Things I Adore, Things I Abhor

Apparently, some people think I'm slacking on my blogging. In particular, they lament the loss of my "Was it a good week?" rating system. So, for the fans....



5 Things I Adore:

• 66 degree weather in late October. Perfect fall colors and no worries that I don't actually have a winter wardrobe. Yet.
• Tzatziki. I'm mainlining a vat of it with some Costco falafel balls. Saucy balls, try it!
• Brand new windshield wiper blades. Oh the clear vision! I feel faint!
• This week's Sons of Anarchy ending to Delta Spirit's "People, Turn Around." Love, love, love them (Samcro AND Delta Spirit).
• My kick-ass seasonal planter!
  

5 Things I Abhor:

• Cancer. You've made my list before, Bastard, and I'm over you. So step away from my two friends immediately.
  
• Tires. Motherf-ing tires. I followed all the steps on Costco.com right down to engine size and body style, ordered 4 new tires and promptly got a flat tire. THEN, if that wasn't enough, when I went to get the tires installed 3 days later -- THEY WERE THE WRONG SIZE. So now I drive around for 5 more days on a mini tire (because they took the flat off the rim and I can't even get it patched ARGH). And the new ones cost $200 more. I hate tires.
• Dogs who think they are too delicate to go out and pee in the rain. Pullo -- you aren't delicate and you are officially ON NOTICE.
• Waking up any time before 10 a.m. Really, world, who decided that 8:30 a.m. meetings on Friday were allowed? You are lucky I'm there, don't expect pleasant!
• Mice. Motherf-ing mice. They are back, apparently attracted by the misdirected dog food pellets that someone didn't get into the dog bowl. Mice are NOT in every home and they WILL be terminated. With electricity. As soon as I get my fancy mouse trap back.
  

Tell all your single friends, keeping it real, despite it all, because that's how we do.



XO, JamieSmitten

Things I Adore, Things I Abhor

Two steps forward, one step back. Why is that? Is there ever a run of good luck? I'm not asking for much, just a series of happy things in a row with a little less of the 'not too much of a good thing' spoilsport universe tipping the scale. Maybe I just need to concentrate.

Five Things I Adore:

• Friends getting jobs! Hooray for Wombat and Margaret! Hooray for Jodi's restaurant being open again!


• My mortgage going down $16 per month for the next year!


• Oh Jamie! bars. Cooling in the fridge right now for lucky, lucky co-workers


• Long walks with DFF! So much nicer to have someone answer me during walks with Boom.


• State of Play -- a British miniseries that was highly enjoyable. British actors look like real people and the story was excellent.

Five Things I Abhor:

• Cancer. Mean nasty mutant cells, prepare to be vanquished.


• $425 for one HALF tank of heating oil. Bring a sweater if you visit.


• Political commercials. Is there anybody left who hasn't picked a side? Seriously?


• Friends who move to the middle of the country. Sniff. Tulsa was not on my must see list - until now.


• Breaking mirrors. Surely, there can't be seven more years of bad luck ahead?

Tell all your single friends, traveling from realist to optimist is not an easy journey.

XO, JamieSmitten

Things I Adore, Things I Abhor

5 Things I Adore:

• Holidays! Happy 4th!
• What Not To Wear marathon on TLC. An "ex-exotic dancer" who wears a purple raccoon tail with a bell! A man wearing pleated tapered pants and declaring them to be 'aubergine' color!
• Finally getting the right combination of hair products to combat summer humidity.
• Having a half dozen unread books beckoning me from the bookshelf.
• My diamante star earrings. Dare I say, the iconic Smitten look?

5 Things I Abhor:

• Not being able to go swimming today. Actually, that goes for most days.
• Damn TLC marathons. Because of you, Freedom from Clutter 2008 (basement spring cleaning) was only partly successful.
• Achieving the right combination of hair products to combat summer humidity using DISCONTINUED hair products.
• Having a half dozen unread books beckoning me from the bookshelf, but not being able to read all day.
• LOSING one of my diamante star earrings. Both earrings were on the kitchen counter, but now there is only one. It isn't in the garbage and it isn't in the recycling and it isn't under the fridge. Either a dog ate it or it walked off. Either way, color me bereft.*

Tell all your single friends, fireworks are very alarming to dogs, so don't set off your own, especially on my street. Go see the professional display. You'll probably just burn yourself anyway.

XO, JamieSmitten

* Hurrah! Missing earring has been located -- attached to a dog leash. Because the dog leash was on the kitchen counter where I placed it after I washed Puck's head after our walk. Why did I wash Puck's head after our walk? Because Boom peed on it. Total golden shower on a public thoroughfare. Puck shook it off and soldiered on for the rest of the walk, something I'm sure his brother Buddy wouldn't have been able to manage. Now Puck smells like raspberries and all is well. Except Boom hasn't apologized. We aren't holding our breath.

Things I Adore, Things I Abhor

[I used to do this post regularly. If you don't believe me, read the evidence.]

5 Things I Adore:

• Hugh Laurie. Must. stop. renting. House. from. Netflix. Obsession. worsens. daily.
• Manda of Whoa Camel. That girl is the shizzle. Nothing but props to the mighty Zombie fighter.
• Toasted Raisin Bread with butter. Even if it is organic raisin bread that set me back $4.99 and has sunflower seeds in it. Most disconcerting.
• Sleeping in my bed. Boom and I slept in the bed for the first time in 2 months. It felt freaking awesome.
• Fwengebola. No, I don't know what it means, but he's my new blush (blog crush). Too, too funny and has the same amount of sex I do. (yes, that means none.)

5 Things I Abhor:

• Water stains on the ceiling. The unpleasant discovery made whilst writhing orgasmically on my bed. Good thing I clarified they were water stains, eh?
• Birthdays of deceased people. I should have had a lemon meringue pie in your honor, dad, but it was just a little too much to contemplate.
• People who don't make eye contact. Would it really kill you to say a pleasant Hello, co-worker? Frankly, I'd be fine if it did turn out to be toxic to you.
• Lack of available companionship in this damn town. The same profiles from 4 years ago are on match.com -- and they are still searching for dates. Yep, that plan is going to work.
• Hummers. The vehicle, not the activity.

So, not bad for a hump-less Hump Day. I'm sticking with the positive -- Adore wins!

Tell all your single friends, this girl needs a life.

XO, JamieSmitten

Things I Adore, Things I Abhor

Wombat reminded me that I haven't done this post in awhile. Not that she wanted to read it, she just wanted to fancy it up and sell it over on her blog. Good on her.

5 Things I Adore:

• Maraschino cherries. Left over from the infamous Oh Henry! bars I made for work. Adding a whole new dimension to the crappy Absolut New Orleans.


• Christmas picture cards (or Christmas cards with pictures). Why do we only share once a year? Warning! Boom is thinking about sending out a summer picture. He's all about busting up tradition.


• Pete McCarthy. Author of McCarthy's Bar and The Road to McCarthy. If you can't travel, hitch a ride with Pete. The search for his Irishness within his English self reminds me of my Canadian/American issues and he is funny.


• Having 2 vacation days left. I will work no more Mondays until 2008. The Man can suck it.


• Friends who listen. Thanks for listening to me for the past 5 days. You ALL know who you are.

5 Things I Abhor:

• Being clumsy. Liquids are not safe around me. And my 2007 Christmas Card list is now lost to the ages.


• Being dizzy. Only 3 weeks to go before I see the physical therapist. Please goddess let her fix me on the 11th. I'm over it.


• Being guilty. So I'm not going to be guilty any more. I'm taking care of me first. The rest of you can get in line and fill out the appropriate forms. In triplicate.


• Being slack. That resume isn't going to update itself, unfortunately. Can't get away from The Man without it. Word.


• Being alone. The next guy is going to feel like a stud because I'll be zero to O in under a minute. Guaranteed. No need to form a line, just knock.

Let's face it, even if the maraschino cherries are floating in some serious alcohol, they aren't going to beat the long dry spell. Abhor wins.

Tell all your single friends, dizzy, clumsy, and EASY.

XO, JamieSmitten

Things I Adore, Things I Abhor

[Yep, I'm doing this again. Nope, I'm not putting links to previous TIA/TIA. Too cranky.]



5 Things I Adore Today:

• Free cherry tomatoes! (I "liberated'" them from Neighbor John)


• A cool breeze (finally, dog walking without the sweat)


• Fluffy, non-itchy dog fur (looks like Boom's new food is working. Sadly, his fart incidence is on the rise)


• This blog (amazing pictures and a chance to lire en francais)


• This interpretation of Pachelbel's Canon on guitar (get hooked on the classics, kids!)

5 Things I Abhor Today:

• Bad Irish accents (I'm talking about you, new thug guy on Heroes)


• Lost wallets (my fault, I know. Hate the loss, not the loser)


• Mondays (I work for the Man)


• Mondays (felt like a twofer)


• Absolut New Orleans (I'm not much of a vodka fan, but who seriously thought mango and black pepper was a nice thing to do to drinkers trying to support Gulf Coast relief efforts?)

Hmmmmmmm. The lost wallet really annoyed me (DMV on a Saturday anyone?) but I'm getting over it. I think Adore wins, but only by a Boom-length tail.

Things I Adore, Things I Abhor

[Yet another entry into an occasional series. Read how it has gone before here and here. Yes, I could just start using labels, but isn't that where trouble begins? With people using labels?]

5 Things I Adore Today:

• Co-workers who share their i-pods (Surprisingly interesting collection, for a republican. Oh, excuse me, a libertarian)
• Having tickets to an actual live music show (Dropkick Murphys! Tickets still available because this is Richmond)
• Free Hugs! (O.K., so it was some college age Pentecostals handing out website cards, but it was still fun to hug a stranger. Just like the old days.......)
• Pirate hats from Long John Silver (We wore them during a meeting. Who says people working for the Man don't know how to have fun? Me, that's who.)
• Fuji Apples (It was big and juicy. Unlike my love life.)

5 Things I Abhor Today:

• Yellow road stripe paint (Seriously, that stuff is now a permanent part of my car. They really ought to warn a girl.)
• Limping (Boom is still getting up too slowly, although he isn't acting like he is sore. Sigh.)
• Utter lack of ambition (In my next life, I will undoubtedly rule the world because in this life, I'm getting nowhere.)
• My new jeans (They didn't feel like mommy jeans in the store, but I'm starting to get suspicious.....)
• ..........

Well, I guess Adore wins for today since I could only come up with 4 Abhor. Although that is probably due to my above-referenced utter lack of ambition. See how that shit gets you? And I'm still upset about the limping.

Tell all your veterinarian single friends.

XO, JamieSmitten

Things I Adore, Things I Abhor

The second in an admittedly short series (which started here)


5 Things I Adore Today:

• 4 day work weeks! (an extra day away from the Man)
• Friends who write checks in exchange for cash to help you out of a self-induced internet bank account deficit (Stephano -- 2 Adores in a row! In truth, I adore you every day)
• Chunky peanut butter (I used to be a creamy girl!)
• Purple Rain album (Baby, I'm a STAR!)
• Monarch of the Glen, a BBC series (I'm going to Glenbogle before I die)

5 Things I Abhor Today:

• Short sighted, narrow minded, just plain WRONG HEADED self-important middle management who don't hire the best, smartest, most wonderful woman for the job (Wombat -- you were robbed! Better opportunities are on the horizon)
• Meetings in which people talk for over an hour and NOTHING gets decided (Sadly, this is a daily occurrence when you work for the Man)
• Stepping off the elliptical before the time runs out (It isn't hard or painful, so why don't I just suck it up and do the full time? Slacker, thy name is JamieSmitten)
• Dry, itchy dog fur (Boom is positively terrorizing his tail region with chewing. Clearly, the fish oil has not solved the problem)
• Meeting friends while walking the Boom in a ratty t-shirt, shapeless shorts, and a post-elliptical "glow" (They didn't avoid me, but they were upwind)

Tough call. I'm going to declare it a draw today, mainly because of Wombat's job misfortune. However as the Rev reminded me on the phone today, it is all about finding the small joys in every day. The search begins anew tomorrow.

Things I Adore, Things I Abhor

[Possibly the first in a new Thursday series]

5 Things I Adore Today:

• Limited Edition Elvis Banana Peanut Butter Cups (I'll try anything)


• Johnny Hallyday (He acts, he sings, total je ne sais quoi)


• Slippery Rock 70s by Stavely Makepeace (Hot Fuzz soundtrack -- real 70s glam rock)


• Lunch with good friends (Work is only bearable thanks to amazing co-workers like Stephano!)


• Significantly lower humidity (FINALLY)

5 Things I Abhor Today:

• Chevy El Caminos (Seriously, this was the FIRST thing that came to mind)


• Working for the man (Will do anything else for the same salary)


• Expired sour cherry juice concentrate (I really wanted some tonight)


• Revolving doors that don't revolve (I don't think it is broken, I think they want us to use the front door)


• Walking into spiderwebs (Because you spend the next 10 minutes of your walk wiping imaginary web traces off your face)

Hooray! Things I Adore TOTALLY WINS today!!