Snow Days with No Snow

Today our offices closed due to inclement weather that turned out not to be very inclement, so I got to work from home.  Whenever I work from home the dogs keep me company by sitting AS CLOSE AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE to me at all times.  Cute, huh?  Today Moxie decided to sit and stare at me for a few hours while doing her best Elvis impersonation...

I'm not entirely sure why I have the sudden interest in posting pictures of my dogs on here, but hey... just go with it.  Everyone is doing it.  

That is all, 

~SBC

SBC's Awesome Mix - SAM 8

A few years ago I was sitting at home alone with nothing to do on a weekend night (awww) and I decided to occupy my time by making a mixed CD.  I was so struck by inspirado that I made two CD's that I cleverly titled SAM 1 and SAM 2 (SBC's Awesome Mix)... riveting and creative, I know.  Since then I've made nine installments in the SAM series.  SAM 1-8 are now circulated among the masses five or six of my friends along with the SAM Ryan Adams.  Betcha can't figure out what's on that one.  Challenge extended!  (name that quote... anyone?  Anyone?  If you can name it and you don't already have a SAM collection, I'll send you one!)

Anyway... I've never really explained (or really given much consideration to) the reason why I picked the songs that I picked on each CD.  I like to think that my friends are sitting up at night wondering why I like the songs that I like, but I'm pretty sure they're just up to breast feed or pee or something like that.  I thought it would be fun to let the Internet know my fave songs, perhaps spread some good music love to fellow music peeps, and perhaps explain to the friends that know me why I picked certain songs... i.e. why I like them in the first place.  

I just made SAM 8, so I'm going to start from the last and work my way back because SAM 8 is fresh in my head which makes THIS post just that much easier.  Here's the SAM 8 play list:

1. Amazing - Josh Kelley

2. Another Door Closes - Jont

3. Boys With Girlfriends (live) - Meiko

4. Come On Get Higher - Matt Nathanson

5. Dream Catch Me - Newton Faulkner

6. Free - Donavon Frankenrer

7. Gray or Blue - Jaymay

8. Heavenly Day - Patty Griffin

9. Nothing I Can Do - Ben Taylor

10. Oh Boy - Duffy

11. Overkill (Acoustic Version) - Colin Hay

12. She's Mine - Brett Dennen

13. Shout Out Loud - Amos Lee

14. Sing for You - Tracy Chapman

I always put the songs on my CD's in alphabetic order by song title because... well... Because.  It's much easier than coming up with some rhyme or reason to the order.  Alpha order works.  No need to reinvent the wheel here, folks.  

1.  I just like this song... I'm actually surprised it didn't make it onto a SAM before 8.  It's kind of played out and I'm glad it's first because I usually skip it now.  But it's a beautiful song that I just dig. 

2.  Another Door Closes is a song MommaM (SMB's mom) heard at the end of a Gray's Anatomy episode and it spoke to her as songs tend to speak to us.  She looked it up and found it and spread the word... I love it because she loves it and I understand why she loves it.  SMB would have loved it, and that's reason enough right there if you ask me.  MommaM found Jont's Myspace page and even sent him a message telling him that she loved the song, and he even wrote her back a very lovely personal message.  Even more reason to like him.  I think he sounds a lot like Damien Rice too, which is just icing on the cake.

3.  Girls with Boyfriends reminds me of the college version of myself.  It doesn't hurt that the song is just too dang catchy and sticks in my head like no other.  She's got a great sing along voice and understandable lyrics which are all bonuses for me.  When I was in college I was in a sorority for the first two years then changed paths a bit and ended up living in a house with a bunch of guys.  We were all buddies and I was the token female in the house, and this song just kind of reminded me of college fun times for pretty obvious reasons if you listen to it.  Do it.  Go listen to it.

4. I heard Come on Get Higher on the Coffeehouse channel on Sirius that I'm hopelessly addicted to and just liked it immediately.  It's a little odd to explain exactly why I like this song so much, but who's going to judge me out here on the Internet.  Not you, right?  Good.  This is a very sappy love song that even has some blatantly obvious sexual overtones to it, but there's a line in it that just totally reminds me of SMB.  It is: "...and I ache to remember all the violent sweet perfect words that you said."  If you know SMB you'll perhaps "get it" but I don't really know a good way to explain it.  SMB was a delightful mix of violent and sweet at times.  

5.  Dream Catch Me is by a deliciously dreadlocked white guy.  I have a serious soft spot for white guys with dreads.  Funny I married a bald guy.  It's a happy good song... did I mention he's delicious?  

6. Free is another happy sing along song that just makes me smile.  I tend to get way into depressing take-a-bath-with-your-toaster type of music, so I try to embrace simple happy feel good songs when I come across them

7. Gray or Blue is another one that just kind of sticks in my head.  It's another great sing along song, and I love her voice.  It doesn't take itself too seriously and I just like it because it's cute and simple and lovey dovey. 

8. Heavenly Day is by Patty Griffin... nuff said.  Patty Griffin does no wrong.  She's amazing, and this song is amazing.  Uhh Mazing.  If you don't know Patty, go find her.  She wrote a few songs the Dixie Chicks recorded, and coincidently sings my #1 favorite song of all time, but that's on another SAM, so you'll just have to stay tuned for that big reveal.

9. Ben Taylor is great, and I basically just had to pick at random which song I'd put on SAM 8.  Stay tuned for more Ben Taylor on future SAM's because I'm just now becoming acquainted with the many many delightful Ben Taylor songs.

10.  I bought the ENTIRE Rockferry CD just to get this one song that I heard on Coffeehouse and could NOT believe it was Duffy.  The CD is OK, but this is by far (IMO) her best song.  It's another one I really like to sing along to, and I enjoy the lyrics to boot.  

11. Colin Hay sounds oddly afflicted in his songs, but they're still great songs.  This one was on an episode of Scrubs that was on one of the rerun channels the other day, and it reminded me that I liked it.  Then immediately had to make AC listed to the song of his on the Garden State Soundtrack that he TOTALLY sounds afflicted in.  It's rather funny once you hear the Garden State song and then listen to Overkill you can hear his weird affliction and it makes it funny to listen to.  That and it is just a good song... affliction and all.

12.  Brett Dennen is one of those musicians that you hear on the radio then go look him up and go... WTF?!?!? Because he looks NOTHING like he sounds.  His voice is very unique and yummy and kind of makes me think dirty stuff... then I looked him up and he looks like he's 16 years old and has this mop of red hair and it just confuses me.  This song is awesome though, and I expect to find more and more of his stuff that I must procure. 

13. Amos Lee has a lot of really good songs, and this one is the first one I liked by him, so here it is.  Expect more.  

14. Another one from Coffeehouse... I complain a LOT that they play entirely too much Tracy Chapman.  I'm actually not a huge fan, but I actually like this song because it's surprisingly upbeat for a Tracy Chapman song.  I like her voice a lot, but I get tired of her and her fast car and the other dreary songs that they play over and over and over again... When I realized this song was hers, I decided to add it to the SAM play list because it's so anti fast car.  

That about sums it up.... This is also a terribly long blog posting, so if you're still here.  Thanks for reading!  If you like any of these songs and have other songs to suggest, I'm all ears!  Go forth and legally download.  

That is all, 

~SBC

Things that make you go awwww...

Tonight on one of my 9,000 trips to tinkle this evening, I came across this little portrait of adorableness.  Apparently giant crazy body pillows aren't JUST for pregnant ladies anymore...

How stinkin' cute is that?  

That is all,

~SBC

Abbreviate This!

Being the computer geek, internet-addicted mom-to-be that I am, one of the first things I did when I was done peeing on inanimate objects (because who REALLY wants to pee on animate objects anyway) was join a few various discussion boards and forums for other folks who are in the same delicate condition.  Now I'm here to ask... what the hell is with all of the abbreviations?  Acronyms?  What the crap ever you want to call them?  DH, DS, US, EDD, BFP, BFN, LMP, holy hell is it really that difficult to... oh I don't know... TYPE IN FUCKING ENGLISH... BIG WORDS? USE YOUR ALPHABET PEOPLE!?!?!?  I'm spending WAY more time trying to decipher the "code" that I most certainly did NOT get the secret decoder ring for than I am commiserating with other people who are also miserable pregnant like me.  Call me an old-fashioned English major nerd, but is it really necessary?  In case anyone hasn't noticed DS is only ONE tiny letter less than just typing out son... and son is actually easier to type because it's not in all caps.  Sheesh!!!  And DH?  I'm sorry but darling is never a word I use to describe my husband.  He's awesome, terrific, wonderful, hunka-hunka-burnin' love in my opinion, but DARLING?  That's just silly.  Who ever came up with these anyway, and how did so many people just decide to jump on board and adopt the annoying use of abbreviating anything and everything?  Huh?  

That is all,

~SBC <-- no need to point out the irony in me always signing with my initials.  I'm aware of my hypocrisy here.  

SMB - A Mad Case of Sausage Finger and Bleeding from the Ear

Before I get into explaining this doozy of a title, I have to tell everyone to go read Pearl's blog.  She's my first (publicly anyway) reader that I don't actually know in-person!  I'm giddy as a schoolgirl! LOL!  I know... I know... I need a hobby.  But I digress... Go read Pearl's blog and leave her a comment or two!

And now with the SMB story, yo.  It's been awhile since I posted an SMB story, and that blows.  I didn't think it would be as hard as it is to write about her in past tense.  So bear with me gentle reader.  

SMB was an animal lover of the highest degree.  She was a stray dog rescuing card carrying vegan PETA member with the world's biggest heart especially when it came to animals.  Her dog, Neela, was numero uno.  Neela is, by my honest estimation, the world's best dog.  I'm obviously a terrible puppy mom because I have three of my own, and Neela is still tops.  

SMB and I lived in the same apartment complex, so when we'd go out and... you know... feed the homeless and do various other volunteer activities until the wee hours of the night... What?  You don't believe me?  Oh FINE.  We were out drinking and partying and singing really bad karaoke and probably flirting with boys.  Are you happy now? Good.

So occasionally we'd go out and get home rather late from time to time.  SMB had a knack for never sleeping, and I was completely unable to be the part pooper.  We'd always end up back at my apartment listening to music, still singing and laughing and probably annoying the shit out of the neighbors.  We couldn't leave one of our dogs at home, so we decided to introduce Neela to my only dog at the time, Princess Stupefia... aka Sophie.  Neela had a bad rep when it came to playing nice with other dogs, but I promised SMB that Sophie was the dog whisperer... or the dog-to-dog whisperer. She gets along well with others is what I'm getting at.  

As luck would have it, they were a match made in heaven... but they were quite the odd couple... Here's Nela:

She's a slightly overweight Rotweiller German Shepherd mix (more than likely).  And, here's the Princess...

Sophie is a 13 lb yorkie poodle mix of pure evil... er... I mean love.  But not really.  She's fairly evil.  But she DOES get along well with others.  She makes friends with ALL dogs... even dogs, like Neela, that pretty much try to eat all other dogs.  

Anway... we had a nice thing going.  A routine if you will.  We'd go out and play, then Neela and SMB would come over and we'd have a nice little slumber party, then watch old episodes of Sex and the City and eat Crazy Bread to cure what ailed us... That's a hangover for those of you not in the know.  So our nice little routine was going swimmingly until THIS happened:

That, my friends, is Moxie.  She's adorable, right?  She's a pug chihuahua mix. She's a MUCH better dog than Sophie.  I know... GOOD dog moms don't say things like that, but there's one simple fact: Moxie is a better dog than Sophie.  With one minor exception.... Moxie does NOT get along well with others.  She's a jealous little spazoid.  

SMB was pretty upset that we had to stop having our slumber parties because we thought Moxie and Neela would attempt to systematically destroy each other.... And you know what?  We were RIGHT!  

After one of our evenings out on the town we got it into our brilliant minds that we should just get it over with and introduce Moxie and Neela because surely they would love each other as much as Sophie and Neela did.  Plus Neela was probably going into a fit of deep depression at not getting to play with her BFF.

So we brought Neela over... we let Moxie out... they sniffed each other... got growley, and then it happened.  Moxie lunged at Neela (who mind you is about 3 times her size) and went straight for her jugular.  I know I am prone to exaggeration from time to time, but this is for realz, yo.  Moxie was latched on and dangling from Neela's neck.  Neela, as you can imagine, was none too happy about this and was thrashing about (in my tiny apartment living room mind you).  SMB immediately tackled Neela and wrestled her to the ground, which was no easy feat seeing as how Neela more than likely outweighed SMB.  I grabbed Moxie and forcefully convinced her to release her kung fu death grip on Neela's neck.  We separated the dogs and surveyed the damage.  

SBC:  "You OK?"

SMB: "FUCK Moxie bit me!"

SBC: "Shit... let me see..." 

SMB shows me her finger... yep... that's a dog bite... um... wait a minute... what's that... 

SBC: "HOLY SHIT BALLS YOU'RE BLEEDING FROM THE EAR!!!!"

SMB: ...[blank stare]

I grabbed her head (and the rest of her followed) and drug her into the kitchen and wiped the blood OUT OF HER EAR and realized that her ear was not the source of the blood and inspected her head and other surrounding areas for open flesh wounds... but nothing.  So if the source of the blood wasn't SMB's head, then it had to be a dog.  We inspected the spartan fighting machines and I found it... Moxie had a lovely puncture wound in her back.  Neela got the last laugh on that one.  Luckily Neela was not bleeding, which is a miracle since Moxie was in fact hanging from her neck for some time.  

About this time is when SMB realizes that her finger is still bitten... and it hurts... and it's starting to bleed... and she's pretty sure she's gonna puke or pass out.  So I grab her head again... the rest of her followed again... and sit her down on the side of  my bathtub with her head perched over the toiled, you know... just in case.  I cleaned her finger (it was her middle finger on her left hand), and doctored it to the best of my absolutely no medical experience while keeping the savage beasts separated and balancing a spitting woozy SMB over the toilet and pleading with her to not spew.  

Which reminds me... I need to write about Tank Top Tourniquet night.  I performed a lot of drunken first aid in that bathroom.  Good times.  Anywho... I doctored up SMB's finger and got her all bandaged up all with out any vomit or unconsciousness.  Go me. 

The next morning, we inspected her finger again and it had swollen up and looked like this ass-nasty Sausage Finger.  It was pretty gross.  Since it was her left hand it made guitar playing next to impossible, which Moxie was properly chastised for.   It was one of those crazy adrenaline why-in-the-world-did-we-think-that-was-a-good-idea nights that I'll never forget.  

That is all,

SBC

10 Weeks

Today marks 10 weeks of pregnancy bliss misery.  Hopefully in about two weeks I'll have a glowing OH WEEE OHHH YAAAYYYYY post, but for now all I've got is bitching and moaning to dish about, so I'll spare you and just go crack open another can of ginger ale and go back to bed.  

That is all,

SBC

Survey Time

Since all the other cool blogs I read are doing it, I wanted to participate.  Plus I LOVE me a good survey about yours truly!  

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Let's see... I got engaged, got married, spent 10 days in Hawaii, got fancy dishes... oh yeah, and I got knocked up.  Busy year. 
2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't make them.  That's right!  I shun resolutions. 
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Indeed!  Two of my BFF's birthed them some babies.  BabyM and BabyL are practically perfect in every way!  
4. Did anyone close to you die?
I pondered deleting this question because if you answer yes, that's just gonna bum everyone out, but yes. One of the greatest friends I've ever known died in March of this year, and it sucks hard.  That's part of the reason I started this here blog... an outlet to write memories when they come to me. Two pats and a peace to SMB, yo. 
5. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
I can't say that I was lacking anything!  I'll take more of the same (minus the losing friends part).
6. What countries did you visit?
I didn't leave the US, but I did venture off the mainland which isn't something most of us do everyday!  ...unless of course you live in Hawaii, but let's not read too much into this.
7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why:
There's a few... 

Jan 1 - I got engaged

Feb 16th - last time I saw SMB

March 10th - the day I got the call from SMB's mom

July 16th - the day my teeny tiny company got acquired by a big giant company and work as I know it changed FOREVER.  

September 3rd - TS birthed BabyM (while I was in freakin' New York no less!)

September 27th - WEDDING DAY!!!

November 3rd - BT birthed BabyL (I was here for that one thankyouverymuch!)

December 29th - I turned 31 and saw the flickering little peanut that's making me so miserable for the first time
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I'm gonna say my awesome wedding was a great achievement.  It was a lot of work, and it was worth it... 

9. What was your biggest failure?
I don't know if this counts as a "failure" but due to said miserableness, we cancelled our trip to CA to see the in-laws.  It would have been the hubby's first Christmas home since like 1997 or something crazy like that, so I feel pretty rotten that we had to miss it because I'm a big weeney.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I did have this evil neck/shoulder issue that landed me in some torturous physical therapy type stuff... but alas I got me a new chair at work and was on the mend.  

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Hmmm... I was going to say my car, but we bought that in late December of 07... ummmm.  Sooo I think it's a toss up between our laminate floors, the new bottom freezer fridge, or our new mattress.  Hi... I'm SBC and I'm materialistic.  

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Huh?  Is this like a personal question or like a celebrity question?  Um... witty answer... Err... uh.  I'm not sure about "behavior" but I think the good ole election merited some celebration.  

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Sheesh... appalled and depressed is pretty crummy.  I hope I don't hang around folks who appall and depress me.  

14. Where did most of your money go?
Our wedding and our house fo sho!  

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Our wedding, honeymoon, and the new babies!

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
I'm Yours by Jason Mraz.  It was the song for our first dance. :) Aww...
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

i. happier or sadder? Just as happy!

ii. thinner or fatter? WAY more bloated.

iii. richer or poorer? Richer probably... we have less debt.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
I desperately wish I'd spent more time with SMB when I had the chance.  I wish I'd taken more pictures.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worrying and complaining... nice general answers that will always apply.  

20. What was your favorite TV program?
So You Think You Can Dance!  I know... I'm a dork.  It's OK.  I've come to terms with it. 
21. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I really try to not hate anyone.  I'm not a fan of that word in reference to people.  I hate bell peppers, but I don't think they're suffering because of it.  Heck, they probably don't even notice.  See?  Bell peppers are EVIL.  
22. What was the best book you read?
Probably Brisingr (the third book of the Eragon series).  I'm sure it didn't hurt that I read it on the beaches of Hawaii.  Twilight was pretty good too... Do you notice a young adult fiction theme rockin' here.  Perhaps in 2009 I'll read a few extra books that were written for my age group to offset the love of kiddie lit. 
23. What was your greatest musical discovery?
The Coffeehouse channel on Sirius satellite radio, is by far, the greatest musical discovery of all time! 
24. What was your favorite film of this year?
Film... film... Yeah... I'm coming up with nuthin' on this one.  I don't like going to the movies, and I only half pay attention to the ones we rent and watch.  I've lost my taste for movies lately!  
25. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you (optional)?
I spent about 3 hours in the doctor's office on my 31st birthday getting poked and prodded and drained of my blood. Totally worth it though!  
26. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
This year was so full and satisfying that I couldn't possibly cram anything else into it!
27. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Uh... I'm full-figured and buy everything I wear from Lane Bryant?  Yeah buddy! 
28. What kept you sane?
My darling wonderful bestest ever husband.  He's cooler than a cucumber which balances out my totally nutso quite nicely.
29. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Barack Obama, of course! 
30. What political issue stirred you the most?
The whole election thing was quite stirring.  
31. Whom did you miss?

Not a day goes by that I don't miss SMB.  I miss the in-laws too!  It's hard having kick ass in-laws that are so far far away.  
32. Who was the best new person you met?
BabyM and BabyL are my absolute faves! 
33. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
Wedding dresses are HOT... as in sweat pouring out of every pore hot... not in like ohh la la hotchee mama hot.  
34. What quote sums up your year?
You better shut your mouth when you're talking to me! 

Introducing Baby L... Future President

While I did have to make a business trip the weekend before BoobieT was due, she was kind enough to wait until I got back to birth her precious baby.  I'm a little slow on this little introduction post, my apologies, but better late than never, I say!  

Introducing BabyL...

BabyL made his grand appearance the day before election day, so the future president getup is a perfect fit.  

I was holding BabyM the first time I saw BabyL and what a difference 2 months can make.  Those boys are BFF in the making, I feel sure.  How cute.  

Anyway, a VERY belated Congrats to BoobieT on the newest edition! Hopefully BabyL will have the same fondness for sugarless gum that his big brother has because that's kind of my schtick now.  ;)  

That is all,

~SBC