes books by their covers. This sounds like a petty detail, but the fact that a news man wore an earring on camera always impressed me. Here is a man who’s not afraid to be himself. Too few like him in the world.

If you were like me, you watched Hee Haw Sunday nights with your family growing up. Can you imagine such a corn poned show on TV today? I’m not sure what fascinated us so much, perhaps it was less fascination and even fewer TV channels to choose from. Until I dated a alt-country aficionado, my only experience with Buck Owens was his appearances on HeeHaw. But he and his Bakersfield, California contemporaries put their mark on their own brand of country. Don’t think Faith Hill or Shania Twain, whom can hardly be considered country, think countrified rockabilly. While country of the late 60s and early 70s was highly orchestrated, he bucked the trend and maintained a more stripped-down sound reminiscent of older country styles. If you’ve ever taken a side-trip into alt-country like Uncle Tupelo or Whiskeytown you’ll recognize some of their roots.

These two men fortunately had long lives in which to build a legacy, and it makes me think what sort of legacy I might be leaving behind. I’m starting to realize that sitting on the sidelines doesn’t do anything for anybody. While I’ll never reach the stature of these men, I can make my own small difference in the world.
Posted by Pagalina at 17:01:32 | Permanent Link | Comments (2) |

December 07, 2006

TGI (almost) Friday

I was trying to come up with something witty without simultaneously insulting those of the less than heterosexual persuasion but am giving up. Cause while the lead singer may be a little light in his platform sneakers, this song will make your heart feel a little lighter too. Pure pop confection spun up for your enjoyment!

 

Posted by Pagalina at 15:47:44 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

December 06, 2006

A tone poem in the key of whine

Hither yon, hither yon.
Coming going, rushing rushing.
Overcommitted. Rundown and sniffly.
Both grownups working too hard/much
Inpatient with boisterous toddler.
Short end of stick and burnt ends of candle.
3 short hours together spent pushing and prodding to either school or dinner, bath or bed.
Short-tempered when I should be warm.
Less a mom than a guardian it seems sometimes.
Working families.
So many people, so little time doing the things most important.
Is it just the dark? The weather? The holidays?
Really?
Some time soon. Reevaluate, reconfigure, renew.
Posted by Pagalina at 11:23:54 | Permanent Link | Comments (2) |

Sweet patootie

Let's hope this doesn't turn into one of those hot-librarian-chick-in-glasses music videos.

Posted by Pagalina at 09:44:33 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |
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