Random Pics of Vegas

Sacramento Edition! These are actually random pics taken during my business trip to Sacramento. Hope you enjoy the change. Actually, I didn't get out much (at all) so it's really just the airport and one view from my hotel room.

Skylight at the airport. The structure reminded me of a plane.

Airline lost your luggage?

 The sunrise lit the sky in a very ethereal way.

Flying in the rain=TURBULENCE.

Okay, I cheated. This one is actually the Las Vegas airport parking garage.

Southwest, how I love thee...

Writer's Block

Wanting to write. Write anything. Complete a story and get these images flashing through my head out out out. Out damn spot! You plague me with your personality and fleeting character I can never be. Please get out of my head. I pick up pen and paper and -you vexing thought- you run from me again. Hide as long as you want but eventually you will be written and shared and consumed by those undeserving of your plight. Your long journey shall be contained and freedom locked down. Can freedom come when no one knows your name? Is there freedom in anonymity or freedom in vulnerability? I digress. I've written babble and blather and nothing of significance once more.

Pondering Time at 10:30 on a Work Night

Too much energy right now to rest. So restless. I just want to run around the house and dance like a fool until my lungs explode. How could I have gotten stuck like this? So unlike me. Too responsible too soon. Grown up and leading a life that is no longer mine. No control over what I do next-guided by duty and fear. When did carefree become such a dream? I remember when every action was performed as if no one was looking-but now, it's as if everyone stares.

Web Recommendations

Take an old photo from your childhood and recreate it 20 years later. Now do that with a variety of people around the world. Turn the photos into one awesome website. That's exactly what photographer Irina Werning did in "Back To The Future" project.

Check out this amazing social journey through photos on Irina's website here:

http://www.irinawerning.com/back-to-the-fut/back-to-the-future/

This is one of those sites you will keep going back to so you can show your friends and family! Don't believe me? Here are a few examples:

I know...Awesome, right? So go check it out already and tell me what you think. 

My Sweetheart's Sweet Art Deux

Part Deux features more Tek Sapport faves...

No, he didn't draw the Google background. His art is superimposed to complete the illustrated social commentary on the general public's lack of knowledge regarding the Address Bar.

My Sweetheart's Sweet Art

These are just a few of my husband's original drawings. Some are good, some are weird, and some are doodles that took on a life of their own. I just love how creative my husband can be with his art!

Let me know what you think! Which one is your favorite? He's always looking for new inspirations-any requests?

Now It's War!

For those of you who don't know, my brother has recently moved in with me and has spent the last 4 days following me around the house, waking me up, and surprise attacking me with this annoying song from the new T-Mobile commercial. (Reference: The Bro Hits Vegas)

Actual FB post:

Valerie

Damn you Daniel! Stop messing with my crystal decorations!!! Leave the placemats alone. And don't even dream of humming Final Countdown when you get home.

2 hours ago ·  ·  · 

• • 
    

    Daniel I sorry
    

    2 hours ago · 
  • 
    

    Jennifer Daniel has inadvertantly made my dream come true and that is to irritate and annoy you on a continual basis.
    

    about an hour ago · 
  • 
    

    Valerie I hate you both
    

    about an hour ago · 
  • 
    

    Janet LOL....I still love all of you
    

    28 minutes ago · 
  • 
    

    Daniel just go here. http://youtu.be/bDRx6YFCQT8

And if you didn't bother to click the link...

Beastly

A thinly veiled modern take on Beauty and The Beast without any of the charm. I didn't anticipate any Oscar-worthy performances, cinematography or story. I also didn't anticipate this movie being so bad I was physically sick watching it. My body can handle only so much cheese before it starts rejecting the unGodly gooey mess.

The dialog was everything but interesting or subtle. I was able to keep up with the high school emo-chick being a real witch and cursing the pretty, rich popular boy for his vanity. What was so unbelievable is how they set up his isolation and Vanessa Hudgen's character Lindy being trapped with him.

After being cursed as ugly and told to "embrace the suck" which is now conveniently his tattooed eyebrows, handsome Kyle (played by Alex Pettyfer) is sent in to isolation by his father. He has a year to make someone fall in love with him and wastes several months of that being a miserable prick. The story progressed so fast and rough that none of the torment was visible so they had to stress it through numerous "I am in Hell" references.

Kyle met Lindy briefly his last day as the ideal male specimen and it was love at first sight-without the love. After he is cursed, he takes it upon himself to stalk her until one day she is placed in a ridiculously precarious situation forcing her to move into exile with him. But she doesn't know why she's there or who he is. I laughed so hard at this I cried.

Even the ever-funny Neil Patrick Harris as the blind tutor couldn't save this movie from itself. Vanessa Hudgens was cute as a button, but you can only do so much with a script this bad. One of the Olsen Twins was also in this movie playing an unbelievable teen witch with awesome shoes and everything she says has an echo. Ironically, the only good thing about this movie was Alex Pettyfer working out in his black briefs in the beginning of the movie.

I may have mentioned the concept of a "pie movie" before-a term my husband coined to describe a movie so bad that afterward, instead of provoking conversation, it inflicts only a desire for pie. This went beyond your typical pie movie such that I was craving pie DURING the movie as a consolation prize for sitting through this gag-fest.

If you saw this movie and disagree I implore you to comment below.

The Bro Hits Vegas

Spent a fun-filled weekend in Phoenix and got Daniel all packed up for his big move to Vegas. Started the drive back Tuesday evening with trailer in tow.

Yeah, his mattress, dresser, clothes and TV turned into a completely full truck bed and 6x11 trailer. No joke.

We left Phoenix at 730pm and arrived at my doorstep 6.5 bumpy hours later. It wasn't all bad. My brother fortuitously has an after-market DVD player installed in his 20-year-old Ford truck and I spent the whole time watching True Blood.

I had never seen the show before, he had seasons 1 and 2 on DVD player and I was the perfect captive audience. One thing led to another and I have currently invested over 15 hours of my life to that show over the past 2 days.

I spent Wednesday morning unpacking Daniel and getting him comfortable in his new abode. Wednesday afternoon was devoted to True Blood. Finally Wednesday night rolled around and Daniel, ever restless, had me drive him to the Strip. I showed him the sights and we even stopped at the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop where Pawn Stars on History channel is filmed.

I guess earlier in the day, Daniel saw this T-Mobile commercial:

Because he would not stop humming "Ble Bloo. Ble-de-be-boo-boop. It's the final countdown!" Seriously that song is stuck in my head now. 

At midnight Daniel decides to go to the corner store for snacks, stays over an hour talking to the night shift clerk and comes home with a bunch of free stuff. This kid can make friends with a pig in a cornfield. It's weird.

So Thursday before Bryce is off to work, we all take time to drive around Vegas and show Daniel where different stores and malls and movie theaters, etc are so he can get acquainted with the town. Returning home after lunch, Daniel and I nestle in for another True Blood marathon-we're finally on season 2! Next thing I know, there's a young black man streaking across my back yard, paused at the corner of the wall, he looks around before jumping the 5 foot brick wall leading to the street, where he proceeds to run across the street to another neighborhood. I see him jump that fence into another backyard and then out of that yard to another before I lose track of him in a blur just as the sirens from a couple cop cars whiz by on the street he just ran across. Thoroughly freaked, I grab Daniel who was at my side and we run out back to witness the ordeal. Well, now would be a good time to learn how to shoot the rifle my brother brought with him, so 15 minutes of hastened lessons later, I consider myself armed and dangerous.

Also on Thursday: Daniel humming Final Countdown by Europe from the stupid T-Mobile commercial and it is now stuck in my husband's head and the periodically break into song throughout the day. I can't make this shit up.

So I think today will prove uneventful as the final day of my week long vacation. Alas, a once-in-a-lifetime event happens: I am wrong. I follow up my 2 hours of cardio this morning with another desperate true Blood marathon (so close to caught up!) and Daniel, growing weary of my new obsession, ventures out alone for a haircut and a car-wash. he texts me 30 minutes later to inform me he was rear-ended. Luckily, everyone is okay and his giant truck with a tow hitch did damaged the other car while sustaining no injuries. The other driver still felt terrible and gave Daniel $20 to cover his car wash. WTF? And now, as I am posting this, Daniel is out on a date. Less than 72 hours in Vegas and he has been in an accident, made a new friend at the Shell station, and is dating. I have been here almost 2 years and don't know anybody outside of my work. This kid. 

Well....

Do-do-do-doooo. Do-do-dee-de-do. Dun-de-de-do. Do-do-do-do-do. 5..4..3..2..1..

I Am Number Four-the movie

General rule of thumb: the book is better than the movie. In this case, both the book and the movie are mediocre. I was happy to see older actors in the movie which I knew would reach a wider audience than the book's 13-year-old characters. The action scenes were a lot of fun. That's about the only improvements the movie made. 

The story gaps were so big I don't know how anyone could keep up if they hadn't read the book first.When  John admits his alien origin to his conspiracy theorist best friend Sam, in the book, the moment was powerful and poignant because of his missing father. In the movie, Sam and John's friendship was grossly undeveloped at the point of reveal which which lacked suspense and believability. The movie jumped the progression of John and Sarah's relationship putting their love story on fast forward. But I did appreciate the additional explanation of  "we love differently than humans: it's only one person and it's forever." The love of two barely-there teenagers was too strong and intense for one who is an alien running for his life in the novel. Also, the sudden turnabout of the jock from turning John in to the authorities to sneaking his secret box out of police custody was unexplainable. At least the book had a little more development of that character so his 180 attitude made more sense. 

I must say I did enjoy the big difference in plots. The main focus in the book was keeping the 9 survivors separated to avoid breaking the curse. If they ever meet up, they are fair game and lose the protection of dying in sequential order. Conversely, finding each other in the theory that they are stronger together fuels the movie's plot line. It adds a place for Sam and his father that wasn't already created in the novel, it ties in #6 more adequately, and it sets itself up for a sequel quite nicely. 

Overall, the movie was fun with enough romance to satisfy the chicks, enough explosions to satisfy the guys, enough of the book to satisfy the readers, and enough story to satisfy the newcomers. This lame movie was, surprisingly, satisfying for a Friday night date.

One Sweet MoFo

As promised, lime cupcakes with Patron icing!

I have been so busy, I haven't had a chance to post these awesome creations until now! My friend Collin visited from Phoenix back in January and he helped me in the kitchen for this fun cupcake creation. We behaved ourselves and didn't do any Patron shots until the cupcakes were baking and the icing was already mixed, then it was game on!

Lime Cupcake
1/4 cup lime juice
1 1/4 teaspoon lime zest (2 limes)
1 cup milk (I used 1%)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoon Patron
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan.
2. Briefly blend lime juice, lime zest, milk, vegetable oil, Patron, vanilla extract in large bowl. Mix in the sugar.

3. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the lime mixture slowly. Blend until completely combined.
5. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. Makes 18 full sized cupcakes.
6. Bake 22 minutes or until light brown on top and cake is spongy.

Patron Lime Frosting
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
1 tablespoon milk (I used the same 1%)
3 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon Patron (I used a full shot and it made the taste REALLY strong)
2-5 cups powdered sugar (I used about 4 cups for a thicker icing I could pipe)
green food coloring (optional)
coarse sugar and salt (optional for decoration)

1. Cream together butter, milk, lime juice and Patron.

2. Mix in sugar 1 cup at a time until desired thickness is reached. Blend thoroughly. At 2-3 cups of sugar I added 4 drops of green food coloring for fun.

3. Pipe or frost cooled cupcakes. Roll sides in the sugar or salt as "rims."

RESULT:
So it wasn't until after I made them I realized I HATE lime cupcakes. I mean, seriously BLEH! It didn't help that the Patron icing was so runny from the Patron, I had to add more powdered sugar to thicken it up. After 6 cups of powdered sugar, it was still a runny mess and just dripped out of the piping bag. Then-surprise!-it tasted like Patron flavored powdered sugar. And not in a good way. Overall, I so disgusted and embarrassed by these cupcakes I didn't even take them in to work for the guys to eat. I work with a variety of nasty, dirty, grungy contractors who I have literally witnessed drop a hot dog on the floor then pick it up, brush off the dirt from the warehouse, and eat it without even claiming the "5 second-rule" and I refused to subject them to these creations. I dare someone else to try this recipe or any variation and let me know if you can get this tasting any better.

The Big Bang-Rock Mafia

Heard this song on the radio and absolutely became addicted to it. Naturally, I looked up the music video on YouTube. I wasn't gonna hold my breath for MTV to premiere. Does anyone even watch MTV anymore? Besides me mom, that is. She's completely addicted to Jersey Shore and Teen Mom.

So watching the video I had a few thoughts I figured I would share with you:

1. Why feature Miley Cyrus? She doesn't even sing in the song. Doesn't she have her own trashy music videos to star in, or are we supposed to believe she's an actress now? 5 seasons of Hannah Montana and a starring role in The Last Song (see review HERE) are not beaming credentials, if you ask me.

2. Does Kevin Zegers strike anyone else as a less attractive Zac Efron?

Throw in some amazing baby blues with that jaw line and we can talk. As it is right now, I'm still reeling back to Air Bud.

Did anybody else watch that movie? They made like, a billion sequels. Talking animals really annoy me--I hated Babe.

3. I really don't understand this video. Is it actually Miley Cyrus? She's whispering Kevin's name at the beginning leading me to believe that he is portraying himself. Did they date? Was she really in an accident. someone please explain this to me. Clearly it is a song about sex, but what is with the car accident. Seriously, I'm lost here. Whatever.

4. Did you catch the thigh high boots Miss Miley is rocking?

My mom's rule of thumb: below the knee is acceptably edgy. Above the knee is embarrassingly trashy. I have a killer pair of black, velvet, knee high boots with 5 inch heels that my mom picked out for me. Every time I wear them, I attract unwanted attention. One time, I had a big, burly, black biker stalk me for 20 minutes in a Borders bookstore while I was shopping with my mom. True Story.

I can only imagine the trouble Hannah Montana gets herself into with thigh high leather boots and a mini. Oh yeah:

5. What's with the neck tat? Is that a real tattoo or just for the video? Again, I don't get it. Makes no sense in the video and is just plain tacky if it is real. Just saying.

I guess that's all I have to say on that subject. feel free to leave your own comments and critiques of the video, song, or any other inane somewhat-related subject.