That's Life

I have this song playing on repeat in my head today. Anyone who knows anything about me at all knows that I have a deep and abiding love for Mr. Michael Buble. (I like to think that the Me & Mrs. You song is about us. I know, I live in a rich fantasy land. But whatever.)



Anyway, this song is one of my all time faves. I love it, in large part because I love the alliteration - the line "a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a poet, a pawn and a king" melts me down to nothing. I can't explain how much I love a cleverly turned phrase, there simply aren't words for that.

As much as I love that line (and I do love it... so freaking much), "Each time I find myself flat on my face, I pick myself up and get back in the race" has been resonating with me today.

I love it when I realize that I have a song in my head, esp when it's a song that seems to come out of nowhere, because it's usually representative of something I've been processing. And this song, my friends, reminds me of everything that's good in life. We struggle, we falter, we're afraid we may fail... but in the end, if we get ourselves up and go about doing whatever it is that we need to do, I just have to think that we'll make it. (Hopefully, with the swell of a gospel choir and a sweet jazz band to back us up.)

Anyway, That's Life. And I love it.

The End.

Dads & Daughters

This is a picture of my dad and me, circa 1975. I love him. When we were growing up, from time to time we kids would pull the "you love him more than me!" line on my parents - and what we always got back was that we were loved equally, but differently. Now that I'm a grownup, I know what they meant. At the same time, I do think my dad has a special spot in his heart for my sister and me. There's just something about dads and daughters, y'know?

I'm grateful for a father who puts my wants and needs ahead of his own. If it came down to only one serving of ice cream left in the carton, he would give it to me - and that's love. (Of course, he'd also go to the store to get more. But still.)

I've been thinking a lot about my dad today, and how much he means to me. I'm grateful for his good heart, for his willingness to do any and everything he can for his family. I'm grateful for his testimony, for his work ethic, and for his quiet support for all of us kids. I don't know who or where I'd be without him in my life.

Happy Father's Day, Dad! I love you!

YouTube, I love you so...

We all know that I have a love affair with YouTube that borders on the ridiculous, but here's the thing. I'm still waiting for all the digits to come on my celeb phone list, so I need something to do in the middle of the night when I'm up and I don't have anyone to call.

Behold, a ridiculously long preview for The Deathly Hallows:



I'm so excited that I can hardly stand myself!

On the upside, the music was somehow soothing and I think that now I can go to sleep. (Here's hoping any dreams that may be inspired by this little beauty will be full of Fred and George, and that Bellatrix will stay far, far away.)

My Celeb Phone Wish List

I've been having a hard time sleeping lately. It's annoying. (And I'm tired.) I woke up, wide awake, at 4:00 in the morning a couple days ago and my only thought was "I can't even call anyone to talk - because it's 4:00 AM!", which led me down this kind of crazy fantasy lane (you don't even want to know the twists and turns my creative mind can take at 4:00 AM, I'll tell you that much). The beauty of my early morning mind wandering is that I think I've come up with a solution to my problem. I just need a list of friends who live in different time zones who I can call when I need to talk at 4:00 (or, sadly 1:00 or 2:00) in the morning. The perfect solution, of course, are people who are overseas. The fact that our schedules are opposite of each other would make it easier for them to chat me up - being the middle of the afternoon where they are, I think it's the perfect win/win fix for my current middle-of-the-night-sleeplessness.

Here's a list of people I'd like to have numbers for:

I'm don't know if he's in New Zealand or Australia these days, but as long as he's carrying an international cell, I know that we can find a way to make it work.



Can I just say that there aren't words for how much I'd love to have James Bond on speed dial?

Speaking of my love for the English... Goshdang, I wish I could call Fred or George when I need a laugh.



Just in case Hugh Jackman can't take my call when I feel the need to talk to an Aussie. (Who's kidding who? I heart Patrick Jane and would talk to Simon Baker any time he would pick up his phone.)



Who wouldn't like to talk to an Irish accent every once in a while?



I wonder what time it is in Australia when it's 2:00 AM in Arizona?

And, uh... HELLO, Gerard Butler. (Who wouldn't like to have his phone number?)



Yeah, I know... He's the only one who isn't someone on foreign ground, so that kind of discounts my "I just need to be able to talk to someone in the middle of the night, so I need friends in different time zones" rationale. But you know I can't do a celeb phone wish list and not include my BF Nathan Fillion. I soooo want him to call me.

I can't even explain this to you...

I can't. I can't explain it, so I'm not even going to try. We all know that heretofore, my candy loves have all been chocolate, but there's just something about these Kazoozles, I tell you. I love them. They're sweet, yet tart. They're chewy, like licorice, but have this pasty center/filling that gives them a kind of powdery sensation.

I can't explain my love for them, but I will tell you - they are delicious. You should buy some and try them for yourself. (And if you hate them, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY, do not throw the other pieces away - save the rest of the package for me. I'm not too proud to finish off a package of Kazoozles that you just can't stomach.)

Yeah, they're that good. I think I'm in love.

It's curtains for you. Lacy, gently wafting curtains.

Question: How much do I love Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog?

Answer: So freaking much!

I mean, I'd love it for the fact that Nathan Fillion's one of the main dudes. (We all know that my love for him is unparalleled.) Add to that the witty (I mean witty) lyrics, and Doogie Howser's portrayal of Dr. Horrible, in his quest to get into the Evil League of Evil? Oh, just shoot me in the head right now. I love it!

In fact, here's another fun little clip, just for kicks.



You've gotta love the My Freeze Ray/Laundry Day song, right?

If you haven't seen the whole thing, YouTube it. You must. You can watch it online in 6-10 minute segments. It is, in a word, hilarious.

Not the most flattering celeb look-alike of all time

Remember when I twittered last week that I was looking a little "Ma Kettle" at work? That look seems to have followed me home from the office. (EEK!)

All I can say is - I have a cold (or something). I don't feel well, and when I don't feel well, I sleep a lot. When I sleep, I pile my hair up on top of my head, because I can't stand the feeling of it on my neck and/or my face while I'm sleeping. The end result is that I go to sleep with a little bun or a pony, and then I wake up a little worse for wear. ... A little "Ma Kettle", if you will.



Hilarious, no? ... I'm telling you, when my hair gets a little out of control it makes me LOL. Esp now that every time I look in a mirror, I'm seeing Ma Kettle. (I figure, as long as I don't start talking like her, I'm gonna be alright.)

Memorial Day, I love you so...

I love Memorial Day, because it's a day when our nation focuses inward. We are encouraged to remember and honor our dead - both personal and collective. To me, that is a beautiful thing.

I'm grateful for ancestors whose life choices have shaped mine. I'm grateful for friends who are the support system that keeps me going. I'm grateful for both the home and the town I grew up in. I'm grateful for an awareness that we are all connected. I'm grateful for this country that we live in, this country that I love.

I was looking through the selection of Coming Home pictures this morning on my friend Ree's website, and I was brought to tears. (Listen, Ree and I are friends. Really. We met once at a book signing, and she told me that she loved my hair. That bonded us for life.) If you have some time - and some kleenex- click here and take a look. Looking through this group of photos this morning really struck me as I realized, once again, that we are all connected. I don't know the people who sent in their photos, but I felt a bit of their joy, as well as their sorrow, as I looked through the submissions. I love those life-affirming moments of knowing that our lives touch each other's, that what we say and what we do - that how we live - can have a more far-reaching effect than most of us will ever know.

I'm so grateful for my life. I'm grateful for my country, for the men and women who serve and protect it. I'm grateful for my family - for my parents, and for their parents before them - for the things that they taught me.

Basically (in case you missed it), today, I'm just plain grateful. And a little sappy. (I'm sorry, but it happens.)

A Chocolate Prayer

Oh Chocolate,
Which art in our presence, Delicious be thy flavor.
My dessert has come, My willpower done,
In the kitchen as in the dining room.
Give us this day our daily chocolate,
and forgive us our abuses, as we forgive those who abuse their chocolate.
Lead us not into temptation, for we can find it ourselves,
But deliver us from calories.
For thine is the truffle, the pudding and the fudge,
Forever and ever,

Almond
Messed Be.

Oh. My. Goodness. Gracious.

I made this today.

It was as delicious as it looks. (Of course it was, because the chicken itself was pretty darn good, what with that honey mustard marinade. Pile bacon and cheese on top of that and you have a sure-fire winner.)

I've been helping my friend Jo this week with her childrens, and when I realized yesterday that she had about 17 lbs of frozen chicken breasts and dijon mustard in her house, I was super excited. Guinea Pigs. (Insert evil laugh here.)

The good news? The chicken was well received. Both the 11 and 9 yr olds were going for seconds before the adults had time to finish our first servings. Success!

And I'm telling you... easy peasy to make. It's a little time consuming, what with the cooking of the chicken and the bacon separately, but I did the bacon at breakfast time and then refrigerated it until I needed it for dinner, and that worked out well.

Seriously. If there's any part of your soul that hungers for bacon and/or cheese - make this. You won't be sorry. (And if you do make it, and you are sorry, and you live around the block from me.... for Pete's sake, call me and I'll come and get the leftovers from you. That's what kind of friend I am.)