GUESS WHAT?!

Sexybeast proposed to me last night as I making my way through the front door after my last day at Catholic Charities.

Yes, I am going to be married. June 2011.

Hang onto yr hats for a lot of insanity.


HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!!!!!

I had my Cake and ate it too!

Just refresh the minds of you, my loyal sexy readers, I will be starting a new job on Monday. Still in non-profit, still working w/ a challenging population (DV). But it's more money, a better position and great opportunity for lil' ol' me.

Anyways, my friends at my old job took me out for lunch last week to this awesome Caribbean place on Washington Ave (across the street from The Fuze Box). I think it was called Casa de Las Brisas (not 100% on that). Normally I don't dig on buffets, I like my food hot and I like it my way. However, this place was freakin' awesome! For $7.99 ($10.25 for tax and a drink), you can have all you can eat. The buffet has a cold section and a hot section. I snarfed down fresh avocado and bell pepper, corn and green pepper and chickpea salad. The veggies were all fresh and the seasoning was just right. And if you hate peppers, they were big enough to pick out. Plus there was about 5 or 6 more dishes to choose from. On the hot side, I ate 2 chicken wings (though I could have easily inhaled 10 more!), curry chicken and yellow rice and beans. Everything was hot and de-licious. And in case yr keeping score, I did indeed indulge in dessert. I had 2 slices of cake, one piece of chocolate and one piece of spice cake. Moist and sweet.

It's an odd thing, I order eat chicken from our fave Chinese take out, Thai and Indian haunts we frequent. Hmmm, guess it translates well to all cuisines.

Lucky for me, this place is across the street from my new office.

Holly Lolly!

My fave Xmas gift this year was my new Canon Power Shot camera. Check my awesome new photos from Christ's birthday.

We also had a chance to check out the Badass Burrito. Monday and Saturday nights are $1 PBR and tacos. Sexybeast had 2 tacos, one beef and one pulled pork. He proclaimed them delicious. After so many days of gorging, I went w/ carne asada salad w/ lime cabbage slaw, a tasty vinaigrette. I subbed the mayo topping for guacamole. NOM NOM NOM. As I am not a huge beer fan, I partook of the 4 dollar Margarita special.

Monday Meme Monster

http://manicmondaymeme.blogspot.com



What makes you laugh? So many things. I'm a laugh slut. I feel beautiful when I laugh.

What makes you cry? Songs, commercials, movies.

What is the best thing about being you? I'm really fucking awesome!!!

Bloated Meme

http://curiousasacat.blogspot.com

1) What part of your day-to-day life requires the most patience from you? Living w/ Sexybeast.

2) What are your favorite winter activities? Sledding and drinking Kahlua & cocoa

3) What do you think of high heels? I prefer platforms because of my bad ankles

4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one. "It's tweak nipple day!"

Word Association

http://subliminal.lunanina.com/

1. Interest :: rates
   
2. Chase :: hunt
   
3. Itch :: scratch
   
4. Soothe :: balm
   
5. Lamp :: lighter
   
6. Tutor :: learn
   
7. Nicole :: Richie
   
8. Sloth :: slug
   
9. Burn :: fire
   
10. Bug :: annoy
    

Year End Meme

http://samanthasaturday9.blogspot.com/




1. What did you think of 2009? Some good, some bad.

2. What do you think was the news story of the year? That crazy Russian lady that kidnapped a dude and made him a sex slave for 3 days.

3. What happened this year that you never want to hear another word about? Golly! So many things! No one must ever ever ever mention Jon & Kate again.

4. What was your favorite song of 2009? Zero by Yeah Yeah Yeah's

5. What did you accomplish this year? Bought a house.

6. Did you learn anything new this year? I'm capable more things that I realized.

7. What are you looking forward to in the new year? My new job.

8. What are your plans for New Year's Eve? Going to the lake w/ my family.

9. What's the best thing you ever did on a New Year's Eve? Went to a reggae bar when I was 14 during Albany First Night.

Fill up

http://fridayfillins.blogspot.com




1. My boots _are made for walking____________.
2. ____I am going to kick some ass_____ this century.
3. Imitation ___is the sincerest form of flattery_______.
4. ______Walk_______ and talk?
5. I'd like _to be thinner_____________.
6. _____Do you want to ___ get over it?
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _digesting a large Christmas dinner while watching Doctor Who____, tomorrow my plans include __dollar PBR's at the Badass Burrito___ and Sunday, I want to __relax, possibly give myself a home mani/pedi___!

Christmas Meme

www.friday5.org

1. How likely are you to return or exchange a gift you don’t like? 100% likely
   
2. Who is the most gifted person you know? Gifted as in talented? Sheesh! SB's grandfather invented Astroturf. Genius.
   
3. Of gifts you gave this year, which was really the closest to perfect for the recipient? My mother wanted a wallet, I found a super cheap Vera Bradley wallet to match her purse. I rule!
   
4. What’s your favorite kind of gift to receive? Gift cards or books.
   
5. What’s your favorite kind of gift to give? There's no specific gift I like to give. But I definitely like to give rather than receive.
   

Mine!

http://iwantwednesday.blogspot.com

What do you want Santa to bring you? A camera and an engagement ring

What else do you want this week? Clarity and self-esteem

Ms. Grinch

Here's my hopefully prize winning Christmas post. The sexy and intelligent Amorous Rocker @ http://amorouschick.blogspot.com is having a contest to win a mystery something for downloading fave Xmas ornaments onto yr blog space.

#1 My grammy gave me that little mouse. I treasure it as she has long since shucked off this mortal coil.

#2 "What the hell is an aluminium falcon?" One of Sexybeast's, lights up in the back.

#3 Another of Sexybeast's; nothing says Christmas like Snoopy.

#4 A gift tag Sexybeast gave me last year.

#5 My momma made that for me in 1978.

#6 Apparently Sexybeast was a big fan of Garfield back in the day.

Thanks for peeking under my tree, everyone!!

Cold Meme

http://curiousasacat.blogspot.com


1) Do you think you are fashionable? I think I'm fashion forward but I don't follow trends and I don't shop at high end stores.

2) If you could plan a trip anywhere in the world for yourself and your mate, where would you like to go? Costa Rica or London, depends on how cold I am at the time.

3) What major crime have you most often been seriously tempted to commit? Well, I used to smoke pot but I think that's more of a misdemeanor.

4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one. "I could have danced all night."

Yesteryear

Winter is my demon season. I suffer from SAD (seasonal affective disorder). Not really sure what my problem is for the other 3 seasons. But I digress.

When I get into these moods, I start getting nostalgic for my childhood. I re-read the Harry Potter series, I buy Hello Kitty products (5 dollar shirt @ Hot Topic!! my sale of the week) and watch cartoons obsessively.

I may be dating myself but these are my standout recollections for this week.

1. That Sesame Street book w/ the chocolate chip cookie tree. COOKIE!

2. Pinwheel from the early days of Nickelodeon. I'm obsessing about 2 cartoon shorts. One was about a little girl witch named Carrie and she had 2 bitchy older witch sisters and she scared the pants off them at the end. Sweet sweet cartoon revenge. "Hey! Hey! I'll get you!" The other was from a Scandinavian country about a boy that meets up w/ the North Wind. I'm dying to watch these again!

I was actually doing some light scouring of the interwebs the other night and I some what satisfied my fix by watching King Rollo, Hatty Town, the intro to Simon and the Land of the Drawings and Emily ("big brother Stephen, little sister Pat and my hedgehog Humphrey").

Anyone else wistful? Is this bringing back any memories?

I'm Dreaming of A Green Christmas

http://samanthasaturday9.blogspot.com/


1. If you live where you get winter weather, do you prefer your Christmas to be white? If you never see snow, do you wish for it? It looks nice for one day but I really hate snow.

2. How many holiday cards did you receive from people you hadn't sent cards to, after the "mailing deadline?" Did you send a card anyway? Zero. Plus I give cards to people who never send them.

3. When the clock strikes Midnight on New Year's, will you be at home, at a party, or somewhere else? w/ family at the cabin. Perfect in case of a zombie uprising.

4. Have you ever taken the keys and driven home a friend that you felt was too drunk to drive? If not, do you think you would attempt to if that situation ever arose? I've never been in a situation where that has happened. Uh.....yeah! (dumbass)

5. Tell us about a gift that you either bought or made for someone else that you wanted for yourself! I'm not like that.

6. What chores do you have left for the holidays? Wrapping, which I do on Christmas Eve. And I have 2 packages to mail.

7. If you could buy one gift for yourself where money was not an obstacle, what would it be? My attic to be remodeled into a master bedroom and half bath.

8. What is one of your family’s favorite holiday traditions? Eating.

9. If you could give a fellow blogger a holiday gift, which would it be and what would you give them? Hello Kitty rice cooker to Albany Jane.

Blankety Blank

http://fridayfillins.blogspot.com



1. No, we will NOT ______pay a lot for this muffler_______.
2. ___Apple pie______ at the old kitchen table.
3. I watched the steam rising from the hot cup of coffee (or tea) and thought: _hot drinks make me thirsty_________.
4. ___Someday my self-esteem is__________ going to be okay.
5. I'll take ____a double__________.
6. __Drug addiction is a medical problem______ at least from my point of view.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _getting our new deep freezer____, tomorrow my plans include _tempura & games____ and Sunday, I want to _clean and do laundry and then snuggle on the couch___!

www.friday5.org

1. How seriously do you take gift-wrapping when you give gifts? Not at all. I wait until the last minute.
   
2. Do you save gift-wrapping to re-use later? HAAHAHAHAHA! I mean, no.
   
3. How picky are you when it comes to selecting wrapping paper? Nothing too cutesy or something akin to a Thomas Kincaid painting.
   
4. How much attention do you pay to the way gifts you receive are wrapped? Not very much.
   
5. Among people you know, who is the most talented at wrapping gifts? My mother, thanks to her meticulous nature.
   

The Great Cookie Swap of '09

The lovely and talented AlbanyJane @ http://albanyeats.blogspot.com hosted a cookie swap this past Sunday.

I was a cookie swap virgin up until the 13th. I drove Sexybeast insane pondering what to bake, how to store it, making sure I could double a recipe, etc. The man deserves to be canonized to put up w/ me.

In the end I found the perfect cookie, oatmeal chocolate chip pecan. I was really nervous because #1 i don't bake and #2 I wanted everything to be perfect perfect perfect.

As I don't own a Kitchen Aid (I WANT!), I borrowed my mother's Sunbeam hand mixer, which she received as a wedding shower gift in 1968.

OK, so, dry ingredients mixed together, wet ingredients in a separate bowl. The mixing of the wet worked perfectly. I enlisted Sexybeast's help slowly putting the dry into the wet. Hmm... why is this 42 y/o mixer going slower and slower. At which I gave up and mixed by hand.

I had no parchment paper, so I substituted w/ aluminium foil, which worked like a charm.

1st batch in the oven, perfecto. 2nd batch, hmm 3 cookies weren't baked fully. 3rd batch, mostly raw.

I got mad and the stress leaked onto Sexybeast. It finally sunk in that perhaps I should stop opening the oven door so much.

We had a fabulous time at the home of AlbanyJane & her husband AlbanyJohn & the little foster kitties. I almost fainted from cuteness overexposure! She baked a personal fave, candy cane cookies. And lilimonster of http://underthecoppertree.blogspot.com was also in attendance w/ her nummy num Filipino cookies (I lost count how many Sexybeast scarfed down!) And met many other cool peeps and tasty treats to boot. Twas a good day.

All the stress and worry has prepared me for my 2nd swap o' the season at the office this Friday.

Making chocolate dried fruit cookies. Details to follow.

Another Meme

http://manicmondaymeme.blogspot.com

What is your greatest strength? Tenacity

What is your worst weakness? So many to choose from. Hmmmm. A tie between impatience and being hypercritical

Is your favorite time the past, present or the future? The present. I think I answered a question like this before, something vaguely familiar about it.

The Monday Meme

http://curiousasacat.blogspot.com


1) What is one food you will never give up? Potatoes of any sort.

2) Would you be willing to eat a bowl of live crickets for $40,000? No. Not even for 4 million dollars. I don't things on a dare. I don't whore myself out for cash.

3) You have just been granted the power to make anyone in the world do something each day. Who would you choose, and what would you make him or her do daily? Hugh Jackman has to nibble on my neck everyday.

4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one. "Central Park"

Hello, Goodbye

http://subliminal.lunanina.com/

1. Up :: down
   
2. Scram! :: spam
   
3. Smell :: odor
   
4. Belong :: together
   
5. Doug :: Funny
   
6. Collar :: leash
   
7. Squirrel :: nut
   
8. Chinese :: fried walnuts
   
9. Tracker :: hunter
   
10. Apartment :: house
    

Revelution!

http://samanthasaturday9.blogspot.com/


1. Tell us about a night that you spent with someone who was a stranger, yet by the end of the night you were very close. Well, I met Sexybeast through craigslist. We had a really great blind date. We talked for 3 hours! The waiters asked us to leave because they wanted to go home.

2. When is the last time you rode the bus? In Mexico last February to Walmart.

3. Describe the last time you stood up for a cause. I participated in the AIDS walk this September.

4. What is something you would like to do, but you're afraid of the risk(s)? I would like to start my own business selling sex toys. I have no capital and my parents would be very angry w/ me.

5. What would you most like to accomplish before the year is over? Get engaged!

6. Name something you'll miss about 2009. All the wonderful road trips and vacations.

7. If you could invent something, what would it be? Flying cars

8. What first got you started blogging? My gorgeous and talented friend Lydia www.kiss-and-makeup.blogspot.com

9. How did you find this meme? Google

If Man is 5,....

http://blazingminds.co.uk/category/saturday-six/


Name 6 of your favourite breakfast cereals?

(in ascending order!)

5. Honey Nut Cheerios - they taste great w/ fresh banana

4. Almond Cherry granola- I buy from a bin at Hanaford

3. Kashi Golean Hearty Honey Cinnamon- lots o' fiber!

2. Lucky Charms - they're magically delicious

1. Annie's Homegrown Vanilla & Chocolate Bunnies - OMG!! I could eat half a box w/out thinking.

FYI I eat my cereal out of the box or w/ yogurt. Milk + cereal = BLECH

Blank in the Blank

http://fridayfillins.blogspot.com


1. Good times: __a full belly, a light heart and good friends___________.
2. _______Anyone is welcome in__ my home.
3. Sleigh bells ring _are you listening?_________.
4. Give a little_____________ little.
5. Once more _w/ feeling_____________.
6. ______When will it all__ end?
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _relaxing w/ the boy____, tomorrow my plans include _Hanukkah dinner and birthday drinks at the local dive bar____ and Sunday, I want to _kick up my heels at the cookie swap____!

$5 Foot Long

www.friday5.org

Buyer’s remorse is a well-known condition that strikes us all, but what other kinds of remorse have you experienced?

1. When did you last experience emailer’s remorse? Ugh! w/ a guy I dated briefly. He wished me "good luck" w/ Sexybeast and I ripped him a new one. It was mostly an e-mail filled w/ the word fuck. Not one of my better moments.
2. When did you last experience diner’s remorse? At El Loco, frozen spinach does not belong in a chicken enchilada. But the sangria was great! Aside from the spinach, the food was awesome. So not really that remorseful I guess.
   
3. When did you last experience movie-goer’s remorse? Synedoche, NY. Long, rambling and pointless.
   
4. When did you last experience caring friend’s remorse? Doesn't exist.
   
5. When did you last experience lover’s remorse? I had one night hook up before Sexybeast. Should have thought that through a bit better.
   

alternate question in case that last one was too personal:

6. When did you last experience function-attender’s remorse? Never, I have fun wherever I go.
   

Too Much Thunk in the Trunk

http://thursdaythunks.blogspot.com



1. Isn't showing a condom commercial during Sex Rehab With Dr Drew almost like showing a pain narcotic or an alcohol commercial during Intervention? Hmmmm.... I believe that is the exact definition of irony.

2. Burger King and Ronald McDonald met Colonel Sanders in a dark alley. They beat him down for just serving chicken and not sharing his "11 herbs & spices". The Colonel goes down. Begs for his life. Where do they go to eat afterwards? Wendy's of course.

3. You take a shower, go to leave the bathroom and the door is stuck. Due to humidity and moisture it won't budge. It will not open. No one else is home. You can't go out the window. How long do you sit in the bathroom and how do you occupy your time? I cry until I pass out.

4. You are a rockstar, but you need a cool rocker name. What is it and how did you decide on that name? Frizzles Omni. (1st pet's name and 1st car)

5. Have you ever gotten naked at a family function? Perhaps when I was an infant.

6. If purple ate yellow, what color would come out? Puce

7. The closest paper and pen to you right now. What color are they? White and black

8. Corn chips or potato chips? Potato (though I prefer Pop Chips!)

9. You are forced to swallow either a diamond or a piece of coal. Don't ask. Just do it. Which do you choose? Diamond, I don't want black lung.

10. If your mouse decided to attack your keyboard, who would win? Keyboard

GImme Gimme

http://iwantwednesday.blogspot.com



This weeks question is:

What special room do you want in your house? A library. A place for all my books, journals and magazines. And fancy iBook. A place where I can write in peace and quiet.

What else do you want this week? Share it all. For the bad weather to take a hike. To be more comfortable in my own skin. To be more motivated. For Friday night to get here!

Tunesday Meme

Lately, I've been blocked creatively. To loosen my pipes, I'll be doing a lot more memes. But I'm cute and witty so I can get away shit like this. :D

http://musicmemoirs.blogdrive.com

A winter word association, music style: I give you some words and you tell me the artist, song etc that you first think of.

Please note, these not my fave songs, merely associations to the word provided.



snowflake: Icicle by Tori Amos
bitter: Tainted Love by Soft Cell
cold: Divorce Song by Liz Phair
snuggle: All I Want is you by Harry Louis Polisar
kind: God Bless the Child by Billie Holiday
tree: Oh! Christmas Tree - traditional Christmas carol
dark: Raining Blood by Slayer
long: Dark & Long (Dark Train) by Underworld
candy: I Want Candy by Bow Wow Wow
special: Brass in Pocket by The Pretenders

Late Cat

http://curiousasacat.blogspot.com

) Do you prefer watching or playing sports? Meh. It depends. Watching a game of baseball is good. But so is playing a rousing game bocce ball.

2) Do you get annoyed easily? AAAAHHHH!!! WHAT THE FUCK? Yr annoying me.

3) In your opinion, what is the best album (or CD) cover ever? Wow. Hmmmm. London Calling, Paul Simonon showing his bass who's the boss. Hint: it ain't Tony Danza

4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one. "Around the world and back again! That's the sailors' way."

It's Manic Meme

http://manicmonday.blogspot.com

If you could bring one character to life from your favorite book, who would it be? Oh golly! What a great question. Probably Astrid from The Whores on the Hill, Doreen from Brave New Girl or Offred from A Handmaid's Tale.

Which cartoon character do you resemble the most? Maybe Daria Morgandorfer. Not in respect to her looks but I believe we are of like minds.

What vegetable do you most resemble? A radish, cause I'm round and red.

A Day Late and a Dollar Short

I bought some new hats at Target. Enjoy

Gobble Gobble!

Well, another Thanksgiving has come and gone. I fully support any holiday that makes eating it's primary focus.

I was in Boston, MA w/out Sexybeast.

I tried to fill my time w/ Candyland, Operation and Guess Who, the Boston Aquarium. However, I couldn't hide my sadness. I hate celebrating holidays w/out some sort of protection.

It wasn't all bad, I made my pilgrimage to Trader Joe's, getting my usual stock of taquitos plus pork pot stickers and mixed nuts. And the Punjab Market for cheap cheapy cheap spices and naan. Which will freeze easily for my dinner party.

December has crashed in and my depression quickly followed. Bear w/ me.

Tuesday Meme

http://manicmondaymeme.blogspot.com
This wasn't available until late last night. Enjoy!



Reflect on the characteristics of your best friend. What makes him or her so special? Their brutal honesty. Their laugh. Their devious nature. Their kindness.

What is one quality you admire most in others? Courage. Of which I need some extra helpings.

Describe an activity that you think is truly romantic. Holding hands and listening to the quiet.