I want my two dollars

I've been trying to figure out logistics for a mildly complicated trip abroad for the past few weeks. Our corporate travel department has been very patient with me as I add countries, change dates and insist on certain times. We finally landed on an itinerary that meets my needs last week when I received word that part of my trip might have to change ... again.

So, I waited to confirm this latest wrench in my plans and confirmed with our travel department that they can go ahead and ticket the itinerary today. My contact seemed pleased to tell me that the fare had actually dropped since we last checked, and when I asked how much, she responded, "$2." I better get credit for saving money for the company.

Ptown by the numbers

Puppy and I spent the weekend in Provincetown, which was much smaller than I expected but also a very nice getaway. A quick recap of the weekend:

* We spent 24 hours spent in Provincetown.
* I wore 4 outfits while there.
* We ran into 6 acquaintances.
* I consumed 2 ice creams with hot fudge.
* We spent 3ish hours lying out by the pool.
* We met 1 man named "Crazy Pete."
* We hit 4 different bars.
* I consumed countless number of drinks.
* I spent a whole lot of cash-money.

In all, it was very fun and I can definitely see its appeal. Next summer, I'll have to spend more time there and actually make it to the beach! Although lying out by the pool was quite nice.

Maritime manicure

Both yesterday and today I noticed passengers on a ferry clipping their fingernails. Am I the only person who thinks this is totes disgusting?

Movie note: Philadelphia

FOUR STARS

Jonathan Demme sure does like shots of actors where they look directly at the camera, huh? If I had a heart, this movie might have made me tear up.

Forced lunch break

My computer has ground down to a startlingly glacial pace. It seriously moves so slowly that I'm frustrated beyond words. The only upshot is that I know the reason for my PC's turtle impression and that it will be temporary.

This is the first company I've worked for that pushes software updates to computers in the middle of the day. Everywhere else I've worked updates computers overnight or immediately upon booting up. At my current company, however, you get into a groove, PowerPointing this or Exceling that, then BAM! It takes 30 seconds for the computer to respond to a mouse-click.

It is beyond irritating and every time it happens, I do the same thing - go get lunch.

Escort service

All day long, I've been hearing whispers of some "escort service" in the office. Finally, I asked a colleague what was going on and why today's topic of conversation is Heidi Fleiss.

It turns out that a lady was terminated today and people spotted her being ushered out by building security this morning. Apparently, this sight used to be more common in these parts, and the security usher was commonly referred to as the "escort service" when someone was terminated.

People are all a-twitter about this lady's departure. I never had the pleasure of working with her, but I guess now I'll never fully understand why people have such broad grins pasted on their faces.

Movie note: Phone Booth

THREE STARS

I guess I have two main problems with this otherwise engaging movie:

1. If this is a story about vigilante justice and redemption, I just didn't buy Colin Farrell's character as that bad. He seemed like an ordinary New York business-type to me.

2. Casting Katie Holmes.

Feline toddler of terror

Jillian and her family came over yesterday morning so we could all brunch together and we introduced her adorable 2-year-old son to the cats.

Per usual, Victor Kiriakis freaked out and hid under an ottoman, then ran upstairs to hide under the bed. Stefano DiMera, meanwhile, took instantly to the newcomers and seemed very intrigued by the little human. He followed the toddler around, chased after the little nerf football he tossed and sniffed him from head to toe.

His interest waned, however, when the nerf football accidentally bonked him on the head and he ran under the table.

Movie note: The Happening

ONE STAR

I don't know what I liked least: the writing, the acting or the overall premise of the movie.

Pizza party

Remember that commercial from the '80s for a board game called "Pizza Party"? Well, the jingle is in my head, thanks to last night's little pizza party at our house.

DJ Mother Nature and Jimmy Jam came over for some very delicious pizza, some refreshing beverages and, of course, dessert!

The original plan included a movie, but we ended up watching Hair Battle Spectacular instead and DJ Mother Nature had to wander home early, all zombied out from too many drinks. It was a pretty fun, mellow evening and I'm especially grateful to have leftovers.

Party! Pizza Party!

And surely it's fat-free

Last night, Puppy and I went out to dinner to celebrate some recent developments in his life (No, he's not pregnant!) and since he'd been out carousing the night before, he wasn't in the mood to enjoy his three-course meal. Thus, I was the winner of his dessert - one of the best pieces of tiramisu I've had!

Maybe it's because I hadn't had tiramisu in a while, but whatever the reason, I am still thinking about the delicious, tasty, creamy yumminess almost 24 hours later.

A brand new life, brand new life, brand new life around the bend

Growing up, I enjoyed Clarissa Explains It All, and to a lesser extent, Blossom. Thus, when I found out there's a new show called Melissa & Joey starring Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence, I watched. Yes, I did.

Mel Jo Ha plays a powerful blonde lady who's challenged with parenting two kids. Former Gimme A Break star Joey plays a down-and-out fella who has a knack for cleaning and taking care of angsty teenagers. The two can't stand each other, yet Joey ends up as Melissa's live-in manny. And there's perhaps an underlying attraction!

Didn't this show already exist as Who's the Boss? I guess it is updated a bit. I'm pretty sure Samantha Micelli would never have called a teacher the C word.

I probably won't need to watch again, but I'm glad to see that Melissa's still cute and likable. However, how in the world does Joey have no hair, yet still sport a widow's peak? A mystery of nature.

"He took me in his arms, and we embraced, and he hugged me, and we put our hands on each other's backs."

So, I haven't read these Twilight books (although I admit to having seen the first two movies, neither of which I liked very much), but this blog post almost makes me want to read them, for hilarity's sake.

Lens originally turned me onto the post, but it recently has found new life on the facebook and through the e-mails with Gleemonex and Roommate J. Traitor tears! I love it. What a dumb Mormon lady author.

Super fresh breath

One morning last week, as I left my building for work, I noticed three big, empty mouthwash bottles lying on the ground. Next to these bottles were four or five empty little disposable cups, clearly used to consume the mouthwash.

My guess is that some of our neighbors (not the most savory types in the world) were hanging out in front of our building, enjoying some cool mint moonshine. I don't believe for a second someone was overly concerned about minty fresh breath.

And the kicker? It was generic mouthwash from Walgreens - not even a name brand! If you're going to indulge in some home-style alcoholism, at least have the decency to go gourmet!

Movie note: Atonement

FOUR STARS

Even despite Keira Knightley's unintelligible mumbling, I enjoyed this movie about a lying little girl.

Beacon Hill thrill

Since the weather is still nice outside (i.e., no need to wear a sleeping bag and snow boots around the city), Puppy and I made the brave decision to leave our little neighborhood and dine in another part of the city! So, on Saturday night, we headed north to Beacon Hill, home of the tourist trap Cheers bar, John Kerry's home and Boston's "old money." It's also Puppy's former neighborhood, so he got to play tour guide with me.

It's a cute area with quaint little shops and nice brick rowhouses, as one would expect. But the biggest surprise to me was the 7-Eleven. Likely the nicest, cleanest, sparkliest 7-Eleven in all the world! We didn't go inside, but it sure did make an impression on this panda.

Standing in the corner with a cold glass of homesick

Friday night was one of DJ Mother Nature's monthly spinning gigs at the local bear bar, so I rallied myself off the couch and made my way downtown. In between turns at the Mac PowerBook (Do any DJs use turntables anymore?), DJ Mother Nature was kind enough visit with me and introduce me to his friends who happened by.

He and his friends were gracious enough, but it was the first night I went out and really felt out of my element, sipping my Corona and watching everyone else have fun. I left San Francisco with a ton of friends and plenty of acquaintances, but in Boston the friends haven't come as easily. Probably because I don't go out nearly as much as I used to and probably because I have very little patience for "get to know you" conversation these days.

Fortunately, I have Puppy and two squirmy cats, but Friday night made me realize how much I miss San Francisco.

Movie note: A Home at the End of the World

THREE STARS

Improbably cute movie about three kind people for whom normal emotions like jealousy, rage and anger do not appear to apply.

Even ones shaped like wrestlers

When I returned from my most recent trip abroad, I found myself in a conversation where Puppy and DJ Mother Nature were discussing the Silly Bandz phenomenon. And I had no idea what they were talking about. I figured this was an East Coast deal, but it turns out I'd missed an entire trend while traveling.

I'm now accustomed to spotting these little, colorful rubber bracelets on hipster-types and homo-types alike, but I still don't understand what the big deal is. I've noticed packages of Silly Bandz for sale at the drug store and other shopping establishments, and I guess the appeal is that they come in different shapes. You can buy a princess-themed package with bracelets shaped like crowns and castles and high heels. Or you can opt for a more traditional package of animals.

On Sunday, one of Shotgun's boys was wearing one and I asked to see what shape it was. When placed on the table, it looked like a ... dog? Small country? Computer server? I had no idea.

It's an interesting fad and I guess I'm too old and/or too "corporate" to appreciate it. I wonder how long it will last.

Where the grass is green and the girls are pretty

Lest you think my life is all babies and the netflix, Saturday night did leave me with a monster hangover on Sunday.

Thanks to the Pride Downpour of 2010, one of the bars re-scheduled its block party celebration to Saturday night. The bar, called Paradise, offers relatively inexpensive drinks, a dancey area and several Brazilians wearing very little clothing.

For the weekend's event, there was a lady DJ spinning in a street and several cops making sure no one got out of control. It was a beautiful night and it was fun to hang out outside with Puppy, DJ Mother Nature and Jimmy Jam, but since they served only beer outside, we mostly drank inside the establishment itself.

Somehow, I managed to get myself home, but I have little memory of doing so. I just can't throw them back like I used to!

Movie note: Big Eden

TWO STARS

I thought it was pretty boring and I certainly didn't believe the "love" story.

Backyard baby barbeque

At six o'clock yesterday evening, I arrived at Flabs's house, bearing two pies - my contribution to a backyard barbeque in honor of Shotgun's visit to Boston. Shotgun and her family have been driving around the East Coast, so Jillian and I jumped at the chance to have dinner with some old friends.

Everyone started to eat just as I arrived - the chicken had been grilled, the corn cooked and the pasta salad dished out. Why, one might wonder, were we beginning our meal at such an early hour? Well, because there were five children there, the oldest of whom was four years old!

It was pretty chaotic, trying to watch all the kids, encourage them to eat and prevent them from playing with the gas grill. They screamed for more corn and chicken, ran away from the bees and splashed water all over the place.

I'm still getting used to the idea that all my friends have kids and realizing you simply cannot plan for a calm meal when the munchkins are running about. You also cannot plan for clean clothes, as evidenced by Jillian's chalk-covered black dress!

Also, please stop making that horrible gutteral throat-clearing sound every few minutes

Last night, Puppy and i went on a little dinner-date at a neighborhood restaurant that received positive reviews in a recent issue of a national magazine to which I subscribe. We sat at a little booth and ordered from our Italian-type waiter with the salt-and-pepper hair.

Shortly after, a couple sat next to us - an older gentleman of Caucasian persuasion and his slightly younger Asian ladyfriend/wife. The tables were pretty close together, so it was impossible to ignore their conversation, unless you're self-absorbed like I am.

When our waiter arrived to greet the couple, the male half said that our waiter resembled, "What's his name? Uh ... Versace!"

"Oh, Versace," our waiter responded as politely as possible, "that's a new one! I usually get George Michael or..." At this point Puppy was saying that the waiter didn't resemble Versace and I was likely rolling my eyes.

When it came time to order, the couple apparently had a very difficult time figuring out what they wanted, which is fine, but Puppy let me know that they kept changing their orders and insisting that the waiter had heard incorrectly. All I know is that they took a long time during the ordering phase of the evening and they kept pronouncing "gnocchi" like "nokey," which I found incredibly irritating.

It was otherwise a fine meal (save for the part where Puppy threw it all up upon exiting the restaurant), but living in Boston sure has exposed me to a new type of neighbor.

We hardly knew ya

A few years ago, my friends and I met up at a bar before heading over to a boisterous Academy Awards party. It was early afternoon and we were enjoying our first cocktails when a fellow stumbled into the bar and slurred loudly that he needed a drink. Apparently, he'd been kicked out of a nearby restaurant because he had taken all the condiments and started finger-painting on the table.

He was pretty annoying in his advanced inebriation, but he provided us with some entertainment, so we took photos with him and went on our merry way. From time to time, we'd see him out and we would yell his name, but he had no memory of meeting us. It became a running joke to yell his name in a crowded room and watch him whirl around with a confused expression when he didn't see anyone he recognized.

Tragically, Roommate J informed me the other night that he was found dead in his apartment Monday, apparently stabbed to death. The police have pasted flyers with his photo all over San Francisco and are investigating this possible homicide. And even though I didn't know him, it makes me all creeped out to be in such close proximity to a murder.

Original programming

Last night, I watched the season premiere of Dark Blue, a show on TNT that apparently has been around for one season already. I didn't watch it because I was at all interested, but I learned that TurboBoob's husband, Jock-capella, would be on the show, portraying some sort of Serbian gangster.

It was fun watching Jock-capella acting like a badass on the show, but I really didn't understand what was happening or why the show was interesting to people. I also saw a bunch of commercials for other TNT shows that all essentially have the same premise: Some sort of damaged detective is working hard to make the world a better place while dealing with inner demons and co-workers who don't appreciate his/her quirkiness.

Seriously, it was like every single show advertised was for the same thing. And each show seemed to feature a marquis name supported by a bunch of other actors. Trade Kyra Sedgwick for Jason Lee for Dylan McDermott - and you basically get the same show, over and over again.

Maine attraction

After we left Reebs's house on Sunday, we headed South into the little town of Freeport, known for its abundance of upscale outlet stores. For such a small town, there's a lot of good shopping! And instead of the large outlet malls I'm used to, Freeport boasted a cute downtown area with clapboard homes that housed outlets for Banana Republic, J. Crew, North Face, Coach and many other brands.

Fortunately, we arrived early enough in the day to beat the Sunday crowds, which were starting to swarm the parking lot as we readied to leave. We only hit a few stores, dropped a bit of cash, then headed down to Portland for lunch.

Portland, apparently the largest city in Maine, seemed pretty touristy and built around the waterfront area. We had lunch in a pub and walked along the main street, picking up candies and toys for our animals as we moseyed back to the car. I'm sure the lighthouse tour is pretty, but I doubt I need to spend much more time there.

Movie note: Serial Mom

FOUR STARS

Kathleen Turner is a wonder. I kept thinking that the word "Daybreak" in the song she kept listening to was "date rape."