Virgin Lounge - London

At the bar in our jammies

Good to see a smile

What a year 2008 has been. So many changes it made our heads spin. Especially for U. whose mother and father passed away a month and a half a part.

We wanted to get away for a few days. It did us a world of good, and it was great to see U. smiling. Here U. is standing in the Van Gogh Museum with a view of an ice rink in the distance.

Say Cheese!

I heart Amsterdam

Fugly Christmas Sweaters

Tis the season for fugly Christmas sweaters like this one. I get it when old ladies wear these, but guys? U. once commented that those guys have "given up" and just let their wives dress them.

Click here to see more fugly Christmas sweaters.

Funny Christmas Card

U. sent me this Christmas card this morning which made me howl with laughter. You can choose the "family" you want to be apart of.

You can make your own at http://www.basement-inc.com/holidaycard08

Celebrating my birthday at the shooting range

This year I told my husband to forget the fancy dinner and get me guns and ammo.
The husband is looking hot in a Steve McQueen kind of way. Later I would show him how to lock and load.
Started off shooting 50 rounds with a .22 caliber Ruger revolver.

My husband had this pink shirt custom made for me that was perfect for the occasion. It has a peace sign on the front & a gun on the back.
Who says growing old can't be fun? Take that old age!
Taking care of business.
By the end I was shooting a 9mm semi-automatic Beretta.
This gun has some serious umph!
All smiles - holding up my target - a hostage scene.

What an awesome birthday!
Blowing out my birthday candle at The Four Seasons for brunch before all the shooting.

Flu Vaccine Mist Up the Nose

Yes, it's true - no more flu shots. There's now a FluMist nasal flu vaccine that's administered by spray rather than injection.

I was with my kid at her pediatrician's office and asked about getting a flu shot. I was all prepared to get my flu shot first to show her how brave I was and how it's over in a jiffy. But the doctor recommended a nasal flu vaccine and said the only side effect is a slight runny nose (and it's $5 more). No more shots? Are you serious? We're so in!

So my 3 year old daughter and I both took it up the nose. It didn't hurt at all. You just inhale it up through each nostril. Not one iota of discomfort even. I didn't even have a runny nose afterwards.

Another added benefit: It's also a good alternative for parents who are afraid of thimerosal, the controversial mercury-containing vaccine additive that's still present in flu shots.

And even better yet, it's injection free so my kid wasn't traumatized this time!

My Birthday Wish

My birthday is coming up this month and I told my husband today to forget the fancy dinner and just get me guns and ammo.

Any lesser of a man would have asked me what I had done with his wife. But my man just went with it and told me he had already made reservations to take me to The Four Seasons for brunch, and afterwards he'd make my dream come true and take me to a shooting range to pack some serious heat. Oh yeah this is going to be a memorable birthday. =)

Modern Day Lighter

Yet another fun, interactive iPhone application. This photo was taken at the Cheech & Chong reunion tour performance in Los Angeles tonight.

Not a fire, but a brilliant LA sunset

The view from the 2 fwy this evening.

An Oxymoron?

Rose Parade 2009

Preparation is already under way in Pasadena for the 2009 Rose Parade.This is what I saw today when I drove through Pasadena. The bleachers are already up.

Ever had a stalker ex?

Well I have one and he found me on Facebook. No, we have no friends in common. But he's still thinking of me. Ugh.

I got creeped out just seeing his name in my inbox, when he sent me a "friend" request. And seeing his pic was downright frightening. If you've ever experienced a stalker ex - you know that at first they try and appear nice and sweet and then the true psycho behavior comes out when they won't take no for an answer.

I've been blogging about how much I've enjoyed rediscovering and reconnecting with old friends - some childhood friends going back to the 2nd grade - on Facebook. But my stalker ex finding me is obviously the ugly side of putting yourself out there, first and last name and all. For years I hesitated in publishing my last name as a precaution against something like this, but recently I threw caution to the wind and just went for it. So now I'm feeling mixed feelings about it.

But on the flip side there are all these people finder sites out there and if he really wanted to find me, he would have shown up on my doorstep by now. I just hope that seeing a recent pic of me with my family doesn't give him renewed energy to do something ridiculous like that, or fuel the fire of his delusional obsession with me. Maybe I should buy some pepper spray just to be on the safe side.

Dude looks like a lady

After working late at the office, I come home, take a load off, eat a turkey sandwich in front of the TV, and watch a World War II documentary. I know what you're thinking...where's my beer?

I am because we are

http://iambecauseweare.com/

I just watched the documentary, "I am because we are" about the millions of children in Africa orphaned by AIDS. Madonna narrates it - but if you can get past that - it's a very powerful documentary. It pains me to see children suffering with sickness, poverty, and no parents to protect them and care for them. On every young child's face I saw my own child's sweet face. The documentary made me cry but even more than that, it makes me want to do something to help.