Saturday, February 27, 2010

Cirque du Soleil - Alegria

Last night I went and saw the Cirque du Soleil show Alegria at the Dr Pepper Arena in Frisco. It was FANTASTIC!! I'd never been to a Cirque show before and now I'm completely addicted. I'll even make a trip to Vegas just to go see the ones that are playing there...any takers to join?

Just watching what these youngsters can do really inspired me. Not that I could EVER contort or control my body in that fashion, but just to have an inkling of the power they have makes me want to climb back on that health wagon.

Of course, today I'm counteracting all that amazing physical energy and spectacular visuals for a day of sitting in a hotel ballroom with 50 other ladies and quilting the day away.... Maybe I'll be inspired in a different way today.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Flashback Friday


In 1978 (at least that is the date on the picture) while visiting my grandparents we, my sister, me, and my cousin Debbie, came across our mom's formals and wedding dresses. We were old enough to be allowed to dress up in these dresses. While Marti and I only put these dresses on this one time, Debbie did eventually wear her mother's wedding dress in her wedding.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

2010 Book 7 - The Yiddish Policemen's Union

My latest literary accomplishment has been Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policemen's Union. The back cover of my copy is nothing but accolades, so I'll present you with what is written on the front flap:
For sixty years Jewish refugees and their descendants have prospered in the Federal District of Sitka, a "temporary" safe haven created in the wake of the Holocaust and the shocking 1948 collapse of the fledgling state of Israel. The Jews of Sitka District have created their own little world in the Alaskan panhandle, a vibrant and complex frontier city that moves to the music of Yiddish. But now the District is set to revert to Alaskan control, and their dream is coming to an end.
Homicide detective Meyer Landsman of the District Police has enough problems without worrying about the upcoming Reversion. His life is a shambles, his marriage a wreck, his career a disaster. And in the cheap hotel where Landsman has washed up, someone has just committed a murder - right under his nose. When he begins to investigate the killing of his neighbor, a former chess prodigy, word comes down from on high that the case is to be dropped immediately, and Landsman finds himself contending with all the powerful forces of faith, obsession, evil, and salvation that are his heritage.
At once a gripping whodunit, a love story, and an exploration of the mysteries of exile and redemption, The Yiddish Policemen's Union is a novel only Michael Chabon could have written.
This novel definitely harks back to the noire novels of the 1940s/1950s era (that is I think they would, if I had ever read one). It was a good story line and kept me interested....even after I flipped to the back of the book and read the last couple of pages when I was just 25 into the book. I'm glad that I did stick with the book because from where the book started and where the last pages ended was a great trip of nice phraseology and definite twists and turns. There were times as I was reading that I felt that the thread of the story was misplaced and I had to sort of just go along with the jumps, but it didn't take anything away from the overall story line.

I would recommend this novel to most people. It isn't necessarily and brain candy type of detective novel that you can tear through, you do have to take your time and work to connect all of the dots, but I would say it is definitely worth the time.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Shoe Impact

I realized this morning that I have a different attitude depending on the shoes that I'm wearing. I know this isn't something new to the rest of the world, but it dawned on me as I was walking to my office this morning.
  • When I wear heels, I walk with more purpose and importance.
  • When I wear flats (like my sad black Bass loafers from 5 years ago), I feel all schlumpy and want to sort of fade into the background.
  • When I wear kitten heels, I feel a bit like a drag queen, even though I think they are supposed to make me feel sexy.
  • When I wear casual shoes (e.g., sports shoes and/or flip flops), I feel pretty laid back, not surprising, and like I don't really care.
How are your shoes making you feel?

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Housewarming and Registering

As the date of closing on Casa ABBA creeps closer I've had a couple people ask if I'm going to have a house-warming (of course) and if a house-warming is something that you register for gifts for. My opinion, whether correct or not, is "heck yeah, I'm going to register for gifts!" There is no expectation in the near future for me to actually fall in love and get married and even less of a chance that I'm going to have kids, so this is probably the only chance that I'll have to do the whole registry thing.

Here's the rub...I've been living on my own for almost 20 years, so I'm pretty stocked with anything that I would NEED to register for. The Queen mentioned that I could register for towels and linens for the many bathrooms that I'll now have, but I'm planning on decorating those prior to having the house-warming.

So, I'm a little stuck as where I should register.... Do you think DSW has a registry?