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Saturday, January 31, 2009

Food! Lovely food.

Hullloooooo! :) Big news of today: I went grocery shopping! Oh yes my friends. I now have food. I can eat green things instead of pasta, how exciting. I actually think that's had a lot to do with all of my moodiness as well, I haven't really had the best of diets as of late. I started taking my vitamins again a couple days ago too, just to help out where my foodstuffs lack. You know what I'm most excited about though? Brussels sprouts. I love Brussels sprouts. Now, I did not know this until I had the sprouts that Jim made for us right before tour...but after that, it was all over. Yes I know, I get more nerdy by the day. I'm totally ok with that though.

I don't really have a whole lot to say, that's pretty much been my day today. And let me tell you, the grilled cheese, tomato, and ham sandwich I had for dinner followed by scratch-made chocolate pudding... well, it was pretty much heaven. :) Until next time!




This just cracked me up. First it was the color that grabbed me...but really folks... take a look at that BIKE. It's a little one too... like kid sized. Whatever kid is riding that bike is really pimpin'.... lol.

Friday, January 30, 2009

Old vs. New

Hello gentle readers. I'm sorry I've been AWOL for a bit....I hit a corkscrew on the emotional rollercoaster and had other things on my mind other than making daily blog entries. I will spare you the whiny details and just say everything is fine - for the moment at least - and I'm SO very ready to be on the up again!

I have discovered a new song (and like usual I discovered it YEARS after it was popular...this case a few years after I was born) which I do occasionally from our random "radio" at work. This time it was Loco in Acapulco by the Four Tops...reaching it's popularity in 1988 lol. However, I loved this song and of course then made it a personal mission to find and *ahem* procure it for my listening enjoyment. I decided after I found it that I would build a new "Feelin' Good" playlist built around it and so ventured forth into the depths of the 10,063 songs of my iPod.

Now, I will just say as a side note that going chronologically through my iPod is basically a musical scrapbook of my life in recent years. This brings on a whole gamut of emotion, usually resulting in an "AW!" or a laugh, which is a good thing. It never ceases to amaze me how things can remind you of specific events, times, people.... crazy. I enjoy digging through the recesses of my music collection and remembering things, it's a reminder to me that I've come through a lot and made it just fine, and so will I make it through this and be able to look back and remember how I got through this too.

On a less heavy topic, there's a few songs that I love a lot and tend to download different versions or covers of. Actually, I'm a sucker for covers in general, since I like to see how well (or not...) they're done. Most of the time I wholly agree that the original is far superior. However I've run across a few that I really can't decide. I thought I'd leave it open for debate. And, in case you haven't heard the covers to the following, I would suggest you find them... they are quite good. And I believe that all of them (original and cover) can be found on YouTube. :)

The first, King of Wishful Thinking. Originally done by Go West in 1990, this cover was done by New Found Glory apparently just last year. Now while the original conjures images of the white background, stone washed jeans, leather jacket music video (only in my mind...I've never actually seen the music video. I could YouTube it, but later) the new version kinda makes me want to head bang a little bit. Admittedly, I actually went to the trouble to make the new version my new ringtone on my phone. That doesn't necessarily mean I favor it per say. I actually anticipated it to be crap, even though I do like New Found Glory and their "bubblegum punk" style as one of my friends put it.

Next, Walking in Memphis. This one actually has a few different covers, but I will address the one by Lonestar. This song came out in 1991 by Marc Cohn and was redone in 2005 (from what I can see...) by Lonestar. I really hold a special place in my heart for the original of this song, as I fell in love with it at a very young age and it has been one of my all-time favorite songs. The Lonestar version does seem to have a bit more "body" though, more layers of music that makes it very comforting. Can you really replace Marc Cohn though?

And last for this installment, Witchdoctor. Oh yes my friends...say the magic words. Ooo eee ooo ah ah, ting tang, walla walla bing bang. Originally done in 1958 by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr (had to do some looking for that one!) and then again later with collaboration with none other than Alvin and the Chipmonks, this cover was done by a group called (apparently) the Cartoons DK in 1998. You should really look up this one on YouTube. The video is pretty great too. I will say though, this particular cover (the song has apparently been covered a LOT) I find to be awesome, and I think does squeek by the original for me personally. Just...makes you happy, and who doesn't love that?

Well...those are the thoughts for this evening. If you feel like leaving a comment about any of these particular songs, or just to say hi, please do. :) Until next time, I'm gonna try to go get *some* sleep before I have to work tomorrow. Cheers!

Monday, January 19, 2009

I'm Famous!

Not really. But I did get my submission posted over at Apostrophe Abuse. Yay! :) I'm always on the lookout for random things to take pictures of, and hey, why not send my pictures for submissions on other blogs?

Holy cow, is it really another week already? Seems like it was just Monday not too long ago. This last week was just ridiculous. I loved having the company, but I think I need a vacation now! lol. I'm not going to know how to deal with going back to my normal routine. I'm actually going out this week on my days off and I'm going to try pounding the pavement again for a secondary and/or better paying job. If anyone has suggestions I am totally open to hearing them. I'm also trying to do some small business research and I'm working on writing a business plan. You know, cause I have nothing else to occupy my time. :) I'm going to try to make an attempt to maybe get things rolling there, see what comes of it. Can't hurt!

Anyway, it's getting late and I need to get up and watch the inauguration tomorrow, so I'm heading to bed! Later!

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Made it

Well that's two of two visits back to back over and done with. I'm actually just biding my time before we have to go to the airport at 4:30 am. Posting some pics for today of the conservatory in the Bellagio. They just finished their new exhibit, which are Asian gardens. I have to say, this is one of my favorites of the ones I've seen so far. I'll be posting scattered Strip pictures throughout the next few days, just because I took a lot over the last week and I didn't feel like posting them all at once. But for tonight, just some gardens. I'll do a proper update tomorrow. After I sleep. A lot.





Panda!


Panda on hind legs with baby!


Don't play Koi with me! :D


Yakkity Yak (Actually, I think it's a water buffalo....being in the water and all.)


The overseer of said animals.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Alrighty....not so much talk today. But I did get some great photos out of it all! And those are worth a 1,000 words a piece, right? ;)




Street performs on Freemont. The Something Triplets...I forget. :)


This is Vegas Vic. Looks like someone punched his lights out! GET IT? Punched his lights out?! *cracks up at own joke* Ah...I kill me....


Me high-fivin' Lord Vader! Oh yeah, we're tight.


And who could ask for more than TWO John Waynes???


And...of course.... I had to. It's a personal mission now.


Pre-show of Tournament of Kings. This was actually really good. Food and everything. Nothing like ripping apart a game hen with your bare hands! ARG! :D


*DORK* :D

Moe and I in front of the sign. I this is also a new mission...collection of photos with friends who come visit. So all ya'll that came before and we didn't do this...sorry. You're gonna have to come back.


....



I just realized that almost all those pictures are of me. Wow. Sorry guys lol. Let me just take that moment of vanity and run with it... next time, less me more stuff. :)

Thursday, January 15, 2009

*ding*

Time for round two. Moe and her boyfriend Dennis got in this afternoon and it's pretty much been nonstop since then. They got in, we picked up Le Reve tickets, went to the house, looked up show prices, bought Xtreme Magic Show tickets, went to the Hard Rock for lunch, went to the Tropicana for the show, went to the Wynn for the other show almost back to back, walked around a bit, gambled a bit (me - 0; slot machine -$15), had In-n-Out burger for dinner (third time for me in a week..no more burgers plz!) and came home to pass out. And they just GOT here! Oi. Feels like it's been a week. I'm off tomorrow too, so we're starting early and getting a good start on a lot of the free stuff to do tomorrow. But, here are some pictures from today that I thought I'd post. Man...I'm wiped, lol. Enjoy!



Fountains outside the Wynn. Very jungle-esque.


Totally my new favorite picture. I look skinny! Any picture that makes me look skinny is awesome.


Post show at Le Reve. Love this show. Definitely worth it to come see!


Pretty denim dress at some shop in the Wynn. Just thought it was really cute.


Butterfly ceiling outside the Wynn Theatre.


That's the Paris hot air balloon...in case you couldn't tell by the big "Paris" on..the..hot air balloon... moving on.


After lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. We look all happy, but we're stuffed to exploding lol.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

So I've noticed.....

....that apparently I've started a picture collection of me with pirate statues. This dawned on me a couple days ago when I took the most recent of these photos. Funny isn't it?




At the FAO Schwartz toy store in Caesar's Forum Shops. January 2009


At the Toys'R'Us in Times Square. April 2007 (note same denim jacket lol)


The pirate store in Seattle. May 2007

A Whirlwind Tour

Alrighty. Well this post is going to be mostly photos. My friend Autumn and her sister came to visit me the last few days, so there were a *lot* of photos taken... so you can look forward to scatters of those for the next few days. I just figured I'd post a lot today to try and make up for not posting for the last few days. So, I hope you enjoy!




This one I took today, it's a little adobe building that looks really classic with that cactus and whatnot...but it's really a minimart lol. I made sure the sign wasn't in the shot.


This, my friends, is a 30" pizza. We have that water bottle there for scale. I'm still eating leftovers, and probably have another two days worth to go. Not sure I'm going to want pizza for a long time after this one.


A lion at the MGM. They had the males out today and they were so cute.


I've heard of the bugs in the desert being large, but this is ridiculous! I found this fly hat in FAO Schwartz in the Caesar's Forum Shops.


A baby seal wrapped in a strawberry! TOO CUTE. *cute overload....poof*


The bright lights of the Casino Royale.


Umm... yes, we got the infamous Harrah's drinks. That's a rum runner folks...


Autumn and I hangin out with Yellow


I really like this one. I took it while we were walking into NYNY. Right place right time I guess.


An "artsy" shot with part of the sign and a look up the Strip.


Me in front of the sign. I know I live here, but really! Who doesn't want their photo by the sign?


The sign by itself. That's what I'd call a postcard shot folks.


The Bellagio fountains. They're really awesome. This was from the song "This Kiss" by Faith Hill.


The Chihuly glass on the ceiling of the Bellagio lobby.


A shot from the top of the parking garage at the Bellagio. That's the Paris, in case it wasn't entirely obvious.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

So. Much. Rum.

I know I haven't posted in a while. I finally got rid of my virus, so my pc is acting fairly normal. It's still a little slow, but it's better. I'm admittedly a little drunk at the moment...having gotten a yard of rum at Harrah's casino. That's a lot of booze folks. You should just know that right now. You definitely get your money's worth. And I've taken so many pictures lately it's ridiculous, but I'm tired and I will post them tomorrow. Trust me, there is a large post of photos coming very soon. You will not be disappointed. At least I hope. Alrighty, I'm off now to finish my drink and the rest of my evening. :) Later!

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

I took pics, I promise.

Alrighty. Crap day number two! I can't post photos today because apparently one of the 18 virus in my computer right now (not even kidding, wish I was) is preventing me from using the pop-ups, which is ironic since I was battling nothing BUT pop-ups yesterday. My pc is acting better today, for no real apparent reason, I am happy but still need to find something to clean the system so I won't continue to have this problem.

My major issue is, of course, money. There is never enough. And it seems the more I work the less I have, since I seemed to have quite a bit when I was being a bum (thank you line of credit!) and now that I work almost every day I can't even pay the bills. Logically, it makes my brain hurt. There are a few options I have, none of which really jump out at me as being stellar.

Option 1:
The most obvious, ask for more hours, work as much as I can and try to tough it out. So far, this hasn't really done me any good.

Option 2:
Get a second job. Also seems obvious. However, considering how long and how hard I worked to get the job I have, a second one doesn't look likely, though I am going to start looking around again. And just so ya'll don't think I'm slacking on the theatre front, I've been checking back with the MGM folks and website about once a month. Nothing.

Option 3:
Go back to school. This has potential, except for the fact I need money to go and I don't really want to deal with school anymore. Plus I don't even know what I want to do. Part of me wants to enroll in the 2-year animation program at the Art Institute (what I was planning to do in Seattle), and part of me wants to try culinary school. Shock, I know. But the last part of me just wants to avoid school and all that drama all together. Plus, I'd still need a job because you know, just because you go to school doesn't mean the bills pay themselves.

Option 4:
Move back to Montana. There are a couple places in Montana I could go, and I could get a transfer to a different Michael's, which although not ideal would at least make certain I had a job to go to, something I severely neglected to make sure of when I made the move here. Although it would be nice to be back in Montana, I really just don't want to move again. And I really like it here. Preferably, I'd like to make it here. For cost and for my sanity. Oh yeah, and my pride.

Option 5:
Find a theatre job somewhere else that would pay me well enough to make the move worthwhile. This seems a logical option, but I don't know how behind it I am. Besides having to move somewhere where I (probably) wouldn't know anyone at all, or be in a place I didn't want to be, I honestly can't tell you that I'm really sure I want to deal with theatre right now. It's an awesome feeling to have second thoughts about your degree, let me tell you. I just don't know anymore, and I think unless the conditions are really awesome, I'd rather just stay away from it right now. Yes I'm being picky, but I'm more focused on trying to maintain my money and my sanity than trying to stay in a field I'm not even sure I want to deal with anymore.

I think that's about all I've thought of right now, excepting of course starting my own business, which if I could do would be the most preferable option of them all, but seeing as that's more of a pipedream than a reality at the moment, I thought I should probably try to find something that could at least sustain me for the time being. I am also now accepting any and all applications for your standard miracle. You know, just in case.

Again, sorry about the lack of photography today, I'll guess you'll just have to trust me that I did indeed take some, and I'll work on getting my pc up and running proper as soon as I can so I can keep posting them.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Some days just aren't worth it

Sorry again that I don't feel much like elaborating. I have the day off tomorrow, so I'll rest up and give a proper entry then. But let it suffice to say I feel like everything (and everybody) has been up in my face today, which apparently then put me in the mood to take up close photos.

Yup, still sticking to the project, cause that's one thing I'm going to try not to fail at.




A snapshot of my bookshelf. Thank you Borders for most of the ones you see. The bright blue and orange ones I got at one of my favorite stores in Bigfork, they're poetry.


The first ever thing I bought on eBay was that ladybug print. My mom painted and made the frame for me, and my dad got me the little stuffed ladybug there in front.


Some random junk on my other bookshelf. Little of everything there. And in case you were curious, that purple thing is a dragon butt.

Note to Self:

Self -

Please do not take naps when you come home from work. Especially if they are after the hours of 8pm. This means one of two things:
1) You will remain soundly asleep until 4am, then wake up and not get back to sleep before you have to go to work in the morning. This will make you very tired.
2) You will sleep for an hour or so, then wake up and be awake until the wee hours of the morning, thus giving you very little sleep before you have to get up and go to work in the morning. This will make you very tired.
As you can see, both of these things end in extreme exhaustion, thus permeating the cycle of naps. If there is no work the next morning you may disregard this message. However, if there is work the next morning, it would be appreciated if you would be considerate of this matter.

Thank you.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

So. Tired.

I don't know what train hit me, but I wish there would have been a warning. I am exhausted today. So this post won't be very long.

Things to note today:
I need a new computer ASAP. More about that tomorrow.
I'm pretty sure I have a zillion cavities and should probably go to the dentist.
Met a *very* lovely Scotsman today who is actually my age. Will hang out later.
Need to buy baking stuffs. Am out.

Sorry I'm not more exciting, I'm just tired. But tomorrow is another day. I did get my photos though, so that's a bonus.




Mountains and palm trees. Still weird. Not such the fan of these mountains, they are what my mother would call "potato mountains" because they're just brown and lumpy.


I present to you the fine folks that made my dinner tonight. I know that In-n-Out is a pop culture icon kinda thing, but really I just care because they make really freakin' good burger.


Looks like a shot from a horror film doesn't it? I took it while I was waiting in the drive thru line for my burger. The building is Sunset Station. I actually kinda like this one.

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Learn somethin' new every day

Well. Today has been a stellar day. And I mean that sincerely. So far today I:

- rolled out of bed at noon
- cleaned off my kitchen table... hey, I forgot a HAD a table!
- found the greatest news heading in the newspaper on my table, pictures to follow
- forged ahead in my kitchen cleaning...which was kinda narsty. not even nasty, NARSTY. let it be known that I have now reached in with my hand and unschmutzed the drain in my dishwasher that is constantly plugged. It. Is. Gross. Personal achievement there, I can clean my own drains lol.
- have done two loads of laundry and now have a giant pile of - at least - clean clothes
- have taken out the garbage from said cleaning excursions. and no, I will not tell you how many bags it was.
- finished my "commissioned" $25 cat picture for delivery tomorrow. Picture and explanation below.
-have done all of the above and still haven't gotten out of my pajamas. Oh yes. Be jealous.

I feel like I've gotten more done today than I have in weeks and I haven't even left the house. Aside from the trip to the dumpster, which is not far. I wish all days were like that, lol. I also found a blog this morning called Maybe If You Just Relax that actually had me laughing out loud. It's written by a girl (Jen), and she and her husband have been trying very hard to get and remain pregnant, and she's pretty much the cutest thing ever. Just go read the first few posts, you'll see what I mean. I have admittedly become an avid blog follower... and I'm not quite sure how it happened. But there are some real gems out there, and anything that holds my attention and makes me laugh is worth my time. Check out the others under "Blogs I Follow"... Cake Wrecks also being particularly amusing.

So, this commissioned picture. I make it sound fancy, it's really not. This lovely woman came in to Michael's wanting basically a 1/2" mat, which we can't do, and I told her so. She had super glued a cut-out cat picture from a greeting card off center on a metal...ahem...frame. I would call it more of a bookend, but whatever. I was trying to explain to her how she can make her own at home, and she looked at me and said, "Clearly I've shown I don't have the skill for that...is there anything you can do? What else would you suggest?" So I told her if she didn't mind I'd take it home and make her a mat out of some cardstock as long as she bought the cardstock. She was thrilled. So she went and bought the paper and paid me, personally, $25 to do this for her. I thought she was kidding at first, cause she asked how much I wanted and I told her whatever she thought was reasonable. And I think when she looked at me and said "How about 25?" I gave her the crazy look, lol. I'm thinking, "25 what? Cents? Surely she can't mean dollars? For cutting some cardstock?" But I said ok thank you! and we went about our merry ways. She just came back into town and I'm taking it to work tomorrow for her to pick up. You can see the picture of what she wanted at the bottom of this post. If I can keep getting folks wanting things like this done, and that are willing to pay me to do it, I'd be in business! Literally! But word is spreading. I've actually had two other ladies come and have me help them with various projects, and they both tipped me! Wish that happened every day, it would make my time at work much more worthwhile, lol. But they're very sweet and I always refuse once, but they insisted and if they insist who am I to say no? :)

I'm going to make my final effort this evening getting some ATCs done. I haven't done anything craft-related for about a month, and I'm very sad about that. I really need to sort through all my craft supplies and organize them, but I think that project is a little wilier a task than I want to take on right now. But oh, it will happen. Probably in the three days I have off next week. :)

But anyway, I've actually rambled on forever today... enjoy my bubbliness while it lasts folks! Until tomorrow!




So I learned today that we have a Las Vegas chapter of a Zombie Squad.... I just stopped when I saw the headline and laughed for a good minute. "...while preparing for 'actual disasters'" (To be fair, they do work with the Red Cross and raise money and do volunteer work, all of which I think is totally rad. Rock on Zombie Squad!)


You too can join the "Squad!" For only $15 a year you can live out your zombie dreams and help out some folks!


And look! They have bake sales! I bet the best seller is "Death by Chocolate" :D (Yes, I read that it's at their meeting, but the thought of a zombie bake sale is just too funny.)


This is the little cat photo. The only thing I had to do was cut and adhere that black border. Looks nice though don't it?

Friday, January 2, 2009

Coffee. It hurts.

Today was pretty ok. I didn't really do anything terribly exciting. Got up and went to work this morning, was met with some crabby customers. One lady thought I was lying about her frame being out of stock because we were having a 50% off sale, and demanded the manager come and write her a note saying if it "miraculously" came back in stock after the sale was over she could still get it. This was after she demanded I call the other Michael's and ask them if they had it, which I had to explain to her we all order from the same company, and she asked me to call two more times anyway, and then when I was putting everything away demanded to know why I would put the out of stock frame back on the wall, even though I had tagged it. *sigh* I did get paid though, which was good. I went and got some coffee after work cause I was tired, and learned that Starbucks has discontinued the coconut flavor, which means I can no longer get my vanilla coconut lattes... don't give me that look, they were delicious. I wound up going home and taking a nap anyway, and I woke up with heartburn and a headache. The heartburn has since gone away, but the headache is being very resistant. It's a good one too...the kind that hurts when you move. What with my nap and all I didn't really get out to get any photos, so you get a creative shot of my house gnome. And also as promised, I'm posting a shot of Snowflake. Here's to a better, headache-free day tomorrow.



This is my new baby. She's pretty cute, and we've gotten to be friends. I'm actually very glad that I went with this one as opposed to the other, which was a two door black Chevy Cobalt with moon roof. Really not my style. This one though, she's my style. And when I first got in and turned on the radio, it was already on my favorite station. I knew at that moment she was trying to be friends.

And here's a shot of my little house gnome. Note the "artsy" subject-in-the-corner angle I've taken. (Photographer's Note: Really "artsy" here means "too lazy and in pain to get off the sofa." Sorry loyal readers.)