pictures

Potluckified (Picture)

10 April 2007 / life, pictures, Uncategorized

Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve written. Ten days or so? Hmmm. Well, I’ve learned some things in the time I’ve been away:

Facebook can be addictive.
Death Cab for Cutie is amazing. I’ve totally been listening and enjoying their music lately, and I’ve been collecting every album I can get my hands on.
People who shouldn’t matter can still hurt my feelings. CRAP. 🙁
I might be over my head with the number of books I have out of the library at the moment.
Why, yes the temperature CAN be 82ºF one day and 32ºF the next day.
It is not a good idea to have my own music playing while browsing My Space.

The furnace motor in my apartment was broken over the weekend. Luckily, I was away for most of it, but my place was still cold. 55º inside, while it’s 32º outside is not fun. Thankfully, I have an electric blanket and a space heater. Both kept me sufficiently toasty for the time I was here. Plus, the people in the rental office lent me a big ass space heater to use in lieu of the real heater.

I was supposed to do my taxes today, but I think I’m going to wait until tomorrow. Anyway, they’re already done. I just have to mail them. And the big ass check they don’t deserve.

Saturday, Aidan dyed his first Easter eggs. See?

Yeah, he’s cute. 🙂

I love this picture too:

And oh my, but I’ve found a boy who I have a crush on moreso than Harry Potter. Not that I had a crush on Harry before, but that’s beside the point. This new guy…his name is Leven Thumps, and he stars in the Leven Thumps book series, the first of which is called Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo. The descriptions are vivid and laugh-out-loud funny. The adventure is wild and unlike anything I’ve ever read before. The book is so original. Of course, I don’t read much fantasy, so I may be well off. At any rate, I’m certainly enjoying this! I’ve already put the sequel on reserve at the library. I’ve about 2/3rds of the way through the first one, and it is amazing. The author, Obert Skye, is extremely talented, and even his bio in the back of the book is funny. Get a sneak peak here: http://www.leventhumps.com

And while I am making recommendations, everyone should read Holes by Louis Sachar, if you haven’t already. I’d read it last year, and I saw the end of the movie earlier this year, but I decided to read it again today. I tore through it in two hours. That book is awesome, and Laurie Halse Anderson (halseanderson) and Laura Ruby approved. 🙂

Speaking of authors, Sarah Dessen (writergrl) is pregnant!!!!! Eeeeek!!! AND she just finished a book whicih will be out this time next year! YAY for her.

My goal was to read 100 new books in 2007. As of today, I’ve read 71. I’ll probably finish Fix by Lesllie Margolis tonight, and Backstage Pass by Gaby Triana tomorrow. Plus, I’ll finish Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo during work (it IS a work-related book). I need to get on the ball. Due dates are coming up, my stack is HIGH! Ah, reading. I love it so.

Laurie Halse Anderson took a guilt-free weekend recently, and spent the weekend reading. She read four books, so she’s a fast reader like I am. I have a guilt-free weekend coming up and I am SO looking forward to it. I plan to read, write, sleep, watch movies, watch the OC on DVD, and repeat the process all over again. It’s gonna be SWEET.

‘Til next time.

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Potluck (Pictures)

31 March 2007 / life, pictures, survey

I ate too much today. Dinner will be VERY light or non-existent. Moof.

Today, I took Aidan to Toys R Us. He’s been collecting the die cast Cars characters, and they’re cheap, so I wanted to get him a couple. I was confused by the big crowd there. Well, they were having some sort of Easter bru-haha. There was a scavenger hunt, goodie bags (filled with weird stuff like cookie mix, bubbles, hand sanitizer), story time, and… wait for it…..

THIS!

Yes, it’s Geoffrey the Giraffe! Wheee! Aidan is holding the Spiderman Mr. Potato-Head that he ended up not wanting after all. The raincoat I’m wearing—I got it in Vegas last May. It’s London Fog and v. cute. Does a good job keeping me dry, too.

Here is Aidan with Geoffrey:

My camera battery died, but the sales associate was nice enough to grab me a pack of Duracell AAs to use, and trusted that I’d pay for them before I left (which I did, of course). So yay! I love character greetings. And I love cool store employees.

So far, Aidan has:
Mater
Brand New Mater
Lightning McQueen
King
Sally
Dinoco McQueen
Chick
Lizzie
Sheriff
Green Ramone
Radiator Springs McQueen
Nitroade
Leak Less

He needs:
~~Doc Hudson~~
Fabulous Hudson Hornet
~~Wingo~~
Sarge
Fillmore
DJ
Purple Ramone
Yellow Ramone
Dirt Track McQueen
Boost

Yesterday, the idiots were certainly out and about. I was driving down the street and the street doesn’t have a sidewalk. Okay, pedestrians will be in the street. Fine, whatever. Well, these two dumbasses were walking in the MIDDLE of the street and had the nerve to give me a dirty look when I went around them. Like they own the fine streets of Columbus Ohio? Ugh.

I have a whopping fifteen books checked out of the library right now. One might say I’m obsessed. I’m reading Kate Brian’s Private series now. I’m loving it. Finally, books about rich girls that aren’t name dropping every other paragraph. Refreshing. In addition, those girls are CLEVER and complicated. Kate Brian is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine. I’ve been devouring her books recently. Oh, speaking of that, I decided to open a book review site: Ronni’s Reviews. I read so much, I figured I might as well share my opinions on some of the dang things. Plus there are google ads at the bottom. You know what to do to hook a sister up.

SOMEBODY sent me a dozen pink roses at work on Wednesday. Now, I’m not a huge fan of getting cut flowers. I prefer them to remain in the ground. Main reason is that I don’t do well with them. I forget to water and give them food, and the next thing I know, they’re slumped over and looking depressed. Yeah, not a good thing, right? But these are pink and pretty and extremely fragrant and all the women in the office are going nuts over them. So they made me smile. Have I ever said that my friends are beyond amazing?

I can’t believe it’s 7pm already! I love this longer day stuff. YAY Daylight Savings Time. Yay Spring.

And especially YAY for The O.C. season one on DVD. Adam Brody gets cuter every episode, and Melinda Clarke is just… wow. Stunning. For some reason, she reminds me of my mom, but I can’t figure out why.

Anyway, here’s a s u r v e y!

~Basics~

Name: Ronica Lanean
Birth date: 12.20.1974
Hair color: Golden-brown
Eye color: Hazel
Birth place: Cleveland, OH
Current location: Chicago-bound
School: None
Height: 5’1″
Weight: 115 lbs
Status: Divorced
Religion: Confused

~Favorites~

Color: Pink
Food: Spaghetti
Drink: Juices or water. And Kool-Aid.
Store: None
Restaurant: None
Season: Autumn or Spring
Day of the week: Friday
Holiday: Birthdays and Christmas
Flower: wildflowers
Candy: chocolate
Musical Genre: No particular favorite, I’ll listen to what sounds good.
Band: Aerosmith
Artist: Joan Baez
Ice Cream Flavor: Chocolate
Hangout: my place
T.V. Show: N/A
Movie: The Boondock Saints

~In A Boy/Girl~

Hair Color: No favorite, but there must be curls. I like curls.
Eye Color: Hazel
Height: At least 5’10”
Personality: Smart-aleck, funny, intelligent, nerdy
Clothing style: His own
Hot or Sweet: Both

~Can You~

Play an instrument: Very little.
Sing: Barely
Play a sport: Meh.
Dance: Sure

~Have You Ever~

Bungee jumped: No
Been in an accident: Yes.
Broken a bone: No.
Barfed in public: No.
Skinny dipped: Not yet.
Kissed in public: Yes.
Embarrassed yourself in front of your crush: Um… I’m sure I have.

~Do You~

Believe in God: Sometimes.
Believe in ghosts: Meh.
Like roller coasters: Yes.
Get mad easily: Yes.
Have a curfew: Hell no.
Believe in love at first sight: Yes.
Have siblings: Yes.
Daydream a lot: Absolutely.

~This Or That~

Hugs or Kisses: Both.
Iced Tea or Nestea: I’m not into iced tea.
Chocolate or Vanilla: Chocolate.
Black or White: Both.
Love or Wealth: Both.
Cuddle or Sex: Both.
Sit or Stand: Sit.
Rock or Rap: Rock.

~Top Six Dreams~

1. Live comfortably as a full-time novelist;
2. Live in Chicago;
3. Visit Ireland;
4. No more debt;
5. Aidan would continue to be awesome;
6. A secret. ♥

—————————–

Girly Confessions

*~*Guys*~*

What’s the worst excuse you’ve ever given to not go out with a guy? Um… I think I just told him I wanted to be friends or didn’t like him that way or whatever.
Ever cheated? Yes. 🙁
Ever wanted to? …
Ever dumped a guy? Yes.
Ever used a lame excuse when dumping a guy? No.
Ever make a guy like you, just to see if you could? Like I ever had that kind of power. Whatever!
Ever had a guy dump his girl for you? Again, like I ever had that kind of power.
Ever been called a tease? Not to my face.
Do you get honked at when you walk down the street? I did when I was 23.
Do you like it? Yes. Yes, I did.
Ever honk at a hot guy walking down the street? No.
Worst thing you’ve ever done to a guy? …

*~*~Girls~*~*

Ever spread a rumor about a friend? I don’t think so?
Ever kissed another girl? Yes.
If so, were you drunk? No.
Ever cheated with a friends boyfriend? No.
Ever bitched a girlfriend out? Yes, through AIM or email.
Lost a friend to gossip? No.
Ever caused someone to lose a friend over the gossip you spread? No.

—————————

What is your name spelled backwards? Acinor
What is the worst smell that you’ve ever smelled? Hmm. Probably anything poop-related. Or rotting things.
Do you believe in soul mates? Yes.
What was your worst experience? Huh?
Do you ever meditate? No.
What do you find to be a great for of relaxation? Reading.
Do you like the taste of octopus? Never had it.
Do you have anyone’s name tattooed on your body? No.
Who is your favorite Fraggle? N/A
What is your opinion on global warming? It’s real and scary.
What is your opinion on abortion? Pro-choice. I just choose not to have one.
Would you ever consider turning vegetarian if you aren’t already? I’ve considered it in passing.
Do you still keep in touch with letters? Yes. In fact, I owe a couple.
What did you want to be growing up? Do you still? An author, and yes.
What is your favorite era? None.
Who do you look up to? Sarah Dessen, Laurie Halse Anderson, JK Rowling
Have you ever made someone cry? Yes.
What was the first concert that you have ever been to? The Jacksons!
Why were you given the name that you have? I can never remember the story.
Where are your parents from? Ohio.
At what age did you receive your first kiss? I was sixteen going on seventeen, innocent as a rose….
What was your favorite game growing up? The Legend of Zelda, and Tetris. Oh, and I kicked ass at Millipede.
Who are your godparents, if you have them? N/A
What are you hearing right now? Aidan’s ABC game.
How do you think the dinosaurs died? Meteor.
What is your least favorite type of music? Anything that’s obnoxious.
Is it okay for guys to cry at movies? Hell yes. Right, cheebychumba? 😉
Have you ever been used? Yes.
Have you ever attempted the so called “Impossible”? Every single day, I attempt it.
Where would you like to go to dinner for your birthday? A fancy steak house. Or Harry Carey’s. (hint, hint adamselzer) >:)
Do you have an accent? I don’t think I do.
How would you spell your name without using letters? I’d use numbers.
Did you vote in the last presidential election? Of course.
Do you have self-respect? Sometimes.
What is the effect of stress on you? I beat myself up.
What is your favorite word? Banana.

TTFN.

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Laurie Halse Anderson!! :) (Pictures)

25 March 2007 / authors, pictures, yay

Today, I got to meet Laurie Halse Anderson (aka halseanderson), bestselling author of the novel Speak, among many other great ones, including her new one Twisted.

I’m a dork, so I was the first one there. People were setting up, and let me tell you how weird it was to be in a high school again. Upper Arlington High School doesn’t have bells, they have this weird bell-like sounding device. Like a simulation bell, if you will. So strange and unsettling. I wouldn’t want to hear that while running late for class, that’s for sure. Quick poll—if any of you are still in high school, do you use bells or weird electronic bell simulators? I’ve never seen or heard such a thing before.

ANYWAY, I was standing there and chatting with a few people, and then I recognized Laurie. She had on a smart leather jacket and a cool red shirt. I smiled at her and she pointed and asked “don’t I recognize you from Live Journal?” I said “Yes, I’m bananagirl—” and she ran over and gave me the biggest hug ever. It was so cool! We chatted for a bit, and then a brand new author showed up. Her name’s Lisa Klein and she wrote the book with the gorgeous cover called Ophelia. I’d seen the book in the stores and thought it looked interesting, but now that I’ve met Lisa, I’m definitely going to pick it up at some point. Lisa is so quiet and shy, but once she said something about having a published YA novel, Laurie and I were both “Really? Tell us more!!!” I got to meet two authors in one night. What a treat!

So we tried to do pictures, then I realized I’d left my CF card at home. ACK?!?!? I had twenty minutes, so I ran home and got it, and also my copy of adamselzer‘s book, to show to the owners of the bookstore who were sponsering Laurie’s signing. (Adam, the owner is pretty sure they’ve already ordered your book, but she did take down the information just in case they haven’t). When I came into the auditorium, Laurie, who was in the middle of a sentence, stopped and said “oh, hey Ronni!” That was kind of cool.

I love the irony she talked about. She hated The Scarlet Letter when she was in high school, and in some schools, Speak is being taught in conjunction with it. Crazy, right?

She’s such a good speaker. She’s inspirational. She’s friendly and grounded and super smart. She’s also quite gorgeous. I really enjoyed talking with her, and listening to her, and getting to hang out with her for a bit. She signed my book with a very inspirational message, and I’m still floating. I’m going to make note of this, make it my mantra, make it my LIFE: Pre-publication is a temporary condition.

Thank you, Laurie, for an awesome Sunday evening! ♥

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It’s Time For A Change (Picture)

11 March 2007 / body and soul, pictures, ronni

During the past several months, there has become what I will call “more of me.” Meaning, I’ve put on weight. I’m outgrowing my pants and shirts. I’m feeling increasingly gross.

I still get a lot of compliments on how tiny I am. Maybe I am extra hard on myself, or maybe they just can’t see what I see. The point is that I am not happy with how I look and feel, so I need to fix it.

I have a PLAN.

Tonight was the first step of the plan. I did the Paula Abdul Cardio Dance DVD, plus the fifteen minute tone-up which HURT like eight bitches on a bitch boat. Plies are no joke, and the funny thing is that the tone-up was harder than the cardio. HUH? Anyway, here is what I plan to do:

Sunday: Paula Abdul Cardio Dance
Tuesday: either Basic Yoga, Denise Austin’s Mat Workout Based On The Work of J.H. Pilates, or T’ai Chi
Thursday: same as Tuesday

In between, I plan to walk more as the weather gets nicer. Eating better always helps. I have a weakness for carbs, but you know, I am starting to like veggies a lot more than I used to. It’s to the point where I feel weird if I don’t have them at least twice a week. And I mean GREEN veggies, not corn or french fries. I do not like this extra Ronni sections that’s come about, and I plan to get rid of it by June. Woo!

I always forget how HUNGRY I get after a workout. Man, I am craving some beef like whoa right now. Anyway…

This is me, after today’s workout, determined to become a MILF again: