if a tree falls

Catch-up

Right, so I haven't been writing much in this space, and there are two reasons for that.

1. Many of the newsworthy events of the last few weeks have not been fun.
2. I've been hella busy working. Yay for income, boo for the blog.

Hence, there will be many numbered lists and bullet points as I catch up. Here's some of the not-so-fun stuff that happened in the month of February.

• After the bathroom construction was done, we had to call a plumber about our pipes backing up. He found a huge clog that may or may not have been caused by the construction itself.
• Gonzo got sick and woke us up four nights in a row with not-fun bathroom emergencies. He also puked on our comforter twice. Between x-rays, blood work and medication, the vet bills sent us into shock.
• Joe got the flu AND a respiratory infection. On Valentine's Day. Sooo, that was fun.
• Our pipes froze. Joe miraculously got us out of another plumber's bill with a hair dryer and a space heater.
• I got a tiny and strangely specific virus that only affects my ears. I thought I had an ear infection but the doctor wouldn't give me any meds.

But here is some of the really great stuff that happened.

• I made me some money.
• The bathroom was finished!
• I found and hired a great web designer to build Attic Ink's site (which goes live later today-- link to come).
• We celebrated Joe's birthday with bowling, good food, and Guitar Hero with friends.
• I took some headshots for an actor friend and was pleased with my first attempt.
• I overpayed on my taxes last year and we get money back.

And here's what we have to look forward to in March.

• A trip to Rhode Island for work and play.
• A trip to Boulder, CO to visit friends.
• New TV episodes will be back!

Here's to staying productive and up to date.

"The shiny guy always worries"

"Obi Kenobi is kind of a teacher."

"Don't talk back to Darth Vader, he'll getcha"

These are the gems from my new favorite YouTube video, "Star Wars according to a three year old." Enjoy.

UPDATE: Tragically, the creator of the video has set it to private. Don't worry, I'll look for a replacement.

UPDATED AGAIN: She's back!

 

V-Day

I've been giggling a little too much looking at these Lost e-cards.

I can't pick a favorite, but these are all hilarious. (sorry about the pink things at the bottom, I took screen grabs.)

How bout you?

Attn: Bud Light Copywriter

"Endless refreshment from start to finish" is an oxymoron.

Overheard watching the Super Bowl

"She's lip synching."

"You don't lip synch the national anthem at the Super Bowl. Not after Whitney"

"Jordin Sparks is no Whitney."

Making it hard to save the world

I love me a good tote bag, and collect them when I can. Last year, Joe caught on to this trend, calling me the Imelda Marcos of canvas accessories. He forbade me from acquiring any more of my own means. For Christmas, we got two more, and immediately designated them as grocery bags. Not only is it better for the environment to bring re-usable bags, but it puts some of my dozens of canvas bags to regular use. I used one on a produce run to Whole Foods on Monday, and they gave me a keychain for my effort. It was just the extra pat on the back that I needed.

Yesterday wasn't such a feel-good experience. I took the tote to Shoprite for a regular grocery run. I figured that it's silly to carry a big empty canvas bag AND a shopping basket, so I openly put my food into the bag. I got a lot of sideways glances from shoppers and employees thinking I was shoplifting. At checkout, despite my insistence, the bagger kept putting food into plastic bags and THEN into my canvas bag. I had to explain to her that I was trying not to use plastic bags at all.

I left shaking my head and feeling like a delinquent, and I think that this is part of the reason why people aren't embracing green movements as much as they should. It takes confidence and social reinforcement as well as education on the part of traditional stores to really make a difference. Let's hope that more stores follow Whole Foods' examples.

Oh, and if you need a tote bag, I've got a few extra.