Why ask why

Yeah, I see my profile sidebar is down at the end of the main page. I don't know why. I got nothin'. html skillz, that is.

I'm hoping by throwing a text-only post up, it will make things aright. If not, sorry.

Shoulda, coulda, woulda

Things I should have been for Halloween, had I thought ahead:

a Sweet Potato Queen


















the Happy Bunny











Oh well. Better luck next year.

Let's do the Time Warp again!

Happy Hope is 30 years old!

Her birthday party last night? F-U-N! That girl can sing!

The theme was Rocky Horror Picture Show. Hope was a fabulous Frank N. Furter, and Tana was dazzling as a sparkly Columbia.

Most original (non-RHPS) costumes seen at the party: Paul and Brock as Sims, and some dude dressed as a famous (?) poker player. At first I thought he was dressed as Rob Zombie, commemorating the release of The Devil's Rejects on DVD.

Which reminds me... only one more day to Star Wars Ep. III being released on DVD! You know geeks around the world (or at least in the US) will be putting it on their holiday wish lists.

Family members, take note; I'd like the Ep. I-III box set DVD. Widescreen only. And if you can find packaging that matches the Ep. IV-VI box set=bonus!

If you're going to be particular, you might as well eliminate any guessing. ;)

The name is Lynd(y), Vesper Lynd(y)

The new James Bond movie, Casino Royale? I'm already geeking out about it.

And NOT because of the blonde dude they named for Bond. Ugh. Hopefully the franchise knows something we don't. 'Cause I thought Timothy Dalton would have been a good Bond. He was teh hawt as Prince Baron in Flash Gordon!

No, the reason I'm excited for Casino Royale is for Vesper Lynd. And not just because the name is so similar to mine! Though I have to admit that was pretty funny.

With Ms. Lynd, we are learn of the woman that created James Bond, the rogue. Presumably so devastated by her ill fate, James Bond decided never to lose his love to a woman again.

It sounds tragically romantic. In a selfish kind of way. In either event, I'm looking forward to the movie!

The other side of the fence uses Miracle Grow

I love my boyfriend. A lot. And my son means more to me than life itself. I'm very lucky to have such a wonderful child.

But there are times, times I wish I led a more independent life. Times that would seemingly be easier or happier if I were single. It has been like that lately. Through no fault of my family.

There has been a round robin of temptation, fate, and destiny come to court lately. It's pretty humbling to find out a 90-year old Jewish widow led a more exciting life.

And while I'm looking forward to catching up with friends and pictures this weekend, the major party this weekend is going to be Hope's birthday party. Rocky Horror Picture Show theme. Some have had their outfits planned for weeks!

So in no particular order, here's the short list of things that I will make up for the Cosmopolitan Lyndy to do in her independent life:

Go to the gym every evening after work -- Other than going to the spa, I can think of nothing else that is more decadent ME time. It also helps if I have a hot trainer, ha!

Live in a downtown loft -- Preferably with long windows to let in lots of sun, and look out onto the city. Given that I live in Topeka, this not much of a reality.

Jet off for weekend holiday -- It sounds pretty exotic to take off with a girlfriend or two, go play in some major metropolis, squired around by one of our conquests.

Use the work week to plan for the weekend -- Impractical, but appealing. It would be a nice change of pace to cross the stylist, clothier, and (whatever the word is for the shoe store) off my "to do" list rather than actual job deadlines.

And all this while, I well realize that my single friends wish my life for them. So it goes. Thankfully I have an active imagination. So my cosmopolitan counterpart will always live a more exciting fantasy than my rewarding reality.

Trick or Treat

These costumes require way too much effort. But they are fun (?) to look at.


Everyone wants to go as their favorite pimp. Now it's not just for the men!












Isn't is a bit sexist to think the women always have to wear the "female" part of the costume, and the men always wear the "male"?













Now you can literally take your ball and chain to the Halloween party!













Look Camille! I really did find the Wonder Babe outfit!

Working for the Weekend

Croptoberfest is this weekend!

I'm looking forward to the girl time. Also catching up on my books. With Justin's wedding party left to mount, I'm almost done with 2003. So it would appear I'm keeping time with my two-year delay. I'd love to get a start on 2004, but am too cheap to order the prints yet. Maybe in a couple of weeks.

Besides, I still need to compile the Holt pictures discs. And get the pictures from Seattle to Austin. That is my evening goal for the week. I have not forsaken you, auntie!

We're also looking at going to the corn maze for the first time Saturday night. Any excitement or lost children will be posted afterwards.

Input, please

I’m trying to think of a clever title for a mix CD. Here are the prospective songs for it:

Eye in the Sky – Alan Parsons Project
Heat of the Moment – Asia
Time Passages – Al Stewart
So Into You – Atlanta Rhythm Section
I Want to be Your Everything – Andy Gibb (sorry, I still miss the boy)
Ventura Highway – America
You Make Me Feel Brand New – Amy Adams
Feel Like Makin’ Love – Bad Company
Burnin’ For You – Blue Oyster Cult
More Than A Feeling – Boston
Gold Dust Woman – Fleetwood Mac
Witchy Woman – Eagles
Cool Change – Little River Band
Fire and Rain – James Taylor
Superstition – Stevie Wonder

Whatcha think?

Rock that body

Decisions, decisions...

One of the fundraiser teams here at work will burn you a CD full of your favorite songs. From the size of the spreadsheet to peruse, I feel for the boy's harddrive. How much space can like 17,000 song files fill? You techno kinds can tell me.

Fifteen songs to a disc if you want it to play like a CD. Choose a hundred if you want mp3 format. Criminy! That is a lot.

I never really wanted one of those iPods when they came out, because I didn't want to go through all the manual process. But if I can get someone else to do it FOR me... well, then, that sounds pretty good.

You can realize your dream, I am living proof.... beefcake, beefcaaaake!!!!!

Sorry, Cartman moment. Oh! Did I mention you can get all the South Park songs, too?

South Park Block Rockin' Cartman 4:12
South Park Cartman Tea Party 0:48
South Park Cartman's Scary Story 1:11
South Park Cheesy Poofs 3:31
South Park Chocolate Salty Balls 3:56
South Park Fingerbang 0:46
South Park His Views On Women 0:33
South Park In The Ghetto 4:02
South Park It's Easy, MMMKay 1:53
South Park Kyle's Mom Is A Bitch 1:14
South Park Poor People 1:16
South Park Respect My Authority 0:57
South Park Simpsons Vs South Park 1:15
South Park The South Park Bitch Song 1:34
South Park Timmy Is Retarded 0:33
South Park Underpants Gnomes 2:07
South Park Mexican Thug Girl 4:30
Southpark Cartman COPS Theme 0:54
Southpark Cartman Stoned 0:51
Southpark F Word 0:55
Southpark Towlie 3:36

And don't forget Big Gay Al!
Big Gay Al Back That Ass Up 2:24
Big Gay Al I'm Super 1:25

I'm not sure whether to be amazed, or very, very afraid.

So wrong

I wouldn't say it is my most attractive picture.... But it is accurate!

Thanks, Cam!

I wish that I was Jesse's girl

Rick Springfield is coming back as Dr. Noah Drake.

Here's the scoop

My girlfriend Vikki and I were (and still are?) totally in love with Rick Springfield. She is even a more devout fan than I. Current on all of his albums, seeing him perform multiple times a year. That sounded dirty. Oh well, I'm still jealous!

But I do have a rocker of my own at home. So I still pretend I'm the head groupie.

Wait, that sounded bad as well. Oh well. You know you love the '80's. Just admit it, and be happy. I have to go back to work.

Stay tuned

Stay with me, folks. There will be an update. Here's our dance card for the weekend.

1. Caught up with Scip and Betsy Friday night.
2. Monster's last soccer game was this afternoon (Saturday).
3. KU is playing Oklahoma at Arrowhead Stadium tonight. On national television. Igor, be kind.
4. I'm out with the girls tonight with Kathryn to honor her coworkers' birthday.
5. Tomorrow, we go to the Chiefs game. Pray they don't embarrass themselves.

PS: I'm also getting the laundry done. Guess I will have to find that Wonder Babe costume for Halloween.

PPS: The new James Bond reminds me of Timothy Dalton. (read: I'm grumpy about the new casting choice.)

That's So Aquarian

My major accomplishment and joy for the day?

Redoing my address book. And not just that I rewrote the entries. Oh no!

Being the organizational, compartmental kind of gal I am... I typed all the entries into a database, and made sure to put a column for name, address, coded all the contact numbers I would have, plus important dates.

Then you have to create a form, you know, so the entries would print off on labels. Then you could peel and stick onto a page. But make sure you leave room for personal notation, or new entries!

Word processing applications have the dangest cute icons you can use! And so easy! Just Insert, Symbol. So I just had to fluff it up a bit.

Say what you will. It made the week start off much better than last week. And think of all the pain and agony I saved my arthritic hands!

Some Seattle shots

From left to right, top five:

1. A look at Mt. Rainer, coming in to Seattle
2. Family photo at the city market, courtesy of Papa
3. Obligatory shot of the space needle
4. Hiking in to Lake Barclay, in Mt. Baker national forest
5. Cool water feature in the city park next to our inn.

I'll Tumble 4 Ya

Boy George is probably not on drugs. He'd be thinner. The photo with this article should be used to support his case in court.

Working for the Weekend

Upon waking yesterday morning, I was relieved to realize that it was Friday. Which is different for me. It was a joy to realize I didn't have to figure out an outfit, as it was a jeans day. Throw on the blues and a black shirt, good to go. But a millisecond later, it hit me... I was actually comforted by the knowledge that I only had to endure one more day of oppression before a merciful break.

My optimistic side hopes that the weekend break will release some pressure. Or grant some perspective. I'm not confident either will happen. It is just difficult to describe. It's not like I don't see what is happening. I just didn't believe the company would tolerate it. Or maybe the reason I can finally recognize it is that I'm on the sane side of the fence, watching the frentic spin. Which is doubly surprising, given my junior status in years of experience.

Perhaps what disappoints me the most, is that I really want to respect my oppressor. There are a lot of personality traits and business knowledge I admire. But the downfall of vanity, and lack of humility, is beyond forgiveness. It is one thing to be expected to apologize when you have actually done something wrong. But to be expected to apologize, when you have done nothing but your job, just because someone else is threatened of you, then that is not acceptable.

When we question the method and rationale for such oppression, then it is intensified. They can try to throw all the justification and verbiage at us they want. There is still no valid reason. And it is almost humourous, since it will only feed our cause. It would have been one thing for our own to come to us and say "We realize it is not fair, and you are doing what you must. But others are unhappy, so let's be more discreet." But that was not the way it was presented. Right off the bat, it was antagonistic.

So for about the first time I can ever think of, I will be working for the money. I have a good crew of people that I look forward to seeing every day. And I have a good career that makes a difference. But the people paying me are not inspiring me to protect their interests. So for that, you reap what you sow.

When geekdom goes wrong

Nicolas Cage is Superman's daddy: check this link

Now this is cool, inasmuch as he's pub'ing the comics. But think of the children! Hopefully his boy will grow up to be a good child.

Wake me when September's over

Granted, this title sounded a lot cooler last week. It’s just taken me some time to figure out how dispense current data. And I don’t want to bother trying to think of another title.

The last few weeks, I have been doing some hardcore analysis. Of my every action, emotion, and thought. And almost everyone else’s as well. It is exhausting. Why, you ask? Well, I’m Aquarian. That’s what we do. But beyond that, I really needed to decide what it is that I need in my life, as opposed to what I want. Also what brings me joy, and what does not.

There are two things in life that bother me more than anything: negativity and hypocrisy. While I know it is not wise to be unprepared in the face of adversity, I don’t believe one’s initial reaction has to be annoyance or pessimism. Life is always in motion. Things are going to happen. Things we don’t plan upon, and usually when we least expect or are prepared to face them. It doesn’t mean that it’s not manageable. Getting pissed right off the bat is the first step backward towards defeat.

Unfortunately, we find too few many in the category of “optimistic”. So when I find myself in a situation where I feel others are over-reacting, I try to ask myself the following questions, rather than just reacting to them on an emotional level… Do they know something I don’t (that would make me more concerned)? Are they suffering from low blood sugar (thereby making them more cranky)? Or do they need medication (to make them less miserable)?

I watched grown people acting like children at my brother’s wedding. And there was nothing I could do about it. You can’t call anyone on it, since a wedding is not the place for therapy. But c’mon people! How much time does one really need to get over their past and enjoy the present? And I’m not just talking about when you complain about past grievances. I saw just as much malicious intent going on. There is no guarantee that a future awaits any of us. It is a waste of time to take stick in hand and poke the sleeping dog. Much less it being a waste of maturity.

To be fair, my judgment of others made me stop and look at my own behavior. That is never much fun. My conclusion is that I need to cultivate more of my own hobbies. I spend so much time tending the house, my boys, and my job. So when other don’t act the way I want them to, I’m unhappy. Which doesn’t appear to be particularly fair. I cannot expect others to provide me more than I ask of them. Or more than they have said they are capable of. No matter how much potential they show, or how brilliant flashes of cohesion appear.

The un-fun part that I must undertake is coming to terms with that. My head tells me that it does not mean I am settling for anything less than happiness. My heart is slow to agree. Which makes leaving the expectant dreams of the past behind all the more difficult. The little “what if”s have been haunting my brain. But they lend no stability. And much liability. I must let them be.

So hopefully I will be neither negative nor hypocritical, and believe that I can do it.

Discretion is the better part of valour

The masses (or at least you easterners headed inland) have spoken. So I am here. It's not that I've intentionally been absent. I've just been trying to formulate an approach. While trying to encapsulate the last week(s), I've been faced with choices:

How much detail can I provide without revealing too much sensitive material?
Do I recall it honestly, and depress everyone with how difficult it has been?
Or do I try to highlight the bright moments, and assuage the darker ones with humour?

The razor's edge to any option is that not everyone lives in Lyndyland. What my brain may think is levity may be shocking to another. And others don't always realize the extent or the depth to which I think about (read: brood) about things. It's difficult to live in my head. But here's the Cliff Notes:

Seattle: It was good to get away for a few days. And good that it was with my boys. Travel went very well, no delays. A bit of a bumpy ride on the Seattle-to-Denver leg home. But nothing too uncomfortable.

Our inn was in Capitol Hill, only a couple of blocks off a very Mass. Street-ish vibe. The vibe was pretty groovy. And I'm very stoked that I found the Autour de Lucie Immobile album. From a regional recycled music store. D found a Dub Syndicate album, and was equally stoked. Everybody's a winner! Wednesday was travel day, so we just hung around the inn and shopped the local area.

Thursday we drove outside the city to go hiking. It was a nice drive, and beautiful countryside. The hike was good exercise, going into an alpine lake and back out again. We went into the Der Baring store (looks like there wasn't much chance of confusing it with any other store in town, the town was pretty dang small) for sandwiches, then headed back to the city. I went on to the spa for a girls date. We had a great time. What's better than sipping champagne with good company while you have total strangers massage your hands and legs while making you look good? So I had to pay for that service. Sometimes it's just easier that way. No expectations, ha!

Friday we planned on heading down to the market early, with lots of time to shop. Silly us and our plans! Some nimrod parked across the inn's driveway, keeping us from being able to escape. After an hour and a couple of harried calls to the local police department, a cruiser and wrecker finally showed up. While we may have been annoyed with the delay, I'm sure the car owner was more annoyed at having to shell out $150.00+ to get their auto out of impound.

After we finally made it to market, it was great. Tons of vendors to provide anything that your heart could desire. Want fresh produce or seafood? They have it. Need a gift and flowers for the day? Got that too. With at least three levels and blocks of shops, you could spend a whole day there. I wish we could have!

But there were more obligations in the day. The rehearsal-that-wasn't dinner party was held at a local dining institution north of downtown. It was a charming place, made from railroad cars. Driving anywhere in Seattle is confusing. But brother made it easy on the nerves with an open bar! He's so rock star.

Speaking of which... the highlight for me was that my rock star cousin from Phoenix could make it! I was so sad to have missed seeing him when I was in his town a few weeks ago. And we weren't sure he was going to be able to make it to Seattle. But he did, and we were thrilled. It seems like it I had not seen him in forever! I wish I could have spent more time with him. So we'll just have to get to his place more often.

Saturday was wedding day. We went over to Alki Beach in the morning, driving along the bay shore and watching the skyline from "the other side". It was a nice time. They've really spent some money to build condos and renovate recreational paths along the shore.

The wedding was beautiful. I just could not have been more proud of my brother. They put on a great party, had a ton of friends to share it with, and really put a lot of love into their ceremony. It was so fun to watch. In addition to the "traditional" non-traditional ceremony, the newlyweds asked vows of each other.

Bride: "Groom, do you promise to refill the ice trays immediately when they are empty?"

Groom: "Bride, do you promise to not get jealous when I'm on the phone with [male friend], and we tell each other we love each other before ending the phone call?

There were a few more... all of which were very funny, very touching, and very them.

And the table set ups? Ohmygawd, so pretty. They really did a fabulously beautiful job. There were adorable name cards, adorable programs, even adorable functions and directions cards they sent out right before the weekend. We didn't get ours until we got back home, ha!

So by the time Sunday came to fly out, we were ready.

Although I myself would have loved to have the "aftermath" days to chill with my brother. He was really just wanting everyone to cruise into town, hang out and enjoy the city and time with family, and just have a good time. Some of us brought our own stress to town as well. For that I feel bad, because brother knows I was trying to minimize it to him as much as possible. Others were not as considerate. For that I'm a bit upset. But I know it's wasted effort, since no one can do anything about it. As hard as it is to be me, I'm sure it has to be even harder to live other people's lives.

I'll put the other updates in another post. Give y'all a chance to wake back up.