Nerd Alert

Tomorrow marks the opening day of Yarn Crawl LA 2013, and I'm heading out with some yarn-loving ladies to hit the valley region.  Yarn Crawl, for the uninitiated, is a four-day event in which participants visit local yarn shops through the county.  There are passports that get stamped at each store, raffles, door prizes, famous knit and crochet folks, and yarn, lots and lots of pretty, strokable yarn. (I will hug it and pet it and  squeeze it and I will name it George). The beautiful minds behind this event have wisely mapped all the participating stores by regions and color-coded them, too.  I swoon.  

Being ever-so-slightly OCD, I went one better.  I mapped the stores we plan to hit tomorrow, Googled directions from store to store, and planned a route that will take us in one giant loop, bringing us back to the Glendale/Burbank area to drop one gal off, and hopefully still give us time to get to our regular Thursday night Stitch 'n' Bitch at the Farmer's Market.  I also mapped my route to pick the ladies up in the morning, using street view to determine which streets had lights and/or turning lanes for easy left turns.  And a route from their homes to the first two local stores we'll be visiting before heading to Burbank.  If traffic cooperates and my timing is accurate, we should be able to complete our mission.  

Now, I just hope I have the will power to resist impulse buys, and to recognize a good sale.  I'm counting on my cohorts to talk me down of the ledges.  

As God is my witness, I'll never go thirsty again!

I drink a lot of water. In fact, I drink mostly water.  I'll have a large coffee in the morning and switch to water by 10:30 or 11:00 every day.  I do consume the occasional Diet Coke or Iced Tea, but for the most part, I'm a big fan of the H2O.  So, I didn't really need to be reminded to drink water, but I'm a sucker for a cute app.  

That's how I found myself with the Plant Nanny app for iPhone.  Based on your weight and activity level, the app tells you how much water you should be consuming each day.  Next comes the fun part.  You plant a plant.  Beginners have three plants and basic flower pots to choose from, with more being added as you progress.  I chose the Devil's Ivy for my first plant.  Unfortunately, I didn't realize there was a "snapshot" feature until my second plant--Dandelion.  Finally, you choose the size of your drink, from 8 oz to 32 oz, which you can switch throughout the day depending on what you're using.  I have a giant water bottle at work, but only a 24oz at home, so I switch.  

The plant starts off this cute little nubbin with eyes.  

Awww, wook at hims wittle rosy cheeks.

Super cute, right?  And it makes this sweet little chirp note when you give it a drink.  It will remind you ever 2, 4, 6, or 8 hours that you need to drink.  And if you don't drink (or lie and tell the app you drank anyway), the plant will wither and die.  (don't ask me how I found out)

Still adorbs, but why does it have arms?

I'm loving the Bob's Big Boy swoop it's got going on.  Did I mention it kind of waves and bobs when you've given it a drink? It does, in a little "thanks, pal" kind of way.  Also, the app goes from day to night and has a clock feature.  

look how big he is

Next stage, still trying to climb out of the pot.  And look at the sprouts.  Don't they remind you of golf clubs?

all grown up

Here's my little Dandy all grown up.  What's with the tongue, mister?  Yeah, that tongue goes in and out.  Someone's got an attitude problem.  Did you know you're just a weed?  Oh, they blink, too.  If you're into the whole anthropomorphic thing (I name everything!), you'll love this.  

Downside?  If you didn't pee a lot before, well...  Fortunately, I have not had to adjust my routine since I pee like the dickens anyway.    

Hillbilly Poetry

In checking my Postini for missed emails, I found the usual plethora of bedroom enhancement drugs, lottery winning announcements, and password hacking warnings.  But interspersed were the strangest subject lines I'd ever seen.  I started reading them and they sounded like random quotes from some colloquial short story.  And so, I present to you, Hillbilly Poetry.

Greetings, My Beloved

I thought this might be in yer interest

But the words wouldn't come

He was awful surprised

It made me shiver

Oh, he done it admirable

Before un you claims it

Thems the very words

I hain't got no money

Why, yonder he is now

He said that would do

That cheered me up

But I never said so

I didn't mean no harm

I was tangled good, now.

It was a close place

Tom said so himself

My Boss thinks I'm kind of a big deal

They all do

Well, then

He was drunk, I reckon

I throwed the paddle down

I whooped and I listened

There, now, that's a specimen

Only they? They told you would

Po little chap

We blowed out a cynlinder head

Oh, he's sly, I reckon

They hain't go it

So, she hollered

Anybody would

Not by a blame sight

That disturbed Jim, and me, too

The family was at home

Phillip, never forget a movie trailer you like

Sponsored by sinus medication that makes me loopy, and cramps, and hunger, and lack of coffee.

Most Hard-Earned Medal Ever

So much for blogging every day...

It's been a rough week so far, with lots of waking up late, getting to work late, sitting in meetings that never end and accomplishing squat.  We have a giant fundraising event in just four weeks, and I am in the middle of creating a new website. Also, I have a sinus thing that's making my teeth hurt, and I'm hormonal.  Not the best time to come at me.So, I was kind of at the end of my tolerance yesterday when a co-worker came to me with a new idea.  Her idea is actually cool, but instead of "Hey, I have a great idea," I heard "Hey, I don't like they way you're doing your job. My way is better, so I went to your boss and he agrees."  Which, really?  No one needs that.  

I went from zero to enraged in two seconds and warned her, as calmly as possible, that this was not a good day and that I  really can't think about anything else at the moment.  I sent her away, closed my door, and cried for a good five minutes.  Then, I went for a walk and got some chocolate.  If anyone deserves this medal, it's me.

Let's see if I can keep up this winning streak for the whole week

I guess fezzes really ARE cool

I've been fezzed--TWICE.

On Saturday, in honor of the premiere of the new season of Doctor Who, BBC America "doctored" Twitter avatars for any Whovians who asked.  Here's my new Who avatar.

Thanks, @DoctorWho_BBCA for the Fez and bow tie treatment.

Today, in honor of April Fool's Day, Ravelry is adding random hats to everyone's avatar on the forums.  And guess what random hat mine got?  

Hey Girl, you look good in a Fez.

I guess the 11th Doctor was right--Fezzes are cool.  

I'm going to TRY to participate in April's NaBloPoMo.  The theme is "Fresh," which goes along with my Fresh blog look and my Fresh avatars, not to mention my fresh mouth (rim shot) (that was for you, Mom)

I think my clock is broken, because it's been Tooth Hurty all day

yeah, I love a good pun.  Sorry.

So, a few years back...long before Sandy, when I was still dealing with poor Jamie (my VW Jetta?), I had an abscessed tooth.  You may remember my problems trying to see a dentist and the subsequent root canal, which I chronicled here and here.  The dentist who ended up finishing my root canal, and fitting the crown, was kind of shady.  Well, it wasn't so much the dentist who was shady, but the dental group on a whole.  I'm sure many of you have been through it.  They take some X-rays, then confer to see what insurance will cover, then come back to you with a laundry list of things you absolutely MUST have done or your teeth will fall out, you'll become a pariah, and you'll never be happy again.  Well, I really needed the root canal, and the crown, and I needed a cleaning, so I agreed to those things for some exorbitant price and never went back.  In fact, I never finished the cleaning because they wanted to do it in four separate visits at $175 each and I don't have that kind of money.  Well, roughly four months later, the crown, which they made in their offices and was supposed to be some wonderful porcelain something or other, broke.  I called them and told them, but their answer was "sure, we'll fix it.  For $1000" or however much a new crown was going to cost. Yes, I could have fought about it, gotten the insurance company involved, blown a gasket until they relented--I didn't.  Frankly, I was exhausted from dealing with Jamie and her slow and steady demise, and I just didn't have any fight left in me.  

The broken crown didn't really bother me so I forgot about it...until this week.  

It's a little hurty.  Okay, a lot hurty, but only really when I eat something that, you know, requires biting or chewing.  Yeah, I'm kind of screwed.

So, I spent a good deal of time researching new dentists, because the one that is on my insurance card (not the one mentioned above, but just as bad apparently) is no longer open for business. I Yelped and found that this whole upselling of stuff is rampant among dental groups these days.  I'm not talking teeth whitening or braces. I'm talking about trying to sell you on the more expensive filling materials by claiming they don't use amalgam anymore, or claiming you really need the deep cleaning because your gums have gone to pot, or scaring people (with no risk factors, mind you) into getting an oral cancer screening.  What happened to filling the damn cavity, cleaning the damn teeth, and leaving it at that?  

I think I found one.  It's highly rated on Yelp, takes my insurance, and is not in Ventura County.  I have a back-up dentist chosen just in case.  Stay tuned.

I got a package!

I won a contest on San Diego Momma's blog and then promptly forgot about it.  So, when I came home from work the other day and found a package on my front porch, I was excited and intrigued.

Fanscape? I didn't order anything from there.

I opened the box with trepidation, carefully slicing the top in case the contents were fragile or alive.  

A box of snacks!!

Ohhhhh, I remembered.  I won the Escape from Planet Earth contest which included snacks and $25 to see the movie.  As it was after work and I was peckish, I immediately dug into the snacks.  I know, I was supposed to sneak them into the movie.  Does is count if I was watching movies on Netflix?  

Who  can resist some classic Lay's and a Butterfinger? No one, that's who.

The $25 gift card arrived separately.  I am all set for a big night at the movies...or since movies are so darn expensive, a big matinee at the movies.  Thanks, Deb from San Diego Momma and the Weinstein Co.  

Oh, yeah, I'm just going to jump back into the whole blogging thing as if nothing ever happened.  What four month absence?  I don't know what you're talking about.  :)  It's good to be back.