Doppelgangers That Drive Me Batty!

I just happened to flip by the SOAP Network one night and saw that "Days of Our Lives" was on. Recognizing some of the same old characters, I decided to watch. The character of Austin came into the episode and I thought to myself, "Self -- That's guy from "Will & Grace." Wow-- his career's really gone down the tubes." I couldn't help thinking that he'd gone from hit sitcom to the last of the dying soap operas. So, I Googled Austin Days of Our Lives. Um, what? It's NOT Eric McCormack from "Will & Grace?" No, apparently it's Patrick Muldoon, his doppelganger.

Muldoon is bottom right:

The next pair may not be considered "legit" doppelgangers. Again, flipping through the channels when home sick one day and come across the TV show, "The Talk." (Rip off of "The View.") The hosts come in and I think, "Hmmm...Dr. Saroyan from "Bones" is hosting this show, too? Wow, she's busy." Except, that wasn't Dr. Saroyan. Aisha Taylor is one of the hosts of "The Talk" and Tamara Taylor is on "Bones." Yes, they have the same last name and yes, come to find out they're sisters. You learn something new every day.

What doppelgangers get you?

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful for my friends and the beautiful lavender roses they gave me for my birthday. In my mind, there's not a more beautiful flower than a lavender rose.

I'm thankful for my wonderful husband. He gave me this beautiful card and yummy box of chocolates for Valentine's Day -- our 15th together.

Sometimes after a craptastic day, it's good to remember the things in life I'm thankful for. They make the craptastic-ness go away a lot faster.

News Flash RE: Countdown to 40

So, I've been doing these posts where I'm basically reliving five years of my life at a time through photos. I've covered the first fifteen years of my life, so far.

You know what I figured out? I'll tell you what I figured out.

I think making a big deal about a countdown to something that seemed 'final' or the 'end of the road' was freaking me out. Yes, that's right. I had to be talked down a few times and reminded that turning 40 is not the 'finish line' for this countdown. The 30's were the best decade of my life so far and I was beginning to worry that the 40's wouldn't be just as great or even better.

So, I've tabled the countdown. Or, rather, I've renamed it. I'll pick it up again and rename the series of posts, "Celebrating 40 and Beyond By Looking Back."

No pressure for me to have relived all 40 years in photos/blog posts by February 3rd (because it sure as heck isn't happening.). I can do it at my leisure. I have plenty of time, because I'll be 40 for a whole year...and more if that's what I tell my mind and body!

That ends this news flash. Carry on with your regularly scheduled blog reading.

BQOTD: If the President of the U.S. Invited You to the White House...

...would you go or not go if you...

a) weren't a member of that President's political party?
b) strongly disagreed with the President's stance on various political issues?
c) felt that US government in general was a mess?

You may know where this is coming from, or you may not.

Background -- The U.S. President invites the teams that win the Stanley Cup (hockey), the World Series (baseball), the NBA World Championship (basketball), and the Superbowl (football) to the White House for a visit/celebration/ceremony in their honor. They make some jokes as if the players and the President know each other personally and then the President is usually presented with a personalized jersey from that team.

The Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins were recently at the White House to be honored by President Obama.

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Notably absent from this visit was goaltender and playoff MVP Tim Thomas. According to Yahoo! Sports, Thomas chose to not attend, "...due to his political and ideological differences with the Obama administration."

Of interesting note, he's not the first professional athlete to boycott/not attend a White House celebration. A Chicago Bears player from the '80's skipped his team's White House bash.

Car Research Makes My Head Spin

Time for a new car. Really time for a new car. Mine's 15 1/2 years old. Yes, that's right. And yes, I've had it that entire time. It's a 1997 Honda Civic and looks just like this (although mine has a bit of rust and some more dents...)

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Fifteen plus years ago it was incredibly stressful to choose a car and thought of making such a huge purchase gave me the hives. Well, you'll be happy to know that not much has changed! Feeling pretty nervous about the whole thing. BUT, I cannot avoid it forever.

Based on "paper," i.e., Consumer Reports, I've narrowed it down to six models I'm interested in test driving. Do you have any experience with any of these? If so, I'd love to hear about it -- the good and the bad.

Here are the six models (in no particular order, well OK...who are we kidding, thanks to the librarian in me, they're in alphabetical order):

1. Honda CR-V: I really like the 2011 model in terms of aesthetics and they've gone and redesigned the 2012 model, which from pictures I don't like as much, but I'll reserve judgment until I see in person.

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2. Hyundai Tucson: Loving the Chai Bronze color.

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3. Kia Sportage

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4. Nissan Rogue

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5. Subaru Forester: Worried about it looking too much like a station wagon?

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6. Toyota RAV4

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Fave "New to Me" Things

Looking for a healthier alternative to Cool Ranch Doritos? Look no further. I bought a bag of Late July Dude Ranch Multigrain Snacks. They are delish. I can't wait to try the other flavors...

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Next? Chobani's Blood Orange Greek Yogurt. I'm usually on a berry yogurt-type girl, but I took a chance and ended up loving it.

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Lastly, from Annie's Homegrown, Organic Chocolate Chipper Granola Bars. So so good. Great for a snack on the run or a quicky breakfast.



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Countdown to 40: Years 11-15

Ah yes, the tweens and teens mixed in with some life altering events.

1982: My first experience with the death of a close family member. My maternal grandmother passed away from breast cancer that year. She avoided going to doctors and by the time she did, it was too late. I remember being so upset and I can still picture to this day sitting on my dad's lap crying and asking why did this have to happen? She and I shared a special bond -- Scrabble. Whenever I'd sleep over her and my Papa's house we'd play Scrabble (she had the "deluxe" turntable edition). While she was sick, she kept promising me that when she got better, we'd play Scrabble again. I wish we'd been able to. I feel like I was robbed of really getting to know her. Here are a few of the only photos I have of she and I.

Shortly after I was born (I'd say Easter of 1972). My maternal grandmother is on the right and my paternal grandmother is on the left:

Here we are again (yes, I'm the chunky monkey).

5th grade school picture (the shadow photo was "all the rage." I remember the photographer saying "give me a serious look for the silhouette." Eh...that was the best I could do) (Oh, and we've graduated from patterned turtlenecks to patterned button down shirts.):

1983:
We moved. I had lived in the same small town all of my life up until this point. I remember holding onto my bedpost and saying I wasn't going. (FYI: It didn't work.) I was so so sad to leave the only friends (and most of my extended family) that I'd ever known. It was an EXTREMELY rough year. Not only did I move to a new town, but it was the first (and only) year that I attended public school, I went from living in a house with a yard to a second floor apartment, and went from living a car's ride from everything to being able to walk to shops.

map courtesy of Google Maps

6th grade class picture(s). Yes, plural. Guess what happened in the first take? Closed eyes. Ugh. So, we had the class picture as a composite and there I am smack in the middle with my eyes closed. Nightmare. Way to make new friends. So, for my own sake, I taped my re-take over it and no one was the wiser. (I think I must've scratched my mouth out or something...and apparently got a new hairdo or a curling iron...)

1984:
On the road again. This time it was across the state -- from small city to gigantic city. Another scary move, but definitely shaped the rest of my life. I loved life in the big city. I loved being able to take public transportation into Harvard Square in Cambridge or to my junior high.

7th grade class picture (let the perming begin):

Friend Jen's b-day party. Yeah, I have the EXACT same hairdo and the EXACT same sweater on. ::sigh:: If you look REALLY closely, you'll see that I have multiple colors of nail polish on...that was oh so chic back then.

1985:
WARNING: Hair disaster. I should've stayed with the perm and NOT let my hair grow out. ::sigh::

8th grade class picture: Oh no! I don't have a copy of my 8th grade picture. I know you're all disappointed...I sure am... NOT.

Almost as good is my 8th grade yearbook picture (I was quite the philosopher, eh?)

Yes, everyone had a Cabbage Patch Kid, but was yours one-toothed and bilingual? That's right, folks. Mine came from Canada and had a tooth and a French/English birth certificate. Kasmira Alfonsine.

Yes, everyone went to concerts, but did you go to see Jack Wagner? Frisco of General Hospital. Heartthrob. Crappy musician, but who noticed these things back then? (Oh, and $13.50 was a lot for an 8th grader.)

Typical mid-80s girl teen's "stuff": (and yes, those are tapes on the left...had cassingles come out yet? and records on the right)

1986:

HIGH SCHOOL!!!!! Big change again. I went to a Catholic high school with some of my friends, while others went to a different Catholic high school or public high school. More awkwardness. More bad hair.

9th grade school ID. Braces? Check. Collar up? Check. Cowlick/perm? Check. Throw up? Check.

9th grade class picture. Braces? Still a check. Collar up? Still a check. Feathered hair with bangs and different cowlick? Check. Unfortunately, like most things in life, it gets worse before it gets better (wait until you see my sophomore school ID -- cliffhanger!)