SnOMG

Now that all the hoopla has passed about snowmaggedon, I'll share pictures from the days in which western Washington was pounded with snow, which then turned into freezing rain/sleet, which then made everything slick like an ice rink, followed by trees snapping from the weight of the snow and ice, which took us straight into a wind storm which led to power outages, which led to an impromptu party of sorts at my house. 

It's all connected people!

 

Above is a view from my office/craft window on day 2. 

All the pictures are from day 2 and 3. 

Below are from my balcony patio off of the living room. 

Luckily none of my trees snapped from the elements nor did I lose power.  We did have a period of time in which the sewage system was thought to be frozen however.

Minor snow and ice buildup compared to other areas in the hood. 

More snow fell than this when all was said and done. 

Hello ice rink day 3.  Every surface was coated with ice.

This is a color shot.  I know it may be hard to believe but 'tis true.  That was the color of our sky for a days on end. 

This tree doesn't lean this way on a normal day. 

Living in a winter wonderland. 

Peace, Love, Laughter.  xOxo, Mo

Desk Abstract

My constant desk/office companions have grown.

On top, Brown Betty.  It really appeals to my "green" side and rolling documentation needs by having the insert be refillable versus hardbound.  I use it for work related conversations, voice mails, to do, outgoing calls, etc.. It's pretty much a catch all for me and even in the technological age in which we live, I can't imagine my life without Brown Betty by my side.  I heart it so much I have a black one for personal use. 

Next is my latest best friend, which is a 947 page book on all things Office 2010.  I also have a 1114 page book just for Excel 2010.  I know you are envious. 

Below this is a padded clipboard with a legal pad of paper.  It's called a fashion clipboard in the stores.  You wouldn't expect anything less from me would you?  I didn't think so.  When analysis and documentation call for old school pencil and paper from time to time, why not  have a pretty clipboard, especially when you are able to find it on sale like I did for less than $2.00?

Rounding out the bottom is a leather covered notebook in which there are contact lists, geographical map information, a calendar -- you know some of the essentials you might need to in a jiffy -- encased in moveable plastic folder pocket dividers.  It also has paper to write on and the coolest part of this customizable system by arc is you can move the sheets around in the binder without the bulkiness of a 3 ring binder.

That's just what's on top of the desk.  Let's not even get started for what I carry in my briefcase when I'm on the road. 

Ok, ok.  Maybe I will do that one day but not today. 

Peace, Love, Laughter. xOxO, Mo   

Living in a Winter Wonderland

Current weather conditions in my neck of the woods is
28 degrees

Feels like 25 degrees

High is forecasted to be 31

Low is forecasted to be 28

The winds are 11 mph NNE

Dewpoint is 27°

Sunrise was at 7:50 AM

Humidity is 93%

Sunset is at 4:49 PM

Visibility is 1 mile

UV index 0

In the last hour, 0.06 precipitation was measured

A nice, fluffy powder type of snow is falling right this minute. 

It sure is pretty to look at outside my window, with a cup of coffee in hand and slipper socks on my feet. 

Telecommunting was an obvious choice today. 

Back in the day I would be hankering to hit the slopes but my bum knee tells me otherwise these days. 2 surgeries is one too many. 

Peace, Love, Laughter.  xOxO, Mo

On the Menu

It's my turn to host one of my book club meeting of the minds. I belong to two book clubs.  Both are great with different selections and wonderful ladies I enjoy sharing life with.   

I chose The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.  The book intrigues me and I figured for the new year, why not see if anything resonates with us. 

It's supposed to be cold with the chance of snow on Sunday in these parts.  Duh.  It is January after all. 

When I sat down to menu plan I wanted to select healthy comfort food that would stick to your ribs and warm you from the inside out. 

I hope what I've selected appeals to the group. 

On the menu
Lots of fruits and veggies for nibbling
Mini lean turkey meatloaf
Beef in a bucket - you choose how you want to nom on the tri tip goodness
Fresh lime and black bean soup
Polenta style corn casserole
Bell pepper nachos

One friend is bringing a delicious dipping sauce for the veggies and another a hearty chili. 

Should make for a great Sunday afternoon with the girls! 

Peace, Love, Laughter.  xOxo, Mo

13 on the 13th

Starting something new. 

On the 13th of each month I will post random facts about me, things I am grateful for, ponderings . . . whatever thought comes to mind first when I sit down at the computer. 

Bringing the tag line of the "Welcome to Me" to life for all to see. 

1.  Thankful for the nourishment the bowl of oatmeal just provided.  Even though it was somewhat of a let down taste wise, at least I am blessed to wake from my bed, walk to my kitchen, and have food in the pantry.  None of that should be taken for granted since many in the world don't have the same.

2.  Treadmill, yoga, or weights today.  Maybe a combo of two but moving is on the agenda for sure.

3.  This vacation day is full of personal to dos - shopping, cleaning, visit to the DMV, filing, maybe cleaning out of a closet.  I wonder how much I can squeeze into a day full of promise. 

4. Found out from a friend, who was gracious enough to take the time to snap a picture and text it to me, all Paper Zones are closing.  Everything is on sale.  Do I dip into the crafty budget and stock up or be a good girl and resist the urge?

5.  Speaking of paper, I need to make time to bust out a few Happy 2012 cards and design this years' V Day love in the mail cards.

6.  It's cold but oh so pretty outside right now.  The world is screaming come out and play in me.

7.   I want to go out and play but I have tons to do.  An unorganized home makes me less happy inside and efficient. 

8.  My cat . . .she's awesome. I'm glad she picked me. 

9.  "Everything Counts" by Depeche Mode just came on random play.  I heart that song and the memories associated with it. 

10.  They say scent is the strongest recall.  I agree with this and also think music is right up there as being the strongest recall.  I hear a song and boom, I'm transported back in time. 

11.  Speaking of back in time, I was struck with the thought of live life forward last night.  You know the voice inside of you that whispers, then talks, and lastly beats you upside the head until you hear AND listen to what it is saying to you?  Well you may not have a voice like that but I do.  I heard it speak loud and clear last night.  Live.  Life.  Forward.   

12.  I am currently reading more non fiction books than fiction.  Inspiration and learnings abound. 

13.  Time to get this day started! 

Peace, Love, Laughter.  xOXo, Mo

Duh!

Santa brought me a daily calendar for my enjoyment in 2011. You can read about it here.  

I shared some of the facts with friends, professionally and personally, when I felt there was a good one to send. 

No Secret Santa calendar was gifted to me this year.  I pondered if I should buy one or not. 

The answer became clear this afternoon as I dropped a chunk of change on 2010 Excel and Microsoft Office 2010 books this afternoon. 

At 50% off, I couldn't resist picking up a new one to carry on the fun fact sharing.  Bonus is I use the back of the sheets for notes, scribbles, etc..  This calendar has daily extra treats in the form of puzzles, riddles, tips, facts on the back of the page so for the price I paid for it, I declare SCORE!

I know you really want to know what today holds in store for you.

It's what I would refer to as an eh one.  You might really like it though. 

Here goes - Clear Thinking on a Cloudy Day:  The magazine writer Dorothy Parker, infamous for her sharp wit, held a long-running feud in the 1920s with the wealthy socialite Clare Booth Luce. At a formal party, someone complimented Mrs. Luce by exclaiming that the wife of the publisher of Time magazine was always kind to her inferiors.  "Really?" Parker responded.  "And where does she find them?"  

The Daily Extra?  Unscramble the following letters to reveal this January word:  aw  steer

It took me a few minutes but I figured out the word.  Do you see it too?

Peace, Love, and Laughter.  xOxO, Mo

Latest in my World

I joined the rest of the world and purchased a gaming system. 

XBOX360. 

I only have Kinect games right now.

However, my controller and headset are ready when I am ready. 

Many thanks to my friends Mikael and Justine for helping me with the hookup and accessories this weekend. 

Few tweaks were needed in the living room, such as moving the couch further back to make room for play, moving the surround sound speakers, a lamp, and a side table. 

I either need my sound master J-Lo or get the Geek Squad over to get everything running smoothly sound, blu ray, and streaming services wise. 

Other than this, we're good to go. 

When should I expect you?

Peace, Love, Laughter.  xOxO, Mo

If Your Life Was a Movie . . .

I'm going to start a new tradition of sorts. 

On the first day of each new year, as I delight in black eyed peas, I am going to do the soundtrack to my life. 

My friend Heather has posted hers on facebook for the last 3 years.

It's a fun way to expose see what you listen to and how your musical tastes may change from year to year. 

So, with this being said, here's how you play if your life were a movie, your soundtrack would be. . .

1. Open your music library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For the first question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button TWICE
6. Don't lie and try to pretend you're cool...just type it in man!

I linked to youtube so you can listen to the tunes if you don't recognize them.  Click on the song title in orange and laugh along with me enjoy. 

Some of the results are just down right funny to me.  To quote my niece, shuffle is the new magic 8 ball.  It's Yoda wise. 

Opening Credits:
2012: Air Force Ones by Nelly

Waking Up:
2012: We Are Family by Sister Sledge

First Day at School:
2012: Where Are You Going by Dave Matthews Band

Falling in Love:
2012: Best of My Love by The Emotions

Losing Virginity:
2012: Tequila Loves Me by Kenny Chesney

Fight Song:
2012: Heartbreak Town by Dixie Chicks

Breaking Up:
2012: Leaving Las Vegas by Sheryl Crow

Prom:
2012: Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears

Life:
2012: Take Me Away by John Legend

Mental Breakdown:
2012: Relator by Pete Yorn and Scarlett Johansson

Driving:
2012: Kill the Lights by Britney Spears

Flashback:
2012: Doin’ Time by Sublime

Getting Back Together:
2012: Live Your Life by T.I. feat. Rihanna

Wedding:
2012: Toes by Norah Jones

Birth of Child:
2012: Crying Shame by Jack Johnson

Final Battle:
2012: On the Floor by Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull

End Credits:
2012: The House is Rockin' by Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble

Death:
2012: Baptism by Kenny Chesney and Randy Travis

Funeral:
2012: When It Hurts by Avant

Should you decide to play, let me know so I can come check you out. 
 
Peace, Love, Laughter.  xOxo, Mo