...That's not great.

Something a bit worse than a hip check.

As a women who has played years, well - decades really, of various competitive sports; I can't say I have always had stellar sportsmanship. I have given insincere "good games" when shaking hands with the other team at the end of the game. I've looked menacingly at opposing batters from the pitcher's mound. A few times I tangled legs under the volleyball net. Occasionally I was a bit overeager in my tagging of a runner attempting to steal second. Hell, I've even given a little more hip than necessary when taking a charge in basketball.

But, I NEVER pulled even one OUNCE of he crap this woman's soccer player from New Mexico did. You really have to see it to believe it - the ponytail pull is probably my favorite. And not in a good way.

Cecelia.

I like a good sitcom more than the average person. I think it all started with the Wonder Years and came to a head when I started recording Boy Meets World (which also starred a Savage brother) on Friday nights when I was in college. I'd come home from a long shift at the Spag and enjoy the lasagna that the kitchen set aside for me, garlic bread and Cory and Topanga.

Somehow, however, I am about 3 years late to the How I Met Your Mother bandwagon (FYI: people in the "know" call it HIMYM). Maybe it was because it was on CBS? Or the somewhat strange premise (narrated by Bob Saget - he's telling is children the story of how he met their mother)? Or because Doogie Howser was in it?

I may never know.

A few months ago, I started watching the reruns on Lifetime. They also make the shows available On Demand, which I LOVE. I'm trying to catch up on prior seasons all while watching the first run episodes.

It's exhausting. But worth it.

(Sidebar to The Sister: if you're not watching, you totally should be. Netflix, baby!)

Here's a clip from last Monday's episode. I'm STILL laughing about it.

I guess an explanation is necessary. (Video cop-out post.)

Longtime readers (Hi, The Sister!) may have noticed I changed my tagline from "Bitches get shit done" (quote from Tina Fey on SNL) to "I love Jesus, but I drink a little." While I always envisioned my tagline changing occasionally, I never had a set schedule in mind. Rather, I would wait for inspiration. I knew when I heard a new one, I would know.

I definitely heard it this time.

Here's a clip from the Ellen DeGeneres Show (my mother would be so proud!) - it's Ellen calling a viewer at home. The results? HILARIOUS. Those of you that have busy lives - the tagline reference starts at 3:50. (And, yes, I know that Gladys is actually a comedian, but IT'S STILL FUNNY.)

Because that last post was starting to bum me out.

My sore throat is feeling MUCH better, thanks for asking. Though, now, it appears to have moved to my lungs. I can hear it rattling away. LOVELY. Add a low-grade fever, too, just for the hell of it.

(The appointment with my doctor is tomorrow at 9:00 am. I'm pretty sure I have pneumonia. I've had it before, and remember it much like I feel now.)

I'd been resisting this meme as it made it's rounds on Facebook, but once I saw that it was cool enough for AnonymousNY, I could resist no longer.

25 Random Things About Me.

1. I LOVE apples and eat, at a minimum, one a day. My all-time favorite (if perfectly in season) is a Rome Beauty. They can sometimes be hard to find - but lucky for me the grocery store across he street from my office was one of the rare places that had them this past year. And only 99 cents a pound!
2. I have an unhealthy understanding about pop-culture; especially as it relates to TV. However, as I always say, "while I watch alot of MSNBC, I read alot about TV, so I don't actually have to watch it". I don't watch Private Practice, ER, Grey's; but I always know what's going on the shows.
3. I rarely wear flats to work.
4. I lettered twelve times in high school (volleyball, basketball, softball, and, YES, baseball).
5. I only use blue pens when I'm signing something for payment (like a voucher or charge at work). It makes it easier to tell what document is the original and what are copies.
6. My dream job would be a sport statistician, preferably in baseball. And preferably for Nate Silver, my personal hero.
7. My favorite movie is Wizard of Oz.
8. I eat sunflower seeds with the skill of a squirrel. I even have a special dish for eating them - it's a 70s teal green Tupperware container that was probably supposed to be for vegetable service. Thank goodness my parents let me take it to college. 
9. My favorite number is 9. In sports my uniform numbers were always 9-related: 9 or 33. We got married in September (9). Bubba's birthday is the 9th of May. I was QUITE bummed when I was bumped from being induced with Sissy on May 18 (9x2).
10. I love to take showers; sometimes on days I work out - I end up taking 3!
11. My family is very close, and I say this truthfully (and not just because The Sister reads this), my sister is my best friend. Whether she likes it or not.
12. My favorite pet to have would be a bird; but we can't get one with the cats we have.
13. I rarely drink alcohol. REALLY. No particular reason why - not moral or anything like that. Mostly I don't like to drink my calories and I don't like feeling tipsy.
14. I HATE the sound of a person whistling. Unfortunately, RD likes to whistle.
15. I have an almost pathological fear of vomiting - that's probably another reason why I don't drink very much. And I have never, ever thrown up from drinking too much.
16. I have never attended a public school - not even for college.
17. I have always loved to bake, but I am discovering that I also like to cook.
18. I organize the shirts in my closet by color. Yes, I know I have a problem.
19. I am a notoriously bad sleeper. Problems falling asleep, problems staying asleep. It comes and goes, but somewhat a constant in my life. Parenting has improved it a bit, as I am more exhausted now.
20. Even living in rainy Seattle, I wear sunglasses probably about 80% of the time. I have sensitive eyes, and find it PAINFUL to be outdoors in almost any amount of daylight - even mostly cloudy days.
21. In my brain there are three categories of most things in the world (like clothes, cars, furniture): things I would buy/wear/drive, things I like for other people to buy/wear/drive, and things that under no circumstances people should be allowed to buy/wear/example. For example, in terms of cars: I would drive an Xterra (I DO!), I like Honda Accords - but wouldn't necessarily buy one, but noone should EVER own a Honda Ridgeline. EVER.
22. My favorite color is green, my favorite flowers are calla lilies, and I don't like seafood.
23. I would eat rice, beans, and Pico de Gallo every day if I could.
24. I have a large head - I wear a 7 and 5/8 hat size.
25. While growing up I would have never guessed that people get paid to do what I do for a living; I think it fits my personality and skills very well.

YOU DECIDE: welcome to my kitchen.

We moved into our current home in spring of 2004. Our house is a pretty basic layout - your classic split-entry home of the 1970s. Right before we purchased the house; it underwent a complete remodel (it was flipped, really). So, while the layout and exterior look of the house is old-skool, the interior is pretty much new (or WAS new 5 years ago). RD and I both got (pretty much) what we wanted - he got a "rec-room" downstairs and I got an updated interior.

Plus? Our living room furniture pretty much exactly matched the fireplace. (Picture is from March 2004 - Bubba is only 10 months old!).

Now, onto my kitchen and the dilemma at hand. I love the modern and simple look of the cabinets and the overall layout and size.

Here's looking into my kitchen from where you would enter the house.

Looking further to the left - here's the dining area. We added that window about 2 years ago and can't imagine NOT having it. (Is that my beloved MacBook there???)

Turn 180 degrees from here and you'll be looking at the oven and refrigerator (our sad, small, and NOT STAINLESS STEEL refrigerator).

Turn another 90 degrees to your right and BOOM; there's the pantry/desk area. (PS. Does anyone actually use the desk area in their kitchen? Like really sit there and pay bills, work on their laptop? Doubtful.)

It's here that I need your help. The issue at hand is that the cabinets doors on my pantry are showing some wear in the location where we open the cabinets. (This picture shows the top of the bottom cabinet doors and the bottom of the top section of cabinet doors. Got it?)

See? There's no other good way to get the doors open - except to sort of grab between the doors and pull them open; hence the wear and tear.

I do not want to add pulls on ALL the cabinet doors in the kitchen, but what about adding them just to the pantry doors? The Sister was not too hot to trot on the idea; I respect her advice for lots of reasons - one being she's fantastic and the other being she just underwent a complete remodel of her kitchen.

Now, what do YOU all think? Can I get away with just cabinet pulls on these doors? (If so, where should they be placed and what should they look like?) What other options do you think I would have? These are not "real" wood cabinets so simply sanding and re-staining is not an option.

Internets? I need your help.

It's called de-lurking for a reason.

There may not be a section of Hallmark that includes "National De-lurking Day" cards, but it's official on the internets, SO THERE YOU GO.

I know I have, like, 20 readers, so I'm asking the 10 of you to come on out, de-lurk, and comment.

Pretty please?

To help you out - here's my question of the day...

What's your favorite organization website? I like Unclutterer, but I'm always on the lookout for more.

Two times makes something a tradition, right?

So much to do today, but I'd much rather waste some time blogging. Family coming back to our house, family wedding, back to work, then hosting a New Year's Eve party.

Whew. I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

To distract myself, I'll answer Sundry's call for answering her yearly questionnaire. (Last year is here.)

On to the questions!

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?

Stand up for myself in ways I never thought I could.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Generally, yes, I'll take a closer look at that in an upcoming post.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Hmmm, no.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No, thank goodness. Though, again, I was particularly saddened by the death of Tim Russert. 

5. What countries did you visit?

Sadly, none.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?

An even more consistent exercise schedule.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

Honestly, none come to mind.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Does toilet training my daughter count? =)

9. What was your biggest failure?

Again, LIFE LESSONS.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Kidney stones. YOUZA.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

My MacBook. SWOOOOOOOON.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Obama!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Bush.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Housing! And kid-related purchases.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Family vacations.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?

"That's What You Get", Paramore.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?

    Happier.

b) thinner or fatter?

    Thinner, actually.

c) richer or poorer?

    About the same

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Reading.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Cleaning!

20. How did you spend Christmas?

With my family up in Bellingham.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?

Just more in love with my family!

22. What was your favorite TV program?

30 Rock and Law and Order: Criminal Intent. (Hmmmm, same as last year.)

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

No.

24. What was the best book you read?

Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I actually enjoyed looking back over my CD collections and re-discovering some old skool favorites.

26. What did you want and get?

My MacBook.

27. What did you want and not get?

A new car.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

I know it's juvenile, but I LOVED "Forgetting Sarah Marshall". LOVED.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 32 in 2008 and enjoyed it with my family.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?

Finding clothes that work for my body.

32. What kept you sane?

Coffee and my kids.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

OBAMA.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

The presidential election.

35. Who did you miss?

Seeing my friends - I need to make more time for people in 2009.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

Noone, sadly.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.

Being true to yourself doesn't always make others happy.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

"If I could walk on water, If I could tell you what's next, I'd make you believe, I'd make you forget"
Matt Nathanson

Word.

Seriously? I could Wordle all day long.

Five for Friday: the BlogHer edition.

So, you many have heard about this little conference, BlogHer, that is happening this weekend in San Francisco. This means two things: the action around the internet is S-L-O-W and I am totally jealous about not being there.

But, alas, Daniella and I have made a pact to go next year. (BTW, Dani is FABULOUS - she has an adorable daughter about my daughter's age, she's an attorney, and her shoes? FLAWLESS.)

Here's the five things I'll be doing this weekend to take my mind off the fact that I'm not at BlogHer:

1. Taking the kids to Solar Fest. Sustainable living, baby!
2. Returning to the Nordstrom Sale. I dropped by today (not much real shopping, however) to meet a friend and her child for lunch. I've got my eyes on these in brown. Honestly, I don't really need any clothes (definitely no pants), so the shoes will probably be it, if anything.
3. Paint a wall or two in my living room. Something in a light taupe ("Portabello" or "Craft Paper", perhaps?) from Sherwin Williams (my paint brand of choice).
4. Babysit my friends' kids tomorrow night. This will actually be pretty easy, since they get along so well with my kids, as they basically grew up together in daycare. Bonus? We get a night of babysitting in return.
5. Sleep in obnoxiously late on Sunday. I've been a single-parent since Sunday, and I'm ready for a break. Or at least a nap.

It's no fancy BlogHer schedule, that's for sure.

A little CityMama link love never hurt anyone.

I discovered CityMama and her (at the time) Portland-mama blog in mid-2004, just after she moved to the city and gave birth to her second (lovely) daughter, Wallie. I loved reading her stories about raising kids in Portland, the city of my childhood.

So, when I heard she was hiring bloggers to writer city-centric posts for The Savvy Source, I jumped at the chance to be involved; and I am honored to be part of the Savvy Team.

Today was the BIG reveal (go there NOW - she has giveaways!) on her personal blog, and I want to welcome any readers who have made their way here. If you live in the Puget Sound, I hope you'll hop over to Being Savvy Seattle, where I am posting and insider's look each weekday on adventures and activities for you and your preschooler to enjoy. And if you have any insight to offer on Seattle, I'm all ears.