I can't even come up with a song quote for the title, I am THAT excited

Megs! Guess what I get to do next Thursday. As a hint, I will let you know that I will be flying in to LA at 10:15 am that day (and I will also post this picture to the left). And that afternoon? I GET TO GO TO A TAPING OF THE PRICE IS RIGHT!!!! I am not kidding you when I say this is like a lifelong dream for me. Words cannot describe my level of excitement. I am wordless. I am without words.

I will be running out tonight to get my puff paints and a bedazzler. I have a week to come up with a clever, Drew Carey-themed quote for my shirt!

That is all.

love, molly

previous post title source: "The Beast and Dragon, Adored", Spoon

When you believe they call it rock and roll

Dear Megan,

It was a good weekend around these parts. I have totally spoiled myself by going out on a Friday for the past two weekends. I don't know what I'll do now that my Friday nights have again been reduced to crying at the end of Friday Night Lights, drinking a beer all by my lonesome, and falling asleep to Sportscenter. As the late, great Warren Zevon sang, "Poor, poor, pitiful me!"

Evan and I went to see Spoon this weekend. It was a good show. We got there right before the show started, so we spent a good bit of time trying to find a decent place to stand. (This process was impeded somewhat by the third member of our party, Lane, who was walking on crutches due to a skateboarding accident. [And yes, it's true. His name is Lane. Reminds me of Pretty in Pink: "Blane? His name is Blane?!? That's a major appliance, that's not a name!" And yes, it's also true that he severely injured himself skateboarding. In the small world category, he lives on the same street as Marty Gorham and Evan's ex-girlfriend. Small world!]) There were a lot of tall people there, most of them standing in front of me (and one guy who, though not terribly tall, had a GIANT HEAD), but we finally found a place in the back where I was able to stand up on a rail to see.

I would like you to know that I had to wear a Yankees hat to the show. I lost a bet to Evan regarding the words to the "My Buddy" ad. (Having confused the words to "My Buddy" and"Kid Sister", I thought the words were "My Buddy, My Buddy, wherever I go he's gonna go!" In actuality, it is " . . . wherever I go, he goes!" Let this be a lesson to you, in case you are ever faced with a similar wager.) The bet was that whoever was wrong had to dress up like either Run or DMC. (Evan came up with that one, and how could I possibly welch on a bet that good?) I didn't have any Kangol hats to wear, so I had to go with the Yanks. The only good thing about said wager was that I got to get some kick-ass Adidas with light blue stripes. They were on clearance. The resemblance is uncanny, no?




I was going to send the hat to you, but it was really uncomfortably small. Because, as I realized yesterday, it's a child's hat. Anywhos, it was good times all around. Video below.


"The Beast and Dragon, Adored", my favorite Spoon tune.

"The Underdog", my second-favorite Spoon tune, played directly after "The Beast and Dragon, Adored". This is information about which I had advanced knowledge because I was able to check out the set-list from my perch in the back.



Ella had a soccer game on Saturday and kicked ass again. Most of her teammates got in on the action, too, so that was fun for everyone. The sucky part of the whole business was that the league decided that it was "Silent Soccer Saturday", so we couldn't cheer. It was the dumbest thing that I have ever heard of. All of these parents were watching their kids score their first goals of the season and they couldn't even cheer for them? I don't think that 4-year olds really understand the regulations for Silent Soccer; they were just wondering why we didn't cheer at the appropriate times. I finally decided to hell with it. According to St. Augustine, "An unjust law is no law at all." I think the maxim holds for stupid laws, too.

After the soccer festivities, we loaded up the minivan and went to the Vandy game. The formidable opponent this week was Miami of Ohio. It was a game much like many you may recall from our days as undergraduates. Vandy was supposed to win big but still found a way (cough four turnovers cough) to keep the RedHawks in the game for much of the afternoon. We had a good time, though. Ella and Luke were able to join us, and I could see a little of the drill sergeant coming out in Ella at times.

I spent most of Sunday watching football and exercising my dislike of the Patriots. (Seriously, I do not like those guys.) Kevin's parents came down for a couple of days, so Kevin and his pops are working on the bathroom. They're almost done with the plumbing. Not sure what comes next--floors or walls. So much mystery, so little time.

Alrighty, then. I hope you're doing well. I gotta run--I've spent so much time blogging that it's lunchtime!

love, molly

ps--RIP, Porter Wagoner. Heaven is definitely more sparkly today.

pps--Congrats to the Red Sox on their resounding World Series sweep. It was nice of A-Rod to steal their thunder by announcing he's leaving the Yankees in the fifth inning of the deciding game. What a dick. He even made Peter Gammons mad!

previous post title source: "Splish Splash", Bobby Darin. I used to LOVE that song when I was a kid. It was on those Time Life oldies tapes, along with "Rockin' Robin", "Chantilly Lace", and the like.

Rub-a-dub, just relaxin' in the tub

Hey, Megs,

Now that I've figured out how to post videos, look forward to seeing bunches and bunches! Here's Ella and Luke partying it up at bathtime:

More on the weekend festivities tomorrow, when I can waste time at work. No time for computers today--football is on.

Hope all's well with you this Sunday afternoon. Here's also hoping that the Rockies can at least avoid the sweep this evening!

love, molly

previous post title source: "Heavenly Day," Patty Griffin. If you've not heard this song, I bet you'd really like it. It makes me think of you whenever I hear it. Even more so after I heard that she wrote it about her dog.

Got nothing to tell you, I got nothing much to say

So, the title of this post is very true. I just wanted to let you know yet another reason why this job bites.

Did you ever see that episode of Friends where Joey was all depressed because he was in love with Rachel and didn't know what to do about it? There were several episodes with this subject in that story arc, but this one featured Phoebe bringing by the happiest dog in the world. Eventually, Joey bums even this happiest dog out because he is just that dang sad.

Well, as it turns out, our office is Joey (though neither as attractive nor endearing in its stupidity). We've had a temp here for the past year or so. Her name is Bethany, and she is about as chipper as chipper comes. And yet, today she left early because she was angry and depressed. She is like the world's happiest dog in this scenario, and Joey has finally gotten to her. Damn you, Joey!!!

Seriously, this job sucks.

love, molly

previous post title source: "Four Kicks," Kings of Leon

Four kicks who's strutting now?

Dear Megan,

How about those Commodores, huh? What a victory over South Carolina! Not only did we beat a #6-ranked team (first time in 70 years), but we also beat a Steve Spurrier-coached team (first time EVER). The old ball coach was actually even sort of gracious in victory, too. It was a day of many firsts!



Had a great time at the Kings of Leon show. (Please note: The above video is of extremely poor quality--I had to hide the camera so as not to get it confiscated by the KGB agents working security. However, I could not resist posting it because how cool is that! I made a video with my digital camera!) Evan wasn't as impressed with the show as I was. I thought it was great, but it's possible that any rocking would have made my night given the snoozefest that was the Bob Dylan show. (Seriously, how can you have Elvis Costello as a surprise opening guest and not do a little better than stand behind your keyboard for two hours? The only time he came out from behind said keyboard was when Jack White came out for "Meet Me in the Morning." I am not lying when I tell you that Jack White showed Dylan how to do it. Now, there is a man I'd not mind paying $90 to see. He knows how to rock and/or roll.)

The Kings show was tainted somewhat by these two people that Evan knows from Murfreesboro. We ran into them on the way to the Ryman (from our wicked-awesome, free spot a mere block away) and hung out with them a bit at Legends pre-show. The woman, who appears to be a good twenty years or so younger than the man, had just had a baby about two months ago, so this was her big night out. After they left Legends, Evan and I hung out a bit longer (and I made the incredibly dumb decision to carry our open whiskey cups in my purse [which now smells, surprisingly, like the whiskey that inevitably spilled in it]). So, we're walking into the concert, and who do we see but the chick, hanging out by herself in the smoking area, bawling her eyes out! WTF? Turns out that the guy (her baby daddy, but they're not married) had told her that she was a lush and a drunk and irresponsible and slutty and all these other sorts of awful things. As it turns out, she pretty much is these things. (Not trying to justify dude's actions--he was an asshole.) She glommed onto me, though, and so I had to listed to all of these awful stories while Evan got to chat it up with the nice t-shirt lady. I was glad when that part of the night was over. It was certainly not as fun the beginning of the evening, drinking prosecco (it's not champagne!) in the car and singing along to David Bowie.

I can't believe that I am writing this, but we spent much of Saturday destroying our other bathroom. That's right, less than two weeks since we finished the master bathroom and now our second has been stripped down to the studs (and the bathtub). Here's hoping the project is completed sometime before 2009.




Sunday, we took the kids out to Nolensville to the pumpkin farm. That's always a good time. It was also good timing, as we were able to avoid having to watch the Titans nearly choke away a 17-point, fourth-quarter lead. The kids probably would have picked up a few new words for their vocabulary, the kind that I don't really want in their repertoire.





I hope all is well out there in Colorado. Saw the Rockies practicing in the snow! It should be a fun World Series, no?

love, molly


previous post title source: "Anna Begins," the Counting Crows (in honor of Counting Crow-vember)

Oh lord, I'm not ready for this sort of thing

Hey, Megs,

Quick note (second post of the day--woo-hoo!). I just saw this article on espn.com. (In case you don't want to click on the link, it details the Rockies' filing trademark applications on the word "Rocktober".) Here's the best (reader) comment:

I think there's about 400 radio stations that would have a problem with this. Don't the Rockies know that radio stations' schedules are Zepptember, Rocktober and Counting Crovember? Well maybe not the last one.

Awesome. Well said, Sonicreducer151. But seriously, Rockies. Can't you do better than this? Way to choke all of the joy out of the feel-good story of the year. You have ruined Rocktober for me!

We can only hope that no one trademarks "Free Bird" Friday. "I'd like to send a free bird to my crazy-ass boss!"

later,
molly

previous post title source: "Take This Job and Shove It," Johnny Paycheck (may he rest in peace)

Now you're messing with a . . .

Dear Megan,

Son of a b**ch! I cannot believe that Vanderbilt choked that game away. I hate to sound like a whiner, but does this not happen every time we play in a big game at home? We have the game nearly in hand and then we find some way to give it right back. Rargh. I don't think that I have seen Vandy win a game at home bigger than, say, Ole Miss (and really, how hard is that these days?). Rumor has it that the two coaches (Bobby Johnson and Mark Richt) exchanged words on the field after the game regarding the Georgia players' celebration on the Vanderbilt logo (pictured). Given Bobby Johnson's well-documented aversion to cuss words, I am sure that that was a heated exchange. "Dang it, Mark! Get your dad-gum players of my gosh darn logo! Frak!"

I do have someone to blame, though, and that is the annoying chick who was sitting in front of us. She refused to stand up the entire time, and she even put her fingers in her ears when it got too loud. (Sure, the General in me came out for much of the game--gotta support the troops, Megs. But really, fingers in the ears? Are you five?) I also feel bad for the host of the tailgate party we attended. Love that guy. But he was already hurting by the time Heather and I made our way to the game; I can't imagine that he fared well through the four quarters. A picture of Heather and I during one of the happier parts of the game (and yes, we are wearing paper Commodore hats):






Other than that, we had a nice weekend with Heather and Brad and Claire and my mom in town. Ella had a good time celebrating her birthday. I think having a full house made up for not throwing a party with kids for her. At least, I'll keep telling myself until she grows up and blames any problems on the fact that I didn't have kids over for her fourth birthday. My favorite part was when she opened up her new Snoopy sno-cone machine. I had been worried that I just bought it out of my own sense of nostalgia (Snoopy sno-cone machine is the best!), but when Ella opened it she said, "Oh! It's just what I always wanted!" My heart grew three sizes that day. Ella and the B-Rad:





Oh! Guess who we saw at breakfast on Saturday! Fontaine. Do you remember her? Dan dated her briefly and she was the source of so many Eric Clapton song parodies? Yup, she was sitting right next to us at the French breakfast bistro. Bizarro.

Little else to report from this end. Hope all's well out your way.

Finally, congratulations are again in order for the Rockies: Champions of the National League. Excellent.



love, molly

previous post title source: "Rocky Mountain High," John Denver

I've seen it raining fire in the sky

Dear Megan,

First, a few words about this weekend's sporting events:

Ew. And, yay (Yanks lose, 2-1). And, boo (Yanks take game 3, 8-4). I know that the mayflies or whatever they were are harmless and do not bite. It didn't make it any less stomach-churning to see them having a party on Joba's neck. I didn't so much mind him wild-pitching in the tying run.

I do like the Joba, though. He seems like a nice fellow.



Woof. And double-woof. The 'Dores fell hard to the Tigers/War Eagles at Jordan-Hare stadium on Saturday: 35-7. Hopefully, they'll pull themselves together in time for Homecoming; otherwise, it could be an ugly night for me and the Funbar. Why they scheduled Georgia for Homecoming is beyond me. There is a reason that Georgia scheduled us last year for their Homecoming, and that is because, historically, we suck (they learned that lesson the hard way, of course, and will be hosting the Troy [State] Trojans this year). We need not prove any points by returning the favor. This is especially not the year to do so, since the 'Dawgs just lost to . . . ugh . . . Tennessee.

And . . .

The feel-good story of the year. Go Rockies! Way to take the focus off of the Broncos (the feel-ill story of the year). Also, yay for the Red Sox (I've been a fan ever since Sam Malone played for them). And a big "meh" for the Diamondbacks. I'm sure they're good kids and all, but BO-ring.

In completely unrelated news, I have determined that I am a bad mother. I waited until the last minute to schedule something for Ella's birthday party and now nothing is available! I feel like an ass.

Good news: We finished the bathroom yesterday. (!!!) Some pictures:


(NOTE: These pictures were taken at a later date and then added back to this post. That is why it does not appear to be as pristine as it was for about three hours after we finished it.)

The tiles are also on the floor. Isn't it bad-ass? I am totally enamored of this bathroom.

With that happy news, I'd better run. I'm one more alt-Tab away from getting carpal tunnel syndrome. Blogging at work is not as easy as it's cracked up to be.

love, molly

ps--


Priceless.










previous post title source: "High Enough," Damn Yankees (natch)

There's a fire in my heart

Hey, Megs,

How about them Yankees, huh? I hope that Todd's moratorium on baseball does not extend into the post-season, because I would hate for you to have missed that one. 0-for-4 for Jeter and 0-for-2 for A-Rod? Sucks to be you guys.

My favorite part of the game actually came when I couldn't see it. We went out for Japanese last night (gotta love the bento boxes), and the sushi chefs had the game on back in their workspace. I was trying to see, but some Indians fan had his big head in the way. Anywhos, said Indians fan starts talking baseball with the chefs. I figured the chefs would be Yankees fans because of Matsui, but out of nowhere the chef goes, "I hate the Yankees!" And my Rainbow Roll tasted that much sweeter. Hating the Yankees is now an international pastime!

You do have one fellow Yankee fan, though. None other than LeBron James. He grew up in Ohio! He plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers! The game was played IN CLEVELAND!! And yet, he wore a Yankees hat? Seriously? That's the best you can do?

Little other news to report. We followed up the Yanks' loss with the season premiere of 30 Rock. Love it. I used to wonder a lot why Alec Baldwin was famous. In fact, said topic was usually my go-to conversation starter during uncomfortable silences. I still don' t know how he got his big break, but the man is a comedic genius: http://youtube.com/watch?v=XyztxHV-r7o

I am excited to report that we are thisclose to being finished with our freaking bathroom. Will be installing sink and toilet on Saturday and hopefully doing the decorating on Sunday. We need the second shower because we'll have a full house for Homecoming next weekend. The 'Dores are at Auburn this weekend. Go, Vandy, Go!

love, molly

previous post title source: "Growin' Up," Bruce Springsteen

I stood stone-like at midnight

Dear Megan,

I've decided to join the ranks of our other friends who are married with children. Welcome to my blog. I will try to keep it crammed with pictures of Luke and Ella, because I know that's the good stuff you're looking for. Plus, Dan my brother just gave us his hand-me-down digital camera, so I can take plenty of pictures with the greatest of ease. Seriously, this camera kicks our old one's ass six ways from Sunday. Now, pictures of Ella will be of what I intended them to be when I pressed click, rather than of whatever it is she's doing three seconds later. I haven't shared too many digital pictures to date because most of them feature Ella either in various stages of blinking, or booking it toward me in an effort to see what her picture looks like.

I'm sure you'll recognize the source of this blog's title, as it's one of the greatest songs in the mighty Bruce Springsteen's catalog. That is, unless you're Russell, who told me once that the greatest Bruce Springsteen song ever is . . . Manfred Mann's cover of "Blinded by the Light". "Wrapped up like a douche", indeed.

For the rest of you readers, welcome! Meet Megan, my old roommate and the greatest roommate ever. So good, in fact, that she--an avid hater of all sauces tomato-based--found it in the depths of herself to forgive me for microwaving Chef Boyardee in her favorite tupperware dish. The red tint still lingers on the dish, a physical sign of my shame. (My only excuse, as a child raised in a microwave-free household, is that I was entirely unaware of the consequences of microwaving red sauce. I know that ignorance is not a valid excuse, but I can only hope that you and history will not judge my Boyardee-based transgression too harshly.) I also hope that you won't find the whole letter style too annoying; I do my best writing to Megan, as you will surely find when we publish our letters in twenty years (aka, when Megan finally gets around to sending the letter that she's been "composing" since last November).

Alrighty, then. I'm pretty exhausted from trying to block the screen from passers-by at the office. More later. Until then, you can just be happy that I didn't name this blog "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out"!

love, molly

PS--The name of each post is a line from a song. Find out which song in the post that follows. It'll be a fun time.