the haps.

Life has been crazy since the World Cup started in July.  I am crushed that none of my favorite teams made it through, but I guess there is always 2014.  I also had a COMPLETE fail with the brackets...I thought I would be a winner, and was already dreaming about what I was going to do with my winnings - scrap stuff? save for a new camera? clothes? - and then the downward spiral occurred (ENGLAND! BRAZIL! GERMANY! You crushed me!) and I went from 12th to 56th.  I stopped checking the bracket daily and boycotted ESPN for a day.  Or half of a day.  Speaking of, I've added ESPN's Page 2 to my daily web crawl.  The articles are short and usually don't get bogged down in historical trivia that I've never heard of.  I'm really sport illiterate (outside of soccer).  For example, when playing Trivial Pursuit, I have three stock answers: GOLF: Jack Nicholson, Baseball: Babe Ruth, Football: Steve Largent (sometimes I'll throw a curve ball in and answer John Elway").  Eventually, the answer WILL be one of these guys.  I'd like to keep it that way.  However, I would like to know the quick story to who the heck "Lebron" is and why it matters today.  Oh, and some days they have cartoons and fail videos.  Seriously, check it out.


Other fun stuff - I got a Kindle!!!! WOO!  I used Loren's to re-read Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, and Loved it.  I resisted at first.  I thought the Kindle would kill my reading spirit by eliminate the need to go to a bookstore (save magazines and such).  However!!!!  However, it is SO nice to pick up the darn thing and get a book ordered and downloaded in two minutes.  I'm five books into the Outlander series and am trying to finish up my "ANALOG" books so I can get even more electronic books!  Oh, and it doesn't hurt that I have a gorgeous purple leather-product cover and a matching skin and a teensy led book light to go with it.  :)

Rhapsody is my new music haven...I've found new bands to listen to, such as She and Him, Mims and the Pixies. And have added some old faves like Blondie, Tears for Fears and Garbage.  I uploaded the app for my iPhone and was able to listen to my mixes while working in the yard this past weekend.  It was great motivation to keep at it, even when it got to 90 degrees.  So, any good music suggestions???  So far I have a summer mix, a work appropriate mix and a classical music mix.  I must admit, tho, classical music is seriously lacking in variety.


I haven't been super crafty in a while.  First there was World Cup for four weeks, and then it got HOT (we have no AC, so our house is miserable), but as the summer winds down I plan on getting right back to it.  The first project I'm going to work on is the Sketchbook Project.  I saw a link on Christina Clouse's blog, and was hooked.  I was intimidated to select a topic, so I went for a random selection, and was given "Capture the Flag".  So far I have not had any serious ideas for it, but even so, I am very excited to get started!  OH!  And I saw in their email last week that Seattle will be one of the exhibiting cities this year!!!!

Loren has perfected the mojito, and I'll leave you with the image of a super Delicious raspberry mojito he made:

ACK! El TRI!!!!

THE FIRST GAME!!!!  Because we didn't want to miss too much work, a few of us decided to come to work early (6:30am) to watch the South Africa vs. Mexico game.  We had our Red Bull, Via, Nos, fritters and ESPN3 playing on the projector.  Oh, and we stole the cushy chairs from 'reception' for our viewing pleasure.  We discussed renting some barca loungers for the month - How do you think that would go over??? LOL.  I really thought Mexico would dominate, and they disappointed....and already messed up my brackets by getting a draw against South Africa.  FIFA ranks?...17 and 83, respectively...who'd of thought?????  So, out of Mexico's disappointment came a GREAT South Africa showing, who actually even got the first goal!  The challenge now is to find a way to watch the Uruguay vs. France game at 11:30.  GO URUGUAY! 

CONFESSION: I really don't care who wins the World Cup, as long as it ISN'T those French or Italians. /evil grin

France: They no longer have Zinadine Zidane, who I think went out on a GREAT note by headbutting that italian.  Materazzi (or whatever his name is) deserved it.  Second, France has Theiry Henry - enough said (I think I'm Irish today)

Italy: Did you see World Cup 2006? 

world.cup.baby.

World Cup kicks off in just a few short hours, people!!!!  This is the only time in my life where I jump out off bed at the butt crack of dawn, or even earlier.  And why?  To see world class athletes play against their club teamates for their respective nations.  Bring on the Three Lions, Socceroos, Les Bleus, Oranje, Blue Samaris and my favorite THE YANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Tomorrow is South Africa (crazy Bafana Bafana) and Mexico, El Tri.  Unfortunately for the hosts, Mexico is going to win, which will make it the first time the host team lost the opening game...and most likely won't make it out of the first group.  Oh, well.  THE USA WILL!!!!!

My wild predictions - England will lose to Serbia and Brazil will take it all.  We'll see, my friends.  But even if it doesn't go down like I predict, it will still be a great time of watching some world class soccer. 

I'm off to bed now - I have to get up early early early to watch the opening festivities!!!

For Ami. ;)

Here'sssssssssssssssssssssssss Evan!

Hehehe

Get me outa here!

And onto the weekend!  Seriously.

1) Papa Murphy's for dinner.  An amazingly tasty way to begin the weekend, right?
2) A package waiting on the porch from Alice.  Okay, so, I LOVE Target, but I'm really loving Alice more right now.  Free shipping, and I don't have to deal with the rude Canadians at the store!  WOO WOO!
3) Some color and a wax at Gene Juarez.  It's about time, peeps.
4) Maybe, just MAYBE a stop at the Coach store.  I need want a wallet.
5) Hanging out with the mom doing some shopping
6) Taking Mom to see Stars on Ice as her belated moms-day gift. She just wants to see Evan Lysachek. BTW, that is the CHEESY photo of him ever on the website.  We've seen him before, and I'm sure I have his photo that I could upload with this...must find it, tho.  Unfortunately Johnny Weir[d] was the 'star' giving autographs last time, so maybe this will be her lucky event?
7) Staying at the Maxwell overnight.  Doesn't it look swanky and fun?  I can't wait to see if it lives up to expectation. 
8) Eating breakfast out in Seattle...but where???  I guess we have to decide.  I'd like crumpets at Pike Place, but I'm not sure I have a buy-in with the mom. 
9) Folklife festival
10) Home, and it's only Sunday afternoon...NAP! NAP! NAP!
11) Some Small World with Loren
 and
12) Memorial Day, remembering those who have died while in the service of our country.

HAVE A FABULOUS WEEKEND!!!

Furries.

Loren and I were chuckling over the GEEK HEIRARCHY at lunchtime yesterday.  We got quite a few chuckles out of it, as we are, or know, someone in a lot of the boxes.  And for the most part, it is true.  We question the position of LARPers, but that discussion is for another time.  What I want to educate you all on is FURRIES.  Now, according to geek heirarchy, furries are the lowest on the chart.  Until yesterday I'd never heard of furries.  According to Wikipedia, Furry fandom (also known as furrydom, fur fandom or furdom) refers to the fandom for fictional anthropomorphic animal characters with human personalities and characteristics.  Not so odd...and who am I to judge, as I have an affinity for elf culture (lol...get the reference?). However...some take it to the next level.  And I can't lie, I couldn't wait to google furries acting as Star Trek characters.  Yes, friends, it can be said that people dress up as an ocelot and pretend to be Captain Kirk.  I.am.not.making.this.up. Unfortunately, I had to cut my googling short, as most of it seemed to be tied to ... well ... more adult forms of role play.  An image from Wikipedia to close:

A quiet night of podcasts and blogging

This past weekend was busy with scrapbooking, chambord mimosas, pineapple upside down martinis and amazing food.  Mmmmm.  I am now chilling while listening to some TBTL.  Rowr.  I love this podcast - the hosts are from my generation, discuss modern events, with short tangents along memory lane of growing up and it is local to Seattle.  Oh, and they freely make fun of celebrities.  My FAVORITE is the sound clip of Joquin Phoenix saying: ..."...it's difficult for me to cannote my artism..."  Video clip...I think he is super strung out.  Artism: Art done by those with autism. 

OMG, go to google and lookup "aye aye".  What the heck?????????

Oh, and am going to checkout Radio Lab - have you heard of it?  I like science talks and these seem to have some humor added, so I think it will be a win.   

So, I scrapped mostly out of my Studio Calico kits.  I.love.them.a.lot.  And my new punches!!! Here are the layouts from the weekend (BTW, I'm having a terrible time uploading images...very frustrating):

I LOVE the alpha stamps from Studio Calico.  I think I used them on each layout.  And how about those fabric flowers?  From the AC tutorial by Elizabeth Kartcher.

Okay, how about THIS beauty?  A pure scraplift of Kelly Purkey in the April Scrap trends.  My absolute favorite layout at this time.  Oh, and it is my first 8.5 x 11 page - which I really enjoyed creating. 

Another layout using my favorite alpha stamps and fabric flowers!  Oh, and the wood circles are SO fun to use.

I love the colors in this layout - it is a lift of Carina Lindholm, also in April's Scrapbook trends.  I am going to use this lift again because it seems to be a great way to use scraps and border punches. :D