Pretty People = Alyson Hannigan & Alexis Denisof

'Willow' and 'Welsey', also known as Alyson Hannigan and Alexis Denisof, are pretty people and a beautiful married couple. I've been watching "How I Met Your Mother" recently. Good show, though I have a hard time watching it without a beer in hand. I wish Alexis Denisof was in more stuff.

Heh heh, it's bacon!

Nathan and I are going to a friend's birthday party today. This friend likes bacon, so naturally I'm gift wrapping a package of bacon as his present. That's normal, right?

Delicious!

Someone's really proud of this package of bacon. Look at the care with which it was placed on this red fabric.

I think giving bacon as a gift is pretty awesome. Who wouldn't love getting a pound of bacon for their birthday? Well, maybe a vegetarian. I happen to love bacon. In fact, I convinced Nathan to cook 3 lbs of bacon just last week. I was giving myself "bacon rewards" all weekend.

Sleepy time

I love to sleep. I hate to get up in the morning. Thank god for coffee or I'd never get out of bed. You know who else likes to sleep? Animals. Animals like to sleep. Pandas, puppies, kittens, my cats especially. I love to watch my kitty boys sleep too, they're so cute and furry. Check out all these adorable sleepyheads.





And the kitty boys de resistance...

Upside-down kitty head in all its glory.

Harry Potter...this shit just got real

I'm all for short blog posts these days (if blog posts happen, period). This one is about revelling in the upcoming release of the new HP movie. Nathan and I just bought our tickets last night, and we can't wait. Sadly, we missed out on the midnight show's tix, which we usually attend.

The last time a new HP movie came out, I, in true uber-dork form, knitted us some Griffindor hats. Thankfully a shred of everyday-garden-variety nerdiness still lived in us and we successfully suppressed the urge to actually wear these hats at the movie. We were still nerdy, don't get me wrong, we went to the midnight release. This being said, I do have a fake HP wand that came with candy lightning bolts in it, which I might have to sneak into the new movie. We'll see what Nathan has to say about that. He'll probably try to steal it from me to use himself. Oh, I just remember that my mom got me a time turner necklace...so many possibilities. I wonder how far Nathan would let me go in my pursuit of dorkdom...I'm guessing far.

And our orange-haired tabby cats are named Fred and George. And they're twin brothers. And, no, it's not a coincidence.

We both have shiny, happy fits of rage

Not much to say, but I like the Moldy Peaches. Oh, and we sure are cute for two ugly people.


Anyone Else but You


Jorge Regula


Lucky Number Nine


Who's Got the Crack?

A new post

It's summer vacation and I've survived another semester, another year really, at Berkeley. Nathan and I have a beautiful new apartment with a window ledge for our kitty boys to sit on. We took an awesome vacation to Disneyland and Tempe. And right now we're both on our computer waiting for the coffee to finish brewing. The agenda for today: Coffee, reading (for fun!), Monopoly, and a game night with some friends. All and all, I think it's going to be a pretty good day.

I so very much enjoy my out-of-school time, I just wish I could channel more of this enjoyment into my research. Graduate school is an interesting entity. You begin a program knowing that you have an interest in this field; knowing that you would like to work in this area and figure out things that no one else ever has; knowing that you're ready to make a huge commitment to your education. How are you welcomed into this program? With a spirit-crushingly strong hug of toil. After two years in my program, my sharpened interest has been whittled down to an almost-dull point.

I haven't written on my blog in so long that I just wanted to post something here. I should make the effort to post some new pictures, but I'm too lured by the aroma of coffee in the kitchen.

Ok, just a few. These are pictures from my mom's visit in March when we spent a super fun day wandering around San Francisco.

Can I just say "Oy Vey"?

Man, I'm happy this semester is so nice and easy. Not too many classes, easy teaching, simple research, all the makings of a nice semester. Oh. Wait. That was just a cruelly blissful dream and I'm awake now. Seriously, this is probably the worst semester of my life. I've got three classes, I'm moving into my EEG phase of research, and I'm teaching statistics and research design to undergrads. Oh yeah, and I'm moving this weekend and all next week. AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! Too much!!!!!!!!!

I suppose if this semester doesn't kill me it'll make me a PhD...in another 3 1/2 years. Proof positive of my dire term: the date of my last post. I enjoy adding to my blog yet I've not had the time to do so for over a month. More proof positive: my multiple panic attacks (and at least one of these is not an exaggeration).

But enough about my currently sad existence. The new apartment Nathan and I are moving into is quite nice. It's actually the lower part of a person's house and it's in the really nice part of Berkeley up in the hills overlooking the Bay. It's two bedroom, has a washer/dryer, access to a cute backyard garden, and a 4-window panoramic view of the Bay! I'm very optimistic that we'll be happy in our new home and will not have to move again the rest of our time in the Bay Area.

The move's not coming a moment too soon either. Our current cruddy apartment has again been overwrought by a horde of vicious ants. The battle has been waged and I was victorious, but it was a hassle none the less. Our apartment complex has also been involved in a tête-a-tête with the neighboring house regarding recycling. I don't want to go into it, but it's rather funny if you can get over how petty it is.

Well, I'm off to fix lunch and write up a lesson plan for next week. I'll post pics of the new place when I get a chance.

Time to put on my business socks

I'm getting down to business today with the help of my handy dandy business socks of flying monkeys. Check it:

I love socks. I never wear plain white socks and I like to match my socks to my mood or goals of the day. Today's socks, though, are inspired by a website I just discovered. An old friend from back in the days of first grade and onward is a Flash animator and has a web cartoon of Space Monkey Mafia. It's really cute and quite hilarious. So my socks today are about flying monkeys.

Flying monkeys aside, however, I am getting down to business, hence the business socks. I'm going to dig into statistical analysis (delicious) and dive into a journal article for class (everyone needs exercise). In addition to the help I will be receiving from my socks, I've also got two kitties to help me along.

Fred's business is sleepy time. Where's he going? Sleep. Sleepy town.

I hope I don't doze off looking at the cute guy's cute face.

Time for another panda post

Due to the looming semester on the horizon of tomorrow, I felt that posting a bunch of cute, fluffy, happy, chubby panda pictures would cheer me through this dark day. Let's delve right in, shall we?

This guy is in a bind, but you gotta love that fluff butt.

There's nothing better than yawning in a tree.

When my boys stand like this, I call them gopher kitties. This guy looks more like he's doing tai chi.

Geez, these frickin' guys are cute, and helpful.

More cubby panda butt.

To me, this guy looks like he's doing a dangerous downhill cartwheel.

Just how much chubby cuteness can you stand? Because I'm almost at my limit.

Oh for crying out loud.

This guy looks sad to me. All alone with a ginorm bootab.

I like this dude's nosicles.

And finally...? I don't know what's happening here, but it reminds me of The Mystics from "The Dark Crystal".

Ewan McGregor

This post is going to make my husband mad/sad, because he knows my sentiments for Ewan McGregor. However, I would like more people to randomly land on my blog by doing google searches for famous people and movies. Therefore, I am posting a bunch of McGregor pictures. Plus, the man deserves it, people!

Ewan McGregor has been one of my favorite actors for about 10 years (others include Cary Elwes, Gene Wilder, and Hugh Jackman). I discovered him in high school in movies like "Trainspotting", "Shallow Grave", and "Eye of the Beholder", but "Moulin Rouge" really cinched the deal for me. Before "Moulin Rouge" came out, I'd told my then-best friend that I thought Ewan McGregor was really good looking. She flat out laughed at me (crazy!). After she and I went to see "Moulin Rouge", however, she came crawling back and bowed down to the McSexy McGregor. We then proceeded to see "Moulin Rouge" six more times in the theatre (thankfully, half of those were in the dollar theatre, movies are too expensive). People gave that movie a lot of shit, we even witnessed people walk out of it. But if you notice, the following year "Chicago" came out and got raves. Rip off. I refused to watch that movie for years. I have seen it now and it's ok, but I can't stand Richard Gere singing and I still think it's bogus.

"Moulin Rouge" was actually the first DVD I ever bought. Why do I even remember such a thing? It's a funny story...at least to me. My friend and I watched and waited for the movie to be released on VHS. We finally saw an ad saying it was due to be out on such and such a day. Hooray! That day came, we drove to Best Buy, looked all through the VHSes, and nothing. No "Moulin Rouge". At least, not on VHS. It was first released on DVD only. Blasted! Neither of us had a DVD player (can you even believe that?). So what did we do? Well, we each bought the DVD and then I bought a DVD player. Yup. I bought a brand new DVD player just so I could watch "Moulin Rouge". Heh. That's very unlike me, as I am...how do I put this delicately...cheap. Yes, I love money, I love saving money, I love checking my banking account to see how much money I have, I love finding money. In the words of Max Bialystock (Zero Mostel), "I WANT THAT MONEY!!!" Anyway, so I bought a DVD player and we proceeded to watch "Moulin Rouge" way too much, even attempting to learn the dance that Kylie Minogue, AKA The Green Fairy, does...no success. Super fun times were had.

Sadly, I started watching "Moulin Rouge" a few months ago and it no longer gripped me like it once did. I'm pretty sure part of the problem is my living in a crappy apartment with no sound proofing, which inhibits me from singing along. I'm going to give it another chance after I finish this post though, neighbors be damned!

Too much talk. On to some pictures!

I love him for more than his "Moulin Rouge" days though. He's a mothertruckin' Jedi, people! Come on!

I like to think that he's enough of a geek that this picture, while somewhat sarcastic, shows him genuinely enjoying some "Star Wars" nuts. Afterall, his uncle played a fighter pilot in one of the originals.

Ok, Ok, in this picture he looks a little...umm, Nathan knows the word I'm searching for but won't print. Happy, yeah, happy. The guy's got a great smile.

No words neccessary.

Words neccessary? His head is in a lion's mouth. Words done.

Hah, words definitely neccessary! He's Scottish. He sometimes wears kilts. He sometimes doesn't wear a shirt when he's wearing a kilt. And sometimes he casts "Come hither" looks when he's wearing a kilt with no shirt.

Bespectacled, a bit nerdy, and great. Note: the people who did Rob Pattinson's hair for his character of Edward in "Twilight" totally ripped off Ewan's look (see picture below).

Just posing.

Black and white pictures are always nice.

I mentioned Rob Pattinson having McSexy's hair in "Twilight", but he also has Ewan's expression. I've only put one picture below and if you're not convinced you need to watch a "Twilight" clip. It's true.

The hair. The look.

Other great McGregor works to check out:
A Life Less Ordinary
Velvet Goldmine
Down with Love
Star Wars prequels
Big Fish
Night Watch
Brassed Off
Emma
Long Way Round
Long Way Down

Back from vaca, the weath was great

I save actual seconds each week abbreviating words. It's phenom!

Nathan and I are back from our trip to AZ and Disneyland. It was pretty fun, and I've got pictures to prove it!!! I believe I shall do this in snippets, because there are many pictures from the many phases of our trip.

Phase 1 - The drive to AZ, Jan 1st, 2009

As much as I often detest this place called home, AKA the Bay Area, it really is quite beautiful.

It was soooo foggy on our drive that morning. All the way from our home in Berkeley to just before LA. Fog fog fog fog fog. Kind of scary in some places actually, because we'd be driving up a mountain with very low visibility and people would still be zooming around. Dangerous a-holes.

Wide open and amazing. Get a load of that vanishing point!

Yup, that's snow. This was somewhere still in CA called Tehachapi. We visited a fine establishment in this town. You may have heard of it, Walgreens.

Phase 2 - The fam, Jan 2nd to Jan 7th, 2009

From left to right, mom, Piggy, Nathan.

Awww, Piggy loves Nathan. Frickin' adorable!!!!

Oh, poor old Floppy. She's got no hearing, hardly any vision, but a strong sniffin' snout. This old puppy loves to mooch, and the habit has gotten more aggressive with old age. Perhaps she thinks she's alone in the room since she can't see or hear us, and so she thinks, "Why don't I put my cute little puppy paws on this table and try to get Allison's food? She'll never know it was me. Woof!"

Mom and G-ma. My mom insisted on getting some family portraits taken when we were in town. They turned out pretty funny because my mom has her mouth open and laughing in all of them (I'll have to scan in a couple maybe). In her defense, my nephew Daniel, 2, was cracking her up the whole time.

My little Pigglet. Piggy loves laying on laps. It's probably her favorite thing in the world. Other favs of Pigglet include chasing the Trash Truck Monster, barking at hot air balloons, mooching, sleeping, and barking at the neighbor dogs. Oh Piggy, you're so cute!

Phase 3 - DISNEYLAND, Jan 9th to 11th, 2009

Here I am outside of Splash Mountain in Disneyland. Nathan got the brunt of the splashing that day, but out of the shot my pants are soaked. I didn't mind, it feels nice when you're walking around in the sun. Yes, it's warm to hot even in January. Add to that my sissy-hood when it comes to heat. Equals, SPLASH FUN TIME!

Big Thunder Railroad broke down when we were on it. Not just temporarily either. We were stuck sitting stopped on the tracks for a good 10 or 15 minutes and then had to walk through the attraction to get out. There were two pre-teen girls sitting in front of us who kept talking to us and were pretty funny.

We had a very delicious lunch in Downtown Disney at this place called Naples. It was pretty expensive (thank you, greedy corporate such-and-suches), but did I mention delicious? It was delicious. There was a really creepy chef/clown thing projecting out from the restaurant that this picture is supposed to show. But you can't expect too much from a random person taking your photo, at least they got me and Nathan in it.

I'm sad here because Nathan didn't want to go where I wanted to go. I don't remember where I wanted to go, but it was somewhere, I know that much. You can see Nathan trying to worm his way into the photo, heh heh. I also like that you can see the big ship in the background and all the crazy people.

Here we are on Space Mountain. I love riding this ride with Nathan because he giggles the whole time. Giggling is funny any time, but Nathan giggling is hilarious. He sounds like a mixture of Mickey Mouse (no joke) and a giddy schoolgirl. And for some reason, this ride in particular elicits the giggle fits from my goofy dear. He always looks so funny in these pictures that they take on the rides (here he is making sure nothing falls out of his pockets), while I look calmly happy.

Beautiful Disneyland. It really is beautiful too. The amount of details they have around the place is just amazing. You don't even need to go on the rides to enjoy the place, just keep your eyes open for unexpected decorations around the entire park.

This is over in the other park, California Adventure. Nathan doesn't like this side as much because it's not so Disney oriented. But I love it because it has the biggest roller coaster, California Screamin'. This, however, is their newest attraction, which is the 3D Toy Story Midway Mania. For your line-ly entertainment, Mr. Potatohead. Potato Potato, Potato Potato.

One of Nathan's favorite Disney movies (the favorite?) is Pinnochio. We found this little restaurant within a part of the park we'd never seen before, tucked away in behind the Dumbo ride and some random princess stuff for little girls. I really like this picture, because as Nathan pointed out when looking at it last night, it looks like his thought bubble.

This is in CA Adventure again heading into the Hollywood side of the park, which houses the Twilight Zone's Tower of Terror. We finally decided we were going to do this ride though it frankly terrifies us just to look at the building. It's a tall hotel looking building with a flickering neon sign. Our friend Richard and his new lady friend were at the park with us this day, and they were going to ride it together, even though she gets motion sick. Nathan and I thought, if she can do it, so can we. So we did. I was so scared waiting in the line and walking into the elevator where the ride actually happens. But it wasn't too bad at all. The ride shoots you up real high in the elevator and drops you, up, down, up, down, in various stages and heights. BUT, you're inside a building and can't really tell how high you are. The scariest part for me actually was when you get to the very top, there's no wall between you and the outside and you can see just how high above the park you are. THAT was the scariest.

Every time Nathan and I go to Disneyland, we each buy one pin for our lanyards to mark the occasion. This was our 5th trip. I first took him to Disneyland to celebrate his graduating from ASU. He hadn't been since he was a little kid, and was very excited. Needless to say, he loved it! So, when we moved to Berkeley and he started working at a coffee shop, I started saving all of his tip money to fund two year-long passes for us. He made pretty good tips, we bought the passes, and we've been 4 more times. We'll probably only make it back one more time before they expire on June 4th, boo. Anyway, the point in my telling this story is that Nathan's pin for this trip was sorcerer Mickey and we found this statue in CA Adventure of sorcerer Mickey. Picture needed. Picture taken.

If Nathan were here right now (and not on his way to his first day at a new job, to be described at another time), he would say that this is an epic blog post. Yes.

The end.