Relax your mind, lay back and groove with mine

The herb garden is really taking shape. Nicely. There's visible cilantro, and the fluffy little beginnings of sweet basil. I'm pretty certain it has much to do with the fact that Chief Rootsy (seen here hiding among the rosemary) is keeping vigilant watch for squirrels and chipmunks. I'm not one for going overboard with pinwheels and other garden chatch. A chunk of amethyst or rose quartz, maybe, but that stuff is more about communing with the earth than anything. Anyway, here's The Chief. I told him not to be smoking any "peace pipes" out there at night. I don't want anything springing up that I didn't plant with my own two hands. We have an unspoken agreement... he's there to keep the good garden vibes, and make sure nobody brings any stress out near the herbs. So far, so good, Rootsy. Way to keep the peace, my man.



* We've got MJ Blogger Challenge happening this week. Today is Rock with You, from the album Off the Wall.

Friday night, uncut.

Here's what's happening here tonight:

Frank and I are comparing Pandora stations. If you've never sat with anyone else and done this, try it. Tonight I learned that I am a minimalist. Doesn't sound that earth shattering, I know, but I told Frank to guess how many stations I had. He said between eight and twelve. I had six and the list is as follows:

Roy Orbison Radio
St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast
Dance 2night Radio
Reggae/Dancehall
Exotica/Lounge
Radiohead Radio
plus tonight's new additions...
Eurythmics Radio and Rock with You Radio

So now I have eight. I asked Frank why he said I'm a minimalist, and he rattled off a very sensible and convincing list of my idiosyncratic behaviors. Correct on all counts, I have to admit. So there, I learned something about me. I guessed that he has 40 Pandora stations, and he has 41. I guess I figure I don't need a bunch of stations because he's usually the one playing music, which is sexy and I really like it, so going five-to-seven steps beyond Radiohead is a big stretch for me since I'm pretty well set in with knowing what I like. Then he showed me that he has three and a half pages of iPhone apps, while I have a mere four apps that aren't part of the standard package. That's one full page, because I closed some of the more bullshitty standard apps. * Late note: Reading this again, I think I must have meant to say free apps at the end of that last sentence, not standard apps. *

So what am I doing right now? I'm singing along, serenading Frank (he loves it), to Orbi's "You Got It". I sing "anything you want, you got it" and he says, anything? and I sing "anything at all... baaaby" and he says how about anal? and then laughs and mimics my voice and says "no, not that" and I laugh and he mimics himself and says "hey wait you said anything" and then mimics me, saying "noooo, not anal!" and does the manly voice again and says "you told me anything -- lies!" and we're both laughing.

We're talking about how nice it is to be an artist, and how Joan Jett is really sexy, and I'm inventing a dancehall move that involves giving double middle fingers to nobody in particular.

Best song I've heard tonight? I Wanna be Your Lover, by Prince. Love that song. I am about 99% sure it was released in 1979, but I know I didn't hear it until I was working at The Body Shop in 1994. I think I prefer it when Prince goes straghtforward with the song writing. It's just so sexy. Or sexxxy, or however you think Prince would write it.

Namaste, people. Namaste.

Looks like I have a real inner peace happening. There are so many things that could, nay, should, be putting me in a shitty mood. But no. I feel so chill that I'm sending some of it out to all of you. So feel that, my dears. Feel that.

Don't worry, it's a bubble mower.

I've been sitting at the table in the living room almost the entire time I've been awake today. There was a brief stint of productivity around 9am, when I typed and sent an invoice and made two phone calls. After that, I started spacing out and have yet to regain control over the brain. It hasn't necessarily been a bad day. The kids have been good, and I did go over a few work-related details with mister. Housework here and there, flipping through photos, and not much of an appetite except for some coffee, fresh fruit, and a beer I've been nursing since 5:00. Please, now, take some enjoyment in these lovely pictures I found.

If this little boy knocks on your door and asks to mow your lawn, just tell him no, thanks, as he has very little regard for basic rules of safety.



And keep this little girl away from your plastic garden.



My new favorite iPhone app is CameraBag. On Saturday night, I took some phone pics of my duotone nail polish job while eating Penang satay tofu and watching an episode of the original Star Trek series. I was apping in an attempt to distract myself from thoughts that a young Leonard Nimoy could be deemed quite handsome. Not sure whether to call the results "a strikingly complimentary choice of color" or "just plain fabulous", so I'll let you decide for yourselves.



Finally, a rainbow. Running the full gamut of classiness, it's a Crate & Barrel rocks glass filled with Pabst Blue Ribbon. Because I'm too special to drink straight from aluminum.

10 years

I just finished up doing some paperwork I've been putting off for a couple of weeks. I feel so much better. It's just this one thing I was procrastinating on, looking at it just sitting there on the desk. Finally I took 30 minutes to complete it. *fshew*

It's been a weird day. I booked Frank a flight for a two week trip to Peru in July. He'll be gone for my birthday, which is fine since we are actually celebrating later in the month with tickets to a really good soccer match. This game is also an anniversary gift... tomorrow marks the 10 year anniversary of our first date. Philly Chinatown, Penang, table for two by the big windows in front.

We still go to Penang, only now the decor has been redone (still awesome) and the manager who always wore tropical shirts is gone. I'm comforted, however, by the outstanding Singapore rice noodles, the satay tofu, and the roti cani. They're still around, and still as good as our first date.

Well then just don't pick up, mmmkay?

Pet peeve situation:

Client, in typical fashion, emails designer asking designer to call client. Designer calls client. Client answers phone, mid-sentence, talking to someone else. Designer waits for client to finish talking to other person. Client says hello. Designer says hi, it's so-and-so. Silence, then client mumbling, then more silence. Designer, again, says hi, it's so-and-so, I got your email asking me to call you. Client says ok, hi, and I'm in the middle of a meeting, can I call you back in a few? Designer says sure, and hangs up.

Designer would very much appreciate the following:

Basic courtesy. Also, if you can't talk, then just don't pick up the phone. Finally, be an adult and just call me. No need to email me asking me to call, just so you can tell me you can't talk. Just make it easier and call when you are actually available. Thanks.