Presumed to be awesome.

~ The weekend was lazy and relaxed and absolutely perfect.

~ I've been in a mood to cook. I think it has something to do with the cooler temperatures. I've been making a different soup at least once a week. Last week I also made gumbo, and it turned out delicious. Today I whipped up some baked garlic chicken and cheesy creamed spinach, both of which were also quite tasty!

~ I'm finally almost all caught up with Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series. I really love how she keeps layering her mythology so that each book is fresh and interesting. I just started Acheron. And while I'm really looking forward to reading Ash's story, it's so sad. I'm finding it difficult to read more than a few pages before I need a break to think about something happy. 728 pages with happy breaks...this may take a while.

~ Thanksgiving this year will be in Superior at my great aunt's. My great aunt has been very sick and no one really expects her to be around next year. So the entire extended clan (probably close to 70 people in all) will be getting together on Thursday. You have no idea how terrifying obnoxious loud annoying chaotic AWESOME we can be when we're all under one roof! It'll be epic! And possibly emotionally scarring. *laughs*

~ Dear Cardinals: Please remember that the point of an on-side kick is to RETAIN possession of the ball. Unimpressed, ME. In better football news, though, Matt Cassel had one hell of a day. As did Matt Ryan and the Falcons. Nicely done, Matts! \o/

~ In decidedly NO GOOD news, my neck is stiff and sore and very painful! Ouch! I think the culprit is likely all the time spent on the laptop, but I don't really see a solution for that other than just completely ignoring my work for a few days. What I could really use is a massage, but I will probably have to settle for a heating pad and some ibuprofen. *sadface*

Good things about today:

1. Successfully completing more than 75% of my "To Do" list, with both plans and time to get that number to 90% before the day is through. I feel most productive!

2. Another kick-ass (namely, mine) workout with Trainer!Boy that included getting to beat the shit outta things in an awesome boxing session. I feel strong and fierce!

3. A yummy and healthy post-workout snack of low-fat chocolate milk. With thanks to editorzon for the tip! I feel satisfied!

4. Grooving to a great new music mix that perfectly fits my mood. I am remembering to breathe.

5. Learning that there is an ostensibly good New Orleans style cajun restaurant right up the street from me!!! You better believe I'll be checking out Chez Monieux this weekend! I miss New Orleans, but I'm very excited about the prospect of good gumbo!

6. These are officially my new favorite bras. I just received my last order that includes this one, this one, and this one and I love them all!


And one link of amusement: Election night hook-ups! Doin' it for Obama! *laughs* I do, however, highly approve of celebrating the electoral results with more sex! Hell, I highly approve of celebrating anything with more sex!

- Rahm Emanuel has accepted the position as Obama's chief-of-staff. People, Josh Lyman just got promoted! My West Wing fantasy administration is becoming a reality and I couldn't be more pleased!!!

- Speaking of President Obama (Hee! That's never going to get old!), the transition website is up at change.gov.

- I've got a pot roast in the crock pot for dinner and my house smells delicious. Yum.

- I know I just got back from vacation. But still, I'm rather excited about a four day weekend! (Since the courts are closed on Tuesday, I made sure not to schedule any meetings for Monday, giving me four days off! Excellent!)

- Jerrod Niemann is putting together a new CD. You can hear a few of the songs he's been working on over at Judge Jerrod and the Hung Jury. If anyone wants any of the songs, let me know.

- Boys are confusing.

- wendy shared an awesome music mix today. "Change is Now," music spliced together with bits of Obama's speeches -- I love it! I'm too lazy to re-upload myself, though, so instead I'll link you to Wendy's entry here.

- Congratulations to National League Champions the Philadelphia Phillies!!! *pops champagne and throws confetti* Also, I think I'm smitten with Shane Victorino. He was miked in yesterday's game and he's just adorable and funny and self-effacing and, well, ADORABLE! *g*

- OMG!!! ONE WEEK FROM TODAY WE WILL BE IN NEW ORLEANS!!!!!!! *spazzes* I have approximately two million things to do before then, including a mile-long work related "to do" list. But, I don't care because in exactly 7 days there shall be musical merry-making, drunken revelries, and all sorts of fun-filled shenanigans!!!

- Fuck you very much Senator McCain and your air quote disdain for women's health. (At this point of the debate my rage was maxed out, so I watched baseball and the adorable Shane Victorino instead.)

- I'm getting my hair cut this evening! Not a moment too soon. *studies split ends*

- Today I'm celebrating a slightly belated Love Your Body Day. ( What is Love Your Body Day? )

So, today I'm going to love my body exactly as it is. Today, because I love my body, I'm going to care for it by feeding it nutritional and delicious food, by being active, by giving it the rest it needs, and by treating it to loving and pampering care. Today I'm going to think and speak well about my body. Who's gonna join me in loving your bodies today? *beams*

- I'm in L.A.!
- coolwhipdiva's guest room is still made of awesome, as is she. *mwah*
- It's very likely that she and azewewish won me over to the Torchwood camp by judiciously showing me all the pretty boy kissing scenes!
- I helped Brenda get moved into New Casa Hooker yesterday - I am a master packer and bed-assembler, while glendaglamazon rocks the power tools! Go us! \o/
- We found excellent Mexican restaurant in her new neighborhood.
- The calabacitas at said restaurant were DELICIOUS, as were the well-earned margaritas!
- I spent a relaxing morning, chatting with J, drinking coffee, and working on a few projects.
- Now I'm off for a late lunch with amara_m.
- Later is what Brenda is terming an "Unpacking Party," with pizza and alcohol and time with some of my most favorite women on the planet!

It's supposed to be the lusty month of May, right? Yeah. Not so much with lusty, ribald, celebratory feeling 'round these parts. Whatever it is that came and took up residence in my lungs last Friday has completely kicked my ass and made me it's coughing, hacking, OMG-I-can't-breathe-and-would-really-like-to-just-DIE-now-please bitch. I managed about a half day's worth of work yesterday before I just couldn't and today I somehow dragged my ass out of bed and to court and then to the office for what amounted to almost a full day's worth of work. But then I came home and was just wiped. the. fuck. out. There was nappage and then I whipped up a yummy batch of spaghetti for dinner. And now I'm on the couch, waiting for Supernatural to start, and firmly planning on not doing anything else that requires any effort for at least the next 15 hours or so.

So, no May Poles for me. But despite the plague, there are still good things happening in my world.

First, there's the aforementioned NEW EPISODE OF SUPERNATURAL tonight!!! *bounces* I didn't bitch aloud (mostly because I was busy fending off DEATH), but I was less than enamored of last week's show. I mean. It was ok. But after waiting forever for a new episode, I was expecting a hell of a lot more than just MEH. So, tonight I'm fully expecting our show to kick ass! *nods*

Second, plague or no plague, tomorrow there shall be BASEBALL!!!!!!!! technosage and I have tickets to see the D-Backs take on the Mets and kick some ass of their own, as they do. OMGYAY!!! Baseball! And hotdogs! And beer! And ogling of the hotass Conor Jackson! And ALLIE!!!!!!! Good times, people. Damn good times.

Third, I've been mentally spending my tax refund and economic stimulus check all week, even though only one of them has actually graced my bank account. I'm thinking it's time I jump fully into the technological age and buy a Blackberry or some such device. Who's got one? What do you have? Do you love it? What do I need to know before buying one? Am I going to regret being forever tethered to my email or will this be the best thing ever? Advise me, oh wise ones.

I've also, possibly, got my eye on a charity auction for VIP tickets to see NIN at the Voodoo Experience in New Orleans this Fall. (OMG how awesome would that be???!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) And, perhaps, I'm considering splurging on floor level tickets to see George Michael. Maybe. (Anyone want to join me? *tempts*) Obviously, there shall be NO practical investment or debt reduction or some such nonsense.

Fourth,...um. Well I really don't have a fourth. But I do have Winchester boys in five minutes. So I'm outa here! Blessed Beltane, peoples! Or Happy May Day! Or just enjoy the impending Spring! Whatever floats your boat. I wish y'all lot of sex (or at least porn!) and ribald merry makin'! *mwah*

- I made a client cry today. This is indicative of how my entire day went. Long before we hit noon I really wanted to call a do-over. I am so very glad that tomorrow is Friday.

- Let's face it, this is not L.A., and us Phoenicians are just not used to having film crews taking over our city. There's been a crew filming gods only know what in downtown all week, closing down streets, taking over parking lots. This is highly disruptive to my daily existence. They can go away any time now, kthx.

- I bought an awesome, commercial grade treadmill today. I'll be picking it up tomorrow. And then I'll have no excuse not to get up off my ass on a regular basis and do some cardio. \o/ Also, I'm "auditioning" new trainers. Trainer!Boy just doesn't have time in his schedule any more, and I've not clicked with any of the other trainers at the gym. It's also possible that my standard for trainers is completely skewed because of EPHT. *g* While I don't have any illusion that I'll get lucky enough to land a crazy hot stripper/porn star/trainer, I am hoping to find someone I can work with outside of the gym, either at home or at whatever facility they use, at least a couple of times a week. *crosses fingers*

- I turned on the television tonight and happened to catch Riley Smith's C.S.I. episode. Hi, Riley! :)

- I'm still working my way through One Tree Hill. So, color me boggled when Pete Wentz shows up on my screen half way through season 3. Cooking. And making out with Peyton. And sharing eyeliner moments with the girls. *looks askance at the screen* Why is bandom intruding on my Chad Michael Murray fannish glee???

- My mom recently bought a juicer and she's been going a little crazy juicing everything. Today she made me a pear/apple/orange/carrot/celery concoction that was unexpectedly delicious. Apparently the juice possibilities are endless.

- Down posted a new picture today from the New Orleans show. ( Philip is looking especially HOTASS in this one. )

This day has been the longest Wednesday ever. I had to get up disturbingly early in order to be at court first thing. Then I spent the rest of the day bouncing from jail to jail visiting clients. I think I hit every holding facility in the county except for two (which I get to visit on Friday). \o/

Jail visitation days just take it out of me. You have to wait forever as you jump through a million security hoops; the local sheriff doesn't believe in appropriate air conditioning for his charges even though we live in hell, so the jails are oppressively hot; and it's just depressing to spend the entire day within cement walls, talking to people who are generally hopeless, and being escorted around by staff who is almost always surly. Also, for the record, NO ONE who isn't either Jensen Ackles or Jared Padalecki looks good in inmate garb. I'm just sayin'. So, yes. A very long day. And it'll be even longer yet, as I've just now made it back to the office to tackle a couple hour's worth of paper work.

So, in an attempt to drag myself back into a good mood after a long and craptastic day, I'm making a Happy List.

( The Happy. )

So, flist o'mine, what is your Happy on this Hump Day?

ETA: Pictorial assistance added for those of you unfamiliar with the hotness musical talent of Alejandro Fernandez. And also because these make me HAPPY.



( More Happy-Makin' Pics. )