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

Checking in for what is now becoming my quarterly update. Fail, fail, fail. I miss ye old days of LJ, but the internet's evolution stops for no man (or woman). I'm sure someday I will be on tumblr, but for now I will resist and instead delight you with the highlights of my ho-hum life.

Work is going well; I was promoted again, which is nice. I basically live and breathe the huge, scary project they were supposed to remove me from several months ago. Instead, I stayed on and expanded it to cover the entire group my former boss presides over. It's stressful, but I enjoy being at the center of it, proving that even though I'm an introvert, I'm still a glory-hog. Oink, oink baby.

JP and I are good. He has been in Seattle this past week, visiting his family at their gorgeous lake house and attending PAX Prime. Last month, we went to Space City Con in Houston, an old school sci-fi convention. I was mainly there to kick it by the pool, but I did get to see Sylvester McCoy (Radagast the Brown, Dr. Who) and he was a hoot. JP was in geek heaven, hanging out with all his old favorite sci-fi actors.

My mom was hospitalized earlier this summer. Scared the Hell out of us. It was ischemic colitis and she was in the hospital for about a week. She's slowly getting better, thank goodness.

My most exciting news is that I have been on a rigorous diet/workout routine since late April and have lost almost 40 pounds. It's been tough but not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I don't really deny myself - if I want pizza, I have pizza. I just eat less of it. Limiting snacking is tough, but seeing the scale go down has been a great motivator. We'll see how long I can keep it up! Working out is actually kind of fun because my co-worker goes with me. She's a hardcore athlete, but very sweet and encouraging.

I guess those are all the "big" things. I'll just leave a picture of the bb rainbow cake I made Nay-nay for her 40th birthday because I am so proud of it (gloryhogsayswhat?):

1. It is hot here. Like, it was 80 degrees today and even now, I have both fans on upstairs because it is so muggy.

2. If my damn ear would stop hurting, I wouldn't care about the snot, coughing, etc. Stoopid ear.

3. Because I have zero attention span, I started reading the Pamela Aiden books and promptly put them down to start devouring the Love Com manga. It's really cute, although I like the anime better. I guess because all the characters speak in Osaka dialect, which I find endearing. Hmm, what can I pick up next?

4. I've decided, quite abruptly and randomly, that I want the extended recordings of the LotR soundtracks. But they are a bit expensive. For why does not iTunes sell them? *sadface*

5. I spent the weekend watching the ANTM: Cycle 8 marathon on VH1. I have no freakin' clue why I like this show, but I love that I can Tivo all the episodes and fast forward through the boring bits (of which there are several).

6. I also saw my cousin last night, whom I haven't spoken with in a couple of years, and we talked and talked and talked and it was really nice. Everyone always said we were a lot alike, although they admit Becky has a more sunshine-y disposition. In other words, I am teh emo. Oh, well. It was great catching up and we exchanged emails so we can keep in touch (she lives on the coast with her mom).

Is that it? Yes, I think so. I'm going to watch Fellowship of the Rings and eat some popped corn, as JP likes to call it.

This is giving me the freak-out...

---

Melissa

---

Your name of Melissa gives you a clever mind, good business judgment, a sense of responsibility, and an appreciation of the finer things of life. You are serious-minded and not inclined to make light of things even in little ways, and in your younger years you had more mature interests than others your age. Home and family mean a great deal to you and it is natural that you should desire the security of a peaceful, settled home environment where you can enjoy the companionship of family and friends. Whatever you set out to accomplish you do your very best to complete in accordance with what you consider to be right. In the home you assume your responsibilities capably, having the self-confidence to form your own opinions and make your own decisions. Others can rely on you; once you have given your word you will do your utmost to fulfil a responsibility. However, there is a tendency to be a little too independent in your thinking and it is difficult for you to accept the help of others when you should. Due to your strong sense of responsibility, you could experience worry and mental turmoil through assuming more responsibility than you should. Friction could arise through others feeling that you were interfering with their rights and privileges, even though you are only trying to help.

---

What's in your name?




I am having a giggle because I am remembering Roberta leaning towards me during 'The Two Towers' at a particularly poignant scene at Helm's Deep and sighing, "I love that elf!" as Legolas shield-skated into her heart. Hyuk, hyuk...

Argh! Must finish yearly reviews! Thank goodness I can work from home. Argh! I have to work from home where there are all these damn distractions.

*grin*