I know, I know, all you get from me now is memes. But really, I've got a post in me later today, I think, including recap of March's secret goal and this month's not so secret goal. It's something to shoot for. Until then, I leave you with this tasty meme stolen from an email from my Dad. Only best for ljland.

If all of the desserts listed below were sitting in front of you, which would you choose?

Pick your dessert, and then look to see what psychiatrists think about you.

Here are your choices:
1. Angel Food Cake
2. Brownies
3. Lemon Meringue
4. Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Icing
5. Strawberry Shortcake
6. Chocolate on Chocolate
7. Ice Cream
8. Carrot Cake

No, you can't change your mind once you click back, so think carefully what your choice will be!

OK - Now that you've made your choice, this is what the research says about you:

( One of each, please. )

A little late on posting altogether. Have we really not talked since the 12th? Goodness.

Happy Christmas!
(Or happy irrelevant day off for those who don't celebrate it :))

1. How much money did gift giving cost you this season? Magical movie moment: think of that bit towards the end of "Bridget Jones' Diary" where she's recounting Christmas Day and under cigarettes smoked (or is it calories consumed?) she sighs "Oh, thousands." That keeps going through my head in response to this question. Probably not a good sign.

2. Was getting ready for the holidays more fun, or more stressful this year? More fun and more stressful. Still haven't mailed anything, spent a bit more than I wanted, and never found what I really wanted to get for a couple awesome people who I just haven't given anything to yet cause I couldn't find exactly what I wanted. But my home looks great, there's tons of yummy Christmas goodies in my kitchen, and my holiday party and big dinner went beautifully, so I'm filled with Christmas love, dammit!

3. Were there any gifts that you were particularly proud to have put together this year? Which was your favourite? Disneyland ears I got personalized with a nickname for someone. They don't do that. Really, it's a big thing, they don't. But I have my ways.

4. What's your favourite holiday food? Roast beast! No, peppermint hot cocoa! No, my mom's cookies! No, yorkshire pudding! No, buche de noel! No, Mrs. B.'s mashed potatoes! No, green beans with shallots and bacon! No, Christmas morning casserole! No, Mrs. Houghton's haystacks! Argh. Why must these questions be so difficult?

5. If you were to be magically morphed into Santa's tenth reindeer, what would you want your reindeer name to be? Would you have any notable or quirky reindeer characteristics? If I were a reindeer I'd be called Sparkly and with just a wiggle of my cute fluffy tail every house I flew over would be magically bedecked and bejewelled with Christmas lights and buntings and decorations galore. Why one of the reindeers doesn't already have this power I do not understand.

OR: Spending time in Texas is fun but may be hazardous to your health.

( Cast your mind back, far back into the distant past, two weeks ago today, when turkey was a hope for the future, and it wasn't nearly so cold. )

That's con and Austin (sort of.) The rest of the week perhaps tomorrow?

Subtitled: Dude, I have been a total bitch all month.

I have. I've been down and blue and irritable and snappish and generally no fun to be around, even for me, for absolutely no reason. Nothing hugely awful has happened, it's actually been an alright time, with games and live Eddie and Tim Curry, and a concert and stuff. And yet. I have been miserable. I think I know what it was.

WITHDRAWAL.

I stopped eating fried foods = I instantly became a lot less fun to know. Nothing else changed this month, and yet everything's clouded over. Don't know why or what chemicals this has affected in my brain, but it sure seems like it has. That's it. If I want that chicken biscuit tomorrow morning, it's on. Queso and chips? I'm not denying myself. The last couple weeks have not been pretty, people. I think this will fix it. If a Chuychanga can't solve the problem, I don't know what can.

I thought scheduling the ever-loving life out of the next two weeks would snap me out of this funk. It did well enough for the weekend but today is grey, blue, and various shades of ugh.

Friday-- Dinner at Pitfire and four one-act plays by Noel Coward: Well, dinner was kind of the highlight of the evening. The plays were alright, actually kind of reminded me of Roald Dahl's surprisingly dark short stories. Some humor in the dim bits of life, but mostly lots of unhappiness. Yay? The Unintentionally Hilarious award goes to the waltz sung in the last play. Anybody seen All That Jazz? Remember that awful sexy sex airplane sex musical number with the song "Take off with us/ Take off with us...?" The first two lines of the waltz had exactly that beat, tone, count, everything but the words. It was all I could do to not giggle.

Saturday-- SoCal Games Day! Arrived a bit late, but played lots of fun stuff and stuck to my no fried foods pledge despite the delicious onion rings at Everest. Met up with playmayt for the all-star cast of the year: Eddie Izzard, Tim Curry, Billy Connolly, Emily Mortimer, Jane Leeves, Tracey Ullman, Jim Piddock, and Eric Idle in Idle's new play, "What About Dick?" How did all those names fit in one little paragraph, much less on the same stage? It was a staged reading of Idle's "film for radio," presented as a radio program with actors sitting at the back of the stage when quiet and sharing three microphones to speak their parts. It was funny, it was filthy, and Tim Curry's voice is the single most beautiful sound I have ever heard in my life, but the play itself wasn't that good. It felt very disconnected and patched together and the extended EM Forster/Howard's End/films of Emma Thompson & Anthony Hopkins parody just didn't work for me. The people watching was fun, though. Lots of Brits, movers & shakers and stars and such, and I'm pretty certain I saw Jeff Lynne striding up the aisle wearing sunglasses during intermission (really? 9.30pm inside the theatre and really? O... K...) Billy Connolly was the hit of the night with an incomprehensible Scottish detective, and Eddie Izzard was very cute while dropping things and being silly, and, well, everyone was excellent, but. It's no Spamalot.

Sunday-- Din Tai Fung! More Games! Agricola, which is unbelievably amazing. But I was hitting my MustHaveProtein wall so bailed, only to find that I'd left my lights on and my car was dead. Chris was very kind and as he put it, jumped me outside. Made it home safe, toasted up a little dinner and happily watched Torchwood.

Monday, today-- Awful migraine kept me home this morning and I've felt sick all day, but cannot stay home tonight as I have Spoon tickets. Any other band... any less money spent... and it would be me and my jammies and the Doctor Who S2 disc 6 of special features, fer sure. As it is, I will rally. I must. "Anything You Want" demands it.
( Rest of the schedule for this week and next back here: )

Dude. You guys. It is only Day Two. And I have not had a Frito pie since I don't know when. And yet. Today. All I want in the great big world. Is a Frito pie.

Stupid fried corn chips.

Ah, November. Month of NaNoWriMo, NaBloPoMo, NaNoReMo, and even NaNoKniMo or NaNoSweMo. AUGH. So many monthly goals, none of which I am participating in.

What am I doing for November? Even I'm not that sure. Well, I'm sure, but I'm scared. I have an idea, but it's going to be hard. I haven't liked how I've felt lately. And I have (actually, shockingly,) started to notice what I'm eating and how it makes me feel. Not always great on both counts. I know I can do something about this. I am an adult. I control what I eat and what I don't eat.

I've noticed lately that treats have become commonplace. Too commonplace in my diet (diet meaning usual food intake of a person, not a restricted set of foods with intended health results.) The yummy things I've treated myself to in the past, well, lately I've indulged myself too much. I can't justify anything by saying "oh, it's only once in a while," cause I let myself get away with way too much when I go down that road.

So. For November.

Deep breath. This is hard, yo.

For November, NO FRIED FOODS.

You heard me. You were sitting down, right? I probably should have warned you.

What's really crazy about this is that I'm going to Texas for a week and a half. Texas, the land of chicken biscuits and Chuychangas and Shipleys and deep fried turkey and Ren Fest foods and OMG CHIPS AND QUESO.

Could I have picked a worse/better time for this? Probably not.

So this is it for the month. I don't want to say I'll try, cause "trying" is just giving yourself an automatic out and that's bad. I don't want to make excuses for myself or any "just this onces" or any of that crap. Cause I should do this. Ultimately it's better for myself. And really, it's bad that I spoil myself this much. I can't stand spoiled children, and yet I spoil myself horribly with what I let myself get away with. No. Nope. No more. So I'm not going on a dreaded "diet" or restricting calories or doing anything drastic that I would undoubtably buck against and ruin quickly. Just making a little change that needs to be made. Putting treats back in their place and hopefully breaking myself of a bad habit.

Let's do this thing.

Much like the wonderful Philosophy Gingerbread Man shower gel playmayt got me for Christmas, I need to always have a supply of these around.



Seriously. Necessary to life.

Like many awesome things in this crazy world, this comes from stepliana:

Comment on this post. I'll choose seven userpics from your profile and you'll reply here (or you know, your own journal, whichever), explaining what they mean and why you're using them. Post this along with your answers in your own journal so others can play along.

The 7 icons she asked me about:

1. Mary Blair girl:
I <3 Mary Blair. Despite my overwhelming love for Frank & Ollie, Blaine Gibson, Bob Gurr, Eyvind Earle, and hundreds of other animators, artists, and imagineers who have shaped, colored, influenced, and built the Disney look over the years, her round world and use of color has really stuck with me. I believe this little girl comes from concept art she did for Three Caballeros. She's just darling. She usually comes into play on basic posts for which I have no real theme. She's just sorta me.

2. Fincher:
This is a quote from a movie I absolutely hated. It's on Brad Pitt's Tshirt in the photo on the cover of a magazine in Full Frontal, undeniably the worst movie by Steven Soderbergh. This waste of celluloid was made pretty soon after Joe Mechanic lost his job over the whole David Fincher's Fight Club not making a dime debacle, and this T was apparently Soderbergh's/Pitt's take on the deal. Or something. Maybe? At any rate, I have loved the quote ever since, say it all the time, and it's the only good thing in the movie. Seriously, don't watch it. It will make you question humanity. I use this when talking about movies or being kinda ranty.

3. My OTC:
If you've spent any time in any of the many terrifying TV fandoms, OTP means One True Pair to you, or the couple the show should never screw with. Likewise, OTC means One True Crack, as in the single substance I could never live without. This is a picture of a Chick-Fil-A chicken biscuit. I cannot live without these, even if all I can do all too often is dream about them. This is my One True Crack. I have another icon I use for all posts and comments to food comms, and use this when talking about food in my own lj or other people's personal ljs.

4. Cluedo:
I game, therefore I am. Clue is one of the first boardgames I remember playing when I was little. My wonderful and ever-patient babysitter Katrice used to play Clue with me for hours when I was six. I don't know how she did it. But I love boardgames still, and this usually pops up when I post about them.

5. I will cut you:
This kid is pissy. This kid is in no mood. This kid is not playing around. This kid will cut you. When I feel like that, he comes out to scowl. Think of him as an early warning detection system for when not to screw with me.

6. My Steve w/chopsticks:
My Steve! With chopsticks! One of the coolest men in the world, using the best eating utensils ever devised. Really, they are so useful, I am not even kidding. All the noodle problems presented by pasta, soup, all that? Dangers of being rude in not eating everything on your fork when attempting to enjoy dumplings and such? Solved by chopsticks. Also, he's cute in this and I really liked the colors and the whole look. That green by his arm is great. I use this when talking about food (I have lots of food icons cause I talk about it a lot, duh) or the overall awesomeness of My Steve.

7. Woo Woo for Lloyd:
Another Woot! icon, so we don't all get sick of OMFG YAY or Oh the thrills! Except I don't use this very often. Actually, I forgot I even had it. Thanks for reminding me. I'll have to use this more often.

That's it. Let me know if you want in on this kooky action.

From mondaysabitch:

Random Joy

1. What's your favourite tv talk show? Talk show? Hmmm. Larry Sanders, probably. There's not really one I watch regularly. Fernwood Tonight hasn't been on in years, so I guess that's not in the running.

2. Do you like crackers in your soup? Sometimes. Depends on the soup. But never animal.

3. How much does money motivate you? In terms of choosing my job? Very little. I'd rather enjoy what I do. Of course, if I couldn't support myself doing what I enjoy, I would be motivated to get something that paid enough for me to live on, but left enough time free that I could still do much of what I like.

4. Do you have a garden? (For bonus points: Is it a secret? :P) Heehee, nope. But I like the question.

5. Do you enjoy the traditional Thanksgiving dinner (turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, etc.)? Does your family have any other food-related traditions for this season? Definitely! I love turkey, dressing (stuffing is EVIL,) green bean casserole, gravy, and pumpkin, apple, and pecan pies! Porcupine meatballs, beef stew, and taco bake are popular dishes in my family when the weather turns colder and we want something warm and comforting.

Sorry. It's a thing that we do out here. Pretty much any number of any things someone says ends up in a fountain. You'd be surprised how long this can stay funny.

From mondaysabitch:

Random Joy

1. What are your thoughts on sites like Facebook/Myspace/Friendster etc.? I dig 'em. I'm listed on all three, but haven't been to Friendster in months, and have only stayed on Myspace in the hope that even more random schoolmates from the past find me. I'm pretty active on Facebook though. Very fun.

2. What was the last play you saw? As in stage performance? Avenue Q. But if you consider that a musical instead, you nit-picker you, I think the last straight play I saw was Fat Pig at the Geffen. Excellent, highly recommend it.

3. What's your opinion on the vegan lifestyle? An amazing commitment I could never make. Takes a lot of work to do it properly, which many who attempt to follow it do not do. It's not for me to judge. Also, it means more steak for the rest of us, so it's cool with me.

4. If you were to give your current home a name, what would it be? Hmm. Laverne? If you don't open the blinds deliberately there's no light in there, so I always feel a little like I'm in Laverne & Shirley's basement apartment if I get home and my roomie didn't leave the blinds open.

5. How do you like your eggs? Ugh. NOT AT ALL. I hate eggs.

MEME NUMBER TWO, From stepliana:

Post 10 things that recently made you happy. Then tag 10 people and force them to post this meme on their LJs.

Apparently this is a Texas edition of our regularly scheduled meme. Sorry about that. Deal.
1. Finding out our contact on a show went to UT. Investigated this because his email address involves Earl Campbell. Awesome.

2. Fried chicken wings and a Belgian waffle at the Breakfast Klub in Houston Saturday morning.

3. Running into a friend from high school and college at the nail salon in Sugar Land Saturday afternoon. Some of those people were great.

4. Biggio's last game as an Astro at Minute Maid Park. Every time he came up to bat he got a standing ovation and had to wait a minute before he stepped into the box. After the game he ran around the entire field and high-fived every fan he could reach from the field. The man is made of class.

5. At one point at the reunion I and another unmarried classmate were showing each other pictures of other classmates' babies that we carry around with us. This amused me to no end.

6. My Dad getting me a Chick-Fil-A fried chicken biscuit Saturday morning before we went out for breakfast, even though he knew this meant I would not eat much of what I ordered.

7. Spending lots of time with Eleanor, the most darling girl who lives inside the loop.

8. Going shopping with my mom Saturday afternoon before we got our toes done.

9. Knowing that I have a wing and a biscuit from The Breakfast Klub in the fridge for dinner tonight.

10. Knowing that I'll be back in Texas for over a week at Thanksgiving!

I don't tag. Tag, you're it!

It's been a pretty good summer.

I went to eleven shows at the Hollywood Bowl.

I went to San Francisco a couple times.

I met many new babies.

I got to see friends in from all over the world and spend plenty of time with them.

I finally tried the Krispy Kreme chicken sandwich. AND IT WAS GOOD.

This weekend was my last Hollywood Bowl visit of the season. It also marked the arrival of fall in LA and I had a friend come visit me from Houston. We spent the entire weekend eating, driving, or sleeping, and we didn't sleep that much. From Friday night through Sunday evening we managed to hit Pink's, Knott's fried chicken, Dino's lasagna pizza, Din Tai Fung, Porto's, and Beard Papa. Monday morning I swore to eat nothing but salad the rest of the week. So of course I went straight to Bob's Big Boy for breakfast after depositing my friend at the airport. I had an hour to kill before work.

But Sunday. We saw Rufus Wainwright at the Hollywood Bowl. Doing his Judy Garland show. The last of his Judy Garland shows. Other than the obnoxious over-demonstrative of their fabulousness scenester asshats who moved in front of us just before the end of the first half, the show was a pure delight.



For the first encore Rufus came back out in Judy's tights, blazer, and fedora from Summer Stock. He spent the second in a beautiful black and white print silk bathrobe. No pictures of that, though, just a very blurry Lorna Luft back at my Flickr page. Sorry about the blurriness.

PIZZA IN A CUP. I KID YOU NOT.

Well, a cone. But still! Navin R. Johnson would totally dig this!



I will be trying this as soon as is humanly possible. Also, I recommend Biggest Menu to everyone, but especially those in the LA area. New obsession!

Meme first. From mondaysabitch, as usual:

Random Joy

1.When I dance I look like ________? I'm having fun. Peanut gallery, shush it!

2.Who's your favourite famous alien? playmayt, yeah, I almost said that, but I gotta go with Spock. Oldie but a goodie.

3.If you're a fan of __________ don't talk to me? Matchbox 20. Present company excluded, but only just. *shudder*

4.When is the last time someone yelled at you and why? Hmm. Last Saturday night. It sucked. I screwed up and everyone was tired.

5.What is your favourite Justin Timberlake song? I don't know that I have one... wait. Homelesstown? That SNL skit where he schooled the Salvation Army Santa. That was pretty good.

And THIS JUST IN:

Disneyland's raising the prices on character meals again, and now Ariel's Grotto is more than Goofy's Kitchen! It used to be something of a deal, cause it was about half the price (just over $15 to Goofy's $30 per adult) and they brought you a dish of warm fresh cotton candy between courses. Now that's my idea of a palate cleanser. But with the new prices as of September 12th:

Minnie & Friends - Breakfast in the Park at Plaza Inn (Disneyland) - Adults $25.99, Kids (3-9) $13.99
Ariel's Disney Princess Celebration at Ariel's Grotto (Disney's California Adventure) Adults $27.99, Kids (3-9) $15.99
Lilo & Stitch Aloha Breakfast at Disney's PCH Grill (Paradise Pier Hotel) - Adults $25.99, Kids (3-9) $13.99
Chip 'n Dale Critter Breakfast at Storyteller's Cafe (Grand Californian Hotel) - Adults $25.99, Kids (3-9) $13.99
Goofy's Kitchen (Disneyland Hotel) Brunch - Adults $25.99, Kids (3-9) $13.99
Goofy's Kitchen (Disneyland Hotel) Dinner - Adults $31.99, Kids (3-9) $13.99

It's now about comparable with Goofy's for dinner and more than brunch, while the food is still nowhere near as good, and the cotton candy is no more. Pfft. I see no reason to ever go back to Ariel's.

Excellent ham at the commissary today. Yes, Kids in the Hall fans, it was that good. And as I thought that, I suddenly remembered that there is in fact a chance that I might see Bruce McCulloch on the lot someday. And that effin' good ham and McCulloch combined to make me smile, right there, by myself, eating lunch. But, oof. Am full.

Why must they have it in Orange County? These are the questions that nagged my tired mind last night.

Hit the Orange County Fair yesterday with playmayt to see Chris Cornell and enjoy decadent fair food. The structure of that last sentence should in no way be interpreted as representing my priorities, cause the fair food was way more important to me than Cornell's show. Sorry music lovers, I've never been much of a Cornell fan. "Black Hole Sun" makes me want to carve my own eyes out and stuff them in my ears so that I neither have to see the awful nightmare inducing video nor hear the annoying whiny song. But playmayt's beloved Yogi is in Cornell's band (and a fricking amazing rock star of a musician) so we went. We ate. We conquered. ( Disgustingly in depth food reporting back here. )

We really only indulged in one non-food paying fair activity: we visited the petting zoo and ponied up $2 each for pellets and oats so the animals would love us. Boy, did they love us. Goats and deer like to eat skirts. No, I'm not being risque, I'm serious. They will try to eat the skirt off your ass. Make sure you keep a hold of it if you don't care to flash everyone else in the pen. The llamas were a bit standoffish, but I decided that was because they were pissed that they had to mix with the hoi polloi after the Echolls sold the estate. Wouldn't you be? The ducks hid under a net full of alfafa the whole time. The baby roos (or were they wallabees?) tried to stay out of reach, but were eventually petted. The pigs all either slept or ignored us. The chickens didn't care that anyone was there. The sheep were just after food. But the baby goats. The really tiny baby goats. When I knelt down to pet the littlest ones, the tiny white goat jumped right into my lap for snuggles and pets. Such a dear. I had to pick her up and put her back on the ground. Such little loves. If I had space I would keep a goat. And make lots of cheese and cajeta.

Then Cornell. Opening act Puddle of Mudd was meh to ok, mainly because music where the lead singer sounds constipated is not generally my cup of tea. We giggled and snarked through most of their set until the last song, when suddenly lyrics from "Summer Lovin'" were worked in. We loved it. All the girls in the audience sang along, especially at the "Tell me more, tell me more, did you get very far/ Tell me more, tell more, like did he have a car?" bit. The guys just kinda sat there in confused silence. Was a nice table to have turned.

I enjoyed Chris Cornell more than I thought I would. Like I said, I've never been a fan, and pretty much just went along for fair, food, and to see Yogi. I was not disappointed. I had more fun than I thought I would. I knew more songs than I thought I would. And I really liked the newer solo stuff. High points:

The James Bond song. Great song from a great Bond movie. This was probably the thin edge of the wedge in changing my anti-Cornell stance.

"Doesn't Remind Me of Anything." I love this song and totally did not realize it was him. playmayt, I lied. This is Audioslave, not Temple of the Dog. My bad.

Acoustic "Billie Jean." While I have heard it described as 'horrible, like "I dare you to actually listen to the whole thing" terrible.' (and that just this morning,) playmayt and I decided early on that the earnestness was a joke and giggled the whole time. At least, I hope it's a joke. If he's actually serious, then I see the horrible and raise you a burn it burn it get it away from me.

After the show we were hungry again (what? we hadn't eaten in over two hours. that's how it works at county fairs.) so we hit the food stands once again. I gave into my craving for a second Krispy Kreme chicken sandwich, which was also delicious despite the replacement of fried chicken breast with breaded tenders and playmayt had bacon and seasoning salt soaked roasted corn on the cob. Happy times for all. On to sleep. After the hour in the car to get back to civilization, of course. And thus another county fair ended in gluttony, exhaustion, and dazed stumbling to the car. Personal triumph: I managed to not fall asleep in the car on the way home. Yay.

Very quiet weekend. Hollywood Bowl was fun, post with pics and vid later if I can ever get the media convert site to work again.

Woke up much earlier than I wanted Saturday morning. Tried to roll over and go back to sleep, cause up at 8am on my day to sleep in just not cool, but then I realized hey... I could go to Target... and there wouldn't be a line or crowds... and I need milk, toiletries, and HARRY POTTER... and Target has all three!

So yes. I bought the Harry Potter book. But Liz bought it off me the very next day, so does it really count?

I read the whole thing in one day. I settled into bed with Harry at 10.30 Saturday morning, and despite cooking a big pot of saffron rice with linguica and peas for lunch, chatting with my mom, venturing online, and doing three loads of laundry, I finished the book at half past midnight. It was the only way to stay unspoiled. It was a wonderful send-off to the series. I think now that it's all over I'll start collecting the British editions off ebay or something. I'd like to read those.

Din Tai Fung with playmayt and benhsu Sunday morning, where I ran into my friends Chris and Shannon! LA really is home now, because I also ran into three people I knew at the Hollywood Bowl Friday night: an old regular of mine from the video store in Santa Monica (yes, a man who came into a store where I worked three years ago so often that I recognized him. I became friends with many of my regulars at the big bad evil video store. They kept me as sane as I could be at that time in my life and were probably a big part of how I was able to stay as long as I did,) a friend from MyPC, and a guy who works here in animation who's also an exroommate of a friend of mine. That's it. I'm officially an Angeleno if I'm running into people I know at the Bowl.

Root beer floats party in the park Sunday afternoon seemed to go well and there'll probably be another one soon.

Potter madness continues behind the cut with this week's specially themed mondaysabitch questions and a recipe for butterbeer that I can't wait to try. ( Check it out! )

NO SPOILERS HERE, DESPITE THE PRESENCE OF A CUT. THE CUT IS ONLY FOR LENGTH. NO SPOILERS. NO!

Tonight: MyPC meeting at casketgirl's. Thank goodness it's close to home. I have some hope of making it there. And being in bed afterwards before midnight.

Tommorow, Tuesday, JULY 17TH!: HAPPY BIRTHDAY DISNEYLAND! 52 YEARS YOUNG! Sadly, I will not be calling in *cough*sick*cough* and going to The Park to celebrate. I will tough out my day here in the mouse's house and attend the festivites at the studio theatre on Dopey Drive instead. Remastered 1956 "People & Places" featurette screening at 6.30pm with mystery panel of film and Disney historians afterwards. Ooh-wee-ooh.

Wednesday: 9am-- Executive Coffee thing with a speech from Bob Iger that I was randomly emailed about a couple weeks ago. There will be pastries I'll do my best to avoid, he'll give a pep talk, and I will get to come into work a little late. Happiness all around.

Probably games with LCG that night.

Thursday: Outfest Dreamgirls sing-along and picnic at the Ford Ampitheatre. I still haven't seen the movie, and surrounded by happy gay men singing their hearts out seems like the best way to see it as far as I'm concerned.

Friday: Cool Britannia show at the Hollywood Bowl with jdekay, ubbercatta, and Ron for FREEEE courtesy of clndestyn! Thanks, babe!

Saturday: Scavenger Hunt on the West Side with many cool MyPC peeps. Then NOTHING. I will spend Saturday night AT HOME like a good little spinster. YESSSSS.

Sunday: 10am Din Tai Fung with benhsu and playmayt. Will finally meet benhsu. And must stock up on green tea cookies.

Hosting a root beer float party with the great The Jen at 2pm Sunday afternoon. Will probably sneak some orange soda in there because I have mad love for 50/50 bars.

This time, next Monday I really do have nothing planned. No meetings that can sneak up on me. No screenings, no movies, no games, no parties, no dinners. Please, no one think of anything fun to do Monday night. I just can't take it.

Just received surprise care package from my parents. Among the random goodies:

*Puerto Rico shirt from the recent Serie Del Caribe. Score!
*Burnt orange UT themed personal fan. WHICH LIGHTS UP READING HOOK 'EM HORNS WHEN YOU TURN IT ON. LOL.
*Assortment of candied pecans from Berdoll's.
*Shiner beer company water bottle.
*Brown Paper Chocolates: Espresso, Kahlua, & Cocoa Nibs. These were actually requested after I spotted them on Dallas Daily Candy.
*Two packets of Jimmy Dean Country Gravy Mix. Probably cause she knew they'd make me ROFLMAO.
*Travel pack of pink kleenex with a bunny on them.
*Round Rock Express pressed penny.
*Playbill for Spamalot.
*Recipe for Chocolate Madeleines.
*Cut-out My Cage comic from the Houston Chron.
*Another comic from the Chron: The Flying McCoys.

This afternoon has been pretty hectic and work/life drama filled. This box made me smile. Thanks Mom & Dad! Y'all rock!

So, today is a good day! Why is today a good day? Because I'm going to have company for a whole weekend in September. Awesome company. I cannot wait!

Also, this weekend will be chock-full of hectic fun and goodness.

Today: The Dateline Disneyland broadcast from opening day is on the bill as the Minnie Movies presentation of the week. I'll be there at 12.30 to watch the famous opening speech, then have lunch on the sunny Commissary patio. Too beautiful outside to waste a whole day under fluorescent lighting.

Tonight: Dinner at CityWalk, Harry Potter in IMAX 3D, and possibly Howl at the Moon afterwards. Texas peeps-- Howl = Dueling Pete's, sorta.

Tomorrow: Game-testing during the day by the sea.

John Williams at the Hollywood Bowl with avarill in the evening. I'll be rushing back from the Westside, so I probably won't have time to put together an ultra-yummy picnic like last time with ubbercatta, so I'll just have to make do with Hollywood + Highland offerings. Hmm, Beard Papa and CPK? I think I can suffer through that.

Sunday: Brunch with jenn_ness at Toast!

Then we rock Felt Club like a hurricane, leaving crafters, buttons, and needles scattered all over Hollywood in our wake.

Jersey Boys that night at the Ahmanson with playmayt.

Free Squishees today only at Kwik-E-Marts across the country, and their affliated stores, some little chain called 7-11. Get yourself a blue vanilla (best Squishee ever) and enjoy your Krusty-Os!

I also reluctantly recommend the donuts. Mmm... pink donut...