Ringing In the New Year
1. What events shaped your life in 2006? Meeting Jeff (aka Dr. Feelgood), stregthened friendships with several women, continued AMAZING friendships, a less tumultuous relationship with my mom, babies/children, travel, delicious food
2. How about you proudest/biggest achievement of the year? my amazing friendships and my Graduate Alumni Convocation and Reunion
3. Did you keep any of your new year's resolutions? Don't think I made any that I intended to keep
4. What is your fondest memory of 2006? My trip to Istria (Slovenia, Croatia and Venice), winter break with Jeff, Emily's wedding weekend, Shelby's wedding weekend
5. What are you looking forward to most in the new year? See what happens with my love life, work life, location etc...all connect I would assume

VERY Brief Update: Yes, I am still alive...and well. But busy. I had a great eleven days with Jeff over the holidays...which included 5 states (MA, ME, CT, NH and FL), a holiday party, and engagement party, family, friends, playing in the ocean, and some R&R. I am back to reality, and planning a retreat for tomorrow, the registraiton for my two big events go live on Tuesday and life is busy. However, I remain happy and healthly What more is there?

Inspiration: Following in my father's footsteps, I read the obituaries almost every day. Today there was a particularly touching tribute to a man who grew up in Ohio, made a lot of money, and spent the rest of his life sharing his good fortune with others. On the first day of Chanukah, and as I get ready for Christmas in the City this weekend, this is a touching reminder of how wonderful the world can be.

Two Weeks Late But...: List five things you are thankful for and tell us why.
1. My community of family and friends. I have been truly blessed with a family that are also friends, and friends that feel like a family. I am thankful for this each and every day.
2. My sweetie. He is loving, fun, thoughtful, communicative, honest, kind and a great friend.
3. My health. Although I have more headaches than I would like, and my back causes me quite a bit of pain, overall, I am sooo fortunate to be generally healthy and strong. When I really feel like complaining, I think about all the people who REALLY have a right to complain but don't. When you are healthy and loved, there isn't much more to ask for.
4. Living in a free country. Now, at other times I would complain (RIGHTFULLY) about our President, the decisions that this nation is making, and the direction in which we are moving. But again, when I look at the ways some others are living, I am very lucky.
5. Self-esteem. I am thankful that I generally feel good about myself, who I am, who I continue to become, and where I am heading. Always room for improvement and reflection, but there is a lot of peace and happiness in overall feeling good about my life.

Global Orgasm: (see, got your attention) A couple is planning a global synchronized orgasm for peace. By promoting what they hope to be a synchronized global orgasm, they hope to get people to channel their sexual energy into something more positive. The couple have studied evolutionary psychology and believe that war is mainly an outgrowth of men trying to impress potential mates, a case of "my missile is bigger than your missile."

Friday Five: Make a Wish
1. When is your birthday? October 20
2. When you blow out the candles on your cake, do you make a wish? Have any of them come true? Yes, often the same one. Yes.
3. How do you feel about birthdays and birthday celebrations? I love birthdays! Mine, yours, whoever. I think everyone should have a day that their loved ones celebrate them and have an "excuse" to tell them how much they are loved.
4. What has been your favorite birthday gift? What kind of gifts really blow you away? Thoughtful ones. Sometimes that's money from my parents when they know I have bills to pay. Sometimes its a book about girls' overnight camp because the friend knows how much I loved camp. Sometimes it's a phone call or card from a friend who I didn't even know knew my birthday or with whom I had not spoken in a long time.
5. What flavor cake do you prefer? For birthday cake, yellow/white cake with chocolate frosting.

Meme:
1. Explain what ended your last relationship? um, to simplify it I'd say "not in the same place"...in the relationship, not georgraphically
2. When was the last time you shaved? Sunday (3 days ago)
3. What were you doing this morning at 8 a.m.? Putting on make-up and leaving for work in 3 minutes
4. What were you doing 15 minutes ago? sending emails to people I met with last week on my work trip
5. Are you any good at math? Yes. Not fast at doing math in my head but good enough that I took AP math and like numbers.
6. Your prom night? Third time I met a guy from BBYO. Not a high school highlight.
7. Do you have any famous ancestors? Don't think so.
8. Have you had to take a loan out for school? Thankfully very small loan for undergrad.
9. Do you know the words to the song on your myspace profile? Huh???
10. Last thing received in the mail? New charger for my digital camera.
11. How many different beverages have you had today? Water, coffee, Diet Coke
12. Do you ever leave messages on people's answering machine? Yes, often very detailed ones.
13. Who did you lose your CONCERT virginity to? Either Peter, Paul and Mary, Blood, Sweat and Tear (both with parents) or Billy Joel (for bat mitzvah)
14. Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach? didn't know people did this. Maybe I'll try it when I go to Florida in December
15. What's the most painful dental procedure you've had? Uncomfortable-- getting my veneers. Painful-- braces for 6 years!!!
16. What is out your back door? Porch and my car.
17. Any plans for Friday night? Maybe drinks with former co-worker (and current co-workers) and then Dr. Feelgood comes!
18. Do you like what the ocean does to your hair? "Like" may be a strong word, but I love the ocean so don't care what it does to my hair.
19. Have you ever received one of those big tins of 3 different popcorns? My parents did...and I helped eat it.
20. Have you ever been to a planetarium? Yes, very cool. I haven't been to a planetarium since I was a teenager though.
21. Do you re-use towels after you shower? Definitely. Nuf said.
22. Some things you are excited about? Playing with Dr. Feelgood this weekend and Thanksgiving in Cleveland with friends and family
23. What is your favorite flavor of JELLO? red
24. Describe your keychain(s)? Simple circle with keys, nail clippers and car clicker.
25. Where do you keep your change? Wallet, piggy bank, quarters in "ashtray" of car
26. When was the last time you spoke in front of a large group of people? Define large...I led a meeting for 8 last week. Gave a presentation to 50 at the Alumni Leadership Conference in Septmeber. (and another 30-40 the following week at a conference in Tahoe)
27. What kind of winter coat do you own? Many!
28. What was the weather like on your graduation day? Rainy...people wore rain ponchos that made them look like they were wearing a condom
29. Do you sleep with the door to your room open or closed? closed.

Kim Update: OK, so its been way too long since I have posted. Here is the abridged version of what I have been up to, and what I plan to do...
Past
- Many trips to Maine to see Dr. Feelgood. It's so nice to have him in my life.
- Dr. Feelgood gets his white coat (at the White Coat Ceremony).
- Trip to Tahoe and San Fran for work. Successful (and fun) trip.
- Fabulous time at Shelby and Seth's wedding.
- Topsfield Fair (the oldest fair in the country). Lots of junk food, a few fun rides, good friends, huge pumpkins, cows, sheet, elephants, little kids.
- Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. Met Mr. and Mrs. Feelgood (and other family members) for Rosh Hashana.
Future
- Birthday tomorrow. Already had great birthday dinner at Tu Y Yo with Kathryn, got a funny card from Kevin, and there will be cake at work today.
- Atlanta, Raleigh/Durham, Princeton and Philly next week
- Chicago and Ann Arbor in three weeks
- Cleveland for Turkey Day. Dr. Feelgood will come for the first 2 days. I will stay through Monday so I can play with Rebecca on Monday!!
- Off-season gathering of the Whybunts (softball team) to play pool (and drink beer)

I will try to be more consistant on my updates.

But Before I Go:
1. Are you named after anyone? If so, explain. I was named after my yet-to-be born brother, Kevin (see next answer). I was GOING to be named Heather but Papa Abbie nixed that. My middle name is my mom's maiden name.
2. Do you have your children's names picked out already? If so, is there any significance? If its a girl, Maya, Siri or Kyla. (spellings still up in the air) Not sure about a boy.
3. If you were born a member of the opposite sex what would your name have been? Kevin. My parents knew that before they were married.
4. If you could re-name yourself what name would you pick and why? That's a hard one. Although I don't hate my name, I would not remain Kim. I don't know what I would prefer though. So I guess I'll stick with Kim. After all, my name is such fun alliteration.
5. Are there any mispronunciations/typos that people do w/ your name constantly? Not much to mess up with my name. My nickname is spelled Kimi though. And sometime when I say my name quickly (me? talk fast? never!) people can't understand what my name is.

Going on Hiatius: Tahoe & San Fran for work (if you can call it that), Rosh Hashana, Shelby and Seth's wedding in Maine and a stop of Dr. Feelgood's on the way back to Boston. Catch ya later....(Oh, and Happy New Year and Congrats to S&S!!)

As Sally Fields Said: I like you, I really really like you! Care of PSD. Right back attcha.

Let's Talk About Sex Baby...: This woman has my dream job! Writing about, and talking about, healthy sexuality in a fun, frank way. As I said to Em when she sent it to me, although I am slightly jealous, the more people who are talking about sex and sexuality in an honest, informative, non-shaming way, the better. You go girl!

Sweet Tooth:
1. How often do you indulge in something sweet? Every day. I try to only have a little bit, but I have something sweet after dinner basically every night. Sometimes only a mini candy bar, sometimes a Slim-a-Bear ice cream sandwich (lower fat and portion control), and sometimes 10 cookies!
2. What is your favorite kind of sweet food/beverage? No question here-- ice cream!
3. Do you have a preferred sweetener (artificial or natural)? Good ole regular sugar. I don't like artifical sweeteners, although I do drinnk diet soda with it.
4. Chocolate or fruity? Chocolate. Or cheesecake or ice cream. Although I like fruity, not usually my choice, if there is one. Don't care for flan, brulee, or bread pudding kind of things.
5. What is the sweetest thing someone has done for you recently? Unhesitantly, and unfalteringly, telling me how much he likes me and enjoys being with me

I Am Excited About:
- A four day weekend! (I'm taking tomorrow off and Monday is Labor Day.)
- Dr. Feelgood coming down for three nights from Maine!
- Having a picnic (and Em's fried chicken) and watching Back to the Future outside at the Hatchshell tomorrow night
- Going to the Museum of Science to see the Body World 2 exhibit, with really anatomy (perfect for Dr. Feelgood to combine studying and fun with me)
- Shelby and Seth's wedding in a few weeks...and seeing Kathryn, Chris, and Kirsten!!

Dumb: Awareness, good...destroying your body in the process, not so good. A man is running 50 marathons in 50 day in 50 states...raising awareness for Katrina survivors, and prehaps permanently screwing up his body in the process.

Plan B Is Sometimes a Good Option: Access to Plan B, the so-called morning after pill, was approved as an over-the-counter drug for those over 18 yesterday. Of course, this should always be Plan B, but this is an important step in access to good resporductive health for women.

"Last" Meme:
1. What is the last thing you ate without regret? The rest of the mint chocolate chip ice cream...right out of the carton.
2. Who was the last person you talked to? Technically Jamie, when I just said "good morning:. The last conversation I had was with Jeff last night. (BTW, hope the test is going well!)
3. When was your last vacation? It all depends on how you define it. Last time I was out of teh state was last weekend when I went to Maine. Last time I "felt" like I was on vacation was either the weekend before when I went to Maine for the whole weekend and lay ona rock by the ocean, or on the camping trip a few weeks earlier.
4. When was your last hug and who did you receive it from? Two nights ago, from Emily-- wishing her a fun, safe trip to Seattle.
5. What is the last thing you think about before going to sleep? Either what I am going to wear to work the next day, or what's on my schedule for the next day (often related to each other)

NAKED: A shout out to PSD for sending along this link about people getting NAKED in Vermont. Hey Meadhall, perhaps that's where you should look. As a stated by a teen, "I think most of Vermont wants Vermont to be nude. People have a basic human right to be naked if they want to."

Makes Me Feel OLD: Once again, Beloit College has released tehir "Mindset List", a listing of facts about this year's incoming class, to help colelges understand the midset of these students. Read and weep...

BELOIT COLLEGE'S MINDSET LIST® FOR THE CLASS OF 2010
Members of the class of 2010, entering college this fall, were mostly born in 1988.
For them: Billy Carter, Lucille Ball, Gilda Radner, Billy Martin, Andy Gibb, and Secretariat have always been dead.
1.The Soviet Union has never existed and therefore is about as scary as the student union.
2.They have known only two presidents.
3.For most of their lives, major U.S. airlines have been bankrupt.
4.Manuel Noriega has always been in jail in the U.S.
5.They have grown up getting lost in "big boxes."
6.There has always been only one Germany.
7.They have never heard anyone actually "ring it up" on a cash register.
8.They are wireless, yet always connected.
9.A stained blue dress is as famous to their generation as a third-rate burglary was to their parents'.
10.Thanks to pervasive headphones in the back seat, parents have always been able to speak freely in the front.
11.A coffee has always taken longer to make than a milkshake.
12.Smoking has never been permitted on U.S. airlines.
13.Faux fur has always been a necessary element of style.
14.The Moral Majority has never needed an organization.
15.They have never had to distinguish between the St. Louis Cardinals baseball and football teams.
16.DNA fingerprinting has always been admissible evidence in court.
17.They grew up pushing their own miniature shopping carts in the supermarket.
18.They grew up with and have outgrown faxing as a means of communication.
19."Google" has always been a verb.
20.Text messaging is their email.
21.Milli Vanilli has never had anything to say.
22.Mr. Rogers, not Walter Cronkite, has always been the most trusted man in America.
23.Bar codes have always been on everything, from library cards and snail mail to retail items.
24.Madden has always been a game, not a Superbowl-winning coach.
25.Phantom of the Opera has always been on Broadway.
26."Boogers" candy has always been a favorite for grossing out parents.
27.There has never been a "skyhook" in the NBA.
28.Carbon copies are oddities found in their grandparents' attics.
29.Computerized player pianos have always been tinkling in the lobby.
30.Non-denominational mega-churches have always been the fastest growing religious organizations in the U.S.
31.They grew up in mini-vans.
32.Reality shows have always been on television.
33.They have no idea why we needed to ask "...can we all get along?"
34.They have always known that "In the criminal justice system the people have been represented by two separate yet equally important groups."
35.Young women's fashions have never been concerned with where the waist is.
36.They have rarely mailed anything using a stamp.
37.Brides have always worn white for a first, second, or third wedding.
38.Being techno-savvy has always been inversely proportional to age.
39."So" as in "Sooooo New York," has always been a drawn-out adjective modifying a proper noun, which in turn modifies something else
40.Affluent troubled teens in Southern California have always been the subjects of television series.
41.They have always been able to watch wars and revolutions live on television.
42.Ken Burns has always been producing very long documentaries on PBS.
43.They are not aware that "flock of seagulls hair" has nothing to do with birds flying into it.
44.Retin-A has always made America look less wrinkled.
45.Green tea has always been marketed for health purposes.
46.Public school officials have always had the right to censor school newspapers.
47.Small white holiday lights have always been in style.
48.Most of them never had the chance to eat bad airline food.
49.They have always been searching for "Waldo."
50.The really rich have regularly expressed exuberance with outlandish birthday parties.
51.Michael Moore has always been showing up uninvited.
52.They never played the game of state license plates in the car.
53.They have always preferred going out in groups as opposed to dating.
54. There have always been live organ donors.
55.They have always had access to their own credit cards.
56.They have never put their money in a "Savings & Loan."
57.Sara Lee has always made underwear.
58.Bad behavior has always been getting captured on amateur videos.
59.Disneyland has always been in Europe and Asia.
60. They never saw Bernard Shaw on CNN.
61.Beach volleyball has always been a recognized sport.
62.Acura, Lexus, and Infiniti have always been luxury cars of choice.
63.Television stations have never concluded the broadcast day with the national anthem.
64.LoJack transmitters have always been finding lost cars.
65.Diane Sawyer has always been live in Prime Time.
66.Dolphin-free canned tuna has always been on sale.
67.Disposable contact lenses have always been available.
68."Outing" has always been a threat.
69.Oh, The Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss has always been the perfect graduation gift.
70.They have always "dissed" what they don't like.
71.The U.S. has always been studying global warming to confirm its existence.
72.Richard M. Daley has always been the Mayor of Chicago.
73.They grew up with virtual pets to feed, water, and play games with, lest they die.
74.Ringo Starr has always been clean and sober.
75.Professional athletes have always competed in the Olympics.

Fabulous New Restaurant in Arlington: In one word, yum! Em and I went on our walk (beautiful evening) and arrived at Something Savory to find plenty of tables, and the most friendly, welcoming staff. We took a seat and the young woman who was both staffing the counter and serving as waitress came over with menus and explained a bit about the place. We looked at the menu, and before even ordering or tasting the food said "Clearly we have to come back several more times because there are so many things to try!" Em settled on the cold tomato and avocado soup and the Fresh Fettuccine (With Andouille sausage, rock shrimp and sweet potatoes, caramelized onions, leeks, mixed baby carrots, with a mixed herb lemon white wine sauce). I had the Grilled Black Pearl Salmon (with soy, lime, scallion glaze served with rice and beans and mixed vegetables). The rice was actually mixed with lentils...slightly sweet and slightly savory. In all truth, all three things were FABULOUS! They also brought some wonderful multi-grain bread, which I devoured. There was not only no room for desert, but we both took home food! We will be back soon, and look forward to making our way through the menu. A true gem! (Oh, and we stopped at the old school ice cream parlor before heading home, I had the Big Dig...vanilla ice cream, carmel swirl, brownie pieces and chocolate chips!)

Laugh! If it de-stressed a med student before his first test, and made me laugh out loud when home alone, you too might find this funny. (Don't know why I think it's so funny...I just do.) Peanut butter jelly with a baseball bat!

A Long Meme: I have...(bolded) I have only 50 (1/3). And you?

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain- a small mountain in Coasta Rica...we didn't get to the top
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said 'I love you' and meant it--several times
09. Hugged a tree -- there's even a picture in my high school yearbook of me hugging a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise-- I have stayed up all night, and seen teh sun rise, but not on the same night
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game - U of Michigan vs. Miami
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables- sad but true, sorry Eva
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby's diaper -- MANY. And I don't mind. After all, tehy are on a BABY. Now cleaning up after animals grosses me out...you can see where my preferences lie.
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity -- I have given to charity but not more than I can afford...in fact, although I give fairly generously, I should probably give more.
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment --Temple on the High Holidays. Brent and Kevin are to blame.
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight -- Come on! I went to college in MN!!!
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can -- and that's loud!
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster -- a late bloomer at 22, but now I love them! But no more wooden ones for me with my bad back (Vegas, yikes!)
35. Hit a home run -- not even in T-Ball
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment -- what a blessing
39. Had two hard drives for your computer -- (But I didn't install them, they were on my work computer when I got it.)
40. Visited all 10 provinces
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends-- One of the greatest blessings, I have had/have so many!
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach-- maybe not midnight, but late at night in the dark.
50. Gone sky diving -- no thanks
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your cds --as anal as I am, I have not
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day -- not all day, but well past noon. This is only REALLY fun if you are not alone.
60. Posed nude in front of strangers --been naked in front of a lot of strangers, but not posed.
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business--my clowning business, Kimi the Clown
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken --hurt, but not broken, both men are still treasured people in my life.
69. Toured ancient sites --Mexico, Coasta Rica, Israel, Jordan
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie-- not counting home movies, or toe movie that S.S. said she was making while in high school, for which I gave up several weeks (did it ever get made?)
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
83. Got flowers for no reason --it's not a "reason" if they just want to tell you they like you, right?
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas --yeah baby, I'd actually like to go back
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Had a one-night stand
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently --this is so embarassing
95. Performed in Rocky Horror.
96. Raised children.
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Created and named your own constellation of stars
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge -- been there, but didn't walk it
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking-- duh!
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an illness that you shouldn't have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone's heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi -- but I only eat the non-raw fish kind. Some would argue that's not sushi.
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad
135. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146: Dyed your hair
147: Been a DJ
148: Shaved your head
149: Caused a car accident
150: Saved someone's life

Must See Movie: Ladies Movie Night last night consisted of dinner at Emma's and one of the best movies I have seen in many years...Little Miss Sunshine. I really haven't laughed that hard in a really long time. I don't have Em's witty observations to add, just a simple "really funny, touching, great character, good messages about body immage, fabulous acting, and an all around good time". Go see it!

More Good Publicity for Mac: Newsweek has named Macelster in their "25 New Ivies". How cool is that? Maybe there will come a day that people don't look at me blankly when I tell them where I went to school. So glad Mac is getting this all this good media attention, as I really think it is a fabulous place! (not just cuz I went there). And Jumbos, Tufts is there too.

More About My Alma Mater: Macalester was voted one of the top 20 schools "off the beaten path" by the New York Times. They are schools that "stress undergraduate teaching, have established or rising scholarship, ..., and are alternatives to the usual suspects".

New Baby: My lovely freinds Marc and Sharon welcomed their second son, Enzo, on Monday. Apparently Mom and baby are healthy. Sending lots of love! Can't wait to meet him!

Warning: Distrurbing Post: This article about a terribly abused girl is tragic. And read the last sentence!! Not how I was expecting the artcile to end!

A Movie Right Up My....Alley: Em and I are going to see The Oh in Ohio on Sunday-- a movie about Ohio and sex! What more could I ask for?? Woo woo!

You Are Welcome Here: At MIT, we have signs in our offices with this phrase! Better yet, Macalester, my alma mater, was rated on the the 100 top schools for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual & transexual) students. Yeah Mac!

I Know a Famous Artist: My friend Seth Koen, future HUSBAND of my friend Shelby, is featured in the portfolio section of the Aug/Sept issue of American Craft Magazine. Seth is an amazingly talented artist, although I must admit, I don't "get" all of it. (But that's my problem, not his) Not to mention, he is a warm, fun, interesting person. I am so pleased that he is finding success with his art.

Use of the Comment Section: Per another blog I was reading, here is my challenge to you...describe me in one word. Discuss amoungst yourselves...

A High School Meme from Michelle:
1. Who was your best friend? Judi and Lisa
2. What sports did you play?None. I was on the pom pom squad though (captain my senior year)
3. What kind of car did you drive? My parent's cars, which I think were two Camry's!
4. It's Friday night, where were you at? Hanging out at someone's house. Or Arabica Coffee House
5. Were you a party animal? No, I went to a few parties with drinking, but didn't even always drink. I was pretty much a goody to shoes (sp?)
6. Were you considered a flirt? Somewhat. But noone took me up on my offer. ;-)
7. Ever skip school? Never a whole a day. The day that college acceptance letters were to arrive, I spikked my last class to I could get a ride home with Tania and check the mail. I was so worried that my parents would be mad that I skipped class, I waited the appropriate 52 minutes to call them with my news.
8. Ever smoke? No.
9. Were you a nerd?No.
10. Did you get suspended/expelled?No.
11. Can you sing the Alma Mater? No, but I can hum the fight song and do the dance we did for marching band.
12. Who was your favorite teacher? Ms. Starr...who I just saw this year in Chicago!
13. Favorite class? Bioethics (but hated the teacher) or Criminology. I did my final paper on sodomy laws...in HIGH SCHOOL!
14. What was your school's full name? Shaker Heights High School
15. School mascot? Red Raiders.
16. Did you go to the Prom? Yes, with a guy I abrely knew, from BBYO. A crappy night. But I loved my dress...I'd still wear it now if I was 30 pounds thinner.
17. If you could go back and do it over, would you? NO FUCKING WAY! Not only was My high school time hard, I would never want to be 16 again. as I said on my 27th birthday, my life has gotten better every year since my 13th birthday.
18. What do you remember most about graduation? It was frickin' hot. I was so ready for high school to be over and to go to college. We also had about 40 parties ove rthe summer...starting with graduatation party which morphed in goodbye parties mid-way through the summer.
19. Favorite memory of your senior year? Hmmm...it is sad that nothing immediately came to mind. Maybe the band trip to England.
20. Were you ever posted up on the senior wall? What teh hell's that?
21. Did you have a job your senior year? I worked at Captain Tony's restaurant.
22. Who did you date? No one.
23. Where did you go most often for lunch? The Senior Lounge.
24. Have you gained weight since then? Yes, about 25 pounds.
25. What did you do after graduation? I went to Macalester College.
26. When did you graduate?1992

Red Sox, Lowell Spinners and Pawtuckett Red Sox: Anyone wanta go? Anyone have FREE tickets? It was pitiful that I didn't go to one ball game all last season and I am on track for a similarly inexcusable summer this year too. Who wants to go??? (I'll even pay...unless ya got a ticket for me.)

Two Follow Up Postings: Several weeks ago I wrote about driving behind someone who was oblivious to the fact that their back windshield wiper was on. This morning I was driving behind someone that had obviously "lost" their back wiper. However, the little mechanism was going back and forth, as if the switch was unknowingly on. I ran up to the woman's car when stopped at a red light and told her. Very funny! Secondly, I tried Lizzy's ice cream last night. One word: YUM! I tasted the Mocha [Something] Lace, which was rich mocha ice cream with chocolate cover sugar crystals. (always get a taste, even if you know what you are ordering) I was worried about staying awake with the coffee though, so I ordered the Mint Oreo. (plus, I love Oreo ice cream) It was FABULOUS! Now I need to figure out what my next ice cream exploration will be. Ah, such fun in the summer.

Alive and Well: Just for the record, I am alive, well, and not blogging for some reason. Things are good...interesting...and hot. Anyone coming to Boston?? I would love some summer visitors (or fall visitors for that matter)

This is Just Odd: President Putin lifted up the shirt of a little boy and KISSED his belly! Yikes!

Made Me Giggle: For the last half of my ride into work today, I was driving behind a PT Cruiser that had its back wondshield wiper on...and driving totally mindlessly. Mind you, its not raining. Usually this type of driver would drive me bonkers. Clearly this woman had tried to turn on her turn signal or for some other reason had hit the lever for the wipers and never noticed that her wipers are on. How can you drive 3 miles and not notice? Fool!

I Scream, You Scream...: The entire Food Section of today's Globe is dedicated to my favorite food...ICE CREAM! I have not tried Lizzy's yet (although Marshall, my fellow ice cream conousuer highly recommends it) but I love PICCO. I think I will try to get to Lizzy's over the LONG weekend. (Did I mention I am taking next week off!?!)

Craig's List Posting: Redhead seeking new spine and associated muscles. Current spine is causing constant pain from neck to arch of back and said redhead is ready to lose her mind (a bad state). Preference for backs that accomodate a 5'2 frame, but at this point all offers are considered. Call 800-STRETCH.

Laughing Liberally: Last Friday I went to see Mandy Dandy doing her comedy thing at a fabulous show called Laughing Liberally. It was six liberal comics telling jokes, making social commentary, and making me laugh so hard I cried. Not only was this 3000 steps better than the racist, sexist, sometimes simply not funny comics that Mandy sometimes performs with (excluding Mandy), but it was a perfect mix of VERY funny and fabulous insights into the world in which we live. Those of you in NYC and the other places the show is traveling, I HIGHLY recommend it!

Eleven Days in the Office: I am in the office for 11 days this month-- five of which are next week. That means I was in the office six days in the other 3.5 weeks. I have been "at work" (i.e. MIT Reunions, post-Reunions and a conference at Harvard) for another eight days, plus two weekend days. So I am working a normal number of days, but I have been switching my auto reply for email and voice mail constantly. No wonder I'm tired!

Internet Help from the MIT Class of 1951: I was reading the book that the class of 1951 put together for their 50th reunion (5 years ago) and was tickled by this "computer help" from one alumnus to another. (New Hampshire themed because the alum lives in NH...)
Log on- Make wood stove hotta
Log off- Don’t add no more wood
Monitor- Keep an eye on the stove
Download- Get firewood off the truck
Ram- The thing that splits the wood
Hard drive- Getting home in the winta
Prompt- What the mail ain’t in the winta
Window- What to shut in the winta
Screen- What to shut during black fly season
Screen saver- Duck tape
Byte-What the black flies do
Bit- What the black flies did
Megabite- What the BIG black flies do
Chip- Munchies for TV
Modem- What you did to the lawn weeds
Dot matrix- Old Dan Matrix’s wife
Cursor- someone who swears
Upgrade- Steep hill
Server- Waitress
Mail Server- Male waitress, damn few in NH
Network- Mendin’ holes in the fishnet

A Meme from Em (hey, that rhymes):
I AM: Excited for tonight...a special evening for Em that has been in the works for four months.
I WANT: a weekly massage.
I MISS: Shelby and Rebecca.
I HATE: mean people.
I HEAR: many people complaining about Bush, but worry that we'll still elect another Republican.
I WONDER: what the next few months will hold for me.
I REGRET: being mean to my mom.
I AM NOT: quiet, disorganized, or tall.
I DANCE: with enthusiasm, well, and not often enough.
I SING: poorly, but often.
I CRY: when I am frustrated.
I AM NOT ALWAYS: tolerant of people that annoy me.
I MAKE WITH MY HANDS: a very loud clap (just ask me to demonstrate some time).
I WRITE: less than I speak.
I CONFUSE: a lot of my spelling.
I NEED: a vacation. (But I am taking a week off in early July for Em & Nat's wedding and to go to Cleveland to see my family and friends.)
I SHOULD: exercise more.
I START: planning lots of things.
I FINISH: almost everything I start.

Batwoman Is a Lesbian!: DC Comics announced that Batwoman will be a lesbian in the new comics being released. Awesome! One of my favorite quotes from the article reads, "Wouldn't ugly people as heroes be more groundbreaking?" asked one poster. "You know, 200-pound woman, man with horseshoe hair loss pattern, people with cold sores, etc.?"

More Amazing MIT Students: Four MIT students, calling themselves the Technomads, will attempt to travel a quarter of the way around the earth, from London to Mongolia, in vehicles with no more than one liter of engine power. They are getting lots of press and it is an extraordinary undertaking...the kind the world needs more of. Definitely read about them and consider supporting them if you can.

MIT Wins Alex Doonesbury: I love it! The daughter of the cartoonist who does Doonesbury was admitted to MIT, Rensselaer, and Cornell. There was a contest to see which school she should go to and MIT students hacked the system to flood the voting. Since the rules never said you couldn't hack (and they seemed impressed with MIT ingenuity) Alex has just registered for MIT.

Last Night: I had to miss last night's Whybunt game (the softball team for which I am the coach...I mean captain...I mean social chair...whatever!) because Emily and I had tickets to see Caroline, or Change. I had hear about this play about 3 years ago and was THRILLED when I saw it was going to be closing out the season of SpeakEasy Stage Company (for which Em and I have a subscription). First of all, the Whybunts, that won only one game two years ago and two games last year, won 22-5 last night! Granted, I wasn't there (although I did the line up and fielding) but I have been told there were double plays and a grnad slam! I can't wait until game 3 next week! What makes it worth missing the fabulous game (and of course drinks at the Muddy Charles, where a pitcher of beer is $6) was that the play EXCEEDED my high expectations! The play is set in 1963 in Louisiana and involves a Jewish family and the family of their black maid. Almost the entire play is presented in song, the set was AMAZING, the cast (including the young man who plays the 8 year old son) were fabulous, the story was compelling, and, of course, the company was great. AND, Em and I had wonderful pizza and homemade ice cream at PICCO (Pizza and Ice Cream Company) before hand. Yum!

Outraged!: As a woman who is not so fond of child molesters and vertically challenged (short), I am indignant that a judge gave a man convicted of sexually assulting a child 10 years probabtion rather than 10 years in jail because he is "too short" to survive in jail as a man only of only 5'1. WTF!

Outraged!: As a woman who is not so fond of child molesters and vertically challenged (short), I am indignant that a judge gave a man convicted of sexually assulting a child 10 years probabtion rather than 10 years in jail because he is "too short" to survive in jail as a man only of only 5'1. WTF!

New Dining in My 'Hood: Apparently the ower of Limoncello's in the North End is considering a second location in Davis Square (about a mile from my house for those of you unfamiliar with my 'hood). Also, there was a great review of a new place near my old 'hood of Inman Square...a Persian place. Gotta try it!

Won't Be Mrs. Epstein: Sorry Mom and Dad, I won't be marrying the young, Yale-educated, rich, Jewish manager of the Red Sox. Theo has proposed to his girlfriend (and I assume she said yes). So, my beloved readers, I'm still on the market....ideas?

A New (to Me) Restaurant Site: Woo woo! A new way to explore, and order from, area restaurants. I already found some new places to try. Yeah!

Thoughts and Prayer: In the last 24 hours I have heard some wonderful news, and some less happy news. My friend Eva got engaged this weekend! I have not talked to Eva since she even started dating this man (although I knew about him through her blog) but am thrilled for her! Visit her blog for a fabulous story of the engagement (and lots of flower pictures). However, I also talked to another friend who told me his sister is in the hospital with complications from her MS. I wanted to send out my love, support and prayers for her, and ask you to do the same. I hope she will have a full recovery, but it never hurts to have lots of people talking to their Gods and Goddesses with prayers.

Back from Istria: I'm back! As I reported to several people via email, I had a fabulous time. Of course, when you travel for work, with 29 people you have never met before, there are some people you prefer to others, but overall it was a great group of people. Most were between 65-80 years old, although one couple brought their daughter and son-in-law who were probably in their late 30s and two other women who were in their 40s. The weather was spectacular (quite a contrast to the weather in Boston). The scenery was so beautiful, including the Adriatic, cathedrals, Venice, castles and so much more. I am still working on formatting and labeling, as there are more than 300!!!

Some of the highlights were:
- getting a glimpse into not only the very ancient history of the castles and cathedrals, but the recent history of the end of socialism and creation of former-Yugoslav states into countries.
- a quick, but beautiful, trip to Venice
- food food food (their vegetarian stand-by is gnocchi with truffles...need I say more)
- drink drink drink. Not only do they have wine with lunch and dinner (often on a personal label from their own vineyards) but everywhere we went we were trying "moonshine". We drink about 6 times a day!
- cooking school. We went to a vocational school for cooking on the last day and had a BLAST! We cooked a great meal, but more importantly, we laughed and laughed!

Overall, a fabulous time.

Embarassing: Ok, this is sad, but I FORGOT about my blog. Mind you, I have read OTHER people's blogs, but it never crossed my mind to, oh, post on MY blog. And now I am leaving the country tomorrow! I am going on an alumni travel program to Slovenia, Croatia and one day in Venice. I am very excited. You should see how much STUFF is on my dining room table to pack. When I travel on my own (or event for work when I won't see the same people over and over again) I pack SO light...sometimes too light. But I have to look cute for 8 days! During the day and for a dinner! Yikes! Thankfully we stay in the same hotel every night (everything is a day-trip) so I only have to drag my suitcase (well, Kathryn's suitcase) a couple of times. Anyhow...very excited.

In other news, my upstairs neighbors moved out, which is very sad. Although I will not miss hearing their 4 year old running around, I was more than happy to hear the feet, in exchange for having friends upstairs. (Not to mention someone to bring in my mail when I travel and generally "look out for me".) I met the man who bought the place, and he seems nice enough...in fact very nice...but not the same. He is an MIT grad...maybe I can solicit him (for money, you pervert!)

And finally, my event was AWESOME! Alumni and my bosses were so pleased...as was I. Of course, everything wasn't perfect (my standard) but I must admit my hard work...and sleepless nights...paid off. Yeah!

Ok, now I am going to bed. See you soon!

Need a Break: For those of you who know the insanity of this week (and the anticipated insanity of next week-- leading up to my big event) understand why I need this mindless break.
1. What is your current problem? Too much on my mind. There are so many details I am trying to remember for this event, not the mention that this leaves less space for remembering all the OTHER life things. (Yes, I have To Do Lists, leave myself voice mails, etc...)
2. What do you love most? My absolutely fabulous support network
3. What makes you most happy? Travel, good food, ice cream, loving touch
4. Are you musically inclined? No.
5. If you could go back in time and change something, what would you change? Nothing. There are things that I wish hadn't happened, but nothing I would go back and change...the woman I am today is a result of all of those things.
6. If you MUST be an animal for ONE day, what would you be? A bird with a lot of stamina and great eyesight...one that could fly much of the world in that one day.
7. Ever have a near death experience? No. I have been closer to death than I would like, but have not had a near death experience.
8. Name an obvious quality you have. Talking (not necessarily obvious in Blogger, but obvious to anyone who has been within 100 yards of me)
9. Name someone with the same birthday as you. I don't think I know anyone. But Watergate happened on my birthday, as did a stock market crash.
10. Have you ever vandalized someone's private property? Yes, but not in the last 20 years.
11. Have you ever sung in front of a large audience? Not too large-- or important. I had several solos in chorus in middle school.
12. What do you usually order from Starbucks? Skimmed chai
13. Has anyone ever said you looked like a celebrity? When I was a kid, people said I looked like the neighbor Harriet on Small Wonder. Not a compliment.
14. Did you have braces? Oh yes! From 4th grade until 10th grade!
15. Are you comfortable with your height? Yes. Only 5'2 but I'm ok with that. I wish I had a less "volumptious" build on that small frame, but oh well.
16. What is the most romantic thing someone has ever done for you? Sent me flowers on my first day of work when I moved to Boston.
17. Do you speak any other languages? Embarassingly no.

Random Fact from PSD: On Wednesday of this week, at two minutes and three seconds after 1:00 PM, the time and date will be 01:02:03 04-05-06. This will not happen for another thousand years.

Aren't You Curious: I got this long, odd list of questions from the "TMI" (too much information) website that I read all too often. How fitting that I will now give you TMI...
1. What time did you get up this morning? 7:45. It was not a hairwashing day so I got to sleep "later". But I was have a series of nightmares from about 5:00-7:45 so it was not restful sleep.
2. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds. Simple and not too much...but maybe I say that because I couldn't have the gaudy kind. But I am not a pearls kinda girl. Now amethyst or garnet, that's another story!
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Inside Man. I liked it a lot. I love movies that make you think but its neither deep nor dumb, potty humor. I love heist movies...Sneakers, Oceans Eleven...
4. What are your favorite TV shows? Crime and labs, with some Survivor thrown in. CSI, Law and Order, Crossing Jordan, Cold Case...and I love the new show Convictions, as it is a mix of crime and soap opera.
5. What do you usually have for breakfast? Coffee with skim milk and sugar at home, and oatmeal at about 9:30 at work.
6. Favorite cuisine? Indian probably.
7. What is your middle name? Harshman, my mom's maiden name. My brother has the same middle name, as do my six cousins (the kids of my mom's 2 sisters)
8. What food do you dislike? Cauliflower, Olives, Peaches. I don't eat red meat, pork or shellfish, but I don't necessarily dislike them.
9. What is your favorite CD at the moment? The mix cd I made from my iPod.
10. What kind of car do you drive? 2005 brick red Toyota Carolla.
11. Favorite sandwich? Grilled cheese (cheddar probably) on 9 grain bread with one layer of tomato and brown mustard. Or, similarly, the Quigley at Tommy's, which is a grilled pita with 5 cheeses, green peppers, tomoato, and lettuce...with great mustard. YUM!
12. What characteristic do you despise? Mean-ness. Irresponsibility. Tardiness (related to irresponsibilty I suppose).
13. Favorite item(s) of clothing? Jeans and a black shirt.
14. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation? Thailand.
15. What color is your bathroom? White (tiles walls and floor, white shower curtain). Red bathmat and towels.
16. Favorite brand of clothing? I don't know that I have one.
17. Where do you want to retire? Depends where my friends and family are. Without that datapoint I would say the Bay Area (San Fran)
18. What was your most memorable birthday? Either my 13th (i.e. Bat Mitzvah) or 30th (when I had a fabulous Ladies Night Out and a housewarming party to celebrate buying my first house..condo)
19. Furthest place you are sending this? Well, theoretically this can be read all over the world, so... My aunt in Israel may read this.
20. Who do you least expect to send this back to you? Not applicable, since this is being posted on Blogger rather than emailed. But I would be very surprised if my brother took part in one of these exercises.
21. Person you expect to send it back first? I don't expect anyone else to do this, since everyone but me is probably sick and tired of filling these things out. Emily or Eva might do an abridged version.
22. Favorite saying? "Perhaps" "Schmintresting" "Abso-shoot-ly"
23. When is your birthday? October 20
24. Are you a morning person or a night person? Morning. Not real early, but I wake up pretty ready to get out of bed and don't hit snooze etc. I am most productive at work in the first half of the day. I am an early to bed person unless I have something, or someone, to keep me up.
25. What is your shoe size? 6.5 but people think my feet are even smaller...people always say "you have the tiniest feet"
26. Pets? Nope. Not a pet person.
27. What did you want to be when you were little? An actress. A teacher. As I became a teenager, a philanthropist or "in charge of an organization"
28. How old are you today? 32
29. What is your favorite candy? Take 5. Peanut butter Kisses. ADDICTED to jelly beans this week, but I only buy one bag each year for Easter-time...a good thing because I can't stop eating them once I open the bag.
30. What is your favorite flower? Don't really have one. Eva, want to suggest one?
31. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? April 23, when my big event is done. May 2, when I leave for Croatia and Slovenia for work. July 1, the begining of Emily and Nat's wedding weekend.
32. What is your cure for depression? Depends. Ice cream. Calling friends always plays a role. Sometimes therapy. Sometimes crying a lot. Sometimes distracting myself. Sleep.

The Earth Dedicated to Paul and Eva: I dedicate these fantastic environment, world-impact, makes ya feel very big (as in taking up too much space) links to Paul (because he sent them to me and is very "up" on these things) and Eva (because she is the most green, environmentally sensitive person I know). Really interesting to explore...this, and this, and this.

Sex in the News: Today I have learned of: an article explaing "persistent sexual arousal syndrome (PSAS) experience constant, unprovoked feelings of excitement", an article about Internet controlled sex toys, and an article considering whether or not there is a such thing as being asexual.

Famous Tomas: See the cute kid on the bottom left corner of this Filene's ad??? Its Tomas, the adorable (one of three) son of my friends Amy and Jose. A star is born!

27 Out of 50: (No not, in in the NCAA) BBC has published 50 foods to try before you die. I am 27/50. I must say, there are few things that are not on my list that I really feel the need to add. Haggis? Guinea Pig? No thanks.

Two days, ten people simultaneously on the roof, hundreds of shingles thrown from above, and $6800 later...there is a new roof on my house. Woo woo! (sarcasm)

Travelin' Fool: Lots of planes in the next few months...upcoming travel update...
March 15- Philadelphia for MIT event
March 24- Cleveland to see Rebecca and go to family celebration
April 8- Chicago and Detroit for work events (I hope to see my high school chemistry teacher in Chigago!)
May 2- Croatia, Slovenia and Venice with an alumni trip
June 2- St. Paul for college reunion
June 10- Cape Cod with MIT alumni for post-Reunion (no plane involved in this one)
June 20ish- Washington DC and NYC for work retreats

Back from LA: I returned last night from a great, non-work related, trip to LA. Some of the highlights included...
- The Huntington Library Gardens. Gardens included an herb garden, children's garden, Shakerspearean garden, rose garden (not many roses), Japanese garden, and overall gorgeous grounds.
- Silver Lake neighborhood. Cool vintage shops. Hip people. Bought a cool new "un-Kim" shirt.
- Malibu. Wow! We took a beautiful drive through Laurel Canyon, where I exclaimed "Oh my God, look at THAT house" about 300 times, and ended overlooking the ocean. We took a nice little walk to look out over the water and drove down the PCH through Malibu to Santa Monica. Love it!
- Fabulous food. Dinner at Mexican restaurant that has no written menu but a fabulous five course meal, and at a sorta Carribean/Latin tapas place. A fabulous breakfast with eggs, fabulous homefries, 9 grain toast, and turkey sausage (and a gorgeous waiter). PLUS $1 ice cream sandwiches at a place where you pick two warm homemade cookies and your flavor of ice cream!!!!!
- Wonderful company. I had a great visit with both Paul and Judi. I wish that it wasn't so far to LA, as I would go more often if I could. The airfare is reasonable and I just love seeing my friends out there. If only there weren't 3000 miles between here and there.

Sad Sad News: Dana Reeves, widow of Christopher Reeves, died of lung cancer at 44. Not only did the world lose a strong, courageous spokesperson, but more importantly, her poor children lost a second parent.

I'm All for Paradigm Shifts But...: Hood College has named a lesbian woman Homecoming King. A transgendered person I can understand, but I am not sure if we want to equate being a lesbian with being a man. Am I the only one that thinks this might send the wrong message?

Smiles: Ok, I admit that I have spent WAY too much time reading this blog today (while at work), laughing out loud, tearing up, smiling, and overall enjoying myself. This posting from last October needs to be posted, as not only is it exactly how I feel about some of my friends, but I was just thinking about this exact thing the other day...The blessing of friends who: 1) really care how you are, 2) really care to hear the DETAILS to the story, 3) know you well enough to know why the details are all important, and which details are REALLY important, 4) you want to hear their life too...details and all, 5) you hang up the phone/drive home thinking "I feel so much better after having talked to him/her" even if you were only discussing a minor detail of your day at work. As a single woman, I think I am particularly appreciative of those in my life who listen (and care) about the details of my life. Thank you!
Post from Faking It Blog
I spoke with one of my close girlfriends over the weekend and it was a very normal conversation for us:
How are you?
How are you?
But it occurred to me, as we were talking, how very lucky I am. Because, you know, she really meant How are you? As in: I want to hear everything and if life is less than fantastic, I want to hear that too, and not so I can fix it but just so I can know, because you're my friend and I love you. I got all of that with her How are you? And I meant all of it back to her as well. I've been blessed in my life: I have girlfriends like this. When they ask How are you? I can answer, "Oh, pretty shitty." Or, "I hate my husband." Or, "My kids are driving me up the wall." And they know my life is pretty good and that my husband is a great guy and that my kids are my life. They get it. I can say that Nolan keeps biting me and I wish I weren't breastfeeding and they know I mean I'll nurse this child until he is 2...and I'll do it marching down Main Street. They've got my back. I cannot possibly tell each of you what you mean to me. So I'll just say hi here. You know who you are. You who make me laugh and let me cry. You who are passionate and intelligent and insightful. You who make me think about things in new ways. You who support me and guide me. You who nod in understanding and you on whom I lean. I love you all.

Oh Yeah, I Forgot I Am Good at That: Earlier this week I was asked to present to a group of students who volunteer with the Alumni Assocation on "The Art of Small Talk". I recieved very positive feedback. Two weeks ago I taught two classes at MIT's Charm School, "Impressive Interviewing Skills" and "Dealing with Difficult People/Situations". Today, a colleague who I don't know too well came by my office to see if I could talk to her about some troubles her teenage son is having. Both instances were nice reminders of additional things I am good at and enjoy. It always nice to "access" those part of my being. ;-)

Fabulous!: A whole web site just about airplane meals! Its amazing that some airlines are eliminating (some are going to start charging for soda) while others (especially the international airlines) serve unbelievable, multi-course meals! I could spend quite a bit of time clicking around on this site. (I don't know if that says more about me or the site...)

Happy Valentines Day!

Smintresting (and Encouraging): Wal-Mart said today it plans to start stocking and selling the emergency contraception drug Plan B at its 44 Massachusetts pharmacies after receiving a directive from state regulators. The retailer said it is also giving serious thought to carrying the drug at all of its 3,700 pharmacies nationwide. Um, ya think so?

Everything Happens For a Reason: As a result of Jen having to work all weekend, and therefore my leaving Austin on Friday rather than today, I am at home, and not stranded in Austin or Chicago or who knows where. Apparently more than 2000 flights have already been cancelled for today! (And I just walked through the blizzard to get the paper and I confirm that planes will not be flying to Boston.) So, here I am, safe and sound, with the yummy veggie chili I made yesterday and TiVo-- what more can a girl ask for?

So, I may be home for the next 36 hours, as a huge blizzard is on its way, so I suppose I have nothing better to do than...Four Things Meme:
Four Jobs I've Had: waitress at Ruby Tuesdays (and Captain Tony's), counselor at Camp Kamaji(where I spent my summers as a kid in northern MN), Reproductive Health Counselor at Shaw High School Health Center, Associate Director for Alumni Education at the MIT Alumni Association
Four Movies I Can Watch Over and Over: Shawshank Redemption, Sixteen Candles, When Harry Met Sally (was on this weekend), Grease
Four Places I've Lived: Our nations capital, Kansas (just ask Judi), Uptown uptown Shaker Shaker Heights, Winter Hill
Four Current TV Shows I Love: CSI (regular and Miami), Law & Order (regular and SVU much more than Criminal Intent), Cold Case, Crossing Jordan (notice a trend?!?)
Four popular TV shows that I've never watched a single minute of: How I Met Your Mother (written by a SHHS grad), Entourage, Grey's Anatomy (which I would probably like but it is on at the same time of some other show I love...don't remember which), Gilmore Girls
Four Places I've Vacationed: Israel, Toronto, Palm Desert, Cancun (I am very blessed and have vacationed many places)
Four Places I'd Rather Be Right Now: Away from the incoming snow, Phoenix, in someone's arms, Australia
Four of my favorite dishes: really good pizza, Sam Camera's pad thai, Christina's coffee oreo ice cream, the chicken stuffed with mushrooms in some sorta spinich cream sauce at Tu Y Yo
Four dishes I will never eat again: meatloaf, cauliflower and olives (not really, but I would if I coudl help it), never say never
Four sites I visit daily: cnn.com, Chowhounds Boston, The Angus Index/ True Epicure Says, the registration update of my April event
Four bloggers I am tagging: you, you, you and you

Roommates in the Media: (all over!) A feature on John Legend, my brother's freshman year roommate at Penn on CNN.com (discussing that she sang at the Super Bowl, is performing at the Grammy's, has the most nominations, and generally has, shall we say, hit it big.) And to think, Kevin was with him when he was a little 18 year old.

Kudos: To Dove for its Campaign for Real Beauty. They premiered a new ad last night which was just wonderful...as my brother said "The anti-Budweiser ad during the Super Bowl." Score: 1 for good body image, 579 for skinny women who like like only the other women in the ads

Guess They Need the Business: Some background-- several years ago I got sucked into this email/web thing where I get emails from MyPoints, and I earn points for every email I open and click through. The points earn me money at stores, and over the years I have earned about $100 at Target. ANYHOW, today's add is for Blackberry! The same company that might be forced out of business (of forced to change its business) by the Supreme Court. I guess now WOULD be a good time to drum up some business with discounts etc.

Good Omen: I am presenting at today's all staff meeting of the Alumni Association about graduate alumni. I just opened a fortune cookie that said "Many people will be drawn to you for your wisdom and insights.". Excellent!

Moment of Silence: Coretta Scott King, the widow of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., died Monday night. Here's a question, what is the likelihood that Bush will make note of this in his State of the Union address tongiht, and what is the likelihood he will sound sincere?

Fascinating Fact: As always, last night's Ladies Night was fun, loving and INFORMATIVE. Little know fact-- the cheese in SmartFood is the same stuff in Annie Mac n Cheese! Now that's Good Eats!

Because I Don't Travel Enough: I have decided to go on a long weekend to LA in early March. I have frequent flier miles, and since I am cancelling my Utah trip planned for May (I still hope to go on the trip in August) I decide to go on a trip out West. I actually haven't been there for a non-work trip in awhile (although it doesn't feel that way because I usually stay on for a weekend of fun at the end of a work trip) I will go between my work trips to Austin (where I will see high school friend Jen and her wife Jackie/Jacquie) in February and Philly in mid-March.

Is It A Bird? Is It A Plane? Is It A Harp Lady?: Emily, Eve, Brenda and I went to see Deborah Hansen-Conant, who plays the electric harp, tells rambling (usually amusing) stories, has her hair in extentions and wild ribbons, and seems to amuse herself AT LEAST as much as she amuses her audience at the tiny Jimmy Tingle's Off-Broadway Theater. Eve was able to get us free tickets through her job, and I won a CD by being a smart ass during the raffle. (Deborah had us practice screaming and cheering if we won the free raffle. After we practiced, she "read" a raffle entry (a bogus one-- we entered with only our names and she read off a long number-- as if she was reading a traditional raffle ticket. I cheered as if I had won-- to be silly-- and she gave me a CD. Even funnier was that Brenda won teh grand prize (legit!) which was a copy of each of Deborah's cd's (5 I think).

The Return of Friday Five (well, a bit more than 5): Thanks to Em for reviving this tradition.
- What were you doing ten years ago? I was entering my final semester at Macalester College, but not really attending classes, as I was student teaching in a fifth grade and then sixth grade classroom. I was living IN the football stadium (a small, almost off-campus, dorm) I was unsure of my post-graduation plan, but knew I wanted to find a job doing reproductive health education.
- What were you doing five years ago? I had just moved to Boston (well, Cambridge to be exact) after finishing my Masters in Nonprofit Management. I was dating someone who lived in Worcester, MA. I was working at Teen Empowerment doing fund raising and organizational advancement.
- What were you doing one year ago? I was going to chiropractic three days a week, in hopes of finally ailing my back. (somewhat successful) I had just gotten back from a fantastic visit in Arizona with my college pal Eva. I was entering my second year living in my condo in Somerville.
- Five snacks I enjoy: ice cream, chips & guac, popcorn, Triskets & cheese, Sun Chips
- Five songs to which I know all the lyrics: “Greatest Love of All”, “I Will Survive”, the Oreo cookie theme song (Ice cream and an Oreo cookie, go together, made forever, the classic combination…), …hmmm….struggling here… “Happy Birthday” and “Mary Had a Little Lamb”
- Five things I would do if I were a millionaire: start a philanthropic foundation, go on at least one major international trip a year, go one a couple of trips with friends (my treat), buy new furniture for my house, eat out at all 50 restaurants on my list of places I want to go
- Five bad habits: interrupting people when they talk, getting impatient with other drivers, not changing my linens as often as I should, being short with my mom, thinking the WORST when someone is late/forgets to call/etc
- Five things I like doing: traveling, eating at restaurants, having quality time with friends, sleeping, dancing
- Five things I would never wear again: my high school prom dress, ….this one is stumping me….
- Five favorite toys: I better not go there.

Another Reason...: To go on vacation more often. For the second time, the morning after returning from a vacation (Cancun with my parents and brother), my co-worker who is responsible for the MIT Alumni Travel Program, walked into my office to ask me to be the staff host on a travel program. This one is in May and goes to Croatia, Slovenia and Italy. The only minor downside is that I was planning a trip to the national parks in Utah at that time, but that trip can be postponed and I am thrilled to go on this trip. What a wonderful opportunity! Woo woo!

Meh-he-co! I leave for Mexico early on Saturday morning, to meet up with my parents and brother! It is a fast trip (returning on Wednesday), but oh am I excited! Sun. Fun. Water. Relaxation. Bring it on!

The Wierdest Ailment: I just had to share...although I don't even know if I can describe. Last night at Curves, I was simply running in place on the little square, and I turned my head to talk to Emily, who was right next to me, doing her little exercises. WELL! Apparently I pulled? strained? pinched? some nerve in my front neck, which went into a crazy, painful thing! Kinda like when you turn your head the wrong way and a muscle on the side of your neck cinches up, and sometime hurts for a few hours....but it was the muscles that go down the FRONT of my neck, and it felt like someone had punched me under my chin on my the muscle that helps you swallow! I was doing NOTHING when it happened! It hurt every time I tipped my hear higher than straight ahead, and with other similar movements. I exercised for about ten more minutes and then stopped (it was basically time to stop anyhow) I couldn't do my stretches, and, although it slowly started to feel increasingly better, it still hurts a little bit now-- almost 24 hours later! Insane!

Regisration is OPEN: The registration for my big April event went live today, in conjunction with the first marketing email that is going out this afternoon. This is the first time that MIT has ever invited all alumni with a graduate degree back to campus...and it's my baby. I am in charge of the concept, exectution, web site, marketing, speakers, venues, EVERYTHING. Check out the web site and learn more! (I know you are just dying to!)

Carry a Condom or Pay: A western Colombian town has threatening males over age 14 with fines if they fail to carry a condom. Young men in the community, most of whom start having sex at about age 15, according to a poll, should carry condoms just as they have to carry identification cards, Tulua town councilman William Pena told El Tiempo newspaper.
Those who fail to show a condom would have to pay a small fine or take a three-hour course in AIDS prevention in Tulua, where 14 people died of sexually transmitted diseases last year. -- As they say, if you don't have protection, you will pay!

Fun Sports Slideshows: I found two fun slide shows on Sports Illustrated.com...one of sports figures tatoos and one of the dreadful, soul sucking transformation that the Evil Empire (i.e. Yankees) impresses on their players, including our dearly departed Damon.

A Joke from Jamie: A man enters a bar and orders a drink. The bar has a robot bartender. The robot serves him a perfectly prepared cocktail, and then asks him, "What's your IQ?" The man replies "150" and the robot proceeds to make conversation about global warming factors, quantum physics and spirituality, biochemistry, environmental interconnectedness, string theory, nano-technology, and sexual proclivities. The customer is very impressed and thinks, "This is really cool." He decides to test the robot. He walks out of the bar, turns around, and comes back in for another drink. Again, the robot serves him the perfectly prepared drink and asks him, "What's your IQ?" The man responds, "about a 100." Immediately the robot starts talking, but this time, about football, NASCAR,baseball, super models, favorite fast foods, guns, and women's breasts. Really impressed, the man leaves the bar ! and decides to give the robot one more test. He heads out and returns, the robot serves him and asks, "What's your IQ?" The man replies, "Er, 50, I think."And the robot says... real slowly... "So... ya gonna vote for Bush again?"

A "Crappy" Gift: My boss was given a TOILET for Christmas...well, actually some disadvantaged people were given a toilet to keep them healthy and safe. Oxfam has an opportunity to "give a toilet". The ackowledgement card that was sent to my boss is hilarious. What a great idea!

Giving Back: This past weekend I particpated in my sixth Christmas in the City event, this time as a Shleter Captain. CITC is an organization with one purpose: to host an annual holiday party for children and their families in greater Boston who are homeless, or living in transitional programs. Over 2800 kids and 1200 parents attended this year. Highlights include more chicken nuggets and juice than you have ever seen in one place, Winter Wonderland (complete with pony rides, fire fighters and graham cracker houses), individually selected gifts for every child, HUGE smiles and laughter, and of course, the feeling of utter exhaustion at the end of the day! Several colleagues, my brother, and others joined me in bringing holiday joy to 50 children and their parents. It was a fabulous (and exhausting) day. Although I could never do this every day, it is one of the highlights of my year. To read more about the event, read this or this (scroll down and click on Pictures of Christmas in the City) or

Randal Wins! (At Least the Apprentice): After a long, fun night staffing the MIT event about the Apprentice, Randal got the job! We had over 700 students and alumni come to cheer on Randal, TV crews, and a lot of fun (but a late night...didn't get home till close to midnight). The show was great...except maybe the last 3 minutes when the classy, smart Randal made some fairly jackass comments. But overall, the event, and the alum are a huge success.

LIMITED TIME OFFER: Check out the MIT home page today (if changes daily) to see a promo for our very own Randall Pinkett on The Apprentice tonight! Randall is one of the two finalist on the show tonight...and I will be working from 9:00-11:00 tonight as he fights for a job with Trump. (a questionable thing to fight for if you ask me but...)

Shaker Heights' Efforts in No Child Left Behind: (thanks to Marsh for this one) My home town, location of the first racially planned community , and a place of inconsitent but better than most places efforts to address racial issues, is in the news. The article is called "How One Suburb's Black Student Gain"...a lot being done well, so much more to do!

Single, and Not Unhappy. Amazing!: A fantastic article about the phenomenon of being single...and happy... all at the same time. (thanks to Em for sending the article) Of course, I wish (really wish) that I was in a loving, committed relationship, but the lack of such a relationship does not render me miserable...something that some people find astonishing, or incomprehensible. In her book, E. Kay Trimberger says that happy single women need "six supports for crafting a satisfying single life: fulfilling work, connections to the next generation, a home; intimate relationships with a network of friends and extended family, a community and acceptance of your sexuality" I am so immensely blessed that I have all six in huge amounts. The article is really quite interesting...and I can't wait until the day I can say it is interesting in regard to my single friends and not me.

Redheads in the News: Thanks to my brother (another redhead) for this newsy item about redheads. Apparently it has been discovered that there is a gene that is linked both to red hair coloring and to higher levels of pain tolerance. The research showed that redheads can withstand up to 25 percent more pain than their blond and brunet peers do before saying "stop."

So MIT: Leave it to MIT to do a video game solicitation! (Feel free to make a gift at the end if you want!)

From the Mouth's of Babes: Conversation with the 7 year old neighbor of my aunt and uncle...
Kid: "Guess the name of the principal at my school" (A school in a district that I attended)
Me: "Hmmmm....Ms. Longo?...no...I don't know, so maybe Ms........" (this actually was about 5 minutes of back and forth and guessing)
Kid: "I'll just tell you! It's Dr. Callahan! But she's not a real doctor, that's just her name."
Me: "Actaully, she is a doctor, just not a medical doctor. That means that she went to college for a very long time and so we call her Doctor."
Kid: "No, she's not a doctor, her name is just Dr. Callahan. She's a principal, not a doctor. She just tells teachers what to do."

Good Eats!: (I hope) A new restuarant has opened in Central Square (in the old Burger King no less) called Rendez Vous. It has gotten good reviews on Chowhounds. A bit pricey, but I defintiely want to try it for some yet to be named special occasion. Who wants to come?