I Do?

I had Taco Bell for lunch today (I know, I know). I don't use the hot sauce, but they threw a couple in my bag. I glanced at one to read the funny comment on the front. It said "Will you marry me?"

I've just been proposed to by a fast food condiment.

Bah! Humbug!

Traditionally here at the station, and across campus, we get a half day off on the final work day before a holiday. Now this half day isn't an automatic right. It's usually something we find out about at about 11am that day. The idea is that everyone gets to go to lunch and just not come back afterward. It's a nice treat for the staff. Well this year, instead of the friendly email informing us of an extra half day, we got this lovely email from the Chancellor's office:

Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2007 2:48

Subject: Campus Closing

"This e-mail is to notify everyone that Interim Chancellor Rudley will NOT be closing the UH System campuses at noon tomorrow. Please share this information with your staff and should you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact our office."

I think somebody is getting a stocking filled with coal for Christmas.

Sparklies

I love my friends and am so excited to celebrate with them when something joyous happens. But I'm thinking SEVEN engagements within a month's time is getting to be a bit much. Have some mercy on us poor single girls!

Shenanigans at City Hall

It was quite the day in council chambers. Today was the last council meeting for four of the members who are term-limited. So of course, there were many farewells, well wishes, good-natured jokes and some unexpected flirting!

It all started when Councilmember Peter Brown informed outgoing Councilmember Addie Wiseman that she always gave him a lovely view to look at across the table. Councilmember Anne Clutterbuck sits next to Brown and confirmed that he would frequently make complimentary comments about Wiseman's hair or shade of lipstick.

It could only go downhill from there. Wiseman told Brown she was available for dinner. Brown referred to himself as a "harmless old man." The mayor suggested someone look into their mobile phone records to see if any "impropriety" took place. And the jokes went on.

Oh, and I didn't escape my share of flirtations either. One of my colleagues from another news outlet listens to my station in the mornings and informed me that I was on the radio at shower-time, therefore we took a shower together. I should mention that colleague is a woman.

Your World, Delivered

My blog is so international it's not even funny. Well, okay maybe it is a little funny. In the past three weeks, the QQ has received visitors from Greece, France, Portugal, Germany, South Korea, Romania, Serbia, Japan, India, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Hungary and...Ho Chi Minh City. I'm so not making this up.

Thoughts

Pass the cheer. Retro graphics. Wintry sound effects. And they just sent me a free $5 gift card for passing the cheer. I really do feel cheery now.

The answer to life, the universe and everything is 42. But apparently it's not the answer to conversations held over Facebook Message.

It's that wonderful time of the year in which proposals fall thicker than snow. I haven't missed out on my share of the action. I got a marriage proposal on Saturday evening. Unfortunately, it was from a girl. So my tally now stands thus:
Proposals from girls: 3
Proposals from boys: 0

Christmas is coming!

Murphy's Law

Last night I went to a really nice party at a hot new spot downtown. In fact, this place isn't even open to the public yet. But the guy who was throwing the party has a connection or two. I took a friend with me to the party. At one point we were standing out on the deck having a private conversation. Now, this conversation was completely innocent, entirely appropriate and not in the least questionable. But part of the conversation centered around a delicate subject and included a word not normally used in polite company. It wasn't profanity. It was just a word that usually doesn't come up in social settings. (And it was a word that HAD to be repeated in the context of the conversation taking place, which I reiterate, was a completely innocent conversation.) For those of you who are really curious, the word sounds similar to masticate. You follow? Ok. Well literally the moment that word came out of my friend's mouth, the nicest, most down-to-earth couple appeared out of nowhere right at our elbows and said "Is this a private conversation? Because we'd love to join you."

Awkward.

Hope Springs Eternal or Confessions

In light of the Mitchell Report, I feel it's time to come clean. The last thing I need is a senator revealing my secrets to the world. So I'm going to preempt any investigations or hearsay and just admit the truth.

I wait until the last possible moment to RSVP to weddings. You might be saying to yourself, "that's not so bad, lots of people do that." But I haven't told you my reason yet.

I wait until the last possible moment to RSVP because I am secretly hoping I will acquire a boyfriend before the RSVP date. Think of it! I could finally take advantage of the "and guest" portion of the invitation!

I have a wedding invitation on my dresser right now and I can't bring myself to RSVP for it because of the teensy, tiny, extremely unlikely possibility that I might have an "and guest" by the time of the wedding in mid-February.

Of course, the RSVP is required by mid-January, making that teensy, tiny, extremely unlikely possibility even more of a fairy-tale dream.

Luuuuke!

I can't believe the Astros traded Luke Scott! What are they thinking?!?

The Guilty Pleasures

We've covered the best and worst. Now it's time to confess to you the Christmas songs that I secretly enjoy...even though they are technically on the lousy side. Some of these are just fun. Others are catchy. None of them are what we think of when we consider "great" Christmas music. But I like 'em.

5. All I Want for Christmas is You
Powerhouse vocals and peppy beat. Sing it, Mariah!

4. Jingle Bell Rock
You HAVE to sing along. And you HAVE to love Home Alone.

3. Baby It's Cold Outside
Scandalous. And delicious. Ray makes this song velvet.

2. Santa Baby
Christmas and Madonna. Irony on multiple levels.

1. The Christmas Song
Sung as only Nat can sing it. It's really not worth listening to any other version. This song seems to really tap into all the magical moments we imagine for the Christmas season.

The Best

I apologize for subjecting you to yesterday's travesties of Christmas music. To make amends, please take a moment to enjoy my personal favorites of Christmas music.

Honorable Mention: Vince Guaraldi's Charlie Brown Christmas

5. Ave Maria
Points off for being theologically unsound. But still one of the most beautiful songs in the Christmas lexicon.

4. Carol of the Bells
You can't help but love the beauty and simplicity of voices in this piece. And I'm not talking about the techno Trans-Siberian version.

3. O Come, O Come Emmanuel
This song wonderfully illustrates the tension inherent in that Emmanuel God With Us dwells in our hearts, and yet we still long for the physical return of Christ.

2. O Holy Night
It has profound lyrics and an overt gospel message. Too bad most of us can't sing this song.

1. Handel's Messiah
Speaks for itself. Don't forget to stand during the performance.

The Worst

I love Christmas music. I'm one of those people who would listen to Christmas music all year, if my friends and family would let me. I get all excited about the radio stations that start broadcasting Christmas music right after Thanksgiving. Some of the songs are so beautiful, both lyrically and musically. But I will be the first to admit there is some really, truly awful Christmas music out there. And when I hear certain songs come on the radio, I scream and change the station as quickly as possible. So today I give you my personal list of the worst Christmas music. Tomorrow I will attempt to make peace with all of you by providing my list of the best Christmas music.

Top Five WORST Christmas songs:

5. Same Old Lang Syne
If you haven't heard this song, be grateful. It starts out with the line "Met my old lover in the grocery store" and it goes downhill from there. Nothing says warm, fuzzy Christmas cheer like a song about drinking a six pack with your ex- while trying to drown the emptiness inside.

4. Feliz Navidad
Ok, this one really isn't all that awful. Until you realize it has sucked out your brain and replaced your grey cells with liquid goo capable only of humming that one line over and over and over and over and...

3. Wonderful Christmastime
Not the synth! Agghhh!

2. Christmas Shoes
This was a tough call. Should Christmas Shoes be considered the worst Christmas song of all time? Many say yes. I am inclined to agree with them. That is, until I asked myself which I would prefer: being forced to listen to Christmas Shoes on repeat for the rest of my life until I could bear it no longer and attempt suicide in a miserable desperate cry for help OR being forced to smile and pretend to be happy while listening to the following song...

1. Happy Birthday Jesus
Make. It. Stop.

Au Revoir

I'm off to Atlanta. Back on Monday. Merry Weekend!

Wherefore art thou, Gmail?

Something is wrong with my gmail account. At least five emails that I should have received this week haven't come through. And those are just the ones I know about. There could be countless more that aren't arriving. Who knows how long this has been going on. I could potentially miss the single most important email of my life...and never know it. I console myself with the fact that life's most important events usually don't take place over email.

Um, thanks

I love my friends, I really do. And I feel loved when they travel to exotic locations and bring me back a gift or souvenir. Earlier this year one of my guy friends went out of town and came back with a special present for me. This year another guy friend went on a trip and brought back something just for me. He was really excited about it and said it was the perfect gift. I'm starting to worry about what my guy friends think of me.

It measures 9 inches long.

Now I'm no Freud expert, but I think there's a definite subliminal message in this gift. My friend says the instant he saw it, he had to get it for me. In case anyone is wondering, it's a giant...Plumeria root. For my Project Patio. Of course, I can't help but wonder if my friend is trying to tell me something.

Luck o' the Irish

That pot of seeds is supposed to turn into a lush little garden of Shamrocks. If only it would turn into the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. So far, no such luck.

Happy Blogventing, Day Two!

I'm Free! And a Christmas Tradition.

First off, freedom! As of today, December 3rd, 2007, I am officially 100% debt-free! No school debt. No car loan. No credit card bills. It's been a long, difficult struggle to reach this spot. God has been faithful to provide, even when it seemed like the setbacks were more frequent than the progress. I am so excited to finally be completely out of debt. Woo hoo!

Second, it is time to revive a time-honored Christmas tradition. That's right, my annual Christmas blogvent calendar is back. For those of you who are new to this tradition, every weekday leading up to Christmas I will offer you my own version of an advent calendar. Nothing says Merry Christmas like the 2007 Blogvent Calendar!