You're so Vain, You Probably Think this LJ is About You

Ugh, so tired. Work blows. So, let's (finally) continue the meme. This one was hard, as I have hundreds of quotes that I love (although most are bits of poetry). So, I picked a random pretty from Mr. Shakespeare.

30 Days of Blogging

3. Your favorite quote

We are such stuff
As dreams are made on...

- The Tempest

Okay! turns out my baked goods for the San Antonio Aids Foundation charity event are due tomorrow, not Thursday! So pies are baked and cooling as is my naked cake (only one after all, turns out I am not Betty Crocker on steroids). Will wrap everything up, including naked cake layers, and finish frosting/decorating tomorrow when I get home. JP thinks I'm crazy for spending all this time and money, but to me it's way more fun than just donating money (although they'd probably appreciate that more, LOL).

ANYWAY, meme time! I hope I remember how to do them...

30 Days of Blogging meme

1. Introduction and recent photo

So, even though all I ever do is talk about myself (me, me, me), I guess I can give a quick rundown. My name is Melissa (but I answer to Missy, Melly, and Mel). I'm 40 (ugh), work as an Operations Analyst for a huge insurance company, and live with my longtime boyfriend JP and a whole parcel of cats. He is actually the crazy cat lady, not me. I started keeping an online journal back in 2001 (holy mairde it's been 12 years), mainly because some of my fellow anime cel collecting peeps were on Live Journal so I tagged along.

I have a big, wonderful family that drives me crazy. If it were not for them, I would not still be here in South Texas, dying from the relentless oven of a climate and the never-ending stupidity of Texas lawmakers in general. My dream is to retire early and move somewhere north, where there are real seasons. I hear they are nice.

I live traveling, reading, baking, writing, and watching anime and historical dramas (combine the two and I am your slave). I love Shakespeare, Jane Austen, poetry, maps, watching sci-fi with JP, and all-you-can-eat meat at Brazilian steakhouses (the salads are good, too). Although I have been kicking ass and taking names at work, the thing I am most proud of is that over the last 5 months, I have lost over 40 pounds. It hasn't been easy, but it feels great. I can finally shop in the regular clothes section again, which is nice. I have a new-found interest in athletic gear and exercising (although running bites and you can quote me on that).

In honor of Halloween, here is a recent photo of me at Target. JP and I were trying on the foam wigs and dying of laughter. I kinda liked this one, though...who knew I could rock some blond hair?

Guess what I'm typing on?? I like bb keyboard and it works as well as any wireless keyboard I've had. Only thing I don't like is the iPad case doesn't stay up very well. Can't win them all...

Today I took off work because JP got tickets to see a taping of America's Got Talent downwtown. He actually went yesterday and today, so he stands a decent chance of being on TV, I think. The acts we saw were mostly good, including a kiddie rock band, a middle-age Larry the Cable Guy fella who sang like Garth Brooks (loved him), and a young mariachi band that played modern music and danced. We had a good time, even though we were stuck in our seats for almost 4 hours. And, of course, like a goober, I forgot my phone so no photographic evidence. Womp, womp.

Okay, have broken keyboard in. Later, taters.

Am I the last person on the planet to check out George Takei's awesome facebook page?

Full of gems, that one...

I am suddenly listening to nothing but upbeat pop. Oh noes! LOL...

We saw Tin Tin this weekend and it was excellent! It was a movie I was COMPLETELY ambivalent about, but JP talked me into seeing it and I'm so glad he did! It was funny and touching and just a great adventure story. A real throwback. It's nice to see Speilberg still has the chops.

I have class tomorrow - a ridiculous entry-level software class that I am taking SOLELY for the purpose of being there to provide guidance and answers to my older, senior-level analyst. Pathetic. The day the online applications no longer make sense to me is the day I retire. Oh, well. I guess the class couldn't hurt. Technically, I have no official training - I am self-taught on most of the software we use (unless you count the time I spent Googling various answers as class time).

So, my new year's resolutions are the same as usual although I have tried to simplify and clarify this time around, being vague and grandiose not having worked for me in the past:

1. Work out every day for 30 minutes, even if it's just doing some vigorous housework (this has been somewhat  impeded because I have managed to injure my back on two separate occasions since Christmas).

2. Refinance the house and change the land line (because AT&T is gouging my eyeballs out). Use the extra money from the refi to finish paying off my credit card.

3. Unless it is a necessity (groceries, gas, etc) or an emergency (car breaking down, running out of clean underwear), I am putting a moratorium on expenditures. I will have an allowance for going out to eat/theater/movies/vacations, but I spend way too much on clothes, jewelry, books, etc. I. Am. Getting. Control. Of. This. Budget. No one, especially in South Texas, needs 20 sweaters and nine pairs of boots (four of which are fur-lined).

So, you can see why I have not started on these resolutions quite yet, what with everyone and their mother having 70% after-holiday sales (I'm not made of stone!). But look out, next this week! I am good to go (as soon as my back stops hurting).

Speaking of "drive-by" reminds me of how, back in the high school, someone shot at Nay-nay's car and apparently she told her parents she was at my house (when in fact she was out with her boyfriend). So for years, her parents eyed me with distrust and never wanted her to go over to my house. She finally came clean (20 years later!) to all of us and I laugh every time I think of it, although I guess I should be kinda mad.

The most disturbing part of that story is that I didn't really consider the fact that someone shot at my bestie a big deal...high school was a fairly violent time - gangs beating the Hell out of each other at parties, guys pulling knives and brass knuckles out when they fought in the school courtyard. I remember being at a party once and someone firing several shots into the house. And when we left that night, all the tires of the cars on that street had been slashed. Wow, I guess my school was a little ghetto. Go me for not turning into a chola (gang girl), LOL!

ANYWAY, I just came in here to say that I wish to make darling desserts in jars as Christmas gifts for the extended familia, but apparently no one in San Antonio cans and preserves anymore because I have looked and looked and cannot find damned jelly jars! I guess I can order them, but what a pain. Though it will be worth it if I can pull this off (trust me, they won't be that pretty):