What? An electronic Kenneth bobble-head doll with a button that will play all of your favorite Kenneth lines, like "Pregnant cornbread?", "Frankly, LaDonica, you have not been real helpful," and "My mom is my best friend"?

Um, yes, please.

It's my cute husband's birthday. He's turning 24 (if he were writing this, he would insist on including some joke on how that would now make me 53 or something). I was going to compose 24 reasons why I'm glad he was born, but I thought I would spare you and keep it to three.

1) He loved me even more (or at least just as much) after he discovered that the only cookbook I had upon entering our marriage was a Star Wars cookbook. I am not even making that up. It takes a real man not to be scared off by the fact that your wife actually has a decent level of interest in making Yoda Soda. He's made up for all of this by being a very good cook in his own right and always makes sure that we don't starve.

2) He taught me how to play golf. It's in his own self interest but, let me tell you, it's taken a high level of patience and skill to accomplish. I used to think that I would rather spend a beautiful summer day shopping or at the pool or something. Now I've realized that cursing loudly and making excuses for my swing is way more fun.

3) We have more obnoxious inside jokes than I ever thought possible. "I don't know percentages." You know what I mean, babe.


I'm pretty lucky to have a guy who is this cool. Happy Birthday, honey, and thanks for being my best friend.

Here it is, my one source of domestic self-esteem. This is my mild-mannered office plant that I have managed to keep alive for (count it) four months. I know it sounds ridiculous but I feel warm and happy every time I look at it. It seems to say to me, "Yes, you got your husband a $5 Subway footlong last night and called it dinner, and, yes, you were even proud of yourself for that effort but it's all okay because I'm here and I'm still alive." It's an atonement for the entire ecosystem of flowers/bushes/etc. that I let wilt away on my deck last summer. And, most importantly, it's proof to me that someday I actually might be able to nurture higher life forms such as sea monkeys, dogs and children.

Thanks, little buddy. Keep hanging in there.

That's right. I'm jealous of an unborn baby. Call me immature, but let me explain why. See, we had a really great couple baby shower for our friends Sarah Jane and Nathan last night, who will be having a little girl in the next few months. Pretty awesome presents were doled out by multiple parties that made me start wishing not that I was having the baby but that I actually was the baby. I mean it. Because there is really cool stuff for babies. I mean, I really wish those alphabet shoes came in my size. Clearly, from the picture, SJ wishes she could throw on that adorable little sun dress/bloomers combo. And I would hang those amazing prints/crafty creations in my own room any day of the week (major props go to Karisa, who made them).

Maybe it's crazy, but I'm just saying.

(Another thing that was too cute to believe? Paul and Holly's new baby, Leo. Good job, guys. He's a winner.)

Something I love: new music.
I got the new Weepies album today and am loving my life. There are few things that make me happier than getting new music. My initial impression of this particular album? It's classic Weepies. Makes you feel good without feeling stupid. Honest without being dull. Quirky without being too hip. Should be playing soon in an Anthropologie near you.





Something I hate: Tracy McGrady.
Is it the sneer? Is it the weird shoulder ice pack/underarmor thing he's been sporting? Or is it that jacked-up eye? Trust me, it's all of them. This dude bugs. Now, clearly I am a lifelong Jazz fan, so the fact that we're playing them in the Playoffs definitely contributes to my disdain. All I'm going to say, though, is that anyone who instantaneously reminds you of the crazy hyena on Lion King (think about it... you know he does) deserves to be disliked. Add to that the fact that he can never come through for his team when it really counts (only one point in the fourth quarter of TWO GAMES COMBINED? Really?) and he has more than earned a spot on my "People it might be fun to punch in the face" list.

(Okay, just the fact that he had to pose for this picture makes me feel kind of bad for the guy. But I only take half of it back. Go Jazz.)

So, it turns out that the advertising industry that I work for is really pretty powerful. As evidence, I offer up this conversation I overheard between my sister Lauren and my 8 year-old brother Josh (shown above with his cutting edge night-vision goggles) while at my parents' house for dinner.

LAUREN (after explaining to my mom some concern she was having): "I'm not really sure what we're going to do about it but I'm sure we'll figure something out."

JOSH: "You could call Nationwide."

LAUREN: "What?"

JOSH: "Yeah. (He begins to sing with remarkably accurate pitch) "Nationwide is on your side."

LAUREN: "Good idea, Josh."

JOSH (pulling out a wiffle bat): "Let's go play lightsabers!"


Good job, Nationwide. I think you've really hit your target market. Now if I could just learn how to write some decent jingles, I could really take over the world.

As close friends and coworkers know, if there's one thing I'd rather do than work, it's make a playlist. I also like to name my playlists after whatever is dominating my thoughts at the given moment (hence, my iTunes library being filled with playlists with names like "Straight Up Working," "Why Isn't Thursday Friday?," and "Weekend Warrior." What's the insight here? I write lame playlist names. And I really like weekends.) So, anyway, here is my new playlist for this weekend. It's called Weekend Update. As soon as I figure out how, I'll upload some of the songs so that you can listen along.


Weekend Update

1) Beautiful Beat Nada Surf
2) I'm Leaving You Because I Don't Love You Jens Lekman
3) Beat (Health, Life and Fire) Thao
4) Answers and Questions Earlimart
5) Elephant Gun Beirut
6) Skinny Love Bon Iver
7) El Diablo En El Ojo Tindersticks
8) Slow Show The National
9) Sundialing Caribou
10) Kids MGMT
11) 4 Minutes Madonna (feat. Justin Timberlake)

(That last one really doesn't fit with anything else. But it is freaky catchy. Consider it the Denver Nuggets of my playlist. Nobody really knows how it got there but everyone knows it'll be fun. Can you tell that I'm excited for the playoffs? Go Jazz.)

This post is a little bit late, but hey, I'm new at this. We'll just let it slide.

So, bright and early last Saturday morning, Kris and I headed down to the RC Willey on 2100 South. Why? Because we were doing something responsible and adult-like, like shopping for a tasteful microfiber sectional?

Nope. Because we were trying out for "Deal or No Deal." Along with about 15,000 other certifiably crazy individuals.

(One side-note: what is it about Utahns, that we get so worked up about getting rich quick and getting on TV? I can't cast stones because I was definitely in that line, but I can say one thing in my defense: I didn't camp out. And trust me, there was an entire tent village.)

Anyway, Kris and I have had this crazy idea for a while that we want to go on "Deal or No Deal" together. We even worked up a pretty good schtick that we thought would definitely get us on. Until we finally got to the front of the line and got separated into our casting group. Which consisted of a black Vietnam vet, a special-ed school bus driver and a 90 year-old grandma who watches every episode. I'm not even kidding. Who can compete with that?

Needless to say, we were the kids sent crying to the curb to sit and wait for our ride home (we didn't really cry. but almost.) And thus went a disappointing but extremely entertaining Saturday morning.

(In case you're wondering, yes, the guy in the picture did wait in line with his shirt off for over four hours. And, yes, he did artfully recreate the "Deal or No Deal" logo in black Bic pen on his chest. And, yes, I did pretend like I was making a phone call while taking a picture of him.)