Stupid Smoke Detector

Woke me up this morning at an ungodly hour, 6 a.m. Ungodly for my day off anyway, and considering I couldn't sleep well last night it proved especially lousy. And since the battery's low on the damn thing, it beeps every 20-40 seconds. So this morning, my adorably hubby took the smoke detector off and disconnected it. Still beeping. I told him to take it with him to work. Then he takes it and stuffs it in the back of the guest room closet. Genius. Glad I thought of it.

I'm not so happy when it rains...

It's been rainy and ugly lately. And my poor arthritic knee has been bearing the brunt of it. Today was so bad I could barely get out of bed. I took Aleve, used the Zeel ointment DH's grandma swears by and hoped it would get better. And it's a little bit less painful but still annoying. This always happens when it's rainy out or when it's super cold. I have this lovely ability to predict inclement weather.

25 Random Things About Me

1. I absolutely, positively hate odd numbers.

2. I have a nagging suspicion that my mailman withholds mail from me. I feel that I am entitled to much more mail than I'm currently getting. I think people don't snail mail enough anymore, which is quite sad. I love to send Thank You cards.

3. I'm terribly self-conscious. I often feel inadequate and wish that I had better social graces. I am an outgoing beast with the people closest to me, and live to make people laugh, yet with acquaintances I'm as shy and awkward as can be, which has led to many regrets.

4. I was born in Bucharest, Romania and came to America when I was 2 and a half. This was during a strict communist regime, where it was very difficult to leave the country. My dad was a top sports journalist and came to L.A. to cover the 1984 olympics and decided to defect and stay here. It took my mom and I two years to come, and during that time our phones were tapped and my father was deemed a traitor to his country. The government burned my birth certificate.

5. I have a paralyzing fear of birds. Paralyzing.

6. I can't drink coffee. It's for grownups only.

7. I hate slapstick comedy. It's such a cheap laugh. It's not funny! YOU punch yourself in the groin.

8. I consider myself much, much smarter than the average person. And definitely way smarter than you. Because you probably spell definitely definately. That's why. God I'm obnoxious.

9. Another one of my huge fears is that I will get killed by a serial killer. Sometimes, late at night I can't sleep because I think someone's going to come and get me. That's why Adam sleeps on the side of the bed that's closer to the door. So they get him first.

10. I love to travel. Or rather, the idea of traveling. But I get awfully homesick and hate packing. And I used to love to fly, but my husband's phobia of it has officially freaked me out as well. I would love to go to Greece and Italy, ideally soon.

11. I love babies but have a great fear that mine will be funny looking.

12. I often feel that I have clairvoyant abilities. I predicted the coin toss at the Super Bowl. I did also have a 50/50 chance of getting it right.

13. I used to be attached to my cell phone and I recently went about 6 months with it off completely. It was so liberating, yet I am really glad to have finally charged it and be texting again.

14. I love to read and can do so terribly quickly. I can read a book a day, which has become an expensive habit to keep up. Amazon.com loves me.

15. I had Hodgkins Lymphoma last year, which is cancer of the lymph nodes. I went into remission a few months after I started treatment and I never want to look back. I miss my long hair tremendously, yet I got by the treatment itself with laughter and love. It was fun freaking people out by taking off my wig. Now my hair is about 3 1/2 inches long and still curly so I have a mini afro. :-)

16. When I was in Junior High I took my horoscope in Teen magazine so seriously that I avoided going to school on the 3 "bad" days it gave me for the month.

17. I can barely swim. I mean, if you pushed me into the deep end, I wouldn't die or anything, but it wouldn't be pretty.

18. I am a sucker for high heels and shoes in general, yet they really really hurt my feet so I usually end up in my Tory Burch flats or flip flops.

19. My favorite pizza toppings are ham and mushroom, which nobody else likes, ever. I'm so pleased I was an only child and my parents let me have anything I wanted. Although it was lonely at times.

20. I am addicted to cosmetics from Sephora. I am a sucker and a half for cute packaging.

21. Growing up I watched I Love Lucy all the time and still consider it my all-time favorite show. And I think I've turned out a lot like her. I always get myself into household predicaments. I've also read many books about her and know everything there is to know.

22. When it comes to food I can eat the same thing over and over for days on end until I get sick of it. Then I never want it again.

23. I wish I could buy everything from Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma and Crate and Barrel. I love making registries, which I found to be one of the highlights of being engaged. Besides marrying the love of my life, of course. We got married on our 3 year anniversary in an intimate ceremony at the Wynn. I had thought I wanted a huge wedding with all the hoopla but in the end I am so much happier that we just had the nearest and dearest people to us there. I was not stressed and totally blissful. And I still maintain what's left on my registries in the hopes that some random strange benefactor buys me stuff
one day.

24. I lied about my weight on my driver's license when I got it at 16 (up) and when I just renewed it (down).

25. I am so good at Mario Kart (SNES, N64, Wii). I will beat anyone who dare challenge me. Even boys!

Here's a bonus:
26. Nobody tagged me to do this, I did it all on my own after reading other peoples'. That's SO sad.

I have a bona fide shopping problem. An addiction. I need things. All the time. And I have to find a way to get them. And since I have sooo much damn credit, there's always a way.

Then I get depressed that I bought things I cannot afford. And the only thing that makes me feel better when I am depressed is more stuff!

It's quite terrible. I love even little "prizes" like nail polish or a lip gloss. I spent $130 at Sephora.com last week and decided to keep it a secret. But I felt so guilty I immediately told hubby (plus I wanted to show him my loot). It all started as a little something to "pick me up" and ended up with quite a few items, including the below mentioned smurf palette and Dior shadows and Nars lip crayon and Lancome eyeliner and...

And now I want a new lip polish. $130 and I still need another lip polish?! What's wrong with me? I never seem to have enough clothes, enough shoes, enough underwear... enough! I'm insatiable. There's something bizarre about the way shopping can be cathartic for so many women. I justified it by thinking that I now have a paycheck coming in, yet I've probably spent enough for my next few paychecks... and I was supposed to be helping contribute to the household. I guess a happy wife is key to a happy home?

I'm up early because I'm going to WORK!

:-)

Just thought I'd share.

How adorable is this new highlighting powder by Too Faced? I love the Smurfs.

When I was a young girl, I thought that when people died in movies, they actually died. Like they got suicidal volunteers for actors and I suppose it was just done in the one take, and that's that, they were dead.

I was a strange little girl.

I haven't really said a word to you all in ages. Ages! I've been busy. I got myself a job :-)
And in a field that I really really wanted to be in. Radio. Tis all I'll say.

We went to palm springs this past weekend so I could finally meet some of my new in-laws. The weather out there was great, I love it when it's unseasonably warm in the wintertime. We stayed at this place that felt like it was straight out of the Jetsons. 50s modern. I'll post pics soon.

I've been reading the Shopaholic books, since I figured I'd want to see the movie and I just can't help but read the book first. The main character is eerily similar to me. I think I may have a shopping addiction. It makes me feel better. And then worse. And when I feel worse, I shop. And then I feel better. And then...

I have to go. The phone's ringing.

Oh! It's so very cold. And wintery. I wish I had a blanket made of fur. Humane fur. Grown by poor animals in India who shave it off for spare change.

I want extensions. The kind grown by poor women in India for spare change. Except that in this country it costs upward of $1000 to get one's hands on these locks. Who is the middle man here?

Happy 2009!

The new year is upon us! New New New...

I resolve to be more resolute this year.

I want to read more, as reading really serves to improve so much. It makes us well informed, broadens our vocabulary, enriches our minds, yada yada.

I want to be closer to loved ones and make more time for friends and my dog.

I want to play tennis more. Maybe take up a hobby. Or spend more time doing current hobbies like writing and taking pictures and doing crosswords. Lazy Sunday things.

But I don't want to be so lazy. I'm getting a fabulous job this year, end of story.

I will clean more. Or be less messy.

I will adopt a healthier lifestyle. No more chips and cookies (or not so many).

I'm just so happy to have a fresh beginning. Yahoo!