Note To Mariah: You're NOT a Baseball Player!

One more reason to move to Japan: baseball mascots!

Hello, Lovah!

I couldn't resist that title! I saw the Sex and The City movie very late last night. It was wonderful to see my old friends again - you know, Charlotte, Carrie, Miranda and Samantha! But just getting into the theater was tricky! There were so many ladies (and very few men) in attendance, that the line snaked all the way down the theater hall!

(I took that with my cell phone to show the line ahead of us)

I'm going to post a review in the comments section so I don't ruin it for you if you haven't seen it. I will say that when I got home at 2 A.M., I was happy!

Living In A Closet

If not for the shoes tossed about on the floor, you could probably live there comfortably. But this story is crazy!

TOKYO (AP) -- A homeless woman who sneaked into a man's house and lived undetected in his closet for a year was arrested in Japan after he became suspicious when food mysteriously began disappearing.

Police found the 58-year-old woman Thursday hiding in the top compartment of the man's closet and arrested her for trespassing, police spokesman Hiroki Itakura from southern Kasuya town said Friday.

The resident of the home installed security cameras that transmitted images to his mobile phone after becoming puzzled by food disappearing from his kitchen over the past several months.

One of the cameras captured someone moving inside his home Thursday after he had left, and he called police believing it was a burglar. However, when they arrived they found the door locked and all windows closed.

"We searched the house ... checking everywhere someone could possibly hide," Itakura said. "When we slid open the shelf closet, there she was, nervously curled up on her side."

I don't understand how someone can live in your home and you don't notice it - unless it's one of those ginormous mansions and you live alone without a staff. My staff would catch someone living in the closet. And by staff, I mean me and possibly Charley.

Adventures With Wii Fit

I've been playing with this board for a week. I've done each of the four types of training activities. I'm actually quite fond of the balance games! But, it's not all fun and games!

For starters, you stand on the board and it takes your weight, body mass index and measures your balance. The first few days I did this, it told me I was unbalanced (breaking news, Wii: I already knew THAT!). Sometimes it tells you to step off the board, then step back on. It sometimes responds with "OK." But when it says, "Oh!" I wonder if it's "Oh, I wasn't expecting you to do that so fast!" Or is it "Oh, I didn't expect your big behind to actually get back on the board!"

There are all kinds of yoga poses you can do on the board, with the help of the trainer (male or female - you choose). If it requires me to stand on one leg, like the tree pose seen here, you can bet I'm gonna struggle like mad on my left leg! See how easy they make it look? Jerks. In theory, if I keep returning to the yoga activities, I should be able to do this - and any other one legged exercise - without problems. If you think you have good balance, you're probably not as balanced as you think. There's a little bar that will appear during these exercises. It has a red ball that you have to keep in the yellow zone. This determines your score - and shows you just how unbalanced you are.

The strength training exercises are, well, strenuous. The push ups have been the easiest activity there. Everything else that requires you to balance on one leg while doing it is kicking my butt. Don't let torso twists fool you! While you think, "I'm just twirling in slow motion! This isn't hard!" it's actually a serious ab workout. Wednesday, I had little shots of pain if I laughed or moved real fast at work. I assure, at no time during the strength workout was I smiling like this guy. Again, jerk. The balance bar also appears in these exercises, yet another reminder of how unstable I am.

I love the aerobics exercises. The hula hoop is fun! I know, I could have saved myself nearly $90 if I'd actually bought a real hula hoop, but then I wouldn't have people to throw more at me to see how many I can spin fast! It does make me a little uncomfortable to see the little Wii characters swiveling their hips in the background. There's also actual step aerobics here, too. And there's a "run." I was curious to find out how it knew I was running in place, since you don't stand on the board for that. I learned by swinging the remote quickly, I could easily pass my guide. When I did the actual running, that guide had to slow down a lot to keep up with me. I hate running. I'm not doing it in real life unless my life's on the line - and it had better not be some tiger or something fast coming after me because I'll just stop and let it get me.

The last category is a series of balance games. The soccer thing is fun - you head the ball and dodge the panda heads and soccer shoes coming at you. The ski games are fun, too. Some of the other balance games are more difficult, but I think they've helped me become more aware of how to settle my weight when I stand or sit. Did you know that being unbalanced can do damage to your back and pelvis? Straighten up!

The game charts your progress every time you play it, so that's kind of cool to see (or not, depending on whether your weight has gone up or down). The more you play, the more activities you unlock. You can also unlock more difficult levels of the activities you've already done. Overall, I like the game. I just hope my neighbors don't see me playing it! If they didn't already think it, they'll REALLY think I'm crazy!

I'm Torn

I saw this in the comics this morning and could relate - well, without the spinning class part. You see, I'm concerned about those things. They just don't occupy my mind as often as, say, what to watch/read/listen to in my leisure time. Is that wrong? Should I be a "global thinker?" I think I've made some changes for the good. For example...

• I pay more attention to where I'm going, so I don't have to waste precious gas while I'm out
• I've become more conscious of brining my lunch to work so I'm (again) not wasting gas or money (or food for that matter - I was throwing out groceries at a sickening pace for a while)
• I've been supporting ONE for a while (not just because Bono told me to)
• It kind of started out as a gag gift to the grandparents, but I've happily made donations to World Vision
  
• I've ordered Sigg aluminum water bottles so I don't have to buy plastic bottles of water and clutter the environment (now, I can just get someone to put a fridge in the newsroom so I can put some filtered water in there...)
• I'm using the heck out of my ginormous recycling bin
  

Still, I sometimes feel silly when I'm doing things (like writing on this blog while the television is on in the living room). I guess I'm writing this post as an attempt at feeling good about what I have done so far. And I suppose knowing that I could do so much more is part of my global education. I'm going to see how Oprah does on her vegan cleanse before deciding if I should give that a try. I just don't know if I can live in a world without cheese. The horror!

The Cars? Number One?

I was looking at my music on iTunes this morning and clicked on the Top 25 Most Played. I was surprised at the songs I've listened to most. I'll give you the top 5.

1. Drive - The Cars.
2. My Sharona - The Knack
3. Lady - Styx
4. FutureSex/LoveSound - Justin Timberlake
5. Our Lips Are Sealed - Go Go's

I usually just have my iPod on shuffle, whether I'm listening to the music at home or in the car. And you should know that when I got my new computer about a year ago, all my settings got lost, so those are only the top 25 songs I've played in the last year. I think it's interesting because I have more than 1700 songs in the trusty iPod (and there's 18.51 GB available).
I wonder what would be number one if it factored the nearly three years I've had my iPod? With the exception of JT (and it surprises me to see that song in the top 5), everything is old. What does that say about me?

So I have a challenge for you readers: take a look at your top 25! What's in it?

OOPS!

The local newspaper, capitalizing on the fact that this town loves its Spurs, has been putting out full page "collectible" posters of the players. I use the quotation marks around the word collectible because, to me, it's a bunch of nonsense to save some newspaper ad. If they were printed on nice paper, I might think differently. Otherwise, it's just a gimmick to get people who don't read the newspaper to actually pay for it. That's not why I'm writing this post.

Take a look at today's freebie:
That is Robert Horry. However, he's not wearing the right number. He's wearing Ime Udoka's number. Horry has been sporting number 25 this season. So what happened? Did their people get lazy and choose to use a picture of Horry from his first four years with the Spurs?

All I know is if my station made a big ol' mistake like THAT, they'd be all over us. Just putting it out there.

Sharing Two Things

I have found two things in the last few days that I think are worth sharing. One is this blog, which has a money saving tip each day (sometimes, they're LA-centric, but on the average, there are ideas we can all use).

The other is Duffy. If you like Amy Winehouse, you'll probably like her. Here's one video:

And if you want to learn more about her, go to her website.

I've been playing Wii Fit since Friday. I'll let you know how that's going after one week. I will say that it's easy to use, though since I'm "unbalanced" (FTR, it did NOT take a video game to tell me that), some of the activities are hard for me. But I'm working on it.

Happy Tuesday! :)

Suck It, Oil Companies, Pt. 2

That's what it cost me for a single gallon of gas this afternoon. It cost me $40 to top off the tank! I know, those of you with bigger vehicles and therefore bigger gas tanks are probably telling me to "Suck it!"

But come on! That makes me angry!

I want someone from the big oil companies to contact me directly and explain why consumers have to accept that. And that person better make it GOOD.

I'm torn between keeping my old car, which still gets pretty good mileage and is paid off, and buying a hybrid. Either way, I want to make sure that I'm making every gallon go as far as possible. I'm afraid of what the prices may jump up to the next time I fill up!

Happy Summer Vacation, TV Shows!

So, apparently you readers don't like reality TV! Two shows tied, and one came in a close third in my poll, which asked what shows you'd miss over the summer.

First up, Lost - which hasn't left us (yet). The two-hour finale is this week. The season was abbreviated by the writers strike, making it a little harder to wait until the season resumes next year (sob). I'm dying to find out why only six of them made it off the island! Did they choose to stay? Are they still alive? And why is Jack still The Decider off the island?

Next up, The Office. Is it just me, or does every season of this show seem to be too short? I have my DVR set to record all episodes of this show, not just the new ones because I still like to get my fix of the fine folks at Dunder Mifflin. I laugh at every episode (some more than others). I'm not sure I want to see Pam and Jim get married, though they are cute together. Will the new HR girl continue to think Kevin is, um, special? And will Michael still flirt with her, or will he help Jan through her pregnancy? Will Andy's rage be unleashed when he finds out about Angela and Dwight hooking up? I have until fall to think of more questions!

The third place finisher in the poll was How I Met Your Mother. If you only learned about this show because of all the hype surrounding Britney Spears appearance, you have missed out. Neil Patrick Harris is - wait for it - awesome as Barney (Julie, I chose that picture just for you). Everyone else is good, too. They have such chemistry, like they're real friends hanging out and figuring out life. Is Ted meant to be with Stella? Are Barney and Robin soul mates? Will Lily and Marshall move into that crazy apartment with the slanted floors? I don't know. But I know they'll make me laugh every Monday!

If you haven't watched any of those shows before, go out and rent them - or borrow them from someone you know. I recommend you start with Season 1 (mandatory for Lost newbies). Then, work your way through the following seasons all summer long!

Thanks for voting in the poll! Look for another one soon!

One of My Addictions

My name is Nicole and I'm a magazine addict.

To the left are the ones I get every week. I believe US Weekly was my first subscription. When I first ponied up for it, the magazine only came out monthly. Now, I get the (guilty) pleasure of that in my mailbox every week! People, Entertainment Weekly, Sports Illustrated and Newsweek arrive on either Fridays or Mondays.

But that's not all.

I get even more magazines through the course of a month. These are the ones I read without guilt. Vanity Fair is fantastic! It is loaded with pictures and in-depth articles. Sometimes it's about celebrities, but it also gets into history a bit (via scandal). I've actually been getting that one since I was in high school! Texas Monthly is all about my favorite state. And I know, I could get enough of Consumer Reports at work - even get it for free if I were to ask, but I like flipping through the pages and seeing if what I buy is worth it. See? I am a savvy consumer!

I get a few more that I usually learn something from. Self has healthy tips for things like recipes or working out. Domino has some really cute decorating ideas (I have yet to pull one off). And then there's Everyday with Rachael Ray. Yes, she can be annoying. But in the magazine, you don't hear her. There are super easy recipes (even some for puppies!), travel tips, things to buy and taste tests. If I had my own magazine, it'd be like that - only it wouldn't have as many recipes. I'm not THAT good in the kitchen!

The rest are just candy. I love the "don'ts" in Glamour (and I fear being one of them! Marie Claire is very similar to Glamour, though they do a good job about including issues from around the world, so I feel like I get more out of it than what face mask I should buy. I've been an In Style subscriber since the beginning, I believe. It's the kind of magazine I can spend hours with, flipping through pages to look at the pretty pictures, then going back to read the articles. I've actually found things/websites that have helped me to choose good gifts for people over the years. Then, there's Allure. I love the annual list of what products/beauty tools to buy. I like to see which ones I have already!

Oh, and I've already mentioned Mental Floss on this blog. That one is only out every other month. If you haven't done the math, that's 16 magazines to which I subscribe. Before you get all "I can't believe she wastes her money on stuff like that," you should know that by subscribing I get such a fantastic rate, it's worth every penny! Once I've finished the magazines, I pass them off to my mom and friends. See? Isn't that like recycling?

My Gift To You

This has many things I love.
1. U2
2. Mullet
3. Bad - that's the name of the song
4. MULLET!

I'm Not Filling In-Boxes...

But who couldn't use some good luck?

Give this test a try and see if it makes sense to you. I answered the four questions and was surprised at how right on it was with me. You don't have to forward it, just give it a shot.

China Quake

I saw these pictures on the NY Times site this morning. Look at the before:
Look at the after:
And look at the brides:
Read about it here. And if you'd like to help the quake victims, click here.

Spurs Spirit?

Every now and then, viewers send things to the station that get a lot of attention. This is one of them. A Spurs fan has recorded his own Spur-centric song. I got this brief video of people bobbing their heads to it in the newsroom.

WARNING: The music will get stuck in your head, so listen at your own risk.



NOTE: Scanner noise on the second clip is NOT part of the original recording. The assignment desk guy was so not amused by all this, so he cranked up the scanners to drown out the song. Fun Hater.

UPDATE: The whole song is on our website. Here's the link.

Vote Early, Vote Often!

I'm not talking about politics. This post is about MLB's All Star game! And I'm endorsing just one candidate:

Lance Berkman! Now, I'm not just telling you to vote for him because he's on my fantasy team (as he has been since he got in the big leagues). I'm saying he deserves to be there more than anyone else. I write that knowing the only baseball game I've watched in full all season has not been a major league game. Still, I'll let today's numbers speak for themselves:

AVG	HR	RBI	SB
.388	16	45	9

Think this girl who has chosen to watch reality TV over baseball doesn't know what she's talking about? Try this. But you know what? His Wikipedia page says he was an alternate for Clyde Drexler on Dancing With The Stars - so maybe I would have seen him on TV!

Seriously, I am a fan - and not just because he plays for the Astros (I've been rooting for them as long as I can remember)! Not only can he hit, but he almost always has a good attitude. Fans don't call him jerk (though they have been known to call him "Fat Elvis"). Oh, and when he played in the outfield, you'd see him blowing bubbles with his gum and sliding to catch a fly ball. If that's not All Star material, I don't know what is!

That said, go here to vote (you'll have to register first - don't complain, just do it).

Your American Idol

Or not. David Cook beat little David Archuleta (the short guy on the left) by 12 million votes last night. Who cares? Well, I do.

I did not like Mr. Cook early on in the competition. He had to win me over. You see, in the first few weeks, when they'd have gals and guys perform on two different nights, I noticed he'd remain seated, or he'd stand with his arms folded, in response to the performances. I thought, "What a jerk!"

Then, he covered Lionel Richie's "Hello."

And he had me.

Week after week, I was surprised at how much I liked Cook. And when Michael Johns, that good looking Australian guy (the one talking into Cook's ear in the above photo), was given the boot, I decided Cook would have to do.

I was convinced the younger David would take the prize last night because that appeared to be who the judges wanted to win. I liked him a little in the beginning, but then became annoyed by him. I mean, stealing a phrase from Simon, that kid sounds like he's being forced to perform old people songs at a wedding (and if you heard anything about his stage dad, you'd think that's likely).

So here's to D.C. I hope he can find a career outside of Idol. I have until January to decide if the show deserves to have me as a viewer. I'll accept bribes.

What's In A Name?

What were the most popular baby names in Texas for 2007? Emily and Jose.

A look at the name popularity rankings for state, the region and the nation:LEADING NAMES

In Texas, Emily (since 1997, replacing Ashley) and Jose (since 1996, replacing Michael). Nationally, Emily (since 1996) and Jacob (since 1999).

TOP TEXAS NAMES BOYS GIRLS Jose Emily Jacob Mia Daniel Isabella Christopher Madison Angel Abigail

NEIGHBORING STATES

Oklahoma girls: Emma, Madison, Emily, Addison and Hannah; boys: Ethan, Jacob, Joshua, Noah and William.

New Mexico girls: Isabella, Sophia, Emily, Nevaeh, Alyssa; boys: Jacob, Joshua, Michael, Isaiah, Gabriel.

Louisiana girls: Madison, Ava, Emma, Olivia, Isabella; boys: Jacob, Ethan, Joshua, Michael, Christopher.

PUZZLE

For some reason, American parents like names, particularly for sons, that rhyme with "maiden": Jayden (No. 18 nationally); Aiden (27); Braden (156), etc.

ANOTHER TREND

Naming daughters after spiritual and philosophical concepts: Nevaeh (31), which is "Heaven" spelled backwards; Heaven (263); Destiny (41), Trinity (72), etc.

ELVIS

Elvis is still in the running, rising 85 spots from No. 761 to No. 676.

SOURCE: Social Security Administration Via DMN

A Subtle Hint...

Bunnies Do The Donger

As in Long Duck Dong.

That's right, my FAVORITE bunnies have taken on "16 Candles!"

Watch it here. Thank me later.

To Be Fair...

I don't want to favor the girls, so I'll give you this link to some Indiana Jones facts.

Is that enough testosterone for you?

**Note: I've never seen a single Indy flick! Add it to the list of things I've just never gotten around to (Harry Potter, X-Files, and - until recently - Star Wars).

UPDATE: I don't know what this means, but I think you Indy peeps will find it HILARIOUS!

SATC Countdown!

If, like me, you're counting down the days until we see our four fabulous friends on the big screen, pick up this week's Entertainment Weekly! Sure, you could read some of the stories online, making your boss think you're hard at work. But, I ask you to pick up the magazine. Take your time strolling back to the days when that show gave you reason to be happy Sunday night was here! I haven't finished reading it yet, but I have not been disappointed by the articles on one of my favorite shows yet!

Sure, She Won Kentucky...

YAY! Human Tetris!

Denise has given me the BEST news today! I'm totally mesmerized by Japanese game shows. I mean, does it get any better than this? Oh, wait. There's Human Tetris!

And this article says Fox is picking it up! YAY!

If you're not familiar with that, watch this video. No matter how many times I see it, I giggle.




UPDATE: If you want to be on the show, follow this link.

HIMYM - The Finale

I'm sad last night's episode was the last of the season. Ted was in an accident that changed his life. I won't tell you what I thought after seeing his friends drop everything and make the mad dash to the hospital only to find Ted sitting in a hospital room eating Jello. I will share my favorite lines:

Barney phrase of the episode: date time continuum. That means you never make plans with a girl further in the future that is longer than you've been going out.

Robin said Bruce Springsteen was like the American Bryan Adams!

Friends, and fellow fans of this show, I'm on the hunt for screen grabs of Ted's life flashing before his eyes. I'll update it here if/when I find it. I think it's very likely Stella is his kids mother. At least for another season.

I'm hoping Barney's blog will get updated over the summer so I can get a little dose of him!

Case of the Mondays?

I do not have a case of the Mondays. Not to jinx myself, but today hasn't been so bad. But look at what happened to this guy.That leg belongs to a newspaper photographer in Utah who was taking pictures at a track and field meet over the weekend. Yep. That's a javelin in his leg. You can read the whole story here.

So, in the grand scheme of things, your day on the job can't be THAT bad. That's why I'm here - spreading some cheer to you people.

Funny From Last Week

In case you missed it...

I've Been A (Reading) Fool

I don't just read stuff online!

I read some of Stephenie Meyer's The Host this weekend. I also read a few magazines. One article that I just loved was on Willie Nelson. He's on the cover of May's Texas Monthly.
What I liked about the article was that it wasn't an interview (TM has been there, done that a million times). It was just Willie's friends, telling stories about him from his childhood up to present times. The guy has an incredible list of songs that's he's written. Oh, and as for that whole pot thing, he says he does it to control his "rage." WHAT??? Willie has rage? That surprises me. Then again, I only know him as the lovable pothead (after all, I did call him the Potfather in a previous post).

Anyway, that's my recommended reading for the day!

Rock Star Candidate

Either there was nothing going on in Portland, Oregon, this weekend, or Barack Obama got the full rock star treatment by his beloved supporters!

Some 75,000 people showed up for that rally! That's insane! That's like a Hannah Montana concert! I don't even think the Pope gets crowds like that! I like exclamation points!

If you want to read about those crazy Oregonians (is that a word?), read all about it here. And if you're a visual person, here's the video.

What's Cool

That's an image from Wii Fit. I plan to get it first thing Wednesday morning! I can't wait to play with it!

If you feel left out of when the cool kids are talking, the LA Times has assembled this list of pop culture talking points. Take a look. There may be a quiz later!

It's Wiener Day!

At least in my house, anyway.

Today is Charley's 5th birthday! So how does a little wienerdog celebrate? He starts his day with some scrambled eggs (this is NOT an every day thing in our house). Then, he gets to go outside and bark at cats in his yard.

Then, yet another new toy. Take a look:


It's a flea. It says "bite me" on the back (kind of appropriate coming from me, I thought).


And here he is playing with it. He's a happy boy!

We'll take a walk later and he'll finish the day with a little chicken dinner. I know, I know. He's spoiled. I don't have kids. It's OK. This is my blog. I'm the judger - not you!

The Poll's Complete

It seems like most of you dislike bumping into kids during the summertime just slightly more than having to work. Here's to what's sure to be a long, hot summer (thanks, Al Gore)!

Now, vote in the NEW poll!

Greetings, Deadspinners!

When I submitted the piece on a topless Mr. Baseball, I hardly thought the boys at deadspin would give me props. I nearly peed my pants when I saw this!

I don't care what Buzz Bissinger thinks, that site is great! If you haven't checked it out, what's wrong with you? Do you hate sports or something?

While you're here, snoop around a bit and drop a comment!

Thanks for visiting!

Saturday Outing

So, I decided to do something different today. I went to the Witte this morning. Parking around that joint is crazy! They've got like 50 spots for the whole thing! I parked at Brackenridge Park, then walked to the museum. It was nice outside, a little cloudy, not hot. I saw geese fight - and they were HUGE!

I turned the corner near the museum and saw a tour bus from Mexico. Then, I spotted a bunch of teenagers. I decided I needed to hustle to get to the entrance so I could get in before the kids (yes, I am old and teenagers in general bug me). A couple gets in line behind me and I'm a little repulsed. They're covered in hickeys and making out. They look like they haven't bathed in a while (is this what happens at the museum?!?). Then, they start making out (slurping noises and all). Then she calls him a pedophile. His response: "Thank you." Ewww. Once inside, I pony up my $25 to see Our Body and try like mad to get away from that nasty couple. Now, if you're not familiar with the exhibit, there's a lot of this:

Now, we did a story when the exhibit arrived. It is not the ones using the unclaimed bodies.

Still, it was a little strange to get that close to a stranger. I mean, you see every muscle, bone, organ, vein and then some. It really was an educational experience. Though, I was bothered by some of the really young kids (there were some that were toddlers!) wandering about looking at all that. I suppose if you teach kids about the science of the body, it's not that weird. But I did see a girl, who appeared to be 7-8, staring at one of the body's franks and beans.

It's not terribly morbid. There were some parts, where the bodies are dissected in such a way that you see full body, then pieces missing, that I was reminded of Dexter.

About an hour later, I had enough. I walked back to the park and decided to take a few pictures. There were huge lily pads in the river. Then, I spotted some ducks - even a little duck family! Too cute! If you scroll down on the blog, you'll see them in the slide show

Now, I'm going to try to get motivated to do something other than watch the So You Think You Can Dance marathon on MTV! I love that show and can't wait until it returns Thursday!

My Eyes! MY EYES!

So, I'm brushing my teeth while flipping through the new Sports Illustrated. Don't worry - I had the water turned off, so I wasn't being wasteful! I see an article I would normally skip: SI hangs with The Brewers. A quick glance to the right and I see this picture:
I think to myself: Oooh! Look at those cute boys (shortstop J.J. Hardy & rightfielder Corey Hart - REALLY!)! They're playing ping pong by the pool. What's that - OH MY GOSH! Bob Uecker is standing by without a shirt watching them. Here's where I nearly spit out my toothpaste! What is he DOING? That's Mr. Baseball! Is he waiting to hit on the girls J.J. and Corey cast aside? Does he want to play the winner of the next game? Or is he just being creepy, watching two young guys whack a ball back and forth?

If I had seen this last week, I would have put the following in the poll: seeing old guys without their shirts.

BTW... time's nearly up to vote in my summer, summer, summertime poll. Get to it, people!

TV Talk

Want to know what I thought of Lost or Dancing With The Stars? It's on the work blog. Julie's Bachelor recap is also there. Read all about 'em here.

You won't find better recaps anywhere else. Really.

Suck It, Oil Companies

Now, when I write this, I'll exclude Uncle Larry's company. The others can SUCK IT.

It's sad times when I no longer wait until the little light comes on telling me I need to gas up. Now, when I get near 1/4 tank left, I fill 'er up. Why? Because I'm afraid prices will jump even more by the time I get close to empty, so I take advantage of the price at the moment. Today, was the highest I've paid yet.
That's $3.65 for one gallon of regular unleaded at the friendly Shell station near my house. So I thought it was quite a steal, considering I paid about $32 for 8.5 gallons. I would have stopped at Costco, but I didn't have time to sit in line. That should be criminal. I know the prices are higher in other places, but I live in South Texas - they FREAKING MAKE GAS DOWN HERE! Shouldn't we get some backyard discount?

I read this, and I felt a little better. Apparently, I'm not the only one irritated with oil companies these days. I have learned something from this. I know that I will be a more cautious consumer - looking at pump prices instead of just stopping at the closest place to me. I will not buy a new car that gets less than 30mpg - no matter how cute it is. I will scream "suck it!" every time I pass a gas station until they lower prices below $3.

Until then, I'll keep updating you with every fill up what I'm paying. What's gas running in your neighborhood? Drop it in the comments!

What Tha....

So, I'm sitting on my sofa, waiting to see who advances to the finals on American Idol last night, when Fantasia takes the stage. Now, it was close to midnight when I started watching, but this is what I was thinking:

What is that hair?
OOH! She's wearing braces!
Why is she screeching at me?
Is she the new James Brown?
Is that Paula Abdul singing backup?
OMG! Simon looks like me!
What just happened?
Did she just try to kiss Seacrest?

Do you want to see what I'm talking about? Watch the video. What did you think? Holla at your girl!

If You're Hungry...

Go to McDonald's!

Thursday, they're giving away free Southern Style Biscuits With Chicken for breakfast...or Southern Style Chicken Sandwiches!True! Read it here. I had some of the sandwich Wednesday. It's a lot like Chik-fil-A, but the bun is a little thicker.

I get nothing out of this, other than the satisfaction of knowing that I've helped some of you score some free food! Don't say your pal Nicole never gave you anything!

In The News

Since I work in news, it should not surprise you to find actual news in this blog every now and then. I'm going to start with something that makes me sad.
The polar bear is now a protected species. When I saw the Planet Earth series, it made me sad to see what's become of the polar bears. They're just beautiful! Many of them drown because they keep swimming for a food source and there are fewer icebergs for them to rest on. If you haven't seen this series, get out there and rent/buy it!

The other story in the news today...
Look at that! The first sign I've seen in a LONG time that Hillary might finally get the heck outta the race so the REAL politicking can begin! Aren't they dreamy? Kinda like two brothers from another mother. Before you Hillary lovers start hating on me, just know that I'm not opposed to a woman being President (really, grandma, I'm not). Just not HER. I can't bring myself to vote for her. And McCain...don't get me started there. That's all the politics I'm gonna talk tonight. I'm going to find a way to calm myself so I can focus on my show without my head exploding.

This is cool!

MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

Set aside seven minutes of your day to watch this. I'm amazed at what the artist was able to accomplish, seemingly in broad daylight!

Shout out to Pop Candy for posting this today. If you want to read more about the artist, click here.

I'm Alive (But VERY Tired)

I took my allergy drugs last night before bed, using up the last of my nasal spray. I slept so well, until about 4AM.

Thunder. Pouring rain. BC (Before Charley), I would have gone back to sleep. But he paced. He was on the bed, off the bed. Then, he finally crawled under the covers and slept by my feet. Then I had to pee. I got up, he got up. I put him back in bed. He laid still for a few minutes, then walked around the other side of the bed. I slid over, and he made himself comfortable. Until 8:30.

I knew he wouldn't let me sleep anymore, so I got up. That's when I noticed I had a headache. STUPID SINUSES! What good are they anyway? OK. I just looked it up on wikipedia. Apparently, they ARE good for something.

I drive to the pharmacy to get my refills, and while stopped at a light, I open the nasal spray and give myself two good shots. I'm feeling a little better now. I never was face down in the pillow (not that I know of). But, I come home to find this:

Apparently, all that walking around and frantic heart beating wore out little Charley. So he needed to sleep it off. Lucky dog!

What I really, REALLY Want!

So, suppose you have a few hundred dollars and you're thinking, "I would really love to buy Nicole something, but I'm just not sure what she wants or needs."

Consider this:
See that thing behind the catcher's mask? That's a chimpanzee head. Not real. It's animated.


It's a little creepy, but it's part of an auction one of my favorite shows is doing to raise money for a Childrens Hospital. I would love this to sit in my living room, greeting visitors. So, if you're feeling nice, bid, bid away.

If you're feeling really generous, you can bid to send me to the show so I can see my favorite TV friends in person!

I Might Be Trying To Kill Myself

But, it might be allergies.

Seriously. For the last week or so, I've been waking up with my hands on my face, which is buried in my pillow! Once I wake up and the numbness from my hands is gone, I realize I'm all stuffy and my nose is itchy.

Last year, I went to an allergy doctor to find out what's wrong with me (I was doing the smothering thing then, too). However, they did not tell me not to take any antihistamines before I got there. They went on with the test where they stick you with allergens to see what you react to - even though I had OTC drugs in my system. Of course, it came back with nothing out of the ordinary. My doctor suspects I'm just sensitive to changes in the weather, dust and smoke.

The weather is changing here (it went from 98 on Saturday to 85 on Sunday), but this is insane! What if I were to fall into a really deep sleep and not wake up? What would Charley do? Should I train him to dial 911 with his teeny tiny paws? Should I alert the dogwalker to check my bedroom when she's here?

I'm going to take the allergy drugs prescribed to me before bedtime tonight and see if that changes anything. If you don't hear from me tomorrow, check Julie's blog. I'll tell her to post if something bad happens to me!

A Vision In Color

If you've read this blog before, you know I'm in awe of some of the jackets the local TV anchors wear! I thought I had seen it all, then Larry introduced me to THIS guy:

His name is Don Cherry and he's a pretty well-known hockey announcer.

Color me fascinated! I mean, this guy has no fear of color or pattern.

The fact that he has that super-short hair cut and interesting facial hair makes me wonder if he's from this world!


Now, when I say that, I mean it in a good way (really, I do).

So here's what I want to know: is there a store that sells these (can you imagine?!?!) or are these all custom jobs?

I almost hope they're custom jackets. The world is just not ready for a room full of those babies.

Thanks, again, to Larry for introducing me to Mr. Cherry. I hope to one day meet him in person so we can get a photo together!

And if I should be so lucky, I hope he's wearing one of his best jackets!

Willie Is Gonna "Drop It Like It's Hot"

When Denise told me Snoop D-O-Double-G was at the CMT Awards a few months ago, I wondered why.
I mean, his hat is FLY.

And that shirt - it's like straight out of Urban Cowboy (BTW - that's one of my favorite movies)!

What could the Doggfather possibly have in common with a bunch of people who like their music with a little bit of twang, beer and tears?

And then it hit me.

He was looking for the Potfather: Willie Nelson!

I began to wonder why those two had never hooked up and made beautiful music together. Or something like that.

Well, friends (and anonymous readers), get ready for the musical magic to happen!

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