Televisions Terrific Top Three

Hard to believe folks - a beagle won the big prize. I didn't see it, as I was watching the beloved Jericho with James. To which, I just found out that it didn't get very good ratings. UGH!!!

James and I have three shows that we are completely involved in and plan our night around.

#1 - Lost
We came upon this show because someone told us to download and watch it. They were really intrigued in it and said that we should check it out. We started about halfway through the first season so it didn't take long for us to catch up. We would watch them commercial free, two episodes at a time and before you knew it - we were hooked. We were constantly trying to figure out what was going to happen and where the show was going to go. Much like any new show, they started off with a huge bang, but by the second and third season had lost some of the pop and glitz. Luckily, now that we are back for the fourth season it appears to have regained some steam and will be going forward with some exciting episodes.

#2 - Heroes
The hype leading to the show really interested two geeky kids like us. We were drawn in by the comic book qualities, interesting action packed story line. The show itself allows you to wonder about people and their "powers" and really makes you question why evolution hasn't made more changes to human beings to allow them to adapt. When the show went off the air at the end of the season I was so sad - as I knew it would be months before they brought it back.

#3 - Jericho
We didn't get immediately onto this show and started watching two or three weeks in. The honest relationships and the questions revolving how it all happened brought us back over and over again. Unfortunately, like most people, we would have other things going on when it was on so we would download the show. It was going to be cancelled but there was such a huge uproar from fans that had watched the show after the fact that they decided to bring it back. It is now being dubbed the show the fans wouldn't let die. And am I ever glad they didn't end it. Last night's episode was a good one - and I hope that it starts to gain popularity when it is on television and not just by downloading.

We are not going to downsize

I have an obsession that has been driving me nuts for the past year. I'm talking about a little game called - ANIMAL CROSSING.

The game itself seems simple enough, you start out creating your own character. They ask a bunch of questions of you and form a profile that matches your answers. Your eye and hair colour and even hair style are influenced by the questions. Once you have a profile, you are picked up by this taxi driven by a crazy peacock. It's raining out and so he's trying to drive you to a new town. He asks you questions about how you prefer things, if you'd prefer a picnic at the ocean or beside a waterfall. Once our questions are done - Voila! You are in a new town, that you get to name yourself. You'll find that there are neighbours and trees and flowers.

First up, you need to do some work at the store. You have to earn yourself a house right? Well it helps you to get acquainted with the town and the people in it. You get used to the controls and how to do things. Finishing the work is easy, and then it's time to play the game. Your goal is to design the perfect town and the perfect house. Decoration is all up to you and they give you many clever options to make your house unique.

The only trick is that you have to continue to play the game, in order to make money, which allows you to buy more furniture and supplies for your house. Also, the more you do, you can also add on rooms and get unique items. Your neighbours always need a hand - either with furniture, or catching bugs or fish. They want you to help mail letters for them and generally, you do all of it, because they give you prizes and if you are lucky - their picture.

James introduced me to the game back in 2005/2006. I've been playing ever since. That is a long time!!!

One room that has been the ultimate goal of any Animal Crossing player is the snowman room. By rolling up snowballs, you can create snowmen. Only by hving perfect snowmen, do you get presents. Wallpaper, carpet, bed, sofa, chair, lamp, clock, fridge, dresser, television and the final piece of the pie - An actual snowman for your room.

James, who played long before me in his town, wasn't very good at this feat. What he didn't know, was that by building the snowmen every day, you get a new item each day. By doing a perfect snowman one day, and not the next and then a perfect one - you will only get the same item as you did on the first day. Somehow - I have succeeded in getting enough furniture to fill two rooms - and I have extras left over. (Yes - I really am that dorky.)

In 2008, I have tried to not play the game. I really REALLY wanted to stop. Problem is, when you don't play you start to get weeds and all your flowers die because you forgot to water them. Your house gets bugs, and the people in the town start to get angry and upset feelings because you haven't come to visit them. Also, if you don't play, then you start to worry that you missed something wonderful, like the aurora borealis, or a special fish that only comes out during certain times of day or season.

Yesterday - I caved. I had to find out what was going on in my town. I found all these weeds and had to run around pulling them. Every person in town accused me of not liking them anymore, and mostly all of the flowers have died or are on the verge. I watered the plants, made sure no one was sick and got out of the game as fast as I could.

Why, can I NOT move on? It's not like Newton really means anything! And yet when I heard that my nephew got a DS, I wondered if he would get Animal Crossing because I want a bigger store. Isnt' that the dorkiest thing you have ever heard? In Animal Crossing, you can go visit other peoples towns and by doing so you get different benefits. The bigger store I want is really cool because it has two stories, and a hair salon. I really hate my hair!

Unfortunately the game isn't nearly as popular as it once was. I don't know how it's going to happen, but someday, somehow, I will stop playing and stop caring what happens in my town.

Until then, it's an obsession that I will not let go of - Even with my crappy hair in the game. At least I get cute hats!

On their toes looking for trouble

Life has been rolling on lately - and mostly in the electronics department.

Right now, I am typing away on our new laptop that was purchased with a bonus James got from his freelance work. In front of me on the table is my schnazzy new camera that I love so far. I need more practice with it, so don't be surprised if I show up to random events with the camera in tow. Beyond the table is this lovely widescreen tv - which was our last wedding present.

James really REALLY wanted a tv. He wanted a flat screen, HD widescreen jobbie, so we now have a nice Toshiba 32". We don't have an HD box yet, but the images we are getting are phenomenal. Especially when watching Lost! Oh man am I ever glad it's back. We've been watching a lot of movies since the writers strike started and I'm glad to have a show to watch again.

Actually - I shouldn't really say that - I had a show to watch. A show that's been giving me fresh content every day since I was born, and even before. I'm talking about Soap Operas folks - and one in particular. Those that know me well, know that I was raised on the lives of Genoa City. Oh yes - my mother is a Young and the Restless fan and shared the passion with all of us. There is nothing better than trying to remember how many wives Jack and Victor have had, and how many children are missing from the show just ripe to come back and breathe new life in the show. (Speaking of which, I've been predicting the return of Victor Jr for a long time - and I'm glad they finally brought him in. Sad to see Hope die, but at least it brings back a good story line that will add some craziness to the storyline.)

Now what I don't understand is that with this writers strike, how have they still been able to generate new soap operas every day? Why are the writers for the soaps not considered the same as the writers for say the Tonight Show? It's one of those things that make you go hmmmm.... See I could go look it up, but frankly, I'd rather just watch the Westminster Dog Show.

Oh man, I love dogs. I love cats too, but for some reason a cat show isn't nearly as interesting as a dog show. I really envy Bridgit and her dog shows. She gets to see the best of the best all over the place, because she helps train and raise the best of the best. Her huskies are adorable. Someday I'll go out west to see her and go to one of her shows with her.

Since James and I are starting to look into what it will take to get a house and thinking about what we want, I've come to realize how important it is to me to have a fenced yard so that we can have a dog. We want to have an area to let our little pooch run around and have space to play without getting out and chasing cars. I've had pets run over by cars - and it isn't pretty.

Max, the dog of my youth, was hit by a car. Broke his leg and it was so sad. I didn't think he make it. Later on, we had some kittens born into our garage by a very sick female siamese cat. She gave birth and then slowly stopped coming around. We found homes for all the kittens except one little flea bag one that took a liking to our family. Tom was a a black and white tom cat that decided to move in to our house because he liked us so much. Midnight, the love of my life cat, did NOT like this idea. She hated Tom because like her, he wanted my attention - only he would fight for it. She just got it before and was very snobby about it. I took a liking to Tom with his slightly crossed eyes and before you knew it we had two cats. I was absolutely devastated, when after only a few months of having Tom, I came home from work to find him on the street having been hit by a car. I actually woke up my parents because I wanted them to take care of Tom, but it was too late. It was because of Tom and Midnight's obvious distaste for other cats in the house, that we never got a second cat. Once Midnight died, my parents decided that they couldn't handle losing another pet. Midnight was really special and lived for a really long time. 16 years is a long time for a pet to enter your heart and your family.

Anyhow, the dog show is back on. Guess I'll go back to the new tv and dream of future pets.

L8R SK8R!

My husband's elbows are murdering me!

Any one that has taken a good look at me in the morning hours can tell that I haven't been sleeping well lately. I look like shit!

Every morning I wake up with this tremendous pain in my back - it's almost crippling and it makes it difficult to even get off the bed. I keep looking at my back to see what it is.

I've tried flipping the bed, then I turning the mattress around. I tried to convince someone, anyone really, to get me a bedframe for Christmas just so I can get the bed off the floor and somehow make this better.

I feared heart attack, but then realized that my chest was fine, and so was the rest of me. Just what could be the culprit?

The other night I woke up with severe pain at about 4am. Okay, maybe that's considered morning - but it was still dark and I should have been sleeping. The pain was unbearable. I trudged over to the bathroom to take some sort of drugs. I opened the medicine chest and was ecstatic to make out the familiar bottle of Aleve. Aleve, for those that live in Canada and have never tried good American drugs, is like the super version of tylenol or aspirin. It's smooth and goes down fast - and works even faster. It's awesome and when we went on our honeymoon I made sure to pick up a bottle of this wonder drug. I popped one in, took a swig of water and went back to bed.

I thought it was going to get better, but the back still hurt so I lay down a little higher and with my back propped on pillows.

It was at this time that my loving, dear, cuddly husband rolled over into me for a little snuggle. It was the most painful experience!!! The way he put his arm tucked up near his chin was so cute, but looking down I could see his knife-like elbow digging into my side. It was so painful that I immediately grabbed his arm and rolled him to the other side of the bed.

Knowing that this would continue, and knowing that I needed sleep, I retreated to the livingroom where I hoped the drugs would kick in and I could sleep. It didn't work and I was pretty grumpy by the time I needed to get moving for work.

That night - I decided that I was going to try an experiment. I had told James about the elbow experience that morning. He's been worried about my back as much as I have, so anything we could do he was willing to work with me.

I slept on the couch. Normally couches aren't comfortable, but I slept all night - no pain - no waking up in the middle of it. I woke up in the morning like a new person. It was GLORIOUS. Now, I somehow have to convince him to wear elbow pads to bed and then we can sleep together all the time!

Switch Witch

I have a bit of the devil in me.

At my I have to pass down a hallway that has all these big switches to control all of the power in the building. We have a big building and there is lots of opportunity for the power to go out so there are probably about 12 of these things. Every day I pass by and I get the itch to pull on the levers one by one just to see what people would do or what would happen.

I'm like one of those kids that pushes the red button even though it says "Don't push."