the coolest thing i saw on my way to savannah for my sister's wedding

Lightning. Now I grew up in Tampa, FL which calls itself the lightning capital. I don’t know but since living there I can sleep through any storm no matter how awful/loud, etc. anyway, I’m currently flying to savannah for my sister’s wedding and as I look out the window I see a fantastic electrical storm. It is truly amazing. I can see the stars above and the storm is about … oh I don’t know… a few miles away. You can see the very details of the clouds and depth and beauty of it all. Mother nature at her best. I made a comment to the flight attendant as he came by with the drinks and he said, have you ever been in the plane when it’s been struck by lightning. I said ‘no’ and would like to keep it that way. Ack. Scaring the customers.
but for as much as i don't want to be in a plane when it is struck by lightning - and if it is keep that info to yourself- i do have to offer appreciation to mother nature for a fantastic light show!

BRAVA!

Things I learned about myself while traveling to Savannah for my sister’s wedding

1. I don’t want to be in a plane when it is struck by lightning.
2. I have real problems/issues, etc when people are essentially standing on top of me in line. And this is true of any line ( I will continue rant about places where you are morally obligated to be at least 6 steps away from me)! I do not need to move 3 feet forward to close the gap between me and person in front of me. There are about 20 people behind us who are scheduled to get on this plane too. The pilot will not (well, he shouldn’t any way) take off if we’re standing on the jet way! Chill out!! You will get on the plane. I promise. But if you continue to stand on top of me, I’m just going to continue to swing my bag innocently at your shins. As I said previously, I really don’t like people.
3. I like having a window or an aisle seat when traveling on the plane (but this I knew previously). But I don’t want to have a seat that is BOTH! I am in a flying sardine can. Everybody remain calm.
4. That I have high traveling standards. I had a nice 2 plus hour layover in Houston, TX and my top priority was to find a spa or nail salon. I’ve been to 3 salons in airports, and I now assume that every major airport has a salon. (Have I become high maintenance?) The reason I was looking is that I didn’t get my nails done before I left SF and I want to get them done for my sister’s wedding and thought I’d kill 2 birds while waiting for my flight. Instead I watched a couple of episodes of recorded TV on DVD.
5. People’s personal habits truly disgust me. People seem to be confusing the terminal for their living room. I don’t mean the people sprawled out along the walls re-powering their electrical devices. I mean, what people wear in the airport these days. People are wearing things I couldn’t be caught sleeping in. Heck, I watched one guy scratch himself under his shirt letting his belly just hang out for all of us to see! Dear God man, cover up and scratch yourself through your shirt – no need to show the furry belly!
6. I like free alcohol. Thank you flight attendant! You rock! ( I suspect this free alcohol comment surprises none of you)
7. I really want to write a book as it has to be cheaper than me buying one! I’ve always wanted to write a book. Well, almost always. There was about 2 year period post-dissertation where I didn’t want to read anything with big words or write anything that was more than writing in my diary or writing my rent check.
8. Also learned that for as much I want to write a book, I have no idea what in the world to write.
9. I want someone to hurry up and invent the tele-porter/transporter (and I don’t mean Jason Statham)! I hate FLYING!!! Hurry up and get here Star Trek (or Stargate SG1/Atlantis).
10. Fish Eye wines (on the plane) are pretty good. Please note learning #6.

who would play you in the movie of your life

ok - i don't know that the movie of my life would be terribly interesting - but i'd like to think that if there were one "based on actual events" Drew Barrymore would play me.
Now i wrote that line quite some time ago and i've decided to add Cate Blanchett to the list of people i'd like to play me in the movie about my life. As I said, though, my life hasn't been terribly interesting.
No car chases, but 1 car crash.
No intense drama unless you count ... uh, ok, so no intense drama. steamy love scenes - well that just isn't any of your business!!
Definitely no gun fights or any physical fighting at all.
See, very dull film, well at least not something that i'd go to theatre and pay $10 to see. Perhaps part of a double feature (buy 1, stay for the 2nd free).
Ok, so who would be in the 'supporting' friend cast???
Suggestions?
Thoughts?

Male friends...
Clive Owen, perhaps? Jason Statham? Simon Pegg? Darn it all I don't have that many (or any) British male friends... do they do good american accents?

Female friends...
Reese Witherspoon? Jeanne Garafalo (who could also play me though she's shorter)? Claire Danes?

pretty pathetic list. oh well. anyone? thoughts?

request and dedication

optimist girl is feeling fairly nostalgic this evening. could be bc she wokred until 930pm this evening and is a little around the bend. could be bc she's drinking V Sattui's Madera alone (can no one come and join me?)... or it could be bc she just loves the cheesiness of this song...

but tonight i'd like to make a request and dedication to my friends who live all over this country and around the world - i'm thinking about you! we really aren't that far apart! So tonight i'd like to request and dedicate the following song to you, 'somewhere out there' from the movie "American Tale"... i miss you! i can't wait until we get to hang out together soon.

Somewhere Out There

written by James Horner, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil

Somewhere out there beneath the pale moonlight
Someone's thinking of me and loving me tonight

Somewhere out there someone's saying a prayer
That we'll find one another in that big somewhere out there

And even though I know how very far apart we are
It helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star

And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby
It helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky

Somewhere out there if love can see us through
Then we'll be together somewhere out there
Out where dreams come true

And even though I know how very far apart we are
It helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star

And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby
It helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky

Somewhere out there if love can see us through
Then we'll be together somewhere out there
Out where dreams come true

day drinking anniversary

well... i have just returned from the 4th anniversary of day drinking a holy practice begun by a few of us who were unemployed and committed to hitting a few fav bars during the day - hence day drinking.
as i am a fan of socializing... i emailed a few friends - and day drinking we went. of course, as we're all employed... we really didn't start drinking until happy hour.
damn work.
well it was an interesting and random evening which is always fabulous!!

cheers to day drinking... and hopefully you can join us next time.

technologies i *heart*

technologies/innovations and other things that i love in my life (other than friends & family - who aren't things, but you know what i mean)
1. netflix- there are now 3 movies for me to watch this weekend - it just shows up in my mailbox!

2. my car - i do love my car, even though i'm trying to make strides to drive her a lot less (my feeble attempts at saving the environment)

3. hotel room service - i continue to revel in the glory of food just showing up (provided i order it) (yes, i just got back from a trip to LA)

4. email/internet/the whole web thing - i have no words to express the awesomeness of these things...

5. books. enough said.

6. i would say alarm clocks - but as it is 1115pm and my alarm will go off sooner rather than later... i say poo to alarm clocks

7. those little mandarine peelable oranges - yum! insta' Vitamin C

8. the ability to publish this now and write again later.

hazah!

reason #1 that i know i've been on the road too long...

i came home this evening after work and wanted to order room service.

I AM ROOM SERVICE!!!

damn.

perhaps tomorrow night...

Muni: The Experience

So as I've moved into SF I've instantly become environmentally aware and i'm taking public transit to and from work. joy. if you have never taken a muni bus to work it is, to say the least, an experience. I take 2 buses. The first one goes near downtown - the other - not so much. So below are optimist girls tips and learnings from taking Muni...
1. like life - it isn't about the destination, but the journey along the way

2. i am a complete eavesdropper but it isn't as much fun when no one on the bus is gossiping in english. and before you ask i know it is gossip bc it sounds the same in any language

3. there is no limit to the number of people who will try (and be successful) squeezing onto an already full bus

4. always use the backdoor to get on the bus - otherwise you just face a grumpy driver at the front

5... i'm still recovering from missing 3 buses as they were so full i couldn't get on...

i'm sure i'lll think of more things i've learned other than i still prefer it to driving in SF during rush-hour...

I feel so "city"

I am doing laundry at the laundry mat! SO CITY! Or rather - I'm so... living in an apt without a washer-drier in the unit. I am also SO spoiled. I've had in apt w/d since 2002. 5 years and I'm back at the laundry mat.

Not so bad.

Well, life in the big city continues to offer new and exciting adventures...

wooo... the laundry mat.