I'm a Wonderful Employee

Picture of the Day for 11/30/2010. I had my year-end performance review at work. Part of the process involves soliciting what is supposed to be anonymous feedback (although you can usually deduce the author of each comment) from 5-10 colleagues. I was a little worried about printing out my report today since I feel it hasn't been a banner work year for me due to being out on medical leave for nearly two months. I was extremely pleased to see I received glowing feedback from my co-workers. In fact, there's a comment that I'm awesome! Whew. I was also able to point out to my boss that I was responsible for selling the two largest one-off projects in the entire office this year.

I Finally Get Zombies

Picture of the Day for 11/29/2010. Zombies. I've never understood the attraction. I've politely declined when my nieces have asked me to attend the latest zombie movie. I've resisted them until now, but it looks like I finally "get" zombies. I'm completely obsessed with the AMC series "The Walking Dead." Never thought I'd see the day...

I Have a Dining Room Table

Picture of the Day for 11/28/2010. This holiday weekend was not all about shopping. I actually spent some productive time cleaning my dining room. I finally unearthed the dining room table and cleared a path around the table. It feels weird not having to step over the clutter to get into the kitchen. I'm definitely making progress on the house. I'm hoping to have the living room somewhat presentable by the end of the year. Then I could actually welcome guests into my home rather than living in fear someone will drop by. After that, I'll work on unpacking my moving boxes that have remained mostly untouched since I moved into my parents' house in August 2009.

Christmas Shopping

Picture of the Day for 11/27/2010. I took advantage of the "Black Friday" sales to work on my Christmas shopping. I'm about halfway done and for the people I still need to shop for, I know what I'm going to buy. It feels weird to be so on top of things at this stage of the game.

I was unable to resist engaging in my grand holiday tradition of buying just as much stuff for myself as I do for others. My readers should be glad that I refrained from posting a picture of the purchase I'm the most excited about. I was able to find my favorite underwear that normally sells for $12 a pair for $1.75. I ended up buying eight pairs. I'm not sure why I suddenly decided to show some restraint about posting pictures of underwear since I've posted worse on this blog.

New Blood

Picture of the Day for 11/26/2010. The title of this blog entry has nothing to do with vampires or the Twilight book/movie series. It's in reference to the fact that I'm excited to feature people who have not yet made an appearance in my blog this year. Pictured are my niece Michelle (middle), her husband David, and her friend Mandy. Michelle and David are in town for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Michelle and David eloped while visiting Italy this past summer. No fair! I want to elope to Italy. I'd throw out an invitation/challenge to my blog readers to make that happen, but since there's really no one marriageable among my readership which is mostly female and consists primarily of friends and family, there's no point. Sigh.

Unique Thanksgiving

Picture of the Day for 11/25/2010. My dad and I celebrated Thanksgiving with my sister Robynne's family this year. My dad and I are a package deal and are passed between my two older sisters for the holidays. I have cooked precisely one Thanksgiving dinner in all of my 47 years. A few years ago I decided I would like to host my parents for Thanksgiving at least once in my lifetime. I'm glad I did because it turned out to be the last year my mother could have made it up the three flights of stairs to my condo. Surprisingly, the meal turned out fantastic. No one was more amazed by this positive outcome than I was.

Anyway, back to this year's Thanksgiving. Robynne and I recognized the merit in having someone ELSE cook the Thanksgiving dinner and decided to go out for dinner at Mimi's Cafe. Unfortunately, so did everyone else in the Salt Lake valley. When confronted with a minimum two-hour wait, we found another place that was serving a Thanksgiving dinner buffet with no waiting. It was adequate.

Pictured above are my nephews Michael (L) and Robbie (R) with my cute dad who was just glad to have an outing. I think this is a darling photo.

Blue Boots

Picture of the Day for 11/24/2010. I've been absolutely consumed with a search for blue boots. I'm not sure why I was suddenly struck by the notion that I HAD to have them, but there you are. I now consider myself an expert on the blue boot supply in Salt Lake City and I can tell you they are hard to find. I finally found some at Macy's and Sears.

If I had been quicker on my feet, this blog entry would have been labeled "Boot Carnage." Sears displays all of their footwear on eye-level shelves. On the shelf where I found the blue high-heeled boots pictured above, there was a long row of boots on display. I picked up the blue boot to examine it and when I returned it to the shelf, it refused to remain upright and toppled over which started a chain reaction I was powerless to stop. It looked like death and destruction had been unleashed against the unsuspecting row of boots. The scene would have made an excellent picture of the day, but at the time I was too concerned about slinking away to think about it. Dang.

No Strippers Allowed

Picture of the Day for 11/23/2010. My great-nephew Dane turned 13 today. He received a much-anticipated cell phone for his birthday that came with a very long list of rule/regulations from his parents. It looks like he is prohibited against calling strippers. I'm pretty sure this has never crossed Dane's mind before, but hey, it never hurts to spell things out.

More Happiness in a Jar

Picture of the Day for 11/22/2010. I was browsing in Williams-Sonoma tonight before meeting a friend for dinner. I was "encouraged" to try their turkey gravy. Oh man it's good. Evil salespeople. I had no choice but to buy a bottle.

Snowbound

Picture of the Day for 11/21/2010. It snowed quite heavily last night. My car is such a fraud. In public, it whips through snow-covered streets like it doesn't have a care in the world, never once slipping or sliding. When we're alone, however, it's a totally different story. It cowers in the face of my somewhat steep driveway. Despite gunning it and making several runs at the driveway, my car just couldn't make it up into the garage last night so I was forced to leave it out in the snow.

Big Cottonwood Canyon

Picture of the Day for 11/20/2010. I've gotten in the habit of taking my dad for a drive through either Little Cottonwood Canyon or Emigration Canyon on Saturday afternoons. I recently decided to branch out and drive through Big Cottonwood Canyon. I had forgotten how pretty and dramatic it is. I love the massive and jagged rocks that have been heaved out of the earth. It makes you wonder what cataclysmic event generated enough power to do that.

No Presidential Signature for Me

Picture of the Day for 11/19/2010. Over 1,000 people stood in line for the George Bush book signing at Costco today. I was one of them. Temporarily. I had good intentions of getting an autographed copy of Bush's memoirs for my friend who collects presidential autographs, but ultimately the cold windy weather did me in. I stood in line from 8:00 a.m. to 10 a.m., but with three more hours to go until the 1:00 book signing, I knew I wasn't going to make it. The pre-surgery Michelle would have scoffed at the cold weather. The post-surgery Michelle didn't bundle up well enough. I'm wondering if the surgery had an effect on my internal thermostat. Also, the fact that I have less padding now may have something to do with my inability to tolerate the cold.

Tea Party

Picture of the Day for 11/18/2010. My friend Nancy hosts an annual tea party for five of her friends or acquaintances. The guest list changes every year with the exception of me and her friend Janice. I'm soooooo glad I'm a regular since I look forward to it all year. In fact, I'm so committed to this event I would miss my own wedding to attend this tea party.

Here's what you can expect as a guest:

-At least two types of homemade scones served with jam and cream.

-Three tea sandwiches.

-Three mini desserts.

-Fruit.

-Tea (of course) or a Russian tea that consists of orange and lemon juices with a dash of almond extract. I always choose the Russion tea. Yum.

-A small gift next to your plate. This year's gift was a Thanksgiving decoration.

Nancy is a fabulous cook and the food is eyes-rolling-in-the-back-of-your-head good. She gets a lot of her recipes from Tea Time magazine. I just might have to subscribe to the magazine myself.

It's Never to Early to Listen to Christmas Music

Picture of the Day for 11/17/2010. It's never too early to listen to Christmas music. Just saying.

I Was Cute

Picture of the Day for 11/16/2010. I was a cute little girl.

That's all I have to say.

Skylab Astronaut Autographs

Picture of the Day for 11/15/2010. After two weeks of travel, my life has returned to normal which means I'm working late hours without a lot of opportunities to find interesting subjects for my picture of the day. That's why you're being treated to a picture of the Skylab astronaut autographs I collected during my recent trip to Florida. Some of my readers may experience the following range of emotions regarding this photo:

-Indifference

-Contempt

-Relief that they are not remotely as nerdy as I am

-Bewilderment that anyone would spend good money on astronaut autographs

All of these possible reactions would be wrong. You should be aware that among space memorabilia collectors, this collection of autographs is considered very cool. Really. I promise.

Sexy Physicist

Picture of the Day for 11/14/2010. If you needed any proof that I'm a complete nerd (although I'm sadly aware that anyone who knows me already has sufficient proof), here it is. I sat down to catch up on past episodes of Hawaii 5-0 when I became distracted by a new series on the Science channel called "Wonders of the Solar System" hosted by physicist Brian Cox. I quickly became adsorbed by the program and forgot all about Hawaii 5-0. The content (the first episode was all about the sun) was very interesting of course, but part of the appeal is I also have a bit of a crush on Cox. It doesn't hurt that he used to be in a rock band before embarking on his career in science.

Atlanta Souvenir

Picture of the Day for 11/13/2010. I have a tradition of buying regional cookbooks as souvenirs of my vacations. (My all-time favorite find was "Cooking for the Astronauts: An Uplifting Experience" from my trip to the Kennedy Space Center last year.) I've been browsing through my new Atlanta cookbook and I think the first recipe I'm going to try is one for spoonbread, a traditional Southern dish.

Trip to Atlanta

Picture(s) of the Day for 11/12/2010. It's my first trip to Atlanta (aside from an occasional layover in the airport). My friend and I spent the entire day downtown.

We started off by shopping/eating in the Atlanta Underground.


After the Underground, we visited the nearby state capitol building...

...which is filled with portraits of famous Southern dignitaries...

...and a museum featuring curiosities like a two-headed calf and a two-headed snake.


After walking for what seemed to be 45 miles, we reached Coca-Cola World. (FYI- Coca-Cola is headquartered in Atlanta.) For someone who drinks Diet Coke for breakfast, this was almost a religious experience.

Incredulity Carried Too Far

Picture of the Day for 11/11/2010. I finally got around to reading Dan Brown's "The Lost Symbol." I enjoyed "The DaVinci Code" so I was unprepared for how much I hated this book. In "The Lost Symbol," the main character, Robert Langdon, is drawn into a mystery involving Masonic history, symbols, and practices in Washington D.C. At every turn, he vehemently denies that the Masonic "myth" under discussion can possibly be true despite eventually being confronted by the truth of each myth or legend. "Surely not," he repeatedly exclaims. (OK- that was paraphrasing, but it conveys the gist of his predictable reaction.) Langdon's irritating skepticism persisted until the very bitter end. I felt like kicking him in the shins.

More Blackmail Pictures

Picture of the Day for 11/10/2010. This is my brother-in-law Will's 3rd appearance in a blackmail-worthy photo of the day. He looks rather fetching with my sister's purse over his shoulder doesn't he? Will was taking my sister's purse (in a rather jaunty fashion) into their home office so he could photocopy her credit cards to have on file in case they ever get stolen. So, a word of warning to any of my readers who were contemplating stealing my sister's credit cards. Don't bother!

Chocolates of the World

Picture of the Day for 11/9/2010. I was in Costco when I stumbled across the most sublime item for sale- a massive jar containing "Chocolates of the World." I almost swooned when I saw this. It's like buying happiness in a jar.

Missed Opportunity

Picture of the Day for 11/8/2010. Oh look, here is a booklet outlining the STS-133 shuttle mission (the one originally scheduled to launch on November 1, 2010). And there's a picture of the STS-133 crew. Do any of these items have any meaning for me? They sure do. They represent disappointment. Failed hopes and dreams. I returned home to Salt Lake City today without having seen a space shuttle launch. Sigh.

I'm not completely defeated, however. Although I've lived for the past thirty years without the slightest motivation to see a launch, it has now become my life's mission to witness one before the program ends next year. I will NOT be thwarted.

Skylab is Trendy

Picture(s) of the Day for 11/7/2010. It's the final day of the 3rd annual Astronaut Autograph & Memorabilia Show (AAMS). Interest in the Skylab missions of the early 1970s has become quite trendy lately. (OK- I fully realize it's only trendy among nerdy space-obsessed individuals, not the general public.) I mentioned to one of my buddies (the nerdy space-obsessed crowd is a small one and the same individuals tend to show up at these events) that I wished I had a great Skylab photo to get signed because all eight of the living Skylab astronauts (there were nine total) were in attendance and who knows when that will happen again. My friend pulled out a binder (since nerdy space-obsessed individuals are prepared for such eventualities) and gave me a great photo from his collection. I was off and running. Only after I got all eight Skylab astronauts to sign the photo did I remember to take photos of them. Unfortunately, by the time I circled back, Joe Kerwin and Owen Garriott had left. So, I only have six photos to share below. (Yeah, I know my readers are devastated by this news.)

Bill Pogue


Jerry Carr


Ed Gibson


Jack Lousma


Paul Weitz


Al Bean


Speaking of nerdy space-obsessed individuals (I say this with great fondness since I'm one of them), below is a picture of my friends Sabrina and Matt from Australia. I wish I had thought to take more pictures of the "regulars" I've come to know.


Today's astronaut lectures were hosted by Hoot Gibson (Space Shuttle) and Charlie Duke (Apollo 16).


I got a kick out of the "Have a Nice Day" picture that Charlie Duke included in his slide show.


After the autograph show concluded in the afternoon, I ended up going out to dinner with my friend Al, Paul Weitz, and Matt Weitz (Paul's son). We all went in one car which meant I left mine in the parking lot of the Kennedy Space Center. This nearly caused a security incident since we didn't get back from dinner until an hour after the center closed and the parking lot was cordoned off. Oops. We had to do some fast talking to retrieve my car.

Moon Poster, Astronaut Lectures, and a Banquet with the Surly Italians

Picture(s) of the Day for 11/6/2010. It's the second day of the 3rd annual Astronaut Autograph & Memorabilia Show (AAMS). I'm currently working on a project to get as many of the surviving Apollo astronauts to sign a large moon poster. (Hey- it's good to have goals, even if they are nerdy ones.) My goal for today was to get all eight of the Apollo astronauts participating in this autograph show to sign the poster. This I successfully accomplished which now brings me up to 14 autographs. There are five more autographs I hope to obtain - Rusty Schweickart/Apollo 9, Tom Stafford/Apollo 10, Dick Gordon/Apollo 12, Ken Mattingly/Apollo 16, and Harrison Schmitt/Apollo 17. There are a couple I won't even pursue- Neil Armstrong/Apollo 11 (he categorically refuses to sign anymore) and Bill Anders/Apollo 8 (he will sign only in exchange for a sizable donation to his aviation museum). Below are photos of the Apollo astronauts who signed my moon poster today.

Al Bean (Apollo 12)


Gene Cernan (Apollo 10 & 17)


Ed Mitchell (Apollo 14)


Charlie Duke (Apollo 16)


Walt Cunningham (Apollo 7)


Fred Haise (Apollo 13)


Jim Lovell (Apollo 8 & 13)


Al Worden (Apollo 15)


In addition to the autograph show, there were a series of lectures held by former astronauts in the Astronaut Encounter Theater.

Hank Hartsfield (Space Shuttle)


Jack Lousma (Skylab, Space Shuttle)


Al Worden (Apollo 15)


The final event for the day was a banquet with the astronauts. I was seated next to Paul Weitz (Skylab, Space Shuttle, Director of Johnson Space Center) and his son Matt. Ironically, Weitz is good friends with my friend Al.


Speaking of Al Worden being the MC, below are pictures of the evening's entertainment. I'm not sure I have the energy to provide a detailed description of the proceedings except to say that the skit focused on what astronauts do when they leave NASA and pursue civilian careers.