Better than the best day working

This past Thursday a few of us in the office, including my boss and his boss, played hooky and hit the slopes on Mt. Hood.  A touch of short-timer's disease - apparently a particularly vicious and contagious strain.  The day was forecast to be breezy, with potential snow showers in the mountains.  This could mean foggy, snowy conditions with wind slicing through any cracks in the snow gear armor; but you know what they say - a bad day on the mountain is still better than the best day in the office.  Since it was my first time back on the snowboard this season, I was a little apprehensive because I find decreased visibility hijacks my mojo and my runs all become a bit tentative.  However, against the predictions, it turned out to be marvelous day to be on the mountain.

The Origin of a Craving

Way back in November, I crossed the country to New Jersey to visit my dear friend R and her family - husband, six year old daughter, five year old son K and two terriers.  R is a great hostess and I love visiting her, because I'm immediately welcomed into the family and its just so darn comfortable to be a guest in her home.  R and her family are only temporarily located in New Jersey, having relocated from Dallas for a temporary work assignment.  Therefore, it was a great opportunity for the whole crew to do some touristy things.  One afternoon we ventured out to the Liberty Science Museum and Learning Center, which consisted of four floors of interactive exhibits for the children to explore.  Since we were enjoying the experience over the course of several hours, we inevitably succumbed to hunger pangs and stopped for lunch at the science center's cafe.  As might be expected, the food prices there were astronomical.  I stuck with a relatively reasonably priced kids meal consisting of a grilled cheese sandwich, apple and a juice box. 

Dear Pat Robertson: A letter from Satan

This letter, by Lily Coyle of Minneapolis, was printed in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune. Reprinted here because it is just. so. awesome.  (Thanks for the heads up, Amy.)

Dear Pat Robertson,

Helpless for Haiti; a Question of Faith

Each morning, I tune into one of the network morning shows to catch up on the news and chatter that the talking heads spill forth. I have it on in the background as I do my makeup. Ever since the news broke about the Haitian earthquake last week, I can’t make it through this routine without tears welling up. Makes it difficult to apply the mascara, you know?

Help, I've fallen and I can't get up, part deux

After nearly falling on my face in Target while purchasing the Wii fit game, I'm not even kidding when I tell you that THIS is the first comment the Wii gave me in the fitness assessment.  Damn. Apparently I'm hopeless.

Bring on the Depends: Help, I've fallen and I can't get up!

In my e-mail the day before my 30-[harump]th birthday, I spied the subject line on a message from my brokerage firm: "Older birthdays offer extra reasons to rejoice!"

Older birthday - are you kidding me?! I'm only in my mid 30s and there is NO NEED TO RUB IT IN! I calmed down a bit when I realized that message was general distribution of an article for the over-50 crowd, and nothing to do with my own birthday.  Okay, Mr. Broker-dude, I guess I won't trade YOU in for a younger model... YET.

Ready, steady, GO!

I got an Outlook invitation from the president of our company to a "special event" on Wednesday night.  Just an address and an instruction to wear closed-toe shoes.  All very cloak and dagger, so I was completely in the dark about what was going down, until I googled the address and saw it was the location for SyKart Racing.  Go-karts?!  Awesome!  This is why I love working at my company and why I've got huge misgivings about what's going to happen after the takeover in February.  But that is fodder for another day.

Go-karting last night was the most fun I have had in a long time.  We started out by assigning ourselves nicknames on the waiver where we acknowledged that if you do this YOU COULD DIE, but you still can't sue the racing company.  I just lamely filled in the shortened version of my first name, and I had no idea how creative my co-workers would be in this area.  Among my competitors' riffs on their names or caricatures:

Cheers! All the best for the New Year

Anybody else need a 20 oz. Mountain Dew Code Red and four toasted marshmallows to stay awake and see in the New Year?

No? Just me then.

Of course now I won't sleep because I'm all high on caffeine and sugar...

Happy New Year everyone!