Star Trek is the movie they play all the time in my version of hell

Star Trek is the movie they play all the time in my version of hell

I planned a date of dinner and a movie with Peter. I chose Star Trek because I knew he wanted to see it. I had no desire to see it. None. I would rather have had a tooth extracted than see it. But, in the vein of trying to be a less selfish wife, I wanted to make the effort. Keep in mind I made it VERY clear that I didn’t want to see it and wasn’t I good wife for going to see it? He kept giving me that look. The “it’s not like you’re giving me a kidney” look.

First we went out for delish tapas and I had two glasses of Prosecco which put me in a sparkly mood. I tried not to think about what we were going to see because when I did my brain would bust out the bullhorn and make that WAH WAH EVACUATE EVACUATE!!!! noise. I focused on the onion tartlet with goat cheese and my sweet PGP’s face.

I love movie previews and never like to miss them.  Of course, the 5 previews before Star Trek were ALL sci-fi loud garbage.

I know for a fact that I sighed audibly 4 or 5 times during each preview.

My husband is married to an 13 year old girl.

Star Trek was what it was. If you’re a die hard, then right on. Good for you. Stop reading and don’t squawk to me about the brilliance of it. I kept myself entertained by naming the other things the actors had been in.

Winona Ryder as Spock’s mom was a cute pity casting. Aw, throw good old Winny a bone. Just lock up your valuables.

What about Uhura and Spock randomly making out and having this full on relationship? What the? Where did that come from? I like Zoe Saldana, btw. Hello Center Stage? Loved it.

Chris Pine, who plays Kirk,  has distracting acne scars on his neck and face. He better be careful. He could go the way of Edward James Almos and look like someone has been chewing on his face.

Simon Pegg is brilliant in everything and was great as Scotty. Love him.

The guy who played McCoy was so spot on it was creepy. He looked just like the original guy.

Checkov? Totally distracted by him because he starred in that movie Charlie Bartlett.

I liked Zachary Pinto as Spock. He’s always interesting to watch. Love him as Syrus on Heroes.

Did anyone else notice the random casting of Tyler Perry as the Judge in the scenes where Kirk gets reprimanded? WTF? Maybe he’s a Trekkie.

Anyway, I’m glad it’s over. I’ll never get those two hours back again. Oh and the audience clapped at the end. One guy stood up. Really? C’mon.

Speaking of movies, I really want to see Precious,(the title was previously Push: based on the novel by Sapphire), 500 Days of Summer – can’t WAIT to see this. How cute is Joseph-Gordon Levitt now??? And Lymelife.

 

This picture is how I’m feeling this morning. Calm, open, positive, relaxed, happy. I would sit at that sidewalk cafe for hours reading, sipping something, people watching and just being.

 

pic from flickr via sfgirlbybay

Wishing you a luscious Friday. Shout outs to: fancy girls in Paris and a beatific lady with her most perfect root beer float. You inspire me.

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LLP

LLP

Dear Luca,

I met you for the first time yesterday. 

I stopped at your mom’s favorite cupcake place to get some goodies on the way, because it was her birthday. (Nice job, BTW, not coming on her birthday. It’s the little things you do for your mom.) Anyway, the place was closed on Mondays so I just got a bunch of magazines. Mama loves magazines. And the phone. But not more than she loves you.

You were so tiny, perfectly bundled in a really good burrito wrap. (your parents are pros now) Speaking of them, they looked good and really calm. Your mom looked so cute in her own pjs, robe and slippers. Not that you care about that, but I know your mom, and she would want it noted that she looked good. Your dad looked great too. He was his usual funny self and regaled me with a hilarious story about meeting a new father in the hallway at 6am.

Anyway, back to you.

I held you for an hour or so. I didn’t want to give you back. You were so perfect and warm and quiet. Did I mention quiet? Yes, you were silent. And so handsome. You look like your daddy. I was calling you “mini-V”.

I was taken aback at how emotional I was. I was really jittery on the way to see you. I joked to your mom and dad “It’s not like I was going to get here and be surprised that you gave birth to a cat or something. I mean I knew what was happening!”

But then I saw you.

And let me say, you do not disappoint.

Only after I left the hospital, did it hit me. A baby being born brings so much hope and love into our lives. And that’s what you brought us, hope and love. Sounds pretty hippy dippy as your Papa would say, but you’ll learn quick enough that that’s kind of how I roll.

I love your mom, my sister, so fiercely that it was almost like I had a baby too. And everything she was feeling, I was somehow feeling too.

I am so proud of her, Luca. She really is fantastic. So funny and smart. You’re lucky to have her as your mother.

I felt my Dad, your Papa, so much as I walked back to my car on that pretty day. I had a little conversation with him in my head. I knew he was so happy for Meggie, that’s what he called her.  And I really did feel him all around.

I took the long way home to enjoy all of the downtown-ness that I could. I stopped at Katherine’s for a lovely solo lunch to toast you. I had the veggie sandwich on a croissant (delish but if you get it tell them to omit the zucchini, the texture is wrong) and a bottle of San Pellegrino water to toast you, my new nephew. I laughed as I sipped, knowing that a lot of people will ask you in your life if you are one of “those Pellegrinos”. (the water Pellegrinos) You smile a certain smile, ask your mom to show you the smile. She’s the master of it. The smile that says you’re a jackass but I’m trying to be nice to you. Anyway, you smile and tell them that the water is SAN Pellegrino, which is a place, not a bunch of people.

You, my darling little man, are part of the Denver Pellegrinos, a much more important group.

I love you,

Aunt Emily

PS- I have lots of good pictures of you, but I want to wait until your mom and dad post some. Can’t steal their thunder, you know?

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Just a Thought…

Just a Thought…

Been feeling good for a a few days now, which has me in a fantastic mood. Aware that it will probably be ripped away from me, I am relishing each moment. Enjoying the daffodils I bought yesterday. Enjoying the clean house. Enjoying my new candles. Just enjoying. If I try to fit in as much joy and enjoyment as I can, when the shit does hit the fan, it hits me less hard. Perhaps that doesn’t make sense. I feel a longer post coming on…maybe another day.

This morning after yoga, I made a green drink (4 cups spinach + lime) and then watched Gossip Girl. Seriously luxurious. There is lots of laundry to do and I am sllllowwwly working on it but this morning was for me and I didn’t feel a bit of guilt. I did some sit ups as I watched. Does that count? Probably not, as I ate my weight in Dark Chocolate Treasures too. deeeelish.

Doesn’t Karen Walker (will and grace) seem like Blair Waldorf’s biological mother? Think about it.

Speaking of GG…I still have issues with the poor Blake Lively. She’s looking like a tranny lately, people. And still with the marble-y mouth. Oy.

Did we talk about how she’s Robin Lively’s little sister? Good trivia. And how Meg and I LOVE the movie Teen Witch? We quoted it for YEARS. And did anyone catch Kenneth the Page from 30 Rock doing the rap from Teen Witch?

Man, that was really brilliant. Here’s the original. It’s fantastically cheesetastic.

That is all.

PS- Please send out all of your thoughts into the universe to tell my nephew to come out now. My sister is done being pregnant and I’ve been waiting to hold the new little bundle.

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This is why I’m constantly smelling their hair…

This is why I’m constantly smelling their hair…

I’ve been using this shampoo and spray conditioner on the kids for a little while now and am in love. It’s Pear, smells soooo good and is very gentle. Plus, it’s a local company.

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If my dog were a detective, his name would be Doo Doo Brown

If my dog were a detective, his name would be Doo Doo Brown

I've often thought about what my dog Atticus' voice would sound like if he could talk. I think it would be soothing and deep, maybe getting a little higher pitched when he gets anxious. I also think he would brush my hair but that's just me. Maybe because I brush his.

He would tell me how much he wishes he were a littler dog. That way he could get much closer to me by sitting in my lap or laying on my pillow, while I read or peruse the net. We would discuss his allergies and how they plague him. I think we would also have to talk about how the groomer is always so tan and smells like coconut.

Being a 95 lb chocolate lab, he is no little dog. He lays right at my feet wherever I am. He barks in annoyance when I sit at the kitchen banquet/booth for too long, limiting his exposure to me. (He can't get under the table to lay at my feet.) He follows me from room to room and tracks me adoringly with his eyes wherever I go.

And today he is 9 years old.

Happy Birthday, my dog faced boy. I cannot express how much you enrich my life. And I’m sorry I made you wear that hat. I had to because Hadley made it. You understand.

Hadley was responsible for the card and party hat. She also painstakingly worked on his birthday “meat cupcake” comprised of cheese hot dog with a lovely frosting of ham slices.dressed as a fairy. We are going to put in a candle and sing to him in a little while.

Yes, I am aware that this is not normal.

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Let's start from the very beginning, a very good place to start

Let's start from the very beginning, a very good place to start

So, it's a dreary Seattle-ish afternoon and I've reverted to Seattle behavior. The 3 o'clock coffee run. I don't know why I bother because it doesn't do anything for my energy level but it does score high on the coziness scale. Plus, I got one for Peter too so bonus points for kissing husband ass.

Finn started a new Montessori school a few weeks ago and it rules. I want to send these people flowers. Everyday. They get my blue eyed boy and they revel in his brilliance and charm. (In this sentence "charm" means mischievious energetic BURSTS!) I'm sure they think I'm a freak because I'm teary eyed when I drop him off and pick him up. You would be too if the little being who came from your body turns to you when you pick him up from school and says 'THAT was AWESOME!"

I can die now. Well, not just yet.

Finn's playlist on the iPod lately consists of: Do-Re-Mi from The Sound of Music, Rocking Around the Christmas Tree - Hannah Montana and I Kissed A Girl - Katy Perry. He knows all the words to all three songs and just flips back and forth between them. He likes to watch himself and over enunciate to see how his mouth looks. I try desperately not to laugh. He's very soulful about the whole thing.

Sadly, I think my rare bird is regretting chopping her hair. The bastards got her down. I've been trying to put a femme spin on the whole thing (lots of fussing with it in the morning) and keep the adoration level really high. We went and got mani/pedis yesterday together which she loved. This place has KID pedicure chairs. They're shaped like huge animals and have mini DVDs attached to them. Brilliant.

I recently reconnected with a girl (I know we're women now, I still say girl. suck it.) who I went to elementary school with and high school. We reconnected via Facebook and come to find out we both have lupus. What. Are. The. Odds?

We met up and it was so refreshing to finally not be the only one in the room who knows how I feel. My friend Aimee lives in CA and knowing that she understands is really comforting but to be sitting across from someone comparing notes is just sort of indescribable. She kept using really fantastic metaphors for how she felt and I knew EXACTLY what she was talking about. (Felt like you had been dragged by a train for a few miles? DING DING DING! I know that feeling!!!! ...funny to be excited about something like that.) I can't even accurately describe how connecting with her made me feel. More than anything I was glad to help someone navigate the choppy waters of being newly diagnosed. To tell her that she'll be ok. To advise that she stop reading the crazy psychos who post on Lupus websites. To be good to herself.

I know you said I helped you, K. But you have to know how much you have helped me too.

I'm taking myself to see The Reader tonight. Haven't seen it yet (shock) and I want to experience it in the theater. As Meg says "Everything's better in the theater."

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Landed

Landed

Ok, so a YEAR after starting to play around with moving my blog, I'm finally doing it.

You like?

Clean and simple. Just the way I like it.

We spent Easter with Meg, V, Mia and Mom. It was lovely. The food was insane - salmon, fruit salad, green salad, asparagus, potatoes....with cheesecake for dessert that my darling 9 month pregnant sister made. I feel like a masochist for agreeing to let her host. What was I thinking? She handled it all with grace though as I shuffled around her house in my slippers.

Here's my favorite part.

My memories of childhood include these fantastic decorated butter cookies that my mom would make for every holiday. She made chicks and bunnies this Easter and I was suprised at how moved I was to see them! Love is in the details....

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