Your Mileage May Vary

There and Back Again

Background Noise: something random on tv
Last Visited: Home, London, and Home again
Random Thought: i need to find a copy of the Shadowlands script, and get everyone i know copies of Proust was a Neuroscientist
Mood: fighting exhaustion

Well, i'm back on the west coast and fighting like crazy to stay up until a moderately decent bedtime for this time zone; i'd love to make it to midnight and new year's but, um, well, at the moment i don't really think that will happen; good thing my new year's eve plans were cancelled.

So what does a girl with nothing much to do do to stay up? Upload an initial set of pictures from her travels, of course! And let me tell you, i have a lot of pictures.

We start with a set from Christmas; the tree at my parent's house, some of our fabulous ornaments and random decoration in the living room, pictures of pictures, my Grandma Swenson, the barn at the farm, and just to be obnoxious, a picture of my little brother he'll probably hate.

Then we move on to London! I still have way too many stories to tell, and honestly, i'm not really up for all of them tonight, but in a general order we have: arrival at the hotel, st. paul's, windsor, the opera house, dinner with Cathy and Al, the British Museum, and Greenwich.

There are many more pictures - more from my camera, Barb's camera, Cathy's camera, and Chris-Damian's-Aussie-best-friend's camera (lots of cameras). And stories - hopefully stories i won't forget to tell. The long and short of it, however? I had an excellent time. Spent a good deal of time in Church, as Al says.

I'm thrilled i went, i'm thrilled my Dad made me sleep close to 12 hours last night, and i'm thrilled i'll be sleeping in my own bed tonight. I can get up and stay up when i need to be up, but let's face it: i'm a girl who needs her sleep.

And now? Well my battery is getting low and Puff is annoyed i'm not lavishing him with attention, so, I'd like to wish you all a very happy, healthy, and productive new year - i honestly can't believe 2007 is already making way for 2008, but to quote Scarlett, i'll think about that tomorrow.

Expression:

From London, with Love

Background Noise: random tv here in the club room
Last Visited: Shadowland
Random Thought: oh right, typing on british keyboards is odd. i should really remember that.
Mood: technically, it's gins and tonic, not gin and tonics

Just a quick note while we're down here in the club room of the Club Quarter's St. Pauls aka "the place with the computers" to let you all know that a) i've made it to London safely b) i'm having an amazing (though exhaustive) time, and c) um,... i'm sure there's a c. Actually i'm sure there's a zz, but that's not entirely the point.

First, my hotel rocks. Not only because the front door is literally at the front door of St. Pauls, and not just because there is a starbucks, a pret, and a costa all within 50 feet, or even because the Blackfriar's link to Gatwick is half a block down the road. Perhaps it's the fact that my el-cheapo room is actually an apartment complete with kitchen, desk, pull out couch, bedroom, plenty of closet space, and (especially) an en-suite bath. Perhaps it's because buses that lead to the rest of the city all arrive (and drop off) within feet of the front door. Perhaps it's the free wireless network that's allowed my phone to keep me connected to the rest of the world... or perhaps it's because the hotel is already paid for; regardless, my hotel rocks.

Second - though, let's be honest, i've pretty much screwed any attempt at numbering - we've been rediculous productive these last few days. I mean, honestly, the thing's we've done and seen! St. Paul's - including climbing all 437 stairs up... and 437 stairs down, Fiddler (Al! Damian! so proud, so wonderful), seeing Cathy, Windsor Castle, walking 'round, Westminster and choir practice, the Eye, the British Museum (adventures in setting off alarms and private tours!), exploring Mayfair, the Wellington Museum, the National Gallery, coffee with Al and Damian, Shadowlands... and i know i'm forgetting stuff in my quick list. And please believe that i have entertaining stories that i hope i won't forget to write down later.

Tomorrow we're off to Greenwich (I hear they keep a mean time there) for the boat ride, the clocks, and the fairs, back for more exploring and quick coffee with the stars, then something theatrical and uplifting - who knows, maybe i'll finally see Spamalot on stage.

Regardless, i'm so amazingly glad i'm here. I love London - it's worth every mixed up jet lagged moment, and especially those brilliant hours when my body actually believe's it's awake.

k, there's a G&T waiting back up in my room for me to finish, and, well, though i get to sleep in a *tiny* bit tomorrow before traveling down the themes, i really do kindof need a nap. G'night!

Expression:

A Delicious Torment

Background Noise: what a girl wants
Last Visited: stuff I can get to on my phone
Random Thought: the leftovers were amazing, but I'm so freaking stuffed
Mood: mellow

Complete the phrase: Anne...

... reads "Proust was a Neuroscientist" while listening to "Legally Blonde the Musical."
... always seems to trip running up her parents' stairs.
... loves sitting and watching the lit Christmas tree when it's dark.
... is finally figuring out she's going to be in London soon.
... doesn't quite understand she's home.
... can't believe how few places in Michigan stock Hanger One.
... would vote for Tom Brady.
... is fully planning on eating at the max and ermas in metro airport.
... loves her orange sweater.
... finally got her snow.

Expression:

I'll be home for Christmas

Background Noise: We need a little Christmas
Last Visited: the company store
Random Thought: i can't wait for snow
Mood: tired, but the end is in sight

To err is... inevitable When faced with a problem, I... try to solve it Quick! Write a two line poem: the flannel is adorable, warm, and cozy; but my toes are still chilly What's your favorite pizza topping? mozzarella with basil and a light tomato sauce, seasoned well; keep it simple

Pop Culture is... popular God is... also popular What's your magic word? "please"; also "thank you" I'd never leave the house without my... iphone, keys, or wallet What's the latest gadget you've bought? Canon Digital Rebel XTi 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens My comfort food is... bread and cheese, any variant The 80's were a decade of... greed, stimulants, and strawberry shortcake I like to put ketchup on... pasta with parmesan Why are there so many zombies on Facebook? the end is obviously near When I'm bored, I... answer random interview questions What did you have for lunch yesterday? champagne, butternut squash soup with white truffle oil, baked brie with cranberries, walnuts, and crackers. lunch rocked. What would you name your pet monkey? Jack

Expression:

is a big enough girl to go for coffee on her own without an escort

Background Noise: The Promise, New Found Glory
Last Visited: various meeting rooms
Random Thought: i swear, though i appreciate and adore company, i can drive myself to 'bucks for a cup before my next meeting; really; i've been getting stuff for myself for quite a while now.
Mood: ... based on that "thought" i'm guessing i'm tired and cranky with a bit of smily thrown in for good measure

I need to remember to find a non-sucky way to use my phone while in London. The current options i heard about from AT&T don't fill me with too much confidence. Just a note to me. I also need to remember to exchange money, and do laundry, and find which bag i'm packing in, and buy a new pair of pants, and finish up my christmas shopping, and....

Oh. apparently i don't have to wait for company to head out for coffee. So i'm going to wrap this post up now... because i need a break before my next meeting. Seriously.

Expression:

Just an excuse for a dream sequence

Background Noise: FoodTV
Last Visited: mars
Random Thought: have yourself a merry little christmas...
Mood: ready for sleep

I have a wonderful new camera! A Canon XTI which took a little longer to get here than i would have liked (grumble, grumble, ups, grumble), but that doesn't matter because it's here! And since i wanted to play with my new toy, i needed some victims. So to Dave, JR, Olivier, Puff, and, well, i suppose myself, thanks for stepping in front of my new glass. And i'm sorry.

Though i have to say, i'm really pleased with the results so far:

Ok, i really actually need to sleep as tomorrow is an early meeting day... but i had to share. Oh, and, I actually think the pictures of me look better full size. Though i suppose i could have made sure they looked better by actually wearing something besides my pjs when i sat in front of my mirror. Oh well, hindsight and all that... sweet dreams!

Oh, and if you have a suggestion for Puff's LOLCat, let me know! Ok, really good night now.

Expression:

Uni... ew.

Background Noise: BNL
Last Visited: monday morning rounds
Random Thought: i like this coat so much better at $40 than i did at $128
Mood: trying to ignore the headache

Our story begins midstream; I'm sitting at a Japanese restaurant with Nicolai and Zach after seeing the engrossing No Country For Old Men. We have ordered a random assortment of sushi for the table; when it is delivered, there is the standard assortment of raw fish perched atop rice, a mini roll, then the not so standard raw quail egg, roe roll, and... a sea urchin roll.

From the moment the plate was placed on our table i was distressingly drawn to the sea urchin; mainly because i honestly couldn't tell you what it was when it arrived. It looked, well, it looked like a piece of tongue that had sat in formaldehyde too long, to be honest; it was brown, it looked smushy, and well, pretty darn gross. Even as I ate around this... pile of brown goo atop rice surrounded by seaweed... i couldn't help but look at it; stare, really. I thought of many things that it looked like; tongue, brains, cat vomit, mushy worms... nothing really appetizing. I tried to convince myself it looked like plum pudding without the raisins, but that didn't work so well.

I settled with convincing myself that I wouldn't actually be the one who had to eat it - certainly Nicolai or Zach, they who eat sushi all the time, who speak a little Japanese, who are going to Japan in a few months, certainly one of them would find that piece of urchin delectable. Or something. Certainly at the very least it wouldn't be going in my mouth. Never. No way. Leave it on the plate worse case.

... yeah....

So, i must pay Nicolai back for making me laugh while the urchin was in my mouth thus preventing me from swallowing it quickly and forcing me not only to taste it but to become quite quite aware of it's "interesting" texture. I'm open to suggestions.

Expression:

You get all that just looking at a monkey?

Background Noise: Angels or Devils
Last Visited: extended whale watching pictures - thanks, Dave!
Random Thought: the power of music should never be underestimated
Mood: lead me to your door

So i've been talking about Absinthe for a while; certainly since Moulin Rouge reminded us all of the Green Fairy, but absolutely since that article in Wired talking about the major detective work underway to recreate "real" Absinthe (as opposed to the green tinted barely legal crap floating around at the time). There was that place in New York that was selling it... but i suppose it wasn't quite interested enough because i never ordered any.

But never fear! Our friends at St. George's Distillery (they of the amazing vodka over in Alameda) are riding to the rescue with what looks like some majorly high quality Absinthe - and guess what? It's legal! Bonus!

Also, apparently (and i really shouldn't be surprised about this), Lance Winters is one funny man - note the interchange while discussing the pain of getting the bottling (the bottle! not the alcohol, but the bottle) approved for sale:

The division of the Treasury Department that approves alcohol packaging sent back his label seven times, he said. They thought it looked too much like the British pound note. They wondered why it was called Absinthe Verte when their lab analysis said the liquid inside was amber. Mostly, it seemed to him, they didn’t like the monkey.

“I had the image of a spider monkey beating on a skull with femur bones,” Mr. Winters said. But he said that the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau thought the label “implied that there are hallucinogenic, mind-altering or psychotropic qualities” to the product.

“I said, ‘You get all that just from looking at a monkey?’”

Awesome.

In other randomness, i think i've settled on the above look for my iPhoto Christmas cards this year. Lord knows by the time i actually get these ordered i'll probably have to hand deliver them, but that's not really the point. Really. It's the thought or something or other that counts. I'm fairly positive. I could be wrong. Maybe i'll look it up.

Expression:

Something Not Bacon Based

Background Noise: Opaline
Last Visited: quiznos
Random Thought: is there a scaling function for the proper payoff amount of cookies to get out of a meeting? I just "paid" 2 batches of cookies to get out of a 3 hour long slugfest... does that scale? Because if it does, i'm willing to become a semi-professional baker to negate some of my meeting schedule.
Mood: headache approaching

We're going to Tahoe! Yeay! A smattering of us will be piling into various cars in early February and hanging out in the very adorable house in the pictures above. Apple Tahoe will be established for 2 or 3 days as several of us work from our laptops lounging in front of the fire. Then there will be skiing. And snowboarding. And time in the hot tub. And napping. Oh, and a good amount of food and alcohol.

... I cannot even begin to describe how much i'm looking forward to this; i can feel the relaxing side effects here from two months away - brilliant.

I just had to share; ok, back to work i go.

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