August 30, 2005

The Aftermath

Just a note to say we're high and dry in Houston with Miss Maggie. We evacuated on Saturday (thankfully) and are travelling around visiting relatives. Thanks to Josh for posting an update on our status in my comments and thanks to all who have expressed their concern for our safety. We have no idea when we'll be able to return home, but it doesn't look like we have a home to return to, so we're in no hurry. Our thoughts and prayers are with our neighbors, and former neighbors, of the Gulf Coast.

Posted by Kitty at 07:56 PM | Comments (5)

August 24, 2005

And We're Back

After a few minor difficulties, mu.nu seems to be back and in good shape. Thank goodness for Pixy Misa and the good folks who water and otherwise tend our server, because Lord knows if I was at the helm it certainly wouldn't run half as well as it does (the first mistake I would likely make is actually trying to water it, but that's the topic of a different conversation).

Yesterday the strangest and most wonderful thing happened to me. I went over to the Office of Motor Vehicles to have my new (read: one year old) address put on my drivers license. After waiting for an eternity (I brought a book) I signed on the dotted line and stared at some pelicans while I had my picture taken (guess that's a Louisiana thing). I ended up repeating the process when they gave me a new license which still had my old address (oops) and the license I finally received not only has my proper address, but it actually has a good picture of me. No, really it does. I wanted to ask the woman if she takes professional photos, but I also didn't want to get kicked out of the DMV for asking stupid questions.

Posted by Kitty at 03:37 PM | Comments (6)

August 21, 2005

Blog Depression

This post includes a hilarious but true fake pamphlet on blogging depression. It sums up how I sometimes feel about this endeavor.

Not much to report of late. I'm still reading Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close and am still avoiding my book clubs' choices (The Kite Runner and Don't Let's Go To The Dogs Tonight). I've been watching way too much reality t.v. and have been trying to get caught up at work after falling behind while in Chicago. Like I said, nothing too exciting going on around here.

The biggest recent development was dinner Friday night. Archi Sapper and I went to a restaurant for dinner with some of the attorneys from my firm. It was our end-of-the-summer dinner for our law clerks, and it came complete with an open bar, which is always popular. I showed up on an empty stomach and was so drunk on wine before we even sat down (our firm rarely does anything without starting with a cocktail hour) I'm surprised I even remember the food. I got to see the law student I mentored and even received another gift certificate to my favorite local day spa as a thank you gift from the firm.

Posted by Kitty at 03:44 PM | Comments (0)

August 19, 2005

Book Love

Add this to the list of things I currently love.

Posted by Kitty at 10:09 AM | Comments (0)

August 16, 2005

Love

I love The Onion.

I'm only one chapter into this book, but I already love it.

Watching it again on the train coming back from Chicago last week, I remembered how much I love this movie. One of my favorite quotes from the movie:"Hey, I'm not the smartest guy in the world, but I'm certainly not the dumbest. I mean, I've read books like "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" and "Love in the Time of Cholera", and I think I've understood them. They're about girls, right? "

Posted by Kitty at 12:32 PM | Comments (0)

August 11, 2005

Whither Kitty?

I know, I know. Listen, I've been so crazy lately I haven't even been reading blogs, much less updating mine. Yeah, it's lame, but that's all I got.

I am back from Chicago and had a FABULOUS time. Yes, I took the train (did you think I would fly? Well, I didn't) and had the good sense to reserve a sleeper car. This is something I highly recommend to the intrepid train traveler. Not only do you get an actual bed (with sheets and everything) for your sleeping needs, your ticket is considered first class, so you receive complimentary meals, bottled water, a daily newspaper and turndown service (which, by the way, you'll need, since it takes assistance to make those seats fold down into a bed).

The only bad thing about the train travel (besides the fact that it takes for-freaking ever) was that the ride up there was on an old train that was extremely bumpy. When I had trouble sleeping because my body was being thrashed around my compartment , I thought about how ironic it was that I volunteered for 19 hours of that to avoid two hours of what would've certainly been a smoother ride. That basically sums up my personal entry in the DSM IV.

Once there, the locals kept apologizing for, of all things, the weather. "Don't worry!" they repeatedly assured me, "the weather will improve!" I couldn't figure out what was wrong with it, and then found out that they thought it was hot. Hot is something I can handle. I didn't even notice it. The weather did get remarkably better on Friday, however, and was cool and dry for the rest of my visit.

I spent the rest of my time doing fabulous Chicago things -- eating at good restaurants, like de cero and Kevin's, going to meetings (one of which started at 7:30 a.m. -- ugh), catching up with friends, attending a cocktail party in the Sears Tower (complete with a bartender who poured drinks through an ice sculpture of the Sears Tower) and dinner at the Opera House.

To recap, I had four days of fabulous food, good hair days and time spent with wonderful friends. I'm now so spoiled I'm unbearable.

Posted by Kitty at 06:22 PM | Comments (0)

August 02, 2005

Google SMS

This looks so cool.

They have a demo on their website with a picture of a cell phone so you can try it out. I typed in "Hello Kitty Store" (natch) and my zip code. I was wondering what it would do because there aren't really any dedicated HK stores too close to me. It gave me directions to the nearest Walgreens, which of course, sells Hello Kitty stuff.

Wow.

Posted by Kitty at 04:00 PM | Comments (1)

August 01, 2005

Beaches, Lions and Bookselling

Archi-Sapper and I enjoyed a quick trip to Destin last weekend. I'm happy to report it's still there post-storms. We went to his cousin's beachfront wedding which was really nice.

Of course, the funniest thing that happened occurred upon our return home. We dragged his sister back to Nola with us so we could spend more time with her. As her penance for getting to hang out in Nola, she had to go to the vet with us to pick up Miss Maggie who had been boarding there in our absence. Archi-Sapper signed her up for the "doggie day spa" treatment, but neither of us was clear on what that entailed. Apparently what it entails is the vet giving your pet a buzz cut. They shaved Maggie almost bald, except for the fur on her head and her tail, which is still really long. As a result, she now looks like a small lion. For the first day we were back, neither of us could look at her without cracking up laughing. The poor thing looks rediculous.

It's been quiet since. I'm gearing up to go to Chicago for a meeting and am looking forward to it. I'll be taking Amtrak again, so I'm amassing good reading material. Unfortunately, one of the things I won't be reading is one of my book clubs' next selections. I ordered this used book on amazon.com July 12. Whenever I've ordered used books from amazon (which I do about twice a month), I've always gotten great service from the various sellers. I suppose the oods had to work against me at some point. I still haven't received this book, and the expected delivery date is Wednesday. I checked online and finally decided today to check the seller's rating, something I should've done from the start. It is full of negative ratings from people who simply never received the books they ordered, and believe the seller is just a scammer. I've got to pay more attention to these seller ratings in the future!

Posted by Kitty at 10:08 PM | Comments (0)