Blog Title: according to becky

redecorating

I created a new blog banner tonight to mark the beginning of the holiday season. Alas, I did NOT create our holiday cards. Oops.

seattle hotel booked

We used Hotwire and are staying at the Westin for $149/night. Not too bad.

now joining the technology revolution ...

... already in progress.

I got an iPhone today. I am giddy.

twilight

I just bought tickets to go see Twilight at Bay Street on Friday, 11/21, at 7:15 p.m. I was afraid they'd sell out and I wouldn't get tickets. I'm so lame.

miles visited me last night

Last night I dreamed that I was somewhere and it had been a frustrating day and I was just ready to leave and when I walked out of the building there was a tiger-sized Miles waiting for me. He had his neck tube in and he was breathing a little heavy, but he was there and he was happy to see me and I was overjoyed to see him and because he was so big I got to give him a giant hug and we just snuggled and had an amazing reunion. It was such a great moment, but the second I woke up I knew that's all it was - an imaginary moment.

I still miss him so darn much.

a change is coming to america

It's okay to be educated and speak eloquently.
It's alright to like arugula and lattes.
It's okay to want your country to live up to its potential.
It's good to aspire to something greater.
It's no longer acceptable to pander to the nation's lowest common denominator.
Scare tactics are over. Lies do not work.

Tonight the nation has spoken and they have spoken LOUD AND CLEAR.
Yes we can, people. Yes. We. Can.

It's nearing 10:45 p.m. and San Francisco, Los Angeles and Alameda counties have still not reported on the very important proposition measures before us. It looks like Prop 2 will pass handily, Prop 4 could go either way ... but Prop 8 is the one that weighs heavy on my heart. I can only hope that like-minded individuals in these counties - those that embraced love and hope and change tonight in our President - have also embraced love and hope in our brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, sons, daughters, neighbors and co-workers. I can only hope that when I wake up tomorrow Prop 8 - the proposition condoning hate - will have been defeated and the marriages of my blogging friends, co-workers and those I do not know but have rooted for from the beginning will be as safe as that of mine and Alan's. I can only hope that people saw this proposition for what it really was - an opportunity for the extreme right to legislate hate and intolerance.

In the meantime, I go to bed happy knowing that my fellow Americans embraced this opportunity and overwhelming voted for the right candidate. To my friends and family in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia - YES WE DID!

There is, quite literally, dancing in the streets of Oakland tonight. For the first time in ages, I feel like we live in a true neighborhood, bound by the same principals. As I walked outside to wish our friends adieu, you could hear the partying - the car honking, the hooting and hollering, the JOY. Pure, unudulterated joy. Change is coming to America and these Americans are PROUD.

Important Health Advisory For Women

Do you have feelings of inadequacy?

Do you suffer from shyness?

Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist about Red Wine.

Red Wine is the safe, natural way to feel better and more confident about yourself and your actions. Red Wine can help ease you out of your shyness and let you tell the world that you're ready and willing to do just about anything.

You will notice the benefits of Red Wine almost immediately and with a regimen of regular doses you can overcome any obstacles that prevent you from living the life you want to live.

Shyness and awkwardness will be a thing of the past and you will discover many talents you never knew you had. Stop hiding and start living, with Red Wine.

Red Wine may not be right for everyone. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use Red Wine. However, women who wouldn't mind nursing or becoming pregnant are encouraged to try it.

Side effects may include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, incarceration, erotic lustfulness, loss of motor control, loss of clothing, loss of money, loss of virginity, delusions of grandeur, table dancing, headache, dehydration, dry mouth, and a desire to sing Karaoke and play all-night rounds of Strip Poker, Truth Or Dare, and Naked Twister.


WARNING:
The consumption of Red Wine may make you think you are whispering when you are not.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~
WARNING:
The consumption of Red Wine is a major factor in dancing like an idiot.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~
WARNING:
The consumption of Red Wine may cause you to tell your friends over and over again that you love them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~
WARNING:
The consumption of Red Wine may cause you to think you can sing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~
WARNING:
The consumption of Red Wine may lead you to believe that ex-lovers are really dying for you to telephone them at four in the morning.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~
WARNING:
The consumption of Red Wine may make you think you can logically converse with members of the opposite sex without spitting.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~
WARNING:
The consumption of Red Wine may create the illusion that you are tougher, smarter, faster and better looking than most people.

color contest, round two

We've moved on to the next bracket in the AT Fall Color contest and we're currently down by a handful of votes. You know the drill. :-)

http://contests.apartmenttherapy.com/2008/fall-colors/contest/faceoff/57

what does your taste in art say about you?

Your result for What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test...

Balanced, Secure, and Realistic.

7 Impressionist, -1 Islamic, 0 Ukiyo-e, -13 Cubist, -13 Abstract and -3 Renaissance!

People that like Impressionist paintings may not alway be what is deemed socially acceptable. They tend to move on their own path without always worrying that it may be offensive to others. They value friendships but because they also value honesty tend to have a few really good friends. They do not, however, like people that are rude and do not appreciate the ideas of others. They are secure enough in themselves that they can listen to the ideas of other people without it affecting their own final decisions. The world for them is not black and white but more in shades of grey and muted colors. They like things to be aestically pleasing, not stark and sharp. There are many ways to view things, and the impresssionist personality views the world from many different aspects. They enjoy life and try to keep a realistic viewpoint of things, but are not very open to new experiences. If they are content in their live they will be more than likely pleased to keep things just the way they are.

http://helloquizzy.okcupid.com/tests/what-your-taste-in-art-says-about-you-test/

question about pacific northwest

A day trip from Seattle to Victoria or does one NEED to stay overnight?

New bag

I bought a new laptop bag slash purse off etsy a couple of weeks ago. The shop owner took a couple of extra days beyond what she said it would but the finish is excellent so I guess she was using that time to make a better bag. I really like it because i can use it as a purse too when I'm not carrying my laptop which is something I couldn't do with my last Isaac Mizrahi bag from Target. It was very clearly a computer tote.

TV

Back when I first heard about the True Blood series I was really excited. We set the DVR but then never watched any of the episodes. So we deleted it. Then last night I got a bug in my ear to watch it so I sat down to check out the first episode. And then the second. And now I'm hooked. I just love Anna Paquin in this role and the supporting characters are pretty good. I love how she always calls people ignorant hillbillies and rednecks. It's actually kind of funny.

update on miles

One week after his surgery Miles seems to be doing much better. The trip to the vet on Thursday really helped as I think getting the subcutaneous liquids and anti-nausea medicine has been the turning point for him to take his food. He's no longer losing his bowels and he's keeping his food down. What's better is that in addition to this, he's showing signs of interest in life and he's behaving like Miles. The other day I caught him trying to eat a dust bunny. While that may sound horrible and like he's so hungry/starving that he's eating dust bunnies, the truth of the matter is, the cat LOVES to eat fuzz. He's been doing it since he was a kitten. Alan has found him standing over his food bowl twice since Thursday but we don't know if he ate or drank. Still, he's showing signs of interest in food and that has me very happy. This morning he was harassing Dakota which she did NOT appreciate. And he's purring again like a beasty, which is music to my ears.

amazing race

how come no one said it was back on?!

Gap

I love the company's new Denim & Tweed collection. Too bad I'm not a 6 foot tall beauty = it'd be much easier to pull it off.

dakotapie @ 2008-10-06T22:16:00

Your Inner European is French!

Smart and sophisticated. You have the best of everything - at least, *you* think so.

miles update

Just talked to the overnight doctor - she has a cat with the droopy eye syndrome so she was able to tell us more about that. She also said that he's taking his food really well and isn't showing any signs of nausea. She did say, however, that he's scared and hiding in the corner - as Jenny will attest, this is completely normal behavior. Provided all goes well overnight, we can take him home tomorrow morning. Dakota is NOT going to be happy. She's been purring all day ... but it's not the loving, happy purr of a nice, friendly kitty. It's the purr of an evil kitty who is happy to have the house all to herself.

adios?

Perhaps I'm just being melodramatic, or trying to prepare myself for the worst, but as the day goes on, I can't help but feel like when I told Miles goodbye today, it wasn't temporarily. I don't have a lot of faith at this point that my little bud will be coming home. And I'm sad ... so very sad.

road trip

Last night I proposed that rather than a trip to Ireland (too much money right now), we fly into Seattle, stay a couple of days, rent a car and drive to Vancouver, stay there a couple of days, and then fly home to Oakland. In thinking about it, the airfare and car rental prices are a bit more money than I'd want to spend and if we're postponing a vacation because of a lack of funds, we probably don't want to take something like that on. Alan's been wanting to visit Humboldt and Portland, so this morning over Breakfast at Rick & Ann's (LOVE that place!) we talked about a possible itinerary. I haven't looked into lodging, but here's how it looks right now:

1 night - Oakland to Eureka
2 nights - Eureka to Willamette Valley
2 nights - Willamette Valley to Seattle
2 nights - Seattle to Portland
0 nights - Portland to Oakland

breaking dawn

I finally finished reading the Twilight series, finishing Breaking Dawn in two days when I needed a distraction more than I knew. I liked one of the story lines in the book but not really the main one. I'm sure those who have read it will know which ones I'm talking about. I'm really looking forward to seeing the movie, although none of the actors look at all like what I pictured them to look like in my head. I figured out today that Edward is being played by Cedric Diggory!!

ugly

I woke up this morning with two giant zits on my chin. I thought they'd spring up but hoped I could keep them at bay. Alas, no. Not only are they ugly, they're also very painful. Gross.

groan, mumble, groan

I still feel tired and groggy and generally like crap. But I'm at work, so that's a move in the right direction. I'm sitting here HOT and overcome with laziness - my ears are RED. I think my fever might be returning. This sucks.

Like Bobby Brown ...

I can't sleep @ night, I toss & turn.

Woke up this morning feeling awful - definite fever & sore throat. Maybe that's why I generally felt like crap yesterday? Anyhow, going to try to sleep it off but feeling guilty about taking a day off to just be sick. I shouldn't but I do.

happy anniversary jenny!

ireland

This Ireland itinerary is hard work, y'all.

I keep going back and forth on our itinerary - since we HAVE to do the trip in February, there are some things that just won't work out. Connemara is one of them. BUT, that makes planning easier because now I don't have to try to work that into our schedule.

I know we're not going to be able to see everything and that's okay - I want to come back with my mom someday, maybe - so it's not like this is my one and only time to see the Motherland.

So ... this is what I've got so far after many hours of research.

Fly into Dublin, stay 2 nights
Drive to Kilkenny, stay 1 nights
Drive to Killarney, stopping in Cork for lunch, stay 2 nights
Drive to Ashford Castle, stay 2 nights
Drive to Dublin, stay 1 night
Depart next morning for SFO

OR

Fly into Dublin, stay 2 nights
Drive to Kilkenny, stay 2 nights
Drive to Cork, stay 2 nights
Drive to Dromoland castle, stay 2 nights
Flight out of Shannon airport

The second itinerary has us staying at nicer places and getting more time to wander.  It, unfortunately, means that we wouldn't be able to spend much time in Killarney, although it's not entirely unfeasible for us to do a day trip to that region.

The second option is a couple hunrded dollars more, but could be more relaxing since we wouldn't have to backtrack to Dublin and we'd get more than 1 night in each location.