Month: January 2008

Textbook

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Ok, it’s time for me to brag a little bit. Guess what came in the mail today? A $200 check for non-exclusive use of this photo in an Illinois 2009 edition of a science textbook. This has been a year in the making but I didn’t mention it before because I was starting to feel like it was never going to materialize.

Below is a layout of the page where my photo appears, sent to me by the publisher. Pretty cool, huh? Who would have thought such a mundane photo would bring in some cash. Not that I’m complaining!

Published

Could they be any more annoying?

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It’s January, and yet my neighbors’ Halloween pumpkins are still by their front door. I guess I should consider myself lucky they didn’t put up any Christmas decorations or I’d have to look at those until St. Patrick’s Day at the very earliest. It’s bad enough last year’s Easter welcome sign is still propped up on the ugly-ass bench outside their door.

Seriously, they are the laziest people in the universe. Someone forgot to inform them that we’re not living in a trailer park.

Yay for Juno and Kohl’s

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We finally saw Juno today and I enjoyed it very much. My thanks goes out to the blogosphere for recommending it because otherwise I would have never known about it. I’m not in the loop on the movies lately thanks to the lack of tv programming and the fact we hadn’t been to the movies in awhile.

We did a little shopping after the movie and hit paydirt at Kohl’s: I got these two cute and colorful purses for $7.20 each which will be perfect come Spring/Summer, another pair of heavily discounted Isotoner slippers for upstairs (for anyone keeping track I now own three pair), and a super cute babydoll shirt I was unsure of when checking the price tag ($25) but happy about once it rang up ($14.40). Joe got three shirts and a zipper-down sweatshirt made of a super comfy sweater material.

As we were checking out, Joe grabbed a nearby Dunder Mifflin t-shirt and the cashier from the other register asked us if we like The Office and started chatting with us. He was all smiles and it was kinda weird, but flattering, because I think he wanted us both. ;) Our cashier was friendly enough but he kept his head down a lot, like he was shy. Now that I think about it, that was weird how both cashiers were guys (more like kids as they both looked really young) because it’s usually women working the registers at Kohl’s.

We had a big lunch at Portillo’s (I’m only just starting to feel a little hungry for dinner now, in fact) and went to the library to return the obscene number of CDs we borrowed a few days ago and check out more, then came home and cleaned. Joe took down the Christmas tree this morning so he vacuumed while I hit the bathrooms. He also mopped all the floors while I straightened up. I still have to do more organizing tomorrow but I’m too tired tonight. I’ve got seven loads of laundry to wash and that’s all I’m doing the rest of the night.

Happy New Year

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Happy New Year everyone! We spent New Year’s Eve with my family and I proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am the Pictionary queen when Brother #1 and I kicked Brother #2 and Joe’s asses. It doesn’t matter who you pair me with because I will win, muhahaha!

We also celebrated my birthday which is next Monday. My mom got KFC (my fave) and baked me a yummy lemon cake. Joe gave her gift ideas based off my CD Universe wish list so I got Aqua Teen Hunger Force Zombie Ninja Pro-Am (try saying that three times quickly) for the PS2 and Impeach My Bush by Peaches. She’s no doubt so proud of her (almost) 32-year-old daughter and her taste in entertainment. I can’t help it, I love the mooninites and I lost my “borrowed” copy of the Peaches album in The Great Hard Drive Crash of ’07.

We stayed out way too late, not leaving until 1:30 am. The expressways were slick from the snow that had been coming down all night and we almost died. Not really, but one of the people ahead of us could have. This couple in a black car flew past us going way too fast and then their car started fishtailing all over the place. Finally they shot over two lanes to the left, nearly missing the median, then did a 360 and ended up facing us. Luckily they were far enough ahead of this that we witnessed it without fear of getting hit by them.

We eventually passed them as they were pulling over to the shoulder, no doubt to calm down after such a frightening incident. THAT is why you don’t drive like an asshole on slick roads. I hope it taught them a lesson that they take to heart. I was freaked out myself having witnessed it and didn’t fully calm down until we were safe in our bed at 3 am. There were a few wipeouts on the road along the way too. Mostly people taking curvy ramps too quickly and rolling down the embankment. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

We slept until 10 am this morning and skipped a shower so we could get to the mall before it got too crowded. Nothing to worry about there, though – it was dead. In fact everywhere we went was dead. How nice! I will have to keep that in mind for next year. Plus all the merchandise was heavily discounted even more so than two days ago. My $8 Isotoner slippers were only $6 so I bought another pair for work. Before heading home we stopped in Potbelly’s for lunch. I’ve never been there before but my turkey sandwich was so good I’ll definitely be back.

Now I’m just doing a little laundry while I rip a bunch of CDs for my iPod. It’s funny how there never seems to be a large enough selection of music on it.