• The hype surrounding the Rachel on Monica kiss on last night's season finale of Dirt was way more interesting than the actual event. Rather boring, if you ask me.
• I read my first Lemony Snicket book (the third in the series, due to the fact that Barnes & Noble didn't have books 1 or 2) in 2 hours last night. I have since purchased books 4, 5 and 6. Which may all be read tonight. Who knows?
• Me:On a Diet, Day 17 is going swimmingly. No YOU-turns since Monday. Knock on wood.
• I'm thinking of inviting T over for supper and cribbage sometime soon. Just need to plan the menu.
• I'll be on a plane in or around Houston, TX, two weeks from right now. That is the first leg of my trip North. Sweet.
• Is it wrong to change the names of the Jumpin' Husker Ferrets to actual four-letter words? They have been rather annoying, in a cute but annoying way, as of late.
• I am the demographic that VH-1 is programming for. I am no longer wanted by MTV.
• It has not rained (significantly) in Baton Rouge for over 2 weeks. It is starting to get rather dry out there.
• I kinda want Sanjaya to win American Idol. That could possibly mean that the show would be canceled. Which means that my long-term revenge plan against FOX (due to the fact that they screwed over Arrested Development) will be complete. MUAHAHAHAHAHAAHA!
• I really need to get new work shoes. They all seem to be falling apart.
• MoSus made a new friend on facebook.
• I miss Veronica Mars. (Have to wait until May, which is ridiculous.)

1. If money were no object, what would you be doing with your life? Travel. Travel. Travel. I would visit Norway and Europe and Las Vegas and Disney...all while writing entries in a journal/blog that will eventually become a movie about me.
2. Money is just that - an object, so why aren’t you doing it? Money. The fact that when I do travel, it is to South Dakota/Nebraska so that I can see my family and friends. Which are very, very important. And very, very good at laying on the guilt if I don't travel there as often as they want.
3. What’s better: horses or cows? Cows. As they give us steak. And milk for ice cream and cheese. And the fact that my dad used to raise them. And they aren't as evil as horses. Horses are simply large squirrels in my book.
4. What do you think the secret to happiness is? Yoga, decent diet and a bunny.
5. When was the last time you had a dream that you either remember well or did not want to awake from? Can you share a bit? Had a dream last night/this morning where I was in a car with my sister and dad driving through a field in a mini-van that suddenly started to drop hundreds of feet into a pool of water. Woke up in a cold sweat. Not fun.
6. When you were a little kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? A nurse. A teacher. A writer. A truck driver. A girl can dream, can't she?
7. Complete this statement: Love is…trademarked by Hallmark.
8. Can you tell a good story? On paper, yes. In person, notsomuch. I get easily distracted with details that mean nothing to anyone other than me.
9. Can you remember your last daydream? What was it about? Oohh yes I can and again, I am keeping this one for myself. It’s that good. And I am that selfish.
10. If you were to thank someone today, who would you thank? Angi - for helping me teach class tonight.

Current Mood: Nappish...could use some sleep before teaching tonight

Currently Listening to: Joey by Concrete Blonde

1. Finished reading The Children of Men. Now, I must see the movie to compare the two. Lucky for me, I believe that the movie comes out on DVD either tomorrow or next Tuesday.
2. Purchased groceries for the the 3rd week of Me: On a Diet. Eating healthy can be somewhat spendy, but it's worth it. (Have to keep reminding myself of that fact.)
3. Received a text message from MoSus informing me that the Lady Jacks lost to Wyoming yesterday.  While this is sad, it's still awesome that they made it as far as they did in the WNIT.
4. Spent a lot of time on the phone with my sister talking about nothing. Nothing at all. Truly an enjoyable way of spending one's Saturday.
5. Celebrated Jules birthday late ('twas on Saturday) by taking her to lupper at Logan's Roadhouse. Another YOU-turn, but it was well worth it. The yeast rolls are soooo yummy. 

1. Read at least one book per week. (Of these books, at least 5 should be categorized as 'classics' by either a library or bn.com.)
2. Exercise 3 times a week for at least 30 minutes.
3. Send 'real' (aka 'non-electronic') cards to friends and families for special occasions.
4. Mend fences.
5. Bring my lunch to work 3 times a week.

Books: I am doing a bang-up job of maintaining this goal. I have actually surpassed it, but I do take into account that there will be an anti-reading period of my life, most likely when I realize that I need to finish 2006's Cross-Stitch Project #3. Also, I have already read 3 'classics'. Sweet

Exercise: Much better at maintaining this goal now that I'm on Me: On a Diet. I walk for at least 30 minutes a day, plus every other day I'm doing at least 30 minutes of yoga or another work-out routine.

Cards: I have used more stamps this year than I have used in the previous 3 years combined. Cards have been sent for the special days of my friends and family members lives. Even if they have been late once and awhile.

Fences: This is the area in which I have been slacking. I hope to remedy this in 2-3 weeks when I am home. The farm seems like a good place to mend things.

Lunch: Again, due to Me: On a Diet, I have been rocking this resolution as of late. During the past two weeks, I have brought my lunch everyday. And have only gone out to eat twice (Fridays) for lunch with co-workers in lieu of my delicious salads. Sweet.

Current Mood: Asi-asi

Currently Listening to: Under the Milky Way by The Church

Today's Goals: To stay on campus late to teach class. To eat healthy, even though I will be staying on campus late to teach class.

Yes, I cheated. Yesterday afternoon. With a vanilla cupcake. At Starbucks. And it tasted very, very good. But the guilt of having one YOU-turn was enough to cause me to swear not to have another YOU-turn for a long, long time. So, that lone cupcake needs to hold off the sweet tooth for at least another week.  Cuz a week in my world, especially a week while on a diet, is a very, very long time.

---

1. Purchase groceries to assure Week 3 success of Me: On a Diet.
2. Finish reading The Children of Men.
3. Call Gymball and Shane.
4. Update my resume.
5. Walk...walk a lot.

5 Things I must do within the next 3 weeks

1. Income tax return forms and stuff. Damn the man for this.
2. Get my hairs cut. Starting to look a little shaggy around the edges.
3. Inform the masses of my brief tour de Midwest.
4. Stick with my diet.
5. Not purchase any more books. (I've gone 2 weeks already.)

1. It' too nice out.
2. I'll slip in a pile of pollen. And not get up.
3. I have a conference call with MoSus to discuss all things Canuck.
4. Today's horoscope indicates bad things will happen at step 3,000.
5. Healthiness is overrated.
6. I'm watching out for weather. (Shout out to my mom for that one!)
7. I might brake a nail.
8. I have to wash my hair.
9. Thursdays are meant for wearing green, not for walking.
10. The voice in my head wants me to bake cookies.
11. I might miss another exciting night of Ryan Secrest on E!
12. My Reeboks have a flat.
13. I don't want to.

But, alas, I will walk again tonight. Because I am dedicated to this diet. And stuff.

Apparently, Day #10 was my almost breaking point. But, I pushed through the desire to hunt Girl Scout cookies and to sit in my apartment watching Lifetime movies while eating them. I not only walked yesterday, but I also did yoga. Again. I am starting to rock out loud.

Current # of Visitors Bored Enough to Visit Me: 7214...don't get me wrong, I  you all, I just know that I'm not that exciting as of late

1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
2. Angel
3. The Simpsons
4. Veronica Mars
5. Firefly
6. The Office
7. Arrested Development
8. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
9. Entourage
10. Weeds
11. Twin Peaks
12. The Muppet Show
13. Fraggle Rock
14. Futurama
15. Scrubs
16. Grand
17. The Ben Stiller Show
18. Family Guy
19. Felicity
20. Dawson's Creek
21. Robot Chicken
22. nip/tuck
23. Northern Exposure
24. Picket Fences
25. Ally McBeal

Today's Goal: To make a lot of copies. To clean the bathroom...now that the sink is fixed.

1.  Bulldog, Jackrabbit and Husker: The Three Conflicting Mascots of Me
2. When the Carpet Matches the Drapes
3. Choosing to be Alone at 30, or Trying to Convince Oneself that it was a 'Choice'
4. When Squirrels Attack
5. Fun Times in Cloud Nine
6. LTDs Need Loving Too
7. Your Child Made Me Sterile, and other known side-effects of my career
8. 700,000: The Few, The Proud, The South Dakotan
9. Of Lefse and Ramen: The Diet of a Modern-Day Norwegian-American
10. From the Big Sioux to the Mississippi: Traveling the Rivers to Me
11. Flannel: Memoirs of a Child of the Alternative Era
12. Skinners: A Love Story
13. They're Still Crawdads to Me
14. I'll Take My Hurricane from Pat O's NOT the Gulf, Thanks
15. Cancelled Television Shows: Why I Love Them So
16. Books: More than a Hobby, Less than a Social Life
17. Jack-a-lopes for Sale
18. Writing a Thesis on Less than $40 a Day
19. Jaegerbombers Gone Wild: Why Jaeger and Vodka Should Never Mix
20. 10,000 Steps to Inner Peace...or at least smaller clothing
21. Procrastination: A Way of Life
22. Dude!
23. Pale Skin: From Strawberry Shortcake to Ginger
24. This Used to be my Playground: Keggers, Watertowers and Snoop Doggy Dogg
25. Confessions of a Junior High Basketball Player

 Happy Birthday, Mom!

1. Walked for over 20,000 steps for the second weekend in a row. Rock.
2. Watched Casino Royale. I have to agree with T and MoSus, very good movie. Especially the torture scenes. (But only because I'm a dirty, dirty girl.)
3. Continued to swear under my breath at the apartment management/plumbers as I scooped water (that would either not drain or had risen from the drain) into the toilet so that it wouldn't overflow. Again. I hope that this will be resolved soon. Or I will be forced to either leave another upset voicemail to the apartment manager OR be firm when explaining that this is unacceptable to the apartment manager when the phone is answered. This time without tears. One can only hope.
4. Avoided most of the St. Patrick's Day hijinks. I just didn't want to be around crowds. Which makes me an old fuddy-duddy, I know. But it was just how I felt.
5. Cleaned the apartment. To the dismay of the Jumpin' Husker Ferrets. But they'll get over it.

Current # of Visitors: 7096...doesn't compare to the number that Amtrak has, but I'm okay with that.

 Happy 31st Birthday to my friend in Omaha!

1. Walking. Outside. Tis a gorgeous day in the neighborhood. (I will be out and about in about 2 hours, though.)
2. Reading a good book. While outside enjoying the weather, of course.
3. Eating ice cream. I have me a hankering, which will hopefully pass. As ice cream is not on today's menu or this here diet I'm trying to maintain.
4. Watching college basketball. Not because I care too much about the Big Dance, or whatever the kids are calling it these days, but because it could be a potential social activity. I feel I need more social activities in my life.
5. Talking to a friend on the phone.
6. Counting shirtless volleyball players at my apartment complex's court.
7. Writing my Happy Spring! newsletter for friends and family.
8. Buying books. I have gone almost a week without purchasing one book. It will be officially one week at 4:30 PM today. Scary, huh? (I honestly think that's what I'm truly detoxing from.)
9. Wandering aimlessly through Target. Because, doesn't everyone want to wander aimlessly through Target?
10. Eating boiled crawfish.
11. Chatting with MoSus on Messenger. But, alas, the computer gods are keeping us apart. I feel a power ballad coming on. Hopefully by a 1980s hair band. That would be sweet.
12. Swinging. I am definitely in a swinging kind of mood. Why are there no swingsets on a college campus?
13. Learning Norwegian. I should really know more than just English in today's society.

• Currently on Day 4 of Me: On a Diet. All is going well. Almost had a Girl Scout cookie incident yesterday, but managed to avoid the detour.
• My bathroom sink has decided to rebel against me by backing up. Hence, the plumber at my house for about an hour last night and the plumber(s) in my apartment today. After seeing the gunk that sprung forth from the lower bowels of my sink, I am very happy that I had already eaten supper prior to the plumber's visit. I'm hoping that all will be well by the time I walk home from work tonight.
• Tonight's supper will be apricot chicken with almond green beans. I will report on the success of this meal tomorrow.
• Tis the Ides of March. So watch your back.
• I didn't finish Fragile Things last night as planned. Mainly due to the fact that I was exhausted and out like a burnt out lightbulb by 9:00 PM. I blame the weather for my tiredness. But it's probably just due to the increase in my exercise/walking. Or something sane like that.
• Only two more days until St. Patrick's Day. Which means three things: (1) I must wear green, like I do almost everyday anyways; (2) There will be a parade downtown, that I should try to go to; and (3) I will be tempted to partake in the consumption of green beer, which I must resist. We shall see how strong I am. We shall see.
• Detoxing sucks.

Well, I'm off to see the Wizard. Have a brilliant day!

1. Heathers - Honestly this should be more of a guilty pleasure, but I honestly love this movie. From it's surreal, yet realistic plot to its pre-Dawson's Creek/Gilmore Girls intelligent teenager dialogue, it's a rather good movie. Plus, it has Christian Slater in his best Jack Nicholson-esque role to date.
2. Chasing Amy - While I love all of Kevin Smith's movies (to some extent), this is my favorite, as it presents the entire nature of falling in love with the wrong person at the wrong time. Plus Jason Lee is brilliant as Binky.
3. Almost Famous - Once upon a time I wanted to be a journalist. Specifically a pop culture journalist. This movie proves that I should have stuck with that dream...and that I was born 15 years too late to truly enjoy the rock journalist lifestyle.
4. say anything - Because I'm still looking for my own Lloyd Dobbler. Honestly. I am. (I really like Cameron Crowe movies apparently.)
5. Wizard of Oz - Beyond the fact that it's a brilliant movie with great songs, it was written by a South Dakotan. Yup. There are well-known authors from SD. And rumors have it that he wanted the book to be about SD, but the publisher pushed for Kansas. Darn publishers.

1. Scary Movie - Any of the genre. For some reason, I'm attracted to really cheesy comedy movies that spoof other movies that I don't really like, but have seen. I blame my dad for this personality trait.
2. The Muppet Movie - Again, any of this genre. I am proud of my love of all things Kermit, but it is slightly embarassing to admit this fact outside of Muppet Anonymous.
3. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days - I.like.chick.flicks. Get over it. Plus, I really like Matthew McConaughy. I mean, really.
4. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Because I am child of the 1980s and 1990s? Honestly. I just like the theme song. So, I will watch any of the movies when they are re-run on TV. And I'm kinda hoping that someone will want to go to TMNT with me when it comes out later this month. Any takers?
5. Beaches - Because, did you ever know that you're my hero? And, everything that I'd like to be? I can fly higher than an eagle, because you are the wind beneath my wings? I am a sap. This movie is made for saps. We go together like peas and carrots.

1. I not only walked my 30+ minutes last night, but I have already completed that feat today. (Walked to work this morning.)
2. Stranger Than Fiction is a brilliant movie. I  Will Ferrell.
3. I am not that bad at cooking, afterall.
4. My parents will be in Lincoln tomorrow and Omaha/Kearney next week. And I'm jealous.
5. It amazes me that once upon a time The Simpsons was the most controversial cartoon on television. Especially when considering the "Prom Night Dumpster Baby" song from Family Guy that was on last week. Think about it.

1. Walked over 20,000 steps. Rock. Walked to and from the office on Saturday, just for the heck of it. And walked for 40 minutes on Sunday prior to lunching and shopping with T. Hopefully I can maintain this streak for a long, long time.
2. Obtained my first sunburn for 2007. (See #1.) Yup, during my walk on Saturday I forgot to put on sunblock and therefore, I became slightly pink. MoSus blames it on the fact that I forgot my ginger-ness. And the South Park taunting begins anew.
3. Bought Firefly on DVD. Finally. It's $19.99 at Target now. I think from now until eternity. Sweet.
4. Finished two books: Good Omens - YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK ABOUT THE APOCOLYPSE - it is funny and British, who would've thunk it? and Shampoo Planet - quick read, but not my favorite by Douglas Coupland.
5. Pre-planned all of my meals for the next two weeks. And, as stated before, made soup and a salad for lunches. I'm slightly scared.

• The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
• I Don't Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson
• Knitting by Anne Bartlett
• The Other Side of the Story by Marian Keyes
• The Outcry by Henry James
• The Quilter's Legacy by Jennifer Chiaverini
• Shampoo Planet by Douglas Coupland
• Stern Men by Elizabeth Gilbert
• This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintnenance by Robert Pirsig

Quite the variety. I know.