randomly snarky

NJOY looks, feels and tastes like a cigarette. Or so they say. They're battery-operated and rather than producing real smoke, contain water which creates a "smoke-like" vapor.

I'm not sure how to feel about this. As an ex-smoker who still misses cigarettes 10 years later, I admit they pique my interest. The company's messaging appears targeted to current smokers, but it's interesting to think the smoking experience could exist without all the harmful effects... blink.

Nicotine amounts in NJOY range from 0mg to 18mg but the FAQ suggests nicotine without all the other carcinogens in cigarettes might be just fine. There's even a variety of flavors: regular tobacco, menthol, apple, strawberry, and vanilla.

Tempting, right? If I did try them, I'd go for the 0-nic. But there goes the fun.

Can you blow smoke rings with vapor?

Posted by suzie at 07:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Shortly after moving to Virginia in 2001, I received a traffic ticket for speeding. I was doing 40 in a 30 on a boulevard I'd still argue should be marked 55 based on the traffic patterns. But I paid the fine and tried not to speed there again.

Sticking with the trend of relocation + ticket, I was lagged last night for turning at a red light apparently marked as No Turn on Red.

Between you and me, I've been turning on red at this light since early October. I guess the ticket was inevitable. But, I truly didn't know the warning was posted, and confirmed on the way home tonight the sign is near impossible to see in the dark.

Here's a bit of Colorado quirk: The ticket is a little over $100 and comes with 3 points. Yay. But, if I pay the ticket within 20 days, the cost drops closer to $70 and there won't be points assessed. The "improper turn" offense will also convert to "broken headlamp." Huh?

Okay, Colorado. I'll pay your ticket within 20 days. And I'll fix that uh, headlamp problem, ASAP. Wink.

Posted by suzie at 10:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Is it just me, or does $500 for 5 of these gummi bear lights seem reasonable? Okay, maybe not - but they would be an adorable addition to the rec room. Alas, the money is better spent on bills, savings and donations. Dammit. 

Posted by suzie at 12:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Long time no see.

Shout out to the jackass spammers for the 915 mostly-junk comments I just flipped through. MovableType loves throwing the good stuff in with the bad, so I have to sift through them all.

HBO just did a coming-up-next promo via my DVR for Never Been Kissed (yes, I recorded this) and said it stars Drew Barrymore and Luke Wilson. But Luke Wilson isn't in the movie.

My wireless network didn't work tonight (well, this morning) and it took me 30 minutes to discover I'd turned off the radio on my laptop. I didn't know that particular button even existed, and probably has for every wire-enabled laptop I've ever owned or used. Mildly disturbing.

We did a lot of touring today, all pretty close to home. I'm crushing on Colorado.

So, hello.

Posted by suzie at 02:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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Yawn. Passing the maid's cart in the hall this morning, I noticed she was transporting a new rubber mat. Apparently the Great Disappearing Mat Adventure is nothing more than a rubber mat shortage. Boo.

Only 3 more days! Then it's more hotels as we drive across the country. But I'm okay with that. Actually, I'm GREAT with that. Can't wait!

Posted by suzie at 08:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

The bathtub mat is gone again. Also, the daily tip I leave for the maid was left behind. Is it a bribe?

This is fun. But weird.

Posted by suzie at 09:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I’ve been here at the hotel for nearly two weeks. Already on two separate days, the little rubber tub mat has disappeared while I'm at work, and then resurfaced the next day. The mat normally sits on the side of the tub rolled-up and standing tall.

Where does the mat go when it leaves? Does it have its own agenda that doesn't always include me? Do I share my mat with occasional guests whose feet are deemed more important than mine? Does the maid take it to an overnight rubber cleaner?

Many questions. And while this is not one of the world’s most intriguing mysteries, it's certainly a curiosity.

The mat is there this evening. I’ll keep you posted.

Posted by suzie at 07:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Are your innards feeling a little fiery today? No worries, it's just Cern flipping the switch to recreate the aftermath of the Big Bang.

Nothing major.

Posted by suzie at 07:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by suzie at 09:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

My parents had a hell of a time teaching me to tie my shoes, which of course is a requirement to enter public school. Actually, it wasn't that I couldn't tie them; it's that my artistry wouldn't stay tied. My aunt Rose was the one who eventually taught me shoelace staying techniques before kindergarten.

I was a long and lanky child... my limbs and appendages grew before their time. I was looking over the top of kids' heads through the fourth grade, where they started to catch up. Truth be known, the early spurt made me appear perpetually spastic as I was full of energy but fairly uncoordinated. Hence the lace issues.

Anyway, while I don't want to buy a pair of zippered Converse clones today, they sure would have done wonders for me back in the day.

Posted by suzie at 10:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by suzie at 11:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

An article about the Hula Chair came through my news feed this weekend.

Intended to help you “exercise while you work,” the chair puts the sitter though fairly rigorous spinning. The kind where typing and drinking a glass of water doesn’t work as well as its marketers imagined – check out this clip from Ellen as well as an MSNBC reporter's tests.

Imagine some of your best (and worst) colleagues at their desks or in a conference room full of these babies conducting business as usual. Fan-freaking-tastic!

By the way, as someone who still loves the Tilt-a-Whirl at carnivals and is a practiced office chair twirler, I’d love the ride. But doesn’t the mechanized chair spinning reduce the actual, um. exercise? And I use that term loosely my friends.

Posted by suzie at 10:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

... should you wave back?

Seriously. And for those of you who asked, no, I'm not actually used to this because I'm from Florida. It was much cooler back home this weekend.

Posted by suzie at 10:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I received this urgent weather alert first thing this morning:

EXCESSIVE HEAT WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON

I picked a bad week to give up air conditioning. The AC in my car is acting up. Over the hills and through the pea soup of humidity, it's off to the Ford dealer I go!

Posted by suzie at 09:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

I snapped this driving down Hwy 15 in Jefferson, NJ a couple of weeks ago.

Imagine the end of that namestorming session: "For chrissakes, Tony, we only serve fish and booze!"

And so it went...

Posted by suzie at 08:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"I did nothing. I did absolutely nothing, and it was everything that I thought it could be." I salute you Peter Gibbons!

I stupidly left Office Space off my list of rewatchable movies. I caught half on Sunday afternoon as I blissfully did my own form of nothing, including designing a blog for a friend, getting my hair done, and eating a delicious grilled cheese on oatmeal bread.

True nothingness is not easy to achieve. 

Posted by suzie at 07:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Rather than spout obscenities, I surfed for a little creative venting.

The image to the left is "asshole" in sign language. Now you can one-up the bird-flippers. You're welcome.

The great Internet swear word project: Choose your favorites. (Most you'll recognize from junior high).

Wear it on your sleeve: Foul-Mouthed Shirts. Blah. T-Shirt Hell is funnier - it's where all the bad shirts go. Heh.

Piggish Latin: Ancient vulgarities just didn't pack a punch.

Google nets 750K results for "creative cursing" - have fun. I'm so friggen over this. For tonight, anyway.

Posted by suzie at 12:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Just in case it wasn't obvious, the bottle of Opi top coat I bought last week included instructions. Plus, the pamphlet was in three different languages to bring nail painting to the masses. Brilliant.

Posted by suzie at 10:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

 
Left Coasters wouldn't blink over a magnitude 1.8 quake, but our little shaker was all over the DC news tonight.

If the quake was felt out in the grasslands of Dulles, I missed it. Or I felt the rumble, assumed it was a plane, and it didn't register. Either way I wasn't a part of the story.

Posted by suzie at 10:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

I sent a coworker a Hipster Card today. Not this one. Hipster's collection is a mix of cute, subtle and lowbrow attempts at humor. On a quick browse I found a  healthy collection of retro-themed cards perfectly tailored for the people I know. Yes, many of my friends are odd. And your point is?

(Please pardon Hipster's French.)

Posted by suzie at 06:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This is directly outside the gate I use to enter the office... ouch!

Posted by suzie at 10:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Remember my complaint about the new Diet Coke caps? Okay, maybe YOU don't remember, but I sure do.

So I took pictures... the good cap Florida still offers vs. VA...

Seriously - how are we supposed to deal with the shorties?

Posted by suzie at 10:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This was posted at work with good intentions. Aimed at foodies, but clearly not written by one.

Please, keep ground beef in your fridge or freezer until you're ready to cook. Otherwise, your "experiment" will be less about spices and more about killing vermin in your pantry.

Posted by suzie at 10:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Great quote in last week's EW magazine: "Patience is for the weak." Amen.

Context? Who needs context?

Posted by suzie at 12:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I found Charm City via Lefsetz. Browse through, the designs are amazing, no matter how good/bad the cakes actually taste.

Hard to pick a favorite but the Exorcist cake really jumps out, green vomit and all.

Posted by suzie at 10:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Spending $40 to gas-up is much easier in Ashburn, VA, since Sunoco installed televisions at each pump.

Private little tellies with a variety of programming - not just advertising.

WTF? I was curious to see if their Web site mentions any of this (it doesn't) but their stated mission is, "to be the best and most convenient place to shop, and work." Now they want us to play there too, apparently.

But how is it convenient to work at a Sunoco station?

Posted by suzie at 07:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Sometimes the little stuff pisses you off but you're not really sure why you're grumpy. Not so this weekend.

Let's start with the stolen hour. The Uniform Time Act of '66 allows for local exemptions and I'm not changing my clocks.

Coca-Cola reduced the size of the diet coke bottle caps. Grip-be-gone.

We paid over $1K last week to take care of a squirrel problem in the attic. The job was finished Friday. The squirrels returned on Saturday. (But the call to the company? Not yet returned.)

Comcast gave me the wrong code sheet to synch the new HDTV with the cable box, helping me lose another three hours this weekend.

Turning on the main master bathroom lights flips a breaker. Could be related to the squirrels. 

I got my first Mac computer on Friday. I dare anyone else to say, "I told you so."

Oh, well, gremlins be damned -- I enjoyed the weekend anyway. 

Posted by suzie at 09:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

I am completely sleepless in India right now. Okay, I had an hour last night - but way not enough.

And I just thought of my poor blog. Talk about kicking the habit! And I don't want to... so some U2 to make my little guy feel better...

Is it getting better?
Or do you feel the same?
Will it make it easier on you now?
You got someone to blame

Yep, that someone is me! Blame all the travel. And stuff. 

Posted by suzie at 08:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I have nothing to say. But that's just an illusion.

Posted by suzie at 11:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Twice in the past couple of months I've been tasked with sharing 20-30 "fun facts" about myself in a matter of minutes as a team building exercise.

It goes like this: Each person is given a sheet to move around the room sharing and capturing quick facts about  everyone. Every fact shared must be unique, so the scope of the info is relative to the size of the group.

A mixed blessing at best; hearing what people share IS fun. (Well, except for those who "share" favorite songs and movies.) But remembering interesting bits about yourself is a pain in the ass.

Here's some I've used:

* Stephen King scared me away from red meat as a teen and it pretty much stuck
* A bowling ball fell on my head when I was 17 (ouch)
* I appeared with my ex on "Unsolved Mysteries" (in a local murder reenactment)
* My given name is Lucy -- I go by the nickname of my middle name
* I was once busted for drag racing my 1971 Pontiac LeMans
* My first car was that 1971 Pontiac LeMans bought at an auction for $300
* I'm a first generation American
* I can sing "Jingle Bells" in Gaelic
* I'm ambidextrous
* I can touch my nose with my tongue
* I lettered in Volleyball, Soccer and Bowling (really) in high school
* My name is Lucy and my dad's name was Desi (see Nick at Nite)
* I had my ears triple-pierced while visiting England in the late 80s
* I can't get a pedicure because I'm too ticklish
* I was born with a broken foot - and had a cast by the time I was 3 days old
* My family nicknames are "Bootie" and "Boots" (thanks to the cast)
* I went to a 2-day Bruce Springsteen event (long story)
* I play the piano (although way out of practice, and own one too)

Hearing what others say sparks ideas -- but you're guaranteed to think of several cool things long after the event is over.

Posted by suzie at 12:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (2)

I'm surprised the D.C.-area didn't make the Top 10 Drunk cities. Or my hometown in Florida, come to think of it. Me and my friends are drinking our share. What's the matter with the rest of you?

Posted by suzie at 09:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A refreshing approach for junk comments: "Your site was so interesting and informative I had to call a friend to tell her about it. Great work."

Yes, tell ALL your friends!

The deleted URL contained "freehostplace.com" and I'm not suspicious.

Posted by suzie at 11:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Saw this sign again on i-95 heading to Florida the old fashioned way in December. Sr. Pedro makes the trip feel longer with his countdowns, but this one makes me laugh.

When will South of the Border go PC? Blah.

Posted by suzie at 12:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

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My friend called from Orlando tonight to see how I was doing. In a tasteless effort to make me laugh, she responded to my "Hello?" by singing the theme song from The Facts of Life. Nice. (Freak.)

I hope to wake up tomorrow without the damned song stuck in my head.

Oh, I'm back -- and feeling much better, thank you.

Posted by suzie at 11:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Tuesday morning was a fucking mess.

First, I opened a can of tuna for my cat and the lid flipped fish goo and water all over me. Love getting dressed twice in the morning.

Next, after returning to the kitchen, I carried my mug into the dining room and spilled coffee all over the table and floor. Dammit.

When I finally got onto the road, traffic was running smoothly despite a light rainfall. I called home, and as I passed an intersection, saw a cop ready to turn onto the road. I was doing 55 in a 45 but had time to react and slow down. No problem.  

However, just as I passed the cop, I heard "pop!" and my passenger windshield wiper fell off. The police car was now behind me and I began to worry he'd ticket me for the bad blade (and potentially the speeding). I turned my wipers off since the rain was only misting.

I decided to excuse myself from the call to concentrate on my road issues, but the line went dead before I could say goodbye. I looked at my Blackberry and it was cycling crazily between voice dialing, my calendar, email, etc. WTF?

A minute later it began to pour. I turned my wipers back on and the lame one scraped against the glass. Squeak. Squeak.

I arrived at the office without police intervention. The day got better.

Posted by suzie at 12:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I took my Dad to the Outback Steakhouse for his birthday. Everything was delicious and he enjoyed himself. More importantly, the coasters were fun.

Posted by suzie at 12:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I am a QVC shopper.

I'd be happy to hold this info closer, but I bought this nifty little humidifier for the office and the point of purchase is a natural part of the discussion.

Funny, I never knew how deep inside the QVC closet I was, until someone asked if I shop online or via the cable channel.

Both he and I were relieved by the answer: I shop QVC online.

Posted by suzie at 07:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I don't plan to always take toilet pictures when I travel. But, I couldn't resist snapping this bizarre TP placement at a rest stop in PA, shortly before the NJ border on i-80. Note the little bits of paper on the floor -- evidence of prior attempts to grab a square?

So much for never saying Stretch Armstrong again.

Posted by suzie at 06:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (1)

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Fitness celebrity John Basedow is coming to our area for a book signing this week. I wonder if there will be tricky dance moves or high-impact gyrations?

Sing along with me: "Fitness made simple!..."

Posted by suzie at 09:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I was searching for "evil eyes" to express some tongue-in-cheek angst today via email.

I like him.

Posted by suzie at 06:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

While traveling overseas we needed a semiprivate way to bitch amongst ourselves. We were the ones running around with our visas, sometimes in places which required our own security guards, so good behavior was generally wise.

But we had complaints to voice, at least to each other. I needed a polite way to express surprise or disappointment, like a way to say get the fuck away from me while standing in touchy-feely crowded queues in subtropical temperatures.

Fantastic! spoke volumes. It works at home, too.

Posted by suzie at 08:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Snapped this at the grocery store Saturday. I didn't buy any. The sign intimidated me.

Posted by suzie at 11:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

My favorite non-alc drink.
Far more delicious than Pellegrino.

They're owned by the same company, but the Perrier source wins.

I hope the source isn't a city sink crossed with a siphon.
Yay Aquafina!

Posted by suzie at 11:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by suzie at 11:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Top 10 gripes of summer travel:

Note the theme? But, as mom would say, we should all have such worries.

Vacation ~minus 4 days and counting. 

Posted by suzie at 12:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Just checked my blogroll sites and discovered blog rating via SmartCookie (PG) and Six (NC-17, duh). My blog? G-rated.

I was only chastised for:
* murder (2x)
* hell (1x)

Hm. May I introduce you to my blog category, random bullshit? Also, a quick search for fun words previously used here (tsk, tsk):

* fuck
* crap
* bitch

While my matinee rating is cute, the robots clearly have issues reading Movable Type.

Posted by suzie at 12:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (1)

An odd purple van passed me on the way to work this morning. Here's a snap via my Treo: The top of the van is covered with plastic dinosaurs.

The photo masks the gaudiness of the plastic toys. This almost looks like a gremlin attack, which would be cool except for the purple paint and lack of a logo to indicate it's a commercial truck. Interesting cargo in the back, too.

Posted by suzie at 11:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (2)

My mom is benignly whacky, brilliant, but always slightly off-kilter. She's a bit of a packrat and keeps a lot of stupid stuff, like flashlight manuals.

But she's nowhere near the big leagues: "My mom likes to buy old glass crap, and also other old crap that's not made of glass." Oh.

Posted by suzie at 12:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (1)

Such a friggen conceited way to celebrate the big 3-7, Kevin Smith: Throw yourself a birthday party in a public venue, charge fat admissions, and hang out with hundreds of strangers who want you to talk about yourself all night.

Very nicely done.

Posted by suzie at 11:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (3)

My car has a 16 gallon gas tank which brings me grossly close to $50 for a fill-up, thankyouverymuch.

A quick search for better things to do with $50...

• Balloon photography
• Decode an Internet scam
• Play Lottery Math
• Charge for links (c. 2000)
• Change the World
• Take a wild ride

Posted by suzie at 12:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by suzie at 11:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Just peeked into my junk comments. 542 missives from robots and losers to amuse me. Here's a selection of the (mostly repetitive) headlines, sans hyperlinks:

• Sorry but I need the money! Buy SOMA!
• Hi! Nice design! Dental insurance.
• Fine and pretty site! Very good owner! Viagra yellow.
• Look! Only now! Discounts!
• Great work and pretty colors! Adult movies!
• You know end news! What is this? Discounts!
• Interesting News about soma! read it!!!
• I'm back! Viagra.

This one was intended for my latest Idol entry:

• Yes and he and her brother Clemens Brentano published that Gerard Butler the phantom of the opera.

Posted by suzie at 12:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (2)

Jason's takedown of the centipede reminds me that about ten years ago I was attacked by a spider in the shower. Well, it was lurking ominously by the soap, so I hopped out half-soapy. And since my ex was already at work, I called a friend to come over, kill the spider, and turn off the shower for me. I hate bugs.

Posted by suzie at 11:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This story about spiders in a boy's ear made me laugh today. No offense, kid.

When I was a teen my best friend told me a "true" story about a woman who'd scratched a lump on her cheek and dozens of baby spiders ran out of her face. Gullible me took the story to heart and had spider-tinged nightmares for days.

When I told my parents back then, they laughed. Sometimes they still mention 'the spiders' and laugh.

But ha! I knew Mary's story was plausible. Icky spiders.

Posted by suzie at 11:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Received this via a random email today...

At three minutes and four seconds past 2 AM this Sunday, the time and date will be:
02:03:04 05-06-07

Posted by suzie at 11:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Found Pet Gadgets tonight via TFTS.

Why resist a site that sells the Scraminal or the PetPeek, which gives dogs a bubble boy view of the neighbors? Friggen genius.

While the site looks kind of dead - including an outdated copyright on the home page - there's corporate news updates avail from March.  

Posted by suzie at 11:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Breaking News on CNN tonight:
ANS's estranged mother has blocked baby ANS and her real daddy from leaving the same place the estranged mother faught for dead ANS to leave.

It's time for everyone to do the hokey pokey and move the f* on.

Posted by suzie at 12:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

My Irish luck isn't always bad. This weekend I won a contest I didn't realize we'd entered (entry was automatic based on presence) until they called my name and said I'd won $2K in cash. It was rather surreal and I am not sure if I was more embarrassed or excited to be called on stage at the time but the money is nice (duh).

Posted by suzie at 11:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A comment from a headachy colleague... 

"You're much better than an aspirin, Suz."

Posted by suzie at 09:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Tonight's weather statement: FREEZING FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM EST THURSDAY. The all-knowing BBC informs me the fog will leave a smear of ice. Fun!

Posted by suzie at 11:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Kudos for letting it all hang out but please watch the Melissa episode of Seinfeld to understand why you should never exercise naked in front of others.

Posted by suzie at 11:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I think Weather.com is trying to tell us something. Hard to tell...

SHENANDOAH-FREDERICK VA-PAGE-WARREN-CLARKE-NELSON-ALBEMARLE- GREENE-MADISON-RAPPAHANNOCK-FAUQUIER-LOUDOUN-ORANGE-CULPEPER- PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK-FAIRFAX- ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA-STAFFORD-SPOTSYLVANIA-HAMPSHIRE- MORGAN-BERKELEY-JEFFERSON-PENDLETON-HARDY-WESTERN GRANT- EASTERN GRANT-WESTERN MINERAL-EASTERN MINERAL- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WASHINGTON...HAGERSTOWN...FREDERICK... WESTMINSTER...GAITHERSBURG...COLUMBIA...BALTIMORE...ANNAPOLIS...

Continue reading "Messy weather statements" »

Posted by suzie at 11:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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A colleague confessed today that he and his wife have the Fur Real cat locked away at home. (It was a gift.)

The cat is creepy: After powering-up the furbearer, they abandoned it in a spare bedroom. Two months later, it's still purring away. Purr.

Purr.

Posted by suzie at 11:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (2)

No vets, no hair balls, no fuzzy clothes, no dead birds, no kitty litter. Um, no cat.  Still, if you want a cat but you know, don't want a cat, the FurReal breathing cat might do the trick. 

The collective wisdom would list things like snakes, spiders, heights and clowns as the most common nonsensical fears. Also crowds, close spaces, sharks, and more loosely, the unknown.

My answer to the requisite, "What are you most afraid of?" is drawbridges. I'm not especially fond of spiders, clowns or sharks, either... but just thinking of a drawbridge gives me the willies.

Sometime in the mid-80s, my dad took me on a trip up to the cabin in Bar Harbor, Maine. Driving up US 1 from Portland took us across the old Bucksport bridge (far right in the photo) while it was undergoing repairs. More descriptively, we drove over planks 130 feet in the air because they'd stripped out the roadway. There was no road.

Related? You bet. I like my bridges with solid bottoms and without lift mechanisms.

Posted by suzie at 11:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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What a week. No doubt one of the weirdest weeks ever at AOL.

The weirdness that is TomKat got hitched Saturday. How much does it suck to be Nicole Kidman right now? Her new husband tucked away in rehab, her ex-husband scoring major press for his new marriage. Ouch.

This week will be filled with all sorts of family weirdness.

I'm seeing a pattern. 

Posted by suzie at 11:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Posting about Satan's Halloween party reminded me of this quote:

Maybe this world is another planet's Hell.
-- Aldous Huxley

 
Then again, maybe we're just a bunch of sea monkeys sitting on some kid's desk.

Posted by suzie at 11:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Last week's buzz about South Park and Borat's premiere got me thinking about my own sense of humor. 

I didn't draw too many conclusions but realized that the dark nature of my taste can occasionally surprise me. Of course it's in my genes -- the Irish are known for our sardonic takes on life.

I personally dislike toilet humor but beyond that it's fair game -- outside of unfunny material. I particularly dislike the lousy joke teller who insists they're funny.

Last week's Halloween ep of South Park is a good example of an offensive pick-me-up. I was saddened by Irwin's death but "his" appearance at Satan's party... c'mon, even Satan thought it was too soon! While I recognize why his family would be upset, the audacity was the heart of the joke.

Posted by suzie at 11:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Two fun links made the rounds at the office Thursday.

The first is another movie title game, this one using office supplies: http://www.stationerymovies.com/. I still heart the Dark game best.

Tears flowed when one of our VPs was put into a pink leotard and really got his groove on with Dance Sister Dance. (He was impressed with his package.) The Scissor Sisters clearly know how to promote their new album.

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OK, I admit it - I am one of those people who plays with rich media ads online. I like changing the colors, watching the video clip or hearing the ring tones. The ads don't push me to run out and buy the merchandise but they engage me in the associated brand for a few minutes. That's the whole point, right? I might even remember them next time I'm shopping.

I hate the ads that pop-up and do their thing when I casually/mistakenly rollover. It's intrusive. I like to be in control. Febreze intruded tonight with a WTF-sized pop-up featuring audio confessions of "odor killers." I only listened to the guy in the spotlight. He did his killing then took a nap. Lovely.

(Note that the paparazzi headline was unintentional - I do not think Febreze will help celebrities in need.) 

Posted by suzie at 11:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Coke is launching a new calorie burning beverage, Enviga: "There's calorie, low-calorie, zero-calorie, and now we offer consumers negative-calorie products." Um, okay.

To reap the full benefits of Enviga you must drink three cans a day. This will burn a "net average of 60 to 100 calories" and $1.29 a can. Hm... that's four bucks a day and about the same calories you'll burn watching an hour of television.

Here's an idea: drink plain old green tea and find alternate ways to burn calories.

Posted by suzie at 10:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (6)

We had a fun weekend that seemed even longer than three days. In a good way.

On Friday I caught myself exhibiting good blogger behavior - at several different points of the day I made mental notes of blog-worthy items to post later.

Here's a few from the last few days

• Elton John exceeded my expectations but a few songs were mildly irritating. Still a good time and yes, I would go see him again. He did a 10-15 minute piano solo which literally brought tears to my eyes. Elton's got me thinking of dusting off my own piano. This recap covers the show.
• It is easy to hang out in a casino and not gamble. I had a great time after the concert just hanging out and having a few many (free!) drinks without dropping more than $50. Oh, and I won $2,500 for my troubles playing three quarters on a 7s slot machine. (Unfortunately that was enough money to earn me a W-something form for my taxes, too.)
  
• Two new Fall shows I thought were good (but not necessarily sustainable) were recently canceled or are on the verge of it - Smith and Kidnapped. Oh well, I only caught one ep of each.
• I was reminded this morning in the office that I have yet to catch Dexter and based on friends' reviews I should enjoy. I will catch it On-Demand.
• Advertising in space. Who knew there was a Congressional ban on orbiting billboards?
• I hate when people eat potato chips anywhere near me. I go a bit mad from the bag crinkling. I'm even nuttier about open-mouth crunches.
  

Posted by suzie at 11:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

I beat the darkness and found all 50 of the movie titles. Mostly without cheating. I did get a few hints for the last couple: The dark door, woman with children and the bug in a jar. The woman was difficult - the other two were too easy for hints - doh.

Definitely one of the best viral links to ever hit my IMs and email.

Posted by suzie at 11:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Crimes were undoubtedly happening elsewhere tonight but the local cops were lurking en masse with their speed-catching machinery.

My route home from the office includes a run up a boulevard that cuts through a major subdivision - a total speed trap with a 35 mph max.

Seeing someone get pulled over, I took a quick phone-snap of my speedometer. Go ahead - accuse me of speeding. I'm so ready!

Posted by suzie at 11:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

Arrrgh! It's a pirate's... oh, forget it. Talk like a pirate day got enough attention elsewhere.

A friend sent this link tonight so we could share some mid-90's lost in America flashbacks: Amanda Across America.  Safe trip, Amanda!

I've started tagging my posts with 'suzieaim' to see what happens in Google, et al, and noticed Technorati is not picking it up. Weird. Maybe typing suzieaim here will help the machines. By the way, use suzieaim to ping me on instant message or to email me at suzieaim@aim.com.

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I was very excited about the release today of iTunes 7. So excited that I downloaded and installed it tonight and upgraded my 'pod, too. Unfortunately I also DELETED everything on my ipod. WTF? I really don't know - and I don't feel like fussing with it anymore tonight. Sigh. At least I do back up all my files. Yay me. Boo iTunes. Hrm.
 

Posted by suzie at 09:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (2)

Is it possible to convince someone that they are relevant? Feeling a lack of relevancy can lead to a whole bunch of negative thinking and ultimately negative actions. The frustrating part is when the person is completely and utterly relevant to the situation, place and time but don't know it.

If you don't believe yourself relevant when you truly are, do you become less so?

Catch-22.

Posted by suzie at 12:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Signed on tonight to catch up on emails (work) and myspace (also sorta work) and my cable went down. So, I'm on dial-up and it's incredibly fu*king painful. Good to experience the other side once in a while to empathize with peeps who can't -- or won't -- switch to broadband. That's what I'm telling myself anyway.

This week has been a real pisser.

Posted by suzie at 11:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I was on a 2-hour conference call yesterday with a consultant dialing in remotely. There were 3-4 of us calling in from the office. It started after 5, so a little late in the day for a long call, but my presence was 90% informational, so I was able to catch up on email muted in the background listening in. 

But then... as the call started to wrap up, the consultant went to the loo -- and never even paused... just kept right on talking and detailing next steps.

He made the whole thing so terrifically natural.

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Woke up to the doorbell this morning at about 8:15. My neighbor wanted to let me know that there had been a "bunch of break-ins over night" -- someone(s) had gone through the neighborhood breaking into our cars. My car was not exempt -- the thieves (the police said it was likely two or more juveniles) had popped our locks and ransacked each vehicle. They took loose change. They took one satellite radio from a woman down the street. But mostly, they only took coins.

Aside from the mess of everything from my glove box strewn onto the floor and seats, I only lost about $3 from my change holder. But I still feel oddly violated. Hrm.

Posted by suzie at 09:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

My requisite first entry. I've been in and around blogs for a few years via my work with a large 3-letter company. I have created, maintained and eventually deleted several blogs in that time too, with time bearing the brunt of the blame for my lack of follow-through. 

This blog, however, is a keeper.
Really.

Posted by suzie at 09:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)