Snagged from Cady McClain

Cady plays Dixie on All My Children. I snagged this one off her blog.

1) Hot Chocolate or apple cider?

Hot Chocolate

2) Turkey or Ham?

Ham

3) Do you get a Fake or Real Christmas tree?

Fake. Prelit is the way to go!!

4) Decorations on the outside of your house?

I really need to do that.

5) Snowball fights or sledding?

Sledding

6) Do you enjoy going downtown for shopping?

For looking, not actually buying!

7) Favorite Christmas song?

I had to laugh at Michael E. Knight's (i.e. Tad Martin):

Michael: “Sexual Healing” by Marvin Gaye

My answer: My Grown Up Christmas List by Amy Grant

8) How do you feel about Christmas movies?

I generally like them.

9) When is it too early to start listening to Christmas music?

Before July 4. :D

10) Stockings before or after presents?

Before!!

11) Carolers, do you or do you not watch and listen to them?

They're too afraid to come to my security building.

12) Go to someone else’s house or they come to you?

They come to me. I wish they'd go somewhere else. ;)

13) Do you read the Christmas Story?

A long, long time ago.

14) What do you do after presents and dinner?

Michael E. Knight's answer: That’s the sexual healing part.

I usually go home and cook for the guest on Christmas Day.

15) What is your favorite holiday smell?

Pine.

16) Ice skating or walking around the mall?

Ice sliding.

17) Do you open a present or presents on Christmas Eve, or wait until Christmas day?

Michael E Knight's comment: Depends on what she’s wearing.

Christmas Eve

18) Favorite Christmas memory?

I answered this already.

19) Favorite part about winter?

Being able to ski. Otherwise, I could skip it completely.

20) Ever been kissed under mistletoe?

I think so, awhile back. I think I need to revisit some misletoe. :)

Snagged from Tom

I love the holidays and even though it is early, I felt obligated to complete this one. Fa la la la la!

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?? Hot Chocolate!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Wrapping

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Nope.

5. When do you put your decorations up? After I return from Disney...actually a few just before I leave.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Just one?? My grandma's stuffing recipe I make every year and my dad's Sicilian olives

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: My grandma tricking me. I would go to visit her and then she would evitablely give me liquids until I had to pee. Then she would run, take out presents and ring the doorbell. I couldn't get out of the bathroom quickly enough to see but Santa would always leave me a huge beautiful stocking full of treats on her banister.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I asked my mom straight out and she didn't lie to me.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Open all of them on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day is extended family and gifts only for the kids.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Color coordinated and usually by myself. Although I used to love to decorate with friends. But everyone seems so busy these days.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? At this time of year, I actually love it. Once January 1st rolls around, I dread it.

12. Can you ice skate? Yes, I can struggle. I'm a better rollerskater.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Time with family and friends.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Celebrating with friends and family

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? I make a mean "Cake in a Bowl"

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Going to Disney World with my family at the beginning of the month. I also love going with my friends to Marshall Field's (cough....Macy's) and having breakfast at the Walnut Room on the 23rd.

17. What tops your tree? A bow

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving? Neither really. I'd rather "give" by volunteering and "receive" by spending time with family and friends.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? My Grown Up Christmas List By Amy Grant

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or yummy? neither

21. Fave Christmas Movie? Muppet Christmas Carol of course. "Light the lamp, not the rat!"

Procrastination At Work

Okay, not actually at my work place...oh, you know what I mean... So these photos span from the middle of July to early August.

I went to Festa Italian in Milwaukee in the middle of July just to see Orlando Bloom. Seriously, doesn't second guy look like him just a bit? These guys were actually the flag throwers from the Olympics in Torino. They actually came to perform on their vacation and weren't paid. Dedicated eh?

The only thing that kept running through my mind was "We're men, we're men in tights"! lol





They're pretty talented!






It's all very colorful.








So the next weekend, I was in Milwaukee again for German Fest. I didn't even take my camera out of my purse. But let's just say the Ruben egg roll thingies were oh so yummy!

Then in early August I was at Ravinia and saw Billy Currington and Trisha Yearwood (aka Mrs. Garth Brooks) in concert. Billy just doesn't appeal to me, but I thought the lighting was cool in this photo. Trisha Yearwood looks blissfully happy and grounded. Plus she never ceases to amaze me with that voice of hers. I think she has the best female voice in country music. Her rendition of Over the Rainbow gave me chills! She's got such a great stage presence too, chatty and witty. She seems like the type of person that I would like to have as a friend.


It's been a good summer! :)

Everybody's Doing It...

[my name is]: Joanne
[in the morning i am]: usually running around like crazy
[love is]: all you need
[i dream about]: weird stuff

W I T H .T H E. O P P O S I T E. S E X-
[what do you notice first?]: smile
[last person u slow danced with]: my dad

W H O .W A S .T H E .L A S T. P E R S O N
[you talked to on the phone]: Chris
[hugged:] Chris
[you instant messaged]: Chris
[you laughed with]: people at work

D O .Y O U / / A R E .Y O U
[could you live without the computer?]: I'm fairly addicted. It probably wouldn't be pretty.
[what's your favorite food?]: cheese
[whats ur favorite fruit?]: :banana:
[what hurts the most?]: my self-criticism
[trust others way too easily?]: not at all

-N U M B E R-
[of times i have had my heart broken?]: twice
[of hearts i have broken?]: 1
[of tight friends?]: 2
[of cd's that i own?]: a lot
[of scars on my body?]: two or three small ones, nothing major
[of things in my past that i regret?]: I forget regret otherwise life is mine to miss.

O.T.H.E.R.T.H.I.N.G.S.

[i know]: that I control my own happiness
[i want]: a man to share my life with
[i have]: a wonderful life
[i wish]: that everyone could just get along
[i hate]: intolerance
[i miss]: Mayberry
[i fear]: being alone
[i hear]: music
[i search]: the world over and thought I found true love, you met another and plebb, you were gone
[i love]: those I consider family
[i care]: about people's feelings
[i always]: will workout
[i dance]: when no one's watching
[i sleep]: pretty soundly
[i cry]: a lot. It's a great stress reliever.
[i do not always]: eat right
[i write]: when I can. I love to write.
[i confuse]: my words every now and then. I thought I had a chronic case of Malapropism disease
[i can usually be found]: online if you know where to look
[i need]: to exercise, it saves me
[wuss]: depends on the subject
[daydreamer]: I try to put my dreams into action.
[brat]: been known to be
[sarcastic]: uh yeah!
[angel]: if that's what you think
[devil]: maybe a little devilish
[friends]: in low places
[shy]: yeah
[talkative]: depends on who I'm with
[adventurous]: can be
[intelligent]: depends on the subject

(You.Claim.To.Have)
[impacted you the most spiritually]: Chris
[wish you saw more often]: my friends
[most sarcastic]: there are so many...
[wish you knew better]: I think there's value in knowing most people better.
[knows you best]: Chris
[best outlook on life]: Mike
[a smell that makes you smile]: piped in smells on Main Street USA at WDW
[a city you'd like to visit]: Sydney
[a drink you order most often]: dp
[a book you highly recommend]: The Traveler's Gift by Andy Andrews
[the music you prefer while alone]: can't pick just one type; it will always depend on my mood
[your favorite film]: When Harry Met Sally but lately Bruce Almighty
[a TV show you watch regularly]: All My Children
[you live in a(n)]: condo
[your transportation]: my little Honda or my legs
[your cologne or perfume]: can't stand the stuff
[under your bed or in your closet you hide]: the messy me
[something important on your night table]: a silver plated bowl left to me by my grandma

Everything Is Just Not Ducky

There are train tracks adjacent to the restaurant where I work. I was walking towards the post office yesterday, which meant crossing the tracks. As I approached I noticed a commotion. There were two ladies running around. I wondered what was up. As I got closer, I noticed a mama duck with her six babies walking on the tracks!!!

So I join these two ladies to save these ducks from a horrible death. The little babies were much too small to get back up to safe ground. They must have followed mama and fallen in. So we shooed the mama duck to the point that I thought she might bite one of us. And we picked up the babies and put them to higher ground.



The little ducks looked like this! OMG soooooo cute!

Well, there was one little duck that freaked out a bit and ran under the platform that allows people to cross the tracks. He was so scared and mama duck left without him. At this point, I want to ball for this poor duck.

I tried for about half an hour to coax this duck out with the help of some sweet kids and two nice senior citizens who strolled by later. And I got close at times. My fellow rescuers (who were part of saving mama and other babies) had long since boarded the train and left. Then, I was all alone in my quest to save him.

And I'm afraid I failed. I had to go back to work at some point and I thought, "he's too scared, maybe he'll be out later". I did that twice. The first time he did come out but promptly retreated when I tried to grab him. The second time he did not come out. I left for the day very, very sad that I hadn't saved him.

I went back this morning and the bread I left to try and coax him out was gone but it could have been eaten by birds. I hope the little guy is okay. I'll never know.

Summer!!!

It turns me upside down. I love summer and I did something very summery today. I headed to Lighthouse beach on the Northwestern campus. The beach isn't officially opened yet. But it was such a beautiful day. It was about 80 inland and about 70 at the beach with a beautiful breeze.




So I set down my towel and kicked off my shoes.






I grabbed my book out of my bag and read. But the water and the people were too distracting.








There were big boats.







And people enjoying the day.









Even the usually aggressive geese were serenely floating by...








Just as I was leaving a noticed an odd indentation in the sand. ; )



It was a wonderful day. Hope you had one too!

Writer's Block

I'm working on two articles related to my travel business and the perfectionist in me is making me blocked. I've basically written both articles. I've revised them. I thought about them for days. And now I'm procrastinating them.

And now for your viewing pleasure I'll post some photos for you while I procrastinate.

It's been a family filled few weekends. My parents' 40th anniversary was last weekend and it was all about moms this weekend. I went to see my Grandma and took my mom (and dad) to lunch on Sunday.

I told them to look like they love each other. They sort of do, don't they? :)



Here's the miscellaneous cousins' table. :) All in all a fun day! Hope all you moms out there (even if your children are furry)...had a great Mother's day yesterday!

Cute Shoes

Everyone keeps telling me they like my shoes so I thought I'd share. I could pay more, but why? Here are some other fun photos that are on my computer. I wish this were my fence!

Here's the Cubs tarp pictures that I was telling Amber about. (July 3, 2004) They called the game on account of rain just after Sammy hit a homer (we won).

Stealing Kerri's Blog Entry

I liked Kerri's blog entry of random pictures on her computer. Here's a few I have:

Watermelon Art



Ah...baseball season is upon us:

















Being a Pepsi drinker this just amused me:























And of course the photo everyone must have on their computer. I'm thinking this needs to be turned into wallpaper. :D

December 23rd, 5:30 a.m....central standard time...

(Hopefully Mike will get the RENT reference there! :) ) I called Mike to wake him up at what at the time really seemed to be an ungodly time! Usually I'm up that early...this day I was groggy.

But I really needed to unwind. And we wanted to pay our respects to our Chicago institution which will soon be taken over by a company orginating in the "first" city. Marshall Field's has been purchased by Macy's. This is a big deal here in Chicago! "They can take away my Walnut Room but they can't make me shop at Macy's!" Don't get me wrong. I like the Thanksgiving Day parade; long tradition there, I get it. When I went to Macy's in NY, I was very underwhelmed. I really think Field's does it better. But that isn't the point.

The point is this store has a long history here in Chicago. My dad and my aunt both worked for Fields when they were young. People have been going to the State Street store all their lives. Why can't the Macy's people run it as Field's?

Anyway....here are pictures from our big adventure.

I think we got there about 7:45 a.m. and had an hour wait before we were at the front of the line and got this view:


This is just about thirty seconds before you hit the front of the line and hostess hurries you through.










We finally were seated and decided to act like tourists and take pictures. Oooooo....pretty tree.





What was this lady thinking...walking through my photo. No doubt I was complaining about the people in the background because Mike is laughing at me!





Here we are looking old and married....as we were joking around that we were. We may be the earlier and are not the later. (Before you ask...we're just friends.)











Here is the official Chicago Christmas tree in Daley Plaza. It's actually a lot cooler looking at night in the dark.




Next we headed to Millenium Park to Skate, Play and Eat. Really we just wanted to watch the skaters. And since the weather was beautiful...40 degrees, we didn't mind the walk.




Next we headed to the Bean
aka the Cloud Gate. To see the full perspective of what it is, go to the link. This photo is of me, on the left, with the long coat, standing in front of it and taking a photo of the skyline. You can see Mike walking by behind me.








Here we are taking pictures of the bean close up.

That about does it for our grand last adventure to the Walnut Room for Christmas. Here's hoping Macy's doesn't screw it up too much!

Green Felt Sofa

Why do I always feel like the Swedish Chef (of the Muppets) when I go to an Oktoberfest? Perhaps because the German language makes no sense to me. Green felt sofa is a reference to some beer song. Sharon and a bunch of us were singing it once and just butchering the words. Of course, Sharon in her brillance came up with "green felt sofa". It's one of those "ya had to be there" moments. If you weren't, well, suffice it to say we were very silly. And this from most of us having NO beer.

So, I thought you'd enjoy a look at this year's trip. The place definitely wasn't as fun as Hans Bavarian Lodge where we used to go (now closed). But Terri made a great attempt and of course, it's all about being together anyway. (That's Mark (right?), Bev, Terry and Leo).

Here Leo and Terry polka...polka...polka. Note the authentic German band in the background.

We also, unfortunately did the chicken dance, which Terry and Leo demonstrate so well here. There are pictures of me doing the chicken dance but I paid Terry very well to keep them to herself. However, she may change her mind after seeing these. Other bizarre dances like the electric slide (yes I'm a dork) were done as well.


Once the night turned to country, as if on cue, Sharon showed up! I'm positively annoyed ;-) with her because she has two small children and still manages to look great! There were many rude photos taken with this German beef jerky. Unfortunately for all of you, those are on Terry's camera too. In this photo, it sort of reminds of the Christmas poo from South Park.

Homecoming 2005

So because Brian and Cathie decided to bail on me, I ended up heading to NIU by myself for homecoming. My first stop, Stevens for a blast from the past...















It was good to see that Chrissy and Bill still grace the walls of Stevens. This show, a full length ballet, (Sleeping Beauty) was a very big deal at the time for us to do. I don't think it had ever been done. I wanted like crazy to design the lights but Betsy wanted to do it herself. I think I was Assistant to the LD for this or maybe ME. I'm old; I don't remember now.
















Apparently someone got smart and thought, oh perhaps some seating for our patrons might be nice. Here's the redecorated lobby. I'm not sure how long ago that happened but it was a brilliant idea, doncha think?

















Spiffy new sign in front of the main office. Wonder how much of the annual budget that puppy sucked up.

















Ah, I remember it well. This was the crappy two scene preset board that we ran every Player's Theatre show off. I remember some interesting tricks I had to pull off especially during "Alice". This board is now in Corner theatre (which is the student studio) along with another board. By the way, Player's has been hard wired. Those students will never know the joy of a running a 30 piece cable bundle 15 feet in the air. How will they ever learn to color code their master plot so they can trace everything back to the dimmer rack? To think, I slaved to put up "permanent" cable bundles with numbering...all in vain.
















So here's the board that's currently in Player's. Which, by the way, was COMPLETELY unlocked, as was Corner. Good thing I'm an honest girl. I could have had three light boards for sale. :)

I remember looking at this board and thinking, decent. Although I can't remember what kind of board it is now. Please comment at the end if you know. Am I the only idiot who takes photos of light boards? If I'm not also comment so I know I'm not alone.
















So now Corner has the old Player's board PLUS an Insight! What a rip, huh? I remember torturing my poor board op during my Take 5 (my directorial debut) with all the cues on the piece of crapola autotrans. (hi Brian!!!)

















Oh, okay....I did go to the game. Here are some goofy tailgaters. Gotta love the bus with the doghouse on top. Ah....to be in college. :)
















Because Chris was working, he had some la dee dah privileges. Not only did he get to be on the field, but he got to eat up at the skybox. In this photo, he's on the phone with me, telling me "you're not right" because I was talking to him and taking a photo. I thought it was amusing. I had to zoom like crazy cause I was WAY up.

















Here, Victor E Huskie gives a firm talking to to lame-o mascot-in-training Spirit on the dangers of drinking and cheering.
















Loyal student section of the stand empties for a beer run ;) as the half time show takes place.
















Homely Stupid Center with a cool moon.

So that was the end of my day. My intention was to stay for that evening's Dance Concert but I was tired and my butt was frozen. Thanks to those who wished my butt well or lost sleep worrying about if my butt would unfreeze. I am happy to report that all is defrosted; unfortunately it didn't fall off as I hoped. ;)

Because Snapfish requires membership....

I "host" a lot of my photos on Snapfish but annoyingly they do require membership. Some members of family don't like to "join". So I thought I'd put some pictures up here so I can share with the class.