Update

Friends, I got a new job. It was the craziest thing. I guess the word on the street is that I'm awesome (not really) because I wasn't even looking for a new job, but one day I just got a phone call, next thing I know I'm interviewing, and the next day I'm looking at a job offer I can't sanely turn down.

Seriously, though, I'm really excited about the new opportunity with this great firm. SO that's big news, right? Right! I start on Monday. (If anyone wants to know the firm, email me, because I wouldn't want anyone to google it and land on my blog...)

In the meantime, I had some vacation days to burn, and I have been exhausted for about 2 and a half years, so I'm taking a few Bets Burgess mental health days to prepare for my new challenge. Here's what I've been up to.

1) Discovering smoothies. I was at the gym the other day and decided to fly by the seat of my pants and try a smoothie. I have to tell you, I was surprised to discover the extent of its deliciousness. So since then, I've been driving around town, desperately seeking smoothies, because I feel ashamed going into my gym just for the sole purpose of buying a smoothie. I am pretty sure this is just one of my phases.

2) Getting my hairs and toes did. So I had to get a haircut because I was shaggy and of course I want to make a good impression at my new place of employment. The girl did a good job cutting my hair, but then she got this great idea to curl it in addition to blow drying it. It was poofy... really really poofy, but I let it go, because I didn't have the heart to tell her I was just headed home and not to a Louisiana beauty pageant. When Gavin got home, he definitely laughed in my face.

3) Massage. Nothing like paying a complete stranger to rub up on this. Actually I got a gift certificate as a parting gift from my firm (thanks guys!) so I cashed that puppy in today. They used all this aromatherapy lotion, and now I smell just like a box of junior mints.

4) Drinking alcohol. This is self-explanatory.

5) Watching All My Children. So I distinctly remember being 3 years old and watching AMC with my mom, and seeing Erica Kane on the screen, played by Susan Lucci. Well, the Lucci-Kane is still kickin' and she is a bad ass. Love. that. girl.

Well, I'm about to head out to meet my man and some friends for a drink (see #4). Until next time...

Rant.

So I did my taxes today and I have this announcement to make. The IRS is nothing but a bunch of marauding bandits out to burgle me. They might as well bust in my house under cover of night, tie me down, and abscond with my grandma's jewelry. Grrrrrrr. Snarl. Gnash teeth.

Other than that unpleasantness, it's been a perfectly enjoyable weekend. Gavin and I saddled in with Showtime and watched a few movies this weekend, so here are my reviews:

1) A Mighty Heart.

Angelina Jolie plays Mariane Pearl, the wife of Daniel Pearl, the journalist who was kidnapped and beheaded by Muslim extremists in Pakistan in 2003. Good movie. It makes you think and takes you back to that "9-11 just happened and I am a mixture of scared and pissed off" place. AJ did a pretty good job playing MP, who is biracial and French, so that was good acting.

She must have had only one wig, though, because her hair looked exactly the same in every scene: a big voluminous updo with strategically placed tendrils. Out to dinner - updo. Surfing the net - updo. Going to bed - updo. Waking up - updo. Getting married - updo. That struck me as unrealistic and I tend to pick movies and books apart that have these type of suspension of reality (or in this case, hair) going on.
2) Open Water 2: Adrift

This little gem is a sequel to the movie about the couple who got stranded by their scuba tour boat and left in the middle of the ocean to be devoured by sharks, despite all of their efforts to survive. Out of necessity, this sequel sports a whole new set of characters - a party of 6 friends from college, in their early 30s, who go out on a trip on a big yacht. After some drinks, they all decide to go swimming and jump over the side. No problem, right? Wrong! No one remembers to lower the ladder so they can't get back on the boat and they are stuck in the middle of the ocean with nothing but their wits and a boat they can't get on. This sounds like something that could actually happen. Anyway, they try everything, they panic, yada yada yada, only two survive. Barely. I gave away the ending. It's ok, because it's really not worth watching. You're welcome.

3) 3:10 to Yuma

Ok, look. It's no secret that Russell Crowe is not my fave. Neither is Christian Bale for that matter, since this little incident proved he can't be trusted. So this movie unfortunately started out the gate with two strikes against it. Three, if you count the fact that I generally don't like westerns because the people are always sweaty and/or dirty. This particular western was superdy-duper western. I mean they had tumbleweeds, cattle, saloons, old westerny townsfolk, saloons with swinging doors... every cliche you can imagine. This also annoyed me, but I can't clearly articulate why. Anyhoo... the movie was pretty boring until about the last 15 minutes, which were really good. The problem is you have to watch the first 2 hours so you can appreciate why the last 15 minutes are good.

I also did a lot of walking out on the greenway on Saturday - about two hours on the trails. I didn't set out to walk for that long, but once I got that far away from my car I had to walk back, so that explains that. Great exercise though. I'm also back into cereal, eating some golden grahams lately. That's about it. Lata!

Rollin along

Hey all, well, I'm happy to report that things are calming down in my orbit. In addition to working, I've been intermittently observing the headlines. I know things suck pretty bad in just about every possible way, but I would like to note for the record that there is about zero optimism going on in the media. WTF happened with my rock-solid prediction that once Obama took office we'd be enjoying a markedly different positive vibe from the liberal media? What a bunch of Negative Nancies. Terrible.

Here's some good news: these past two weekends have been Tony the Tiger great. As you know, Gavin's Nana and Mom came to town last weekend and we just had a really fun time visiting.

We did not go see the bodies, instead opting to have a nice leisurely lunch, show the girls around town, and visit at home with a couple bottles of wine. Here is a pic of Gavin with his mom and Nana. Awwwwwww.

You may note that my mom-in-law is sporting a mangled paw. That is the result of a quiet evening of oyster shucking gone terribly wrong, necessitating a trip to the ER and an actual general anesthesia operation. I understand it hurt pretty shucking bad.

This weekend my pal Mary came to town and this morning we got up ass-early and went to breakfast with a couple pals. It was fun. Shoutout!

And finally, here is a random pic of two of my favorite chinchillas, Gavin and Maddie, snuggling on the couch....

ooh - Big Love is on - gots to go, check me out later this week. I've been thinking (I know, bad news bears, right?) and I'll be sure to share said thoughts soon.