August 2011 – anywhere is….

Month: August 2011

Monday Mayhem (1)

29 August 2011 / meme, monday mayhem

Oh look! It’s a new meme! 🙂 Not sure how often I’ll keep up with this one, but this particular week looks fun.

1. What city, in your opinion, has the crummiest weather?
Chicago is pretty up there, although the past few days have been absolutely lovely.

2. What kind of weather is the crummiest weather that your current home experiences?
WINTER SUCKS HERE. It starts in October or early November and lasts through May. It’s long and cold and grey and depressing. And sometimes we get a blizzard or snow and ice and bitter, bitter cold. We don’t get much Spring here. It stays in the 30s, 40s, or 50s (if we’re lucky) until mid June, then it gets really warm then hot at the end of June. It’s hot through July, hot/warm in August, but then it starts getting cool at the end of August. September is usually OK, but by the end, it’s already getting into jacket weather. Winter coats should be taken out in October because the snow could start flying at any time. True summer weather here lasts about eight weeks if we’re lucky. So OK, I elaborated a lot more than the question asked, but there you go.

3. When the weather alerts and alarms go off, what do you do?
Panic.

4. What is the crummiest weather event that you have personally ever experienced?
Any blizzard, ice storm, or severe/tornadic weather.

5. Where would you rather be stuck for a month: somewhere where there is 20 inches of snow and below freezing temps or somewhere where it is painfully hot and humid?
Give me the heat and humidity any day. As long as I have plenty of drinking water and some shade, I’m good.

6. What kind of weather keeps you indoors?
It’s not even weather that keeps me indoors. It’s just the fact that I’m a homebody. BUT, temps below 40 are a good way to keep me from going anywhere. If it’s cold and snowing out, or rainy and stormy, and I don’t have to be anywhere, then I’m not going anywhere.

7. Tell us the name of one famous person and the kind of weather you would wish upon them.
I wish awesome weather on all the Doctor Who actors. I’ve seen the Confidentials. They’re always wearing HUGE coats in between takes. Must be bloody miserable and cold.

8. If you were the official ruler of all weather, what kind of weather would you make happen?
It would only rain at night. No storms, ever. No snow ever. Temps would never go below 70F. Blue skies, sunshine, light breeze. Average temp would be about 84F in the day, and 71F at night.

9. What kinds of weather do you dread?
Cold, snow, ice, sleet, storms.

10. What’s your weather like today?
Today was beautiful. High 70s. Blue skies. Sun. 🙂 Happy Ronni Weather.

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When I Grow Up (Pictures)

28 August 2011 / pictures, ronni, universe are you listening?

So, at the ripe age of 36 (good God, REALLY?), I’ve finally decided what I want to be when I grow up.

*drumroll*

I want to be a happy wealthy hippy, traveling the world, doing yoga, and living off my art (writing and editing, preferably novels and/or K–12 educational materials). Basically, I want to make a lot of money, but I want enough time to enjoy it without being stressed and unhappy on top of it. I want to find that life’s work that doesn’t feel like work because I love it so much. Actually, I’ve found it. I just need it to be WAY more lucrative to support my other dreams as well.

I want to be able to spend a ton of time and money on the people (and animals) I love the most. And to also give to the causes I believe in, and those that need desperate help. I want to fill my home with incense and music and positive, loving energy. I want to throw get-togethers that are legendary and warm and that make people happy.

I want to live in a brick house with a porch and dormer windows. I want the house to look like this:

source

The house has to have enough room to house all my books and collections. There should be space for at least three cats, an aquarium, and maybe a reptile or two (plus me, Adam, Aidan, and up to two guests). I want soft, squashy furniture for relaxing and napping, hardwood floors with shaggy rugs strewn about, bookcases everywhere, walk-in-closets, a soaking tub, lots of storage. Not too far in the middle of nowhere, but not necessarily in the heart of a city either. I want a yard with at least one mature tree living in. Flowers would be OK, as long as they’re perennials that pretty much raise themselves. I suck at gardening, but I love when flowers are growing. Room for a dog if I ever settle down from traveling.

I want to visit places and friends all over the world. Ireland, England, Scotland to start with. Then I’ll get more adventurous. France. Italy. Australia and/or New Zealand. Japan. India. Oh God yes, India.

I want to decorate my home with dolls, books, action figures, sculptures of Ganesha and Shiva and other Eastern Asian art. Also Disney. All things Mickey Mouse. Some of the original Disney artwork they have for sell at the Parks. I’d love a retro kitchen like that 1940s one in the Carousel of Progress at Disney World. Look how COOL this is:

source

Now, before you fall over with laughter, please realize that this post is my dreams. And they’ll stay dreams if I keep them in my head. I might as well put them in the universe, and let the fates do with these dreams as they will.

I mean, I already have the look, don’t I?

In the meantime, I’m going to work on creating and maintaining my happiness in the here and now, and also making more memories. I need to make more memories before winter comes and buries me again.

More soon. xo

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Uglee Pikcher Meme II

25 August 2011 / meme, pictures, ronni

I first did this in 2008:

the rules:

take a picture of yourself right now.
don’t change your clothes, don’t fix your hair… just take a picture.
post that picture with NO editing.
post these instructions with your picture.

hi!

I realized the rules never said I couldn’t smile. 🙂

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The Winding Down of Summer (Pictures)

22 August 2011 / friends, geekalicious, life, pictures

Summer will be officially over in a month. That makes me sad. I’ve been waiting all year for it, and it’s already almost over. I’m not looking forward to nine more months of cold!

Aidan went back to Ohio on the 14th. It was not a happy day. He was actually fine until it was nearly time for him to board. He didn’t sob, but he was whimpering and crying and that made ME whimper and cry. Didn’t help that I was alone; Adam was in Atlanta to celebrate his grandmother’s 80th birthday. So, what did I do when I left the airport? Went shopping, of course.

As you all know, Borders is going out of business. I went there and got some books and started Christmas shopping. How disturbing that it’s already time to start sort of thinking about Christmas shopping?

I miss my little boy. *sigh*

The first weekend of August, I went to MuseCon. It was everything I could have asked for in a con. For one thing, SJ Tucker was the guest of honor. I had been aware of that since 2010, and I’d already blocked this weekend for the con. If SHE’S there, then I’m there. Secondly, the con was less sci-fi based and more creativity based. There were two photography panels, a fire spinning show, and I even got to participate in an improv class! The hospitality suite was incredible. Loads of my con friends were there, and I got to make some new friends. It was awesome. It was also very relaxing. The panels and workshops were long, and there was a lot of downtime. There were people sitting in the lobby playing instruments and singing. There was time to sit and have great conversations with people. There was a wedding; my friends Lizzie and Eric got married. The sound system didn’t want to cooperate during the processional, so the guests all hummed Canon in D as the bride was coming down the aisle. Gorgeous. And finally, it was in the Itasca, IL, Westin, and I LOVE Westin hotels. We had a really good time and I am very much looking forward to going next summer.

Then, if that wasn’t enough s00j (and let’s face it, there’s never enough s00j), she did a show at the Life Force Arts Center that Sunday night! Check out this beauty:

🙂

Also since I last wrote, I cleaned like a madwoman. The poor apartment needed it. I’ve been doing more yoga, eating more junk food (eek), and reading more books. My face has been breaking out like a teenager’s, and I can’t figure out why I’m suddenly being so blessed by the acne gods. Maybe it’s the junk food. :O Anyway, I’ve made some major life changes (OK, just one) and I’ve been so much better for it. 😀 Oh, and I got this neat little toy:

LEGO-compatible Doctor Who building set

I also got some really cool Monster High and She-Ra stuff b/c my awesome friend Seanan (who TOTALLY gets the doll and toy thing) was nice enough to pick them up for me when she was at Comic-Con a few weeks ago. (No pix yet! Soon, my friends. Soon.) I have FIVE Monster High dolls coming in the mail from Amazon. It is my goal to own every version they make of Frankie Stein because I adore that doll. So basically, I’m getting three Frankies, a Spectra (YEA!) and a Cleo de Nile. Because I’m crazy. And as far as my doll obsession goes, these are the less expensive ones that I’m gaga over.

I’ve begun blogging for Sharemickey.com, a social network site for Disney fanatics like myself. If you’re into Disney, you’ll want to check this site out. It’s pretty rad. My first post will be up this Wednesday.

Summer’s winding down, but there’s still a lot to look forward to. There’s the Chesire Moon show this weekend at the Life Force Arts Center, the new Doctor Who starts Saturday (OH YEAH), a party thrown by one of my favorite yoga teachers, a wedding shower, Labor Day weekend (a possible trip to Ohio in the works), and another wedding! So yeah, it’s going to be busy but not overwhelming, which is good.

OK, I think that’s about all. I’m getting hungry. Also, I’m hearing noises coming from the kitchen that sound cat-made, which can never be good. ‘Til next time!

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Sunday Stealing (10)

14 August 2011 / meme, sunday stealing

Sunday Stealing: The 31 Meme, Part II

WOO! My tenth Sunday Stealing post! YEA! 😀

16. What’s the longest shift that you worked at a job?
Fourteen or sixteen hours. I’m not sure, those last few hours get fuzzy after a bit.

17. What was the last concert that you attended?
An S.J. Tucker concert at the Life Force Arts Center. *love*

18. What the last DVD (or Blu-ray, of course) movie that you watched?
Probably Stick It. I can’t get enough of that movie. The last one that had been played, though, was Wall-E. Aidan watched it the other night.

19. How did you like the film?
I LOVE Stick It.

20. What comedian do you love?
Unpopular opinion time, but Dane Cook cracks me the heck up. I also love Wanda Sykes. Kevin James is funny too. And the best part about Kevin James is that his comedy is pretty clean, unlike the first two I listed. 😉

21. Do you ever sleep in the nude?
Not really.

22. Have you ever had a long distance relationship?
Yes. It worked out–he and I are now married. 🙂

23. What do you think of astrology?
It’s fun.

24. What’s your favorite lyric quote from a song?
I have too many to name.

25. Tell us something random about yourself.
I love my teddy bear.

26. Have ever attended a theme party? If yes, do tell.
It was a black and white birthday party for someone I hardly knew. I didn’t have a good time.

27. What is your favorite thing about winter?
Christmas, Aidan’s birthday, and THAT’S IT.

28. What was the name of your first pet?
Darby Diamond the Dog

29. What have you done so far this weekend?
Cleaned like mad.

30. Has your humor ever been called “sick”?
No.

31. If you could have one thing, what would it be?
Happiness.

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