22 + Android

So I have still not converted to Android, although I am laying the groundwork. The husband's blackberry screen cracked last week, and he is up for an upgrade next month. I broached the subject of.... "what do you think about not getting a blackberry?" He asked why not and what would he get. I told him the main downside would be no bbm, and he replied, "but that's how we communicate. Why would you take away the way that we communicate most?" I need to do a little more research on what would substitute bbm.....

In the meantime, I came across this list and thought I would share. Awhile back, Kim posted her list of Android apps. I bookmarked it because once I do convert, I need a quick list to get started on.

The 22 Best Android Apps

September 27th

Happy Birthday to:

• My brother-in-law, who will not read this post, but who we love very much :)
• Google, my favorite thing technology 
• Gwyneth Paltrow, Lil Wayne, and Avril Lavigne (also people who won't read this)

Happy Anniversary to:

• Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom - also people who will not read this, but I'm impressed they made it a year

Flashback Friday (47)

Not sure why exactly, but I've been thinking about Arizona a lot this week. We'll do a couple of pics of our trip up to the Grand Canyon (July 2004) in this Flashback Friday episode.

The King and his brother liked to hang out on the edge

 His brother even did this

I liked to stay AWAY from the edge

But eventually we found a happy medium (love The King's expression)

Queenus Fly Trap

I almost didn't post this because I've posted before when a fly invaded my glass of wine. However, this morning I found one floating in my coffee... I'm developing a complex...
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Sent using BlackBerry

My Facebook Wish List

Dear Facebook,

You are an invaluable tool to help me stay connected with old friends, stay current with long-distance friends, not need a lot of chit chat at my next high school reunion, and keep me entertained throughout the day. However, there are a few aspects of your site that could use some improvement and that leave me longing for a Google alternative (GoogleMe, maybe?).

The biggest area of improvement would be an expansion of the "Like" button concept. I know, I know, maybe it's getting a little bit too "Myspace" to offer mood-related options, BUT here is my list to start with:

• Like - obviously keep this one... you pretty much own this term these days
• Dislike - huh.... what a concept
• Love - sometimes we feel more passionate than "like". For example, my friend recently posted that she was now happily married (on her wedding day, not that she'd been unhappily married prior). How can I have the same feeling to this post than to my other friend who had delicious mac & cheese for lunch?! just sayin'.....
• Hate - same logic applies
• Gag Me - hmmmm, maybe this is one I should just keep in my head
• Yikes 
• Ow
• Sorry

Happy Birthday, Agent Dragonfly!

Even though she has abandoned blog world, I wanted to give a shout out :)

The #1 thing I miss most about school (and there actually are a few things I miss) is getting to hang out with the Dragonfly family on the weekends. MISS Y'ALL!!!!! In fact, this photo is from one of those very special weekends. We had just finished up our latest puzzle and dragged Mr. Dragonfly off the couch and away from watching the Rockets to snap the pic :)

Happy Birthday, cous! I was thinking about you yesterday when we discovered a bird at my grandma's assisted living place that was laying an egg :)

A Fun Monday List

1. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong. I wonder what that feels like.....
2. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die. I think a bff's job should be to manage your facebook page after you die
3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.
5. How the heck are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet? my new niece-in-law actually knows how to do this. I'm contemplating asking her for lessons.....
6. Was learning cursive really necessary? um, this caused me to be really thoughtful
7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood. AMEN!
8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.
10. Bad decisions make good stories.
11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.
12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again. hee hee.... I've already given up that idea....
13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to.
14. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
15. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
16. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite than Kay. Martinis in my case
17. I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.
18. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
19. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said? I spend MWF from 7:30-45 doing this....
20. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!
21. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.
22. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.
23. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I'd bet everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time!
24. The first testicular guard, the "Cup," was used in Hockey in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1974. That means it only took 100 years for men to realize that their brain is also important.

Flashback Friday (46)

Happy 87th Birthday, Grandmom!

Ok... my "flashback" is intentionally a few days late in order to support the birthday theme! We had a wonderful day celebrating her birthday with her up at the assisted living facility. My dad reserved their private dining room, and we carted bbq, cake, cards, presents, and the whole family up there to celebrate. She summed it up by saying, "everyone here thinks I have the best family ever." And we do.... thanks to great examples :)

Triplants

Subtitle: Post 1000

Less than 2 weeks ago I was dividing My Sad Plant into Two Growing & Thriving Plants (nicknames "Grow" and "Thrive").

Last night I took the bigger one ("Thrive") and split it off into one for my mom (nickname: "Hope"). I made sure to get a picture of the Triplants all together before Hope left the family. Luckily they all looked at the camera on the first try! I'm getting good at this.....

Now we're back to just the twinplants. xoxo, Grow & Thrive!

Blog Roll

I was at dinner last night with a long time co-worker/mentor/kool kat when the subject of The Blog came up. I have apparently become mildly infamous (oxymoron?) around Building C as being "Queen's Father's Daughter" as well as "The Blogger" and "The One With a Tattoo" because when the guy sitting next to me realized who I was, he recalled those facts.

Anyhoo.... the long-time co-worker whipped out his non-standard cellphone and showed me his blogroll. Guess who's on top? And guess who has the juicy #2 spot? Yep, that's right... we rank over Mark Cuban :)

For Kim: Cake Decorating Fail

So happy to have Kim back in the world of faithful commenters. In her honor, I am sharing a bit from my new favorite non-HCBC web site... the Fail Blog.

JCPenney Sucks....

...there. I said it. I've been wanting to say that for awhile now, and it really feels good. I had to be careful not to share that news on facebook because I have several friends who work for them.

Reason 1 (that I have been suppressing my irritation over for a minute now):
A few weeks ago, I had to go there to make a return. It seems I am often returning things there and have a good system down. I go mid-afternoon, when it's rarely busy, on a quick afternoon break from the grind I call "work" (well... that's what I call it on a good day....). I park close to the door near the guys' department, and I stare at the funny t-shirts while I'm processed. It works out quite nicely.

On this particular occasion, I decided to leave my backpack in the car rather than in the trunk. I don't know why, but I get really paranoid over leaving bags in plain sight for fear that my car will get broken into and my laptop stolen. But, I was lazy, it was hot, and I figured this was a 5 minute trip.

I get inside, and there are 2 people working the registers in my usual spot, both currently assisting customers. I end up waiting in line (1 deep) for about 5 minutes. That wasn't too awful because there were enough funny t-shirts to keep me occupied. Just as they are wrapping up with the customer ahead of me, another associate comes up to me and points me to another register "right over there" where I can be helped. Turns out it is 1/4 way around the store, and there is another customer in line. Sigh.... wtf?

As I am standing there, not being entertained by any funny t-shirts, I watch the ridiculously slow JCPenney worker folding these men's dress slacks that had a nice crease in them. Was he folding them appropriately so as to maintain the crease? Oh, no. He was folding them like I fold my jeans. Sigh.... It took him FOREVER to accomplish this and then to process my return. Then, of course, I had to trek 1/4 way around the store again, only to find the original register with no customers in sight.

Reason 2: 
Well, this just speaks for itself. How lame is that slideshow? And how dare they title that mess "Stylish Ways to Refresh Your Office" to tease me to click it? And that has set me off to publish all my gripes with them ;)

For Jane: 18 Strangest Bathrooms

Full list available here.

My highlights:

• Label Maker Addicts Dream: you know who you are ;)
• Virgin Mary Urinal: those are really odd
• Bulletproof: this is only intriguing to me because I'd like to know how they determine restroom popularity...
• In An Aquarium: ok, that would be FUN. RO @ the male turtle in the ladies' room
• D&G Gold Bathroom: "A-listers only"....
• Spy-themed: I like the idea of secret passages to get there, but what if you really gots ta go? 
• Eye Before You Try: don't think I like the idea of seeing the bathroom before I enter
• The Fakeout: might cause me to start giving outhouses a try....
• Room With a View: nice view, but do people really go there to find peace from their busy day? 
• 2-way Mirror: this would totally freak me out

Personal IT Guy

For a long time now, I have thought that getting a job as a personal chef would be a neat experience for The King. Even better if it could be combined into a personal trainer/personal chef package. The problem with that is the need to find someone with enough money to blow to pay for those services full-time.

Today, I stumbled upon this. So Shaq had a "personal IT guy"... I didn't even know such a job existed!

My Food Diary

Last week was the first week of "dinner as usual" since the King has started at his new job. He goes in super-early, so he can get done early-afternoon, hit the gym, and come home to make dinner for me :) I'm so lucky..... and he's such a sucker!

Anyhoo.... sadly, during the first month-ish of his job, we had gotten way too into the habit of fast food/eating out. My body went from craving healthy home-cooking to craving Chick-Fil-A. So I was still in this transitional period when Thursday rolled around. I bbmed the King that it was The First Day of the 2010 NFL Season and maybe we should have some football food - especially since Favre was playing.

He took the bait, so Thursday night we had brats and chips (I made mine slightly healthier by doing turkey dogs and wheat buns). As a starter, we had this amazing fish chowder that he had made at work that day. So.... yeah... brats, chips, and a halibut/salmon soup. ooh-la-la!

Friday night we started off better..... ah.... he definitely knows what I like to see when I walk in the door :)

September 11th

I will be spending Patriot Day at my fall home-away-from home: Kyle Field.

I have posted before about my thoughts regarding September 11, 2001. However, I do not believe I have posted about what happened in the days following....

• Thursday, September 13 - the Queen and King pack up the Mustang with a TV and a few suitcases and hit the road for Phoenix; 13 boxes are dropped off at UPS with all the Queen's worldly possessions
• Friday, September 14 - the royal family arrives in Phoenix
• Monday, September 17 - the Queen's first day at Perot Systems.... since air travel wasn't happening, her boss was not in the office; the person who was going to show her around had a family member on the plane that hit the Pentagon and thus was also MIA; the Chief of Staff was my 1st day buddy
• Saturday, September 22 - back "home" in College Station, A&M was doing something special. Starting in 1998, one football game each season is dubbed the "Maroon Out" game. Maroon t-shirts are sold for $5, and every fan is encouraged to wear maroon. It's very cool. Anyhoo, I'll just take the description of this straight from Wikipedia: 

Perhaps the most memorable Maroon Out moment was not maroon at all. After the events of September 11, 2001, five Aggie students wished to help honor America. They decided to ask the attendees of the next A&M football game, which would be held at Kyle Field on September 22, 2001 (YEP.... 22!), to wear patriotic colors. The colors would be divided by deck, with the upper deck wearing red, the middle deck wearing white, and the lower deck in blue. Within a five-day period the students had contracted with several printers to create special t-shirts which read "Standing for America" and the date. Despite initial concerns about not being able to sell enough shirts to be effective, the students sold about 70,000 of these shirts, raising over $150,000 for the relief efforts.

Reason #22 I love my school :)

Flashback Friday (45)

First day of school - 3rd grade, 1988

Things I notice about this picture....

• That carpet was pretty darn new
• Love the wooden duck perched on the bar
• Rockin' my half of the bff necklace
• Backpack is awfully bright blue
• We should have changed out the light fixture when we changed out the wall paper...

The Fail Blog

Our social media director (at Dell, where I work) pointed me to the Fail Blog the other day. I must say, it has provided me with a LOT of entertainment!

I just came across this one, which seems appropriate for reposting and linking with previous Google search entertainment.

LOL

As I was sitting quietly at my desk, waiting for the rest of my co-workers to show up, heeding the advice of my horoscope (Take your time today and don't rush ahead of everyone else), I came across this article: 10 Obscure Marriage Laws. Some highlights.....

• Marriage by proxy, which means someone stands in for a bride/groom who can't be present at his/her wedding, is limited to members of the U.S. Armed Forces. But of the four states that allow the practice — California, Colorado, Texas and Montana — Montana is the only one that allows double-proxy weddings. Essentially, neither the bride nor groom has to show up. 
• In Kentucky, it's illegal to remarry the same man four times. Honestly, good for Kentucky: If you've already divorced him three times, someone should step in
• In Truro, Mississippi, a groom-to-be must "prove himself manly" prior to marriage by hunting and killing either six blackbirds or three crows.
• In Salem, Massachusetts, married couples are not allowed to sleep in the nude in a rented room.
• In South Carolina it's illegal for a man over 16 years old to propose marriage and not mean it.
• It is illegal in Hartford, Connecticut for a man to kiss his wife on Sunday.
• In New Orleans it is illegal for palm readers, fortune tellers, mystics and the like to officiate a wedding.

ATM Foul

Dude... if you gotta get out of your car... USE THE WALK-UP ONE!

*huff*

Weekend Recap

This past weekend can be summed up in two words: FOOTBALL (!!!!!!!!!!!!) and FAMILY :)

Friday night had me exercising my new season tickets for Plano Wildcat football. Apparently Wildcat season tickets are really special commodities, and thanks to my lovely parents the King and I are proud holders of row 10 on the 50 yard line (seats 24 and 25.... yes, this is a big problem to be so close to #22 and yet so far). The King did not accompany me to this game, but he assures me he will be there for the next.

Saturday morning, I spent a whirlwind effort of cleaning up the house, tending to my plants, and then it was off to the A&M vs. sfa game in College Station. The game atmosphere there is just unbeatable, and I was happy to be a part of the record opening day attendance :) I was even happier to watch us roll to a 48-7 win. I hope to see many more of those!

Sunday was a very lazy day around the house, which was so nice. The King and I laid low, caught up on Master Chef and Top Chef, and contemplated adding another puppy to our brood. I think we finally let that idea pass ;)

Monday was waffle & mimosa morning, afternoon naps, and then dinner with my brother/SIL/local nieces to celebrate my SIL's upcoming birthday. We were treated to 2 different cakes: my mom's famous white cake + a specially prepared cake by my brother and Miss Faith. It was apparently their first joint cake-making effort, and they did a great job.

My (Not So) Sad Plant(s)

Nearly a year ago (10/29/09), I blogged about bringing my near-dead plant to the office in hopes of reviving it. (Photo 1). It was basically 1 live leaf and several mostly dead leaves that I found it hard to remove. I got a lot of ribbing about the sad state of my plant.

5 months ago (4/19/05) I posted about how my plant and I had relocated, and I had hopes that it would continue to grow and thrive in our new location. (Photo 2)

Over the past 6 weeks, I have been examining my plant and pondering moving it into a bigger pot. It is really flourishing, and definitely seems to have outgrown its tiny pot. (Photo 3 - 7/27/10)

I mentioned the repotting to someone at work on Friday, and she suggested dividing it into 2 pots. The suggestion of diving was more attractive to me because if you remember from my October 2009 post (and of course, I assume everyone remembers everything that I write on this blog), I originally had 2 peace lilies but managed to kill one off. Ergo... I have an extra pot. But... when I got home Friday night, my plant was crying out for help (Photo 4 - 9/3/10). I hear ya, guy, I hear ya! Love these expressive plants ;)

So... I watered him, and then mulled over the dividing... Can this be done? It certainly surpasses my gardening expertise.... so of course I went to Google. Armed with my wikihow instructions, I have successfully performed the separation surgery! (Photo 5 - 9/4/10)

Assuming they both continue to grow and thrive, I told my mom I'd divide one again for her in a month. There is still plenty of plant to go around :)

Flashback Friday (44)

I am disappointed that I can't readily identify the year on this.... I'm guessing fall 1997.

Notable things about this picture:

• We had that couch for my ENTIRE childhood.... the fabric got recovered at one point (previously fabric can be seen in Flashback 9, but the couch lived to be about 20 years old.
• Loved the positioning of the piano behind the couch. It was so convenient to sit down and bang out a few notes.
• Not sure why we thought we needed the Harrod's bear as a prop.
• The paws featured so prominently by us (and the coffee table) are to support the Plano Wildcats. First football game of the season is tonight, and that's where I'll be ;)
  
  
  
  

Green Energy

If I drove a lime green bug, I wouldn't have a personalized plate. I'm just sayin'...
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Sent using BlackBerry

The Five Year Rule

My life is apparently governed by a five year rule.....

• For the first gazillion years that the King and I were dating, if I asked him when we were getting married he would tell me "in 5 years".... this was the answer in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004.... you would think that at some point time would be decremented, but no...... well.... until I told him time needed to be subtracted.... like FOUR YEARS
• It took me 5 years post-college graduation to get my diploma framed and hung. It only took me 3 years to earn the diploma!
• It has now taken me 5 years to order wedding portraits......
• Monday, the King put the li'l red flag on our mailbox.... 5 years after the mailbox was built

who knew?