Hour of Darkness

I have green leanings. I will not pretend that I'm super green, but I certainly want to preserve and not destroy my planet and resources. I drive a hybrid (for one whole day), I usually do not get shopping bags but use a backpack or canvas, I collect recycling to take to a recycling center because Chicago cannot be bothered with an actual recycling program.

But I also will probably never give up eating cows who are bred on ranches that create a huge amount of waste. I drive a minimum of 200 miles a week. I have the TV on in the background almost every moment I am at home.

So, I get environmentalism but like most people, I try not to let it interfere with my everyday life too much.

The whole hour of lights out tonight was weird. I felt like I needed to participate because it is the impact of everyone doing it at once that makes the difference....but I am home this weekend...alone....and have about 2 weeks worth of work to get through. (I'm not sure how that's happened but the work load is immense right now.)

I found taking a break to be very stressful. I fretted. I tried to relax by taking a bath in candle light. I was starting to drift away and relax. And then the buzzer to my dry went off. Very loudly. Oops

Totally random side note. I really prefer to write in Comic Sans MS. That is my font. That is me. It really bothers me that this font isn't available to blogger so if someone can tell me what I can do to make that happen, I'd appreciate it.

My Prius!

I have a new car! Just 30 short days after my Civic met her untimely demise at the intersection of Cumberland the Kennedy....(my bumper can still be found on the side of the road when you get off the Kennedy Southbound exiting Cumberland north, right near the traffic light)...I have a new car. Isn't she cute!

Chicken Noodle

My first attempt at homemade soup. More stew-like than soup..but pretty tasty.

The Street Lawyer

Blah. I got on a Grisham kick awhile back, and think that "The Street Lawyer" has officially ended that kick. How can someone be so self righteous when they stole something? It really bothered me. So, I while will be missing the intonations of Michael Beck....I'm kind of excited about getting back to characters other than lawyers.
I used to be slightly embarrassed that I don't really read as much any more and instead I rely on audiotogo.....and then I would remember that I spend about 2 hours in the car each day and I feel just fine about that.

21 Jump Street

Tivoed it today. Penhall is still may favorite. My sister liked Hanson more. Based on the divergent career paths of the actors, she apparently picked the favorite. But I must say, that based on this recent pic, I think that my crush at eleven was actually insightful.

http://www.unificationfrance.com/IMG/jpg/Stargate_sg-1_peterdeluise.jpg

Sign #163 I watch too much Law and Order

I watched a tivoed episode of L&O that had Kathy...Stabler's wife from SVU...as a goth teenage murderer who find Jesus in jail. Black lipstick and all. I thought I had already made all those connections (Scoda as a sound tech, Van Buren as the mother of the infant victim of a stray bullet, Lenny as a defense attorney)

This should not excite me. So, rather than being a sign that I watch too much L&O it is probably a sign that I need more excitement in my life.

Saturday Robbin took me to REI to buy gear for our upcoming backpacking overnighter. I got measured for my pack....Small torso 16.5" . Then time for the sleeping bag, starting at between 5'6" and 5'7" they recommend a Tall bag instead of a regular. So, this just confirms what I already knew about being extremely short-waisted. I'm so glad my body issues can spill over into hiking.

Game Night

Last night we had game night. We pretend to gather for trivial pursuit or taboo, but we really just eat sundried tomato dip and cookies. Personally, I think we should start calling it sundried tomato dip and cookie night. Let's drop the pretense. It's damn good dip and cookies....they're entitled to top billing.

Brenden let me hold him for quite awhile and there were no blood curdling screams the whole time. Maybe he realizes us red heads need to stick together.

Collapse!

My latest audiotogo CD is "Collapse!" by Jared Diamond. My mom bought me his previous book, "Guns, Germs, and Steel" when I was in grad school and I really enjoyed it. The manner he presents the information allows the reader to see the relevance to today's world. He not so subtly compares other failed societies mistakes to ones we may be committing right now.

The initial assumption that Easter Island had no trees is ominous. How did they ever cut down...ALL THE TREES...in order to make statues? And they I look at the McMansions around me...

I want to say that Collapse was a much easier read, but since I didn't actually read it ----it's an audio book - I'm not sure that's a reliable opinion.

Tomorrow I start another John Grisham, "The Street Lawyer".

Return from Key West

We got back from Key West yesterday around 4:30, 12 hours after we left our condo on Saturday morning. The trip was a much needed break from the constant flow of phone calls, emails, texts, and other interruptions from in my normal week. Robbin spent about four hours each day on a sailboat with Dave, Chad, and Paul. I spent time with Lauren (Chad's girlfriend) around town and at a few salons. Along with some time on the beach, snorkeling, and generally relaxing.

I managed to avoid sunburn until snorkeling on Friday. I now have a bad burn only on the back of my upper arms....just where the sun would hit you when snorkeling. I wore SPF 45, but I think the reapplication after the second snorkeling stop didn't have enough time to soak in.

Back to the grind tomorrow morning.....