So, New Year’s has come & gone; and I haven’t really acknowledged it. That’s cause 2005 was such a horrible year for me. I just could not wait until it was over. I actually decided to celebrate the coming of the New Year early (which I only did once before in 2000).

In 2000, I was so excited to be celebrating; I actually started at about noon. I watched Peter Jennings report on the festivities that took place globally; and rang in the New Year in about 8 different time zones. (It’s hard to get them all in).

Anyway, this past year has been the worst that I’ve experienced yet, so that I just wanted it over & done with. I was just waiting & waiting for it to end; and when it seemed like it wouldn’t, I rang in the New Year in Puerto Rico at 11 pm. For those of you who want to protest, I just want you to know it still counts cause Puerto Rico is part of the US now. So there.

But I sincerely wish this year brings health & happiness & peace to everyone everywhere. I’m not too late in this sentiment, because I’m pretty sure the Chinese New Year starts on January 26th (or so I was told by this guy who’s living in China now), so I’m exactly half-way between the two!
Bonne Année.

It’s 60 degrees & sunny & warm & nice outside. And I’m sick inside. I have a temperature. I took 2 NyQuil last night, and went to bed at 7:15pm. Woke up at noon today. Still sick.

All my friends are quite brilliant (I have very low tolerance, so that works out wonderfully). Anyway, one of my brilliant friends emailed me this “Cheat Sheet”. When you call the 1-800 numbers for those big corporations & can’t get a real person, you just follow what the ‘cheat sheet’ says & you get ‘em. Simple as that!

Also, for how-to information (i.e. how to change a tire, jump start a car, train a dog, install a motherboard on your computer), use ehow.com. They have clear instructions, diagrams, & even tips from other users.

UPDATE: the cheat sheet database has moved, it is now here. (4/26/2006)

The littlest things crack me up! I will just hear something (or pic something in my head) & just bust out laughing & everybody just kinda looks at me. That’s fine. I do entertain myself pretty well.

One of the things that gets me is some of the song lyrics I hear. They make me chuckle sometimes. So, I’m gonna start a feature where I put down some of these lyrics. Here’s the 1st one (Maybe I’ll give out points if you can guess the song & artist):

“Call me

George Foreman

cause I’m sellin

everybody grillz”

Everyone’s got their obsessions. Those indulgences that they allow themselves. Some ppl have a better handle on these indulgences than others.

I used to be one of those out of control ppl when it came to handbags. I used to buy them constantly. And I loved them. I mean loved them. I didn’t discriminate; I loved all kinds of bags. Backpacks, totes, handbags, clutches, wristlets, pocketbooks. Oh, I remember this incredible vintage black pocketbook I had bought b/c I thought it looked sooo sophisticated, and it went fabulously w/ my black & white outfit I had picked out for the Prince show.

But I’m better now. I don’t buy nearly as many as I did before. Granted, the ones I buy now-a-days are way more expensive, so I really appreciate them. I’ll spend weeks going to different places (real & online shops), looking for a bag that meets my requirements. I always have some specific requirements it’s gotta meet in my head. A specific purpose for each bag.

Anyway, the point of all this is, I’m giving them all away. Well, all the ones I bought between the ages of 18 & 25 (the ones I bought from 13 to 18 were given away a long time ago). The Federation for the Blind ppl are stopping by 1st thing in the morning on January 13th, and picking them up. Some visually-impaired folks around Cleveland are going to get some very lovely accessories soon. I even put coordinating wallets in some of the bags.

It’s a bittersweet moment. But it’s time to part ways. They were bags that I used all the time, but took such good care of, they look brand new. But I haven’t used them in a while. And someone should have them. So, now they’re all boxed up & waiting by the front door to be put out on the porch & be delivered to their next life. Sigh.

OK, I’m really good at like music trivia & stuff. Remember when they had “Music Jeopardy” on VH1 (or whatever channel it was on)? I was all over those questions (or answers, or however it worked). So, when my friend emailed me this link to an 80’s music quiz, I was all about it.

Unfortunately, she sent it to me in December, and I’m kinda MIA in December. Really busy. No time. You get my point. So, for the last month, I’ve been dying (ok, a little melo-dramatic) to take this quiz.

And now, voilà! I’ve completed said task! So, here it is for all y’all to take. It’s really fun if you were around for 80’s music.

Just a warning. I got a 76.5 on it! I know, I know, many of my friends were actually asking me if I took it yet b/c they thought I’d just score off the charts. But here’s what “the man” doesn’t tell you: SPELLING COUNTS! Yeah, I can’t spell. No one reading this can tell, cause I gots myself some sweet-spellcheck.

Anyway, I think in a couple of instances they can’t spell. B/c they spelled Jesse, “j-e-s-s-i-e”. And everyone knows that only girl-Jessies spell it that way. The boy’s name is spelled Jesse. So, when you get to that question, spell it Jessie, even though it’s wrong, or else it won’t count. ‘Kay?

Have fun. Oh yeah, it’s at yetanotherdot.com. Enjoy!

Dude, Mario Testino’s like crazy-talented. He doesn’t sing, or dance, or design clothes, or act, or anything like that. He just takes pictures. But the pictures are so incredibly amazing. If you’ve never seen his work, go to mariotestino.com. And if his stuff comes to a museum (via traveling side-show) near you, just go & expand your horizons just a tad, ‘kay?

If you don’t know what you’re doing when you get to his site: Skip the intro (always skip the intro for all sites, they’re annoying after the 1st time), then click on exhibitions, and the Portraits Tour (that’s my fave). Then you can browse around after you do my bidding! (mu-hahahahaha!).

He also did a bunch of really incredible shots of Princess Diana; they are featured in December’s issue of Vanity Fair. It was the night of her charity auction & they were gonna auction off a lot of incredible designer evening gowns. Testino took a bunch of shots of her looking very natural & casual. They were never made public then, b/c they seemed to informal for a member of royalty at the time. Unfortunately, you can’t see them at his website. If anyone knows where you can view ‘em, let me know!

Have y’all heard of this Michael Bublé dude? tg8 thinks he’s gay. I don’t really like his music. But I love sayin his name. You say it like this: Boub-lei (or lay), not bubble. I love the French pronunciation on things. It’s just lovely, I think.

Anyway, one morn, as I was driving my usual 45-min commute to work. I have to listen to the radio. Even when I don’t want to, it’s a necessity. It’s the only way I know where the accidents are (there are always accidents, or construction blocking my way to work). I feel that sometimes the world just wants me to not go in some days. But I’m told that I still need to come in, it’s ok if I’m late b/c of the construction, I just really need to at least get there.

Back to the point. This female dj of one of the morning shows I usually listen to (I flip back & forth b/t a national syndicated show & the local morn show for traffic) played a Michael Bublé song.

But here’s the thing, when introducing it, she said that anyone who doesn’t like this song “doesn’t have a heart”. Yeah, those exact words. Now, I’d never heard the song before, so I was expecting a bee-u-ti-ful, incredibly lovely song. That’s not what I gots. I tried to like it, honest. And I probably would’ve liked it if it didn’t suck so bad. But I have been living w/ this thought in my head for the last 2 months. Who is she to determine who has a heart & who doesn’t? I have a loving, caring heart. But I also have taste. And I don’t think dj’s should be allowed to make statements like that.