Z is for Zest

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year full of energy, verve, and gusto! Cheers!

(photo cred)

my computer miraculously healed itself

Literally, I turned on my computer after a few days and the virus was mysteriously gone. Thus, gleeful holiday pictures:

It has looked like this for several weeks.

I saw this. It was wonderful. Our last-minute tickets were in the balcony. I'd like to see it once more from a close seat - I think it would be even better.

There has been lots of gazing aimlessly into this.

And copious amounts of food. Large, huge, ginormous amounts of delicious food.

Y is for Yule Log

This is what I must give you today. Because, as with last Christmas vacation, my laptop (which belongs to my place of work) has a virus and is unusable. 2 years in a row. Which is such a bummer, since this is the time I have for more blogging/picture taking/time wasting. I also got a new camera lens (50mm f/1.8) for Christmas, which I've wanted for a long time. And I have no place to upload all my fun photos. Alas, borrowing from family members will have to suffice until the new year when I go back to work. Anyway, gratitude and peace far outweigh my minor dilemmas this season. Merry Merry Christmas!

X is for Xylophone

Obviously this was the only choice. As a teacher/lover of school, what did X always stand for on the alphabet chart above the chalkboard?

My Brothers Shoveled the Roof

And then they jumped off.

My computer is on the fritz. It has some sort of virus which is making posting/internet surfing difficult.

Rest assured I am taking lots of lovely wintery pictures. My brother and sister and law gave me a new camera lens, which I have wanted for a long time.

Tomorrow I'm going to Chicago with the fam for a few days to see Wicked, eat real pizza, enjoy downtown in one of the best cities in the world, and spend most of my next paycheck at Ikea.

Peace out.

fa la la la la

At long last, it is break. This is when every teacher can breathe a little easier, especially me, since I am fortunate enough to have a 3 week break, as opposed to the criminal 10 days or so that many teachers now get. Yesterday I cruised up from Saint Louis in some rain but pulled in about an hour before the snow started. There was a few inches on the ground already, but we've gotten at least 8 inches since last night, so I woke up to this:

My poor brother and his wife are trying to make it up today; I think they'll likely stop in Chicago overnight. And now is the fun part: relaxing, catching up on professional and personal reading, way too much junk food, and short trips to Chicago and Detroit to see friends. And I simply must finish my A to Z series....of course I leave x,y,and z for the last 3 weeks of the year...

The Sing-Off

Now that I have seen this, I no longer feel the need to keep watching the rapidly-deteriorating Glee. Amazing a cappella music, LIVE not prerecorded, and a variety of songs without the annoying characters and bad storylines.

california chronicles

Last week I was in San Diego for a conference. The conference was great and it was nice to get away for a few days. I didn't have a car so I couldn't really get to the beaches or some of the other neighborhoods I'd read about.

I stayed on a super high floor - can't imagine living in a high-rise.

Enjoyed local flora, non-existent in Saint Louis.

Not the picturesque Pacific view I was hoping for, but pretty nonetheless.

True story: I don't like frozen yogurt (or...refrigerated yogurt, for that matter) but figured I should try Pinkberry.

Proof that I indeed was in San Diego.

Glad to be home sweet home. I guess I'm just a Midwest girl!

old school

some light weekend reading. snagged at my fave independent bookstore in saint louis. I used to have so many of these; I need to restart my collection. please excuse crappy webcam photo.

Thankful

~this has been a cozy Thanksgiving weekend. The first time I've never been at my own home. It was just too long a trip to make with Christmas coming so soon. It was nice to be a guest of others, but there is no substitute for being able to take as many heaping helpings as you want and schlub around with an elastic waistband afterwards.
~a bit of shopping today, no early holiday sales though. I also saw Harry Potter again. Just as good the second time.
~holiday-season only cranberry ginger ale is in the grocery store. wheeee! it's the small things.

photo credit

Deathly. Hallows.

When my knuckles are white from clenching and my breath is caught in my throat during the ferociously thrilling scenes at midnight tonight, I'll think of this candid set from the shot and remind myself, "it's just make believe"...or maybe I won't :-)

nerdboyfriend{dot}com

grandmaster flash

paul newman

james earl jones




george harrison. lorne michaels. paul simon

miles davis

celebrating the amazing way men used to dress (and still should, I say) through fantastic vintage photos. here

thoughts

I only have about 3 weeks until I get to go to Michigan for Christmas.

I am not going there for Thanksgiving this year.

But other fun things are happening.

My class load will significantly lighten until Christmas break.

Allowing me to stay in bed a little longer and make coffee runs guilt-free.

My little brother got accepted to Michigan State University.

My alma mater.

It would be impossible for me to be prouder or more excited.

Harry Potter is coming out at 12:01 Friday morning. This is a big deal.

One of my oldest, closest friends is coming for the weekend.

There will be late night discussions and spontaneous joybursts.

just bought tickets for the midnight showing this friday

*squeals*

the ballerina project

Breathtaking

Ballerinas photographed in cityscapes

More here

This is pretty. I like this. I collect lots of rocks like this from the shores of Lake Michigan. I could do this. *If I had a mantle.

from designsponge

el concierto

Went to see Joshua Radin last night with some friends who are quite in love with him. While I didn't know his stuff that well, it was quite lovely - his upbeat stuff more so than his mellower songs, which made me rather sleepy (teacher girl out on a school night way past bedtime!) But I liked his opening acts even better. I would've been fine with just hearing them. And the Pageant per usual was a lovely venue. I only achieved crappy cell phone photos because my camera/lens are bigger than they allow inside, so these will have to suffice for now.

This guy was pretty fly. When we went to buy his CD afterwards he was tres chatty and complimented my outfit.



But these guys were the BEST - my new band obsession for sure.



The best part was perhaps my 'Dude, Where's My Car' moment this morning when I went out to walk my dog and my car was nowhere to be seen. I stood scratching my head for about 3 minutes before remembering that I had parked it at a friend's house about a quarter of a mile away and gotten a ride from there. I was dropped back off at my apartment and was so sleepy on the way home that I forgot to have them take me to my car. Looks like I'm hoofing it over there today!

Halloween, Belatedly

The 70s movie The Blob was enjoyed by all.



Ghost stories were told.

I discovered the mystique of dry ice.

Best if all, mass amounts of cheesy poofs and gummi worms were devoured.

Homemade Twix Bars

Wow. Just, wow. Drooling. Perhaps I'll try making these at Christmas.

Found at Cupcakes and Cashmere

Recipe from Not Without Salt