Various And Sundry

12/31/2004

Today is New Year's Eve and my brother's 36th birthday. So Happy Birthday, XXXX (name withheld for security reasons). Since my last day at work was last Wednesday and The knitting store is closed all this week for X-mas and New Years, I have been a bum for the past week and lovin' it! But one bad thing happened. The fmaily truckster (my volvo)'s speedometer died and we had to take it to the shop. $1000 later, all is well and aparently I can keep my car for another 200,000 miles. It has 107,000 and the mechanic who is a Volvo afficianado and comes highly recommended if you live in the Nashville area and have a Volvo, said that if properly maintained that my car could last to at least 300,000 miles. Can you imagine. WOW! I love my car, but wow. So we'll see.

I have for the past few months been addicted to the Food Network, specifically Good Eats. I love to cook although I don't that much anymore thanks to having a vegetarian, almost vegan husband, but I can vicariously live through FN. Anyway, I love the show Good Eats because it's so much more than a cooking show. You learn a lot too, which is great. Also, I've decided that the host, Alton Brown has officially become my future second husband.

Posted by AnnieHall at 1:20 PM

12/29/2004

I had a good Christmakah. This was our first road trip with animals in the husb's new Honda Element. We drove to New Orleans on our honeymoon, but it didn't count because we were animal-free. But ew, with three dogs in tow, made it very well. We got about an inch of snow and ice on Thursday and it's a good thing it has 4 wheel drive because it was uyber slippery. As much as I love the Volvo family truckster, on ice, it's not so great. How the hell the Swedes drive this thing in snow I'll never understand. Although maybe they get more snow than ice. It is front wheel drive and heavy, maybe that does something. Who knows. Anyway, we left home at 9 am on Friday (X-mas Eve) and decided, because I-40 has ice around Knoxville and only one lane open around Asheville because of a rock slide, to go the "alternate route" which is the "V" going from Nashville through Atlanta then back up to Fayetteville. This way was oddly faster going through 4 states (TN, GA, SC, NC), 4 highways (I-24, I-75, I-20, I-95) and two time zones, it was faster. I-40 sucks and I will never take it again. There was no curvy, scary mountains to drive through, no freaky tunnels. through mountains as on I-40. It is a family thing that we go to a movie on X-mas Day and we saw "Meet the Fockers" and it was really funny. Then it snowed at Mom's house on X-mas day. It seemed the snow and ice followed us! But all in all, it was a good trip and X-mas, although I'm Jewish and am not officially allowed to celebrate it anymore...

Posted by AnnieHall at 1:10 PM

12/21/2004

So, life changing event taking place. I have put in my two weeks notice at work and as of tomorrow am officially one less rat in the corporate rat race. I have decided to make a career move to something that I really enjoy doing, knitting. I will be working at my local knitting store Angel Hair Yarn Co. officially starting 1/3/05 and lovin' it. Granted the pay isn't as good as the evil corporate job, but it'll be a lot more fun, jeans everyday, two minutes from home and a big ol' fat employee discount. I will also try two side projects of selling my knitting. Everyone I know who knits sells their stuff, so I figured I'd try my hand at it too. I wore my poncho I knit at Starbucks and some girl offered to buy it and stupid me said that it wasn't for sale, well after I kicked myself the next day after talking to people about it, I decided that I give enough knitting away as gifts, I need to start selling, especially since people will pay a lot for hand knit stuff. My other side project is freelancing: editing, writing, internet research, etc. So with all of that stuff, I'll be nice and busy but busy doing things I like to do, so I am happy as a clam. Since I've started saying that the husband insists that there is no proof that clams are actually happy, but the saying exists for some reason. I will let everyone know my knitting website when I get it. So Happy Christmakuh to all and to a good night!

Posted by AnnieHall at 9:19 AM

11/03/2004

The Various and Sundry blogstress extraordinaire wept. I am livid. Kerry should not have conceded. He is coarsely, but truthfully put, a pussy. I don't care what pundits and advisors say. I think with it having been somewhat close, it should've been contested. Because I smell something very fishy and do not trust Republicans for shit. I know how desperate Bush was and I don't put anything past him. Now we have John Edwards and Tom Daschle outof jobs but worse yet, we have to deal with the biggest dumb ass ever for another 4 years. People will see how unbelievably screwed we are when, picture it: there's a draft with many more killed for a war that was initiated on a lie, the education and the economy ($2.50 gas prices average) tanks (yes, pun intended) more because so much money is needed for the war that those things fall by the wayside, Bin Laden will be hurling terrorist attacks at us right and left, abortions (even in cases of incest and rape) will be outlawed, cops will be brekaing into our homes in the middle of the night and innocent Arab Americans will be rounded up and "sent away" because, they legally can, thanks to the Draconian Patriot Act, stem-cell research is unable to cure to many diseases that could easily have be cured; Gays' rights are totally taken away and the entire world will hate us and totally turn their back on us more than they already have. And what will your moral values do for you then when you’re out of a job, your son or daughter has been killed in Iraq and your can't even afford to fill up your gas tank...And do you know what I will say amidst all of the chaos. I told you so...
On a lighter note, I's married now! But more about that when I'm in a better mood, which could be 4 years from now...

Posted by AnnieHall at 7:29 PM

9/22/2004

Yikes. It's been a while, huh. Sorry, busy with wedding crap. Take it from me, ELOPE! Well, nothing too excited has happened, just boring wedding stuff. I did get a tattoo on Saturday. It's actually a cover up for another one that sucked. It's a pomegranate. I think I mentioned it a while back. It's looks awesome. In the super peely stage now and oddly enogh I've had 4 people slap or pat me on the back in the past 3 days. What are the odds. Anyway, as soon as I can get my computer working, I will post a pic.

Posted by AnnieHall at 3:06 PM

8/24/2004

ANNOUNCEMENT: It's my birthday. Wooo hooo! Feel free to send presents. Email me and I will provide a mailing address. It's been a very nice day.There are so many birthdays today (Marlee Matlin, Steve Guttenburg and Barrett Oliver-who is also a twin, but not as famous as Dave and I got tired of explaining to people who the hell he was… and Cal Ripken, who is such a cutie!) but the most important after mine is Dave Chapelle's. He and I are "twins" since we were both born in 1973. Cool huh? I'm one of those obnoxious birthday people. But hey, it comes once a year, so you've gotta milk it! I've gotten good presents. A Vera Bradley purse and diamond earrings from my mom and a tattoo from the man-boy and CDs and gift certificate from other friends and relatives. Another tattoo, you ask, no, not really. To all of those who were familiar with Ireland, aka, the parrot or the "green blob", it will be no longer. I am having it covered up with some kind of pomegranate design. Why a pomegranate you ask, well I thought it was a good representation of Judaism (although tattoos are forbidden or at least, frowned upon, but I already have them, so what the hell) and feminism/ chicks and no, I am not some womyn loving type, but I do have chick pride and thirdly because I really like the way it looks. It'll be a custom design, so I'm really excited to see what it will look like. I have an appt with a really amazing tattoo artist on Saturday. I will get it before the wedding or after because, it is recommended that you have one month to let it completely heal and look its best.
In case everyone's wondering, the wedding is exactly 2 months from today and I'm not remotely nervous and I refuse to be. The wedding will be fine, I am very much on schedule for having everything done and either way I'll still be married. I just want to do it already and have all of this over with, especially so my mom can stop making me feel guilty for going to a movie, hanging out and relaxing or knitting because I "should be doing wedding stuff" instead of goofing off. I have received many replies, but there are still replies I haven't received from people I especially want to hear from, so hint, hint, RSVP!!!!!

Posted by AnnieHall at 3:06 PM

8/16/2004

I am so psyched. The Olymics have started! The opening night was very cool. Kind of lame-ola performance-type art crap in the beginning, but it ended up being very good. And so many foreign hotties! Yum! And the games so far have been cool too. We've watched swimming, gymnastics, cycling (for the man-boy because I think it's boring as hell) and beach volleyball, which was just in the background as I was knitting, but ended up being kind of cool to watch. Those girls kick ass! My biggest complaint, so far, is that the swimmers are wearing these either full body suits or something that looks like bier shorts. Either way, uh, hello, swimmers have the best bodies ever and they're covering them up. Come on, that the best part of watching swimming are the beautiful bodies in those nice little speedos. Since they are the only people on the face of the earth who can actually pull of wearing them. But hands down the best sport is synchronized swimming. Don't laugh, it is actually a very difficult sport, not only do you have to be an impeccable swimmer, but you also have to hold your breath for like minutes at a time.

Posted by AnnieHall at 8:38 AM

8/09/2004

Well, so much has happened since I last wrote. I have come to the decision that Republicans really suck. And I know, for a fact, that some of my readers in fact do support these people and oh well. I will never understand how any non-WASP male can support them. The majority of Republicans do not think too kindly towards anyone who is not a white male. Yes, they may love women, especially their mothers, wives, sisters and daughters but do they think they are equal to a man. Often not. And let's not even get into how they truly and when I say truly I mean deep down feel about minorities: blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Jews, gays, etc. I have never understood especially black, gay or Jewish republicans. I know, that if given the chance, many republicans would send us back from whence we have come. Come on. Ok I do understand that maybe to some, Democrats can be a bit liberal, especially if you are pro-life (for what reason I don't know!) and religious. And even uber-freaky me, can be somewhat conserative when it come some some issues (yes believe it, I am sometimes a lot more conserative on some issues than I look), I know that at the end of the day a Democrat would do more for me and my gender, race and religion than a republican would anyday. This Alan Keyes thing is just downright embarassing. Can we say, uber-token? I mean, come on! I come from an upper-middle, well educated family and often do not relate to the plight of inner-city blacks, but I still know that I will NOT support a Republican as the friends and neighbors in the lilly-white neighborhood and schools that I lived in and attended did/do. You've got to remember that when push comes to shove they will take care of their "own" first. I would love to talk to a black republican and just see what goes on in their head. And Jews, Orthodox or not, you know if there were to be another Hitler-type of situation again, god-forbid, the majority of Republicans would be cramming you guys into camps faster than you could rip the "W'04" stick off your car. And gay republicans. I don't know what the hell makes you think that a republican would ever let you marry your significant other or even establish laws to help you adopt kids easier, if you so choose to do so. Look at Cheney and his lesbian daughter. What a shame that's his flesh and blood! Blacks would be shipped off to Africa (or in ghettos), and Hispanics back to Mexico and PR. Until there is an open-minded but still somewhat conserative party for people like minorities, you need to remember when push comes to shove, what side your bread is buttered. Wake up, conservative yet still a minority-ified America!

Posted by AnnieHall at 10:17 PM

8/02/2004

So the invites are out. If you are one of the fortunate thousands invited to the wedding, you are very lucky! Anyway, so all of that is done. Just in case you're keeping count, there are 83 days until the big day. Eeek!But enough of that wedding stuff.
The AH bought a Honda Element this weekend. And no, we did not plan to! I'd seen those side-by-side milkshake ads on TV from Steak and Shake and I thought maybe I'd try it. Also, I'd never been to one and I'd heard their hamburgers are good. The closest one in in a "suburb" of Nashville, called Franklin which is about 20 minutes away, while we were there, we saw there was a Honda dealership across the street and we'd always talked abot test driving an Element because they look so funky and neat so we did and they were having such awesome deals that we couldn't give it up. They are also very safe and as a Honda, good and reliable. So we went back the next day, uber-bargained, (we ARE Jewish you know, it's like breathing!) and got the price down even lower, made a deal and drove off about an hour later. It is the funkiest car. It had doors that open like French doors on both sides. I know there's a more automotive name for it, but I can't think of it. And the floor of the car is this weird poly rubber stuff and the seats are waterproof, so to clean the inside of your car, you could just hose it down. But it's pretty comfy and a lot larger in the inside than it looks and it has 4WD so that'll come in handy in the harsh Nashville winters :) It handles well and is an all around cool car. We went to Daryl Waltrip Honda Volvo and they were super nice and not pushy at all, so if you're in the area and are looking for a Honda or Volvo, definitely go there.

Posted by AnnieHall at 2:32 PM

7/30/2004

Sorry for being absent, I've been working on wedding invites. Those of you readers who have the honor of having been invited will get theirs shortly. I'm finishing up tonight and mailing tomorrow. Whew. I have cut, folded, glued, braded and writen myself into the Carpal tunnel zone!
Very interesting Demo Convention. We'd been watching back and forth. I think the almost-husband wants to marry that Obama guy. I swear if he said that he loved that guy one more time. Theresa HK, boring… I missed John Edwards thanks to a 3 hour tour at the self-serve Kinko's. But I did see Kerry and it was very good. Thank god someone slipped that man some meth. Boy did he need a perk-up. But the highlight of the convention was at the end. We watched it on CNN and we were watching the balloons starting to fall then all of a sudden we heard this voice over of a director kind of person complaining that the balloons weren't falling quickly enough and he was becoming pretty upset. Keep in mind that there was some kind of sound/mic screw-up because the viewers were not supposed to hear this, but he complained about the balloons not coming down and AH and I joked that wouldn't it be funny if he said the fuckling balloons were falling, and then not 20 seconds later, he said "where the fuck are the balloons!" And we were dying laughing. I haven't laughed so hard in weeks. We were both crying. He had no idea he was on national TV but more importantly that he'd just said "fuck." After the convention, during the commentary/wrap-up, Wolf Blitzer apologized to any viewers that heard this. Blah blah blah. Now that's what I call a good end to a convention!

Posted by AnnieHall at 1:45 PM

7/17/2004

Long live Martha! So the domestic diva, the media mogul(ette) is going to the big house. Well, I still kind of think that she got a bit of a raw deal. Yes, she's a bitch and has treated most people like poo, but you have to admit, she's got great ideas and uber creativity and no one can take that away from her. I'd love to see her cell. Word on the street is that she'll serve like 2 months and she'll be out. I think I'm going to buy a Save Martha t-shirt and buy another subscription to MS Living.
 
Has anyone else loved the "I Love the 90s" on VH1? When I first heard they were doing one, I was thinking it's too soon, but oddly, it feels like such a long time ago. Grunge, Lollapalooza, heroin chic...I mean, geez, I was in college then a naive girl in NYC. My how things have changed. That is a fun series. I watched the last one last night, 1999. Remember all of that Y2K crap? Funny. I remember that I was in a bar, Niagara(?), in the East Village with my roommate who had the flu but insisted on drinking anyway and I met this really cute boy from Switzerland and kissed him as 2000 rolled around. The .com boom, all of those decadent parties were everyone had money to burn. Hmmm.Those were the days
 

Posted by AnnieHall at 10:22 AM

7/06/2004

Yes, I am still alive, but just uber busy. I went on vacation last week and just got back yesterday. As you, I'm sure know, Fahrenheit 9/11 is doing very well and I'm glad because it was really good. Go see it!

I am very happy that Kerry chose John Edwards, in addition to the fact that he is seems really down to earth, he's from my homestate, he also went to Carolina for law school and he's just plain cute. I know that looks shouldn't come into play when it comes to politics, but let's face it, it does. But I am quite pleased. I like Kerry, but we know that he's an Easter Island statue come to life, kind of, and Edwards balances that nicely.

Posted by AnnieHall at 3:51 PM

6/25/2004

There is a Viagra Value Card where every 7th prescription is free. Is that some balls or what. Here elderly people are dying because they don't have enough money on their fixed incomes to get medication to survive and Pfizer comes up with a card to help men get it up? Most men on Viagra are not poor because it's is not a cheap pill. And poor people who are trying to get their next meal or pay their rent are not thinking about getting laid. So who are they helping? I know that some pharmaceuticals, like Glaxo have prescription cards for the elderly and I applaud them, but I spit on Pfizer. Ptoo!

I was watching CNN the other day and another medical thing I have an issue with is that Pat Summerall, who used to be some NFL announcer way back when received a liver transplant a few months ago and was interviewed for the first time since surgery. He's 73 and a recovering alcoholic. Of course, he received his liver before I'm sure a lot of other people who really needed it and deserved it way more. For one he's a recovering alkie, in my book if you've been addicted to any drug for years and your body develops a disease as a result, you don't deserve squat. Yeah, he's been sober for 12 years, but that doesn't really negate the fact that you ruined your body for over 30+ years. So say a child who was born with liver problems or someone who's been living a good healthy clean life who happened to've developed some kind of liver disease is put on the back burner for this guy. They claim there was an anonymous donor list via a computer, but I question it's impartiality. The computer yes, but the data entered or some other factor had to come into play. There is no way that a 73yo man would get a liver over someone younger. Someone pulled strings somewhere. I think there needs to be a rule for people awaiting a donor that if you smoked or drank or did something else that caused your condition, you are bumped to the bottom of the list. I don't care how long, you've been sober or whether or not you've been born again (as Summerall has) you made your bed and you have to lie in it. I smoked for 4 years and if I develop lung cancer, emphysema or any other lung disease I will face the music and not whine that life's not fair or some other crap people who've lived poorly love to bitch about it's their time to pay the piper. I quit about 4 years ago and live a very healthy life now, but I was dumb for 4 years and will possibly pay for it down the road and if that happens, I will take full responsibility of my actions.

On a lighter note, or maybe not, we've just bought tickets to see Fahrenheit 9/11and I'm so excited. It's supposed to be really good. I'll give my review tomorrow...

Posted by AnnieHall at 11:16 AM

6/22/2004

OK. I have a pet peeve (one of many). Why is it that men insist on wearing their cell phones on their belt loop? In addition to the tool belt/fanny back dork look, it's just retarded and why do only certain men do it? My AH doesn't and lots of other men don't. It seems to be the Dockers and short sleeved dress shirt or Hawaiian printed polo wearing middle-America types who seem to have this affliction. Hmmm...

I have a great tid bit for my fellow four eyes, I just got my glasses from a great store on eBay. I am so happy with them that I want to turn everyone on to them. I actually inherited a new pair. My AH bought a nice squarish pair not seeing the text in the description that said they were burgundy. And if you didn't know guys who wear burgundy frames don't exactly look too masculine, so guess who they look great on? You guessed it. So now I have three pairs, my vintage cat eyes, the cute dark brown cerebral ovals and now a cool dark burgundy square. I think I'm done now. Glasses for any mood and any outfit. Yay

Posted by AnnieHall at 3:58 PM

6/21/2004

I must admit that Six Feet Under has not started off with a bang. Either last week or last night. We'll be patient though and just because we love the show. It's weird not watching the Sopranos, but the good thing about it not being on for the summer and fall is the Six Feet Under comes on at 8:00 and that we get to watch Cold Case on CBS which is a really good show. Good news, I have two more bridesmaids, that puts me at 3 and half. How, I'm sure you're wondering about, does one have a half a bridesmaid? The explanation is an 11 year old junior bridesmaid. So now things are rolling again! Although I won't be surprised if I lose another due to pregnancy, religious differences, famine or flood. All I can do is laugh. I think on the website I'm going to start adding the pictures of the dearly departed with a big RIP. Just kidding. One of them and she knows who is she, I am very happy that she's having a baby and I feel that it way more important than being a bridesmaid and the other one, well, since this is a public forum, I'll keep it nice except to say that yes, we will enjoy our heathen "interfaith" wedding and religiously bastardized children :D

We're ordering the invites today. I would provide a link, but for you readers who are invited, I don’t want to ruin the surprise. So enough wedding stuff. Guess what I heard, and yes I know I'm a little late, but I know there's someone else out there who's had their head up their ass and hasn't been watching E! as much as they used to. There's going to be a sequel to Meet the Parents and I am psyched! The name is more than enough to see it, Meet the Fockers. How much do you love that! I can't wait until it comes out!!!!!!

Posted by AnnieHall at 2:24 PM

6/18/2004

Well, it's official, I am a JEW! OY! As of 4:45 CST yesterday, I got my official Jew membership card! The AH gave me a little Star of David to wear. Sniff. I must say that I feel the same, not any whinier, although I did find myself (as germophobic as I am) reaching down to pick up a penny from the sidewalk yesterday. Hmmmm. Just kidding… I'm like the dentist, Dr. Whatley, from Seinfeld who "converted for the jokes". Well, now I can tell Jewish, black and female jokes and no one can be offended. And I'm also oppressed times three. Of course, I've been telling off-color and offensive jokes forever, but now I can do it and no one can say anything. Pretty cool, huh? And I just had to give up Christmas, Easter and the Lord Jesus Christ as my savior. What a deal! But seriously, I am very happy to be officially Jewish although according to some, I'm not Jewish enough, but I am in my book, the AH and our rabbi's book and that's all that counts. And for the record, I didn't convert because I'm marrying a Jew. I've been in the process of converting for more than 2 years and it's for the matzah ball soup, latke and hot Jewish men.

Posted by AnnieHall at 3:58 PM

6/08/2004

Sex and the City is officially over, or is it? YES!!!! I shudder to think about this PG-13 version coming up on TBS. I mean, what the hell. The best thing about StC is the SEX. You take out the sex and sex talk and you've got nothing and that nothing's about 5 minutes. And don't even get me started about Samantha's character. She will have about a minute's worth of lines the whole show. Who the hell thought of this? Dumb idea. Leave well enough alone.

Posted by AnnieHall at 7:03 PM

6/07/2004

I will be the first to say we (the dearly betrothed and I) were very disappointed in the Sopranos ending last night. For a season finale I want a cliff hanger and certainly much much more violence. I think they should've ended it with Tony running from the Feds or even better when he looked over Johnny Sack's shoulder and saw the two black figures with guns. We watch the Sopranos for the violence and suspense. Although little Benny Fazio getting bludgeoned with a crowbar was quite bloody, it wasn't enough. Is it just be or with Benny do you only see little smart-ass Vinny from Doogie Howser, MD rather than some quasi-mobster flunkie all grown-up? Also, Steve Buscemi demise was quite graphic as well. Well done. Suspense and more whacking, please. I know that the HBO people are getting shit this morning for that uberly lame ending. Don't get me wrong, I still love the show and will be anxiously awaiting the new season, but tsk tsk tsk.

Posted by AnnieHall at 8:54 AM

6/01/2004

Well, everyone can officially wear white, linen, seersucker, etc! Whoo hooo. I wore my black linen dress today and was very happy. I treasure it because I can only wear it 3 mnonths a year. So I will save my saliva for and caddy, judgemental comments for 3 months. I just got my glasses in the mail from eBay. Don't laugh. I bought a $225 pair of Saki glasses with lenses for $80. Lenses alone usually cost about $140. Wow, I really am a Jew even if I haven't converted yet :)

Ok, everyone knows how much gas has skyrocketed, driving a Volvo wagon that requires at least mid-level gass, it usually takes about $34 to fill my tank, I am looking for anything to help save afew pennies. Damn Bush! But anyway you can use tis website to find the cheapest gas in your area just by putting in a zip code. It's gasbuddy.com.

Posted by AnnieHall at 7:12 PM

5/25/2004

WOW! Things are uber heating up on The Sopranos. I must say that were both suprised that Adrianna got whacked! I was wondering how she was going to be on The Sopranos and Joey, the Friends spinoff in the fall. Well, now I know how, she's not. Yikes!

Posted by AnnieHall at 6:39 AM