Okay so you will have to bare with me. I have been without the Office (and have many of you) all summer. Its been a long, long wait. Finally it returned last night and we all laughed and squealed. Now I must talk about it, and post many silly Office things to get this Office overload somewhat out of my system. Im not going to talk about the season premier just yet. I need another viewing first, as I always do with an hour show before I truly process it.

Jason and I threw an Office party, packing his house to almost the brim. I think it went over well, how could you not like a party with a stapler in Jello? Photos will follow soon. One thing I loved about the party was when something was funny, everyone laughed and that just a neat experience to share with friends. (Even it was hard to hear what the next line was after that. Thats what watching it again is for.) I did make a little mix CD because well, I wanted one. It was fun making it and it makes me giggle every time I listen to it.

The Office Mix CD:

1)”Dunder Mifflin, this is Pam”

2) THe Office Theme Song by Scrantones

3) Pam Season 1: “Diversity Day” “I like it with the cards go pftttt.”

4) Jim Season 1: “Diversity Day”Jim Season 1: “Diversity Day” “Not a bad day”

5) Jim Season 1: “The Alliance “Jim Season 1: “The Alliance ” “Absolutely I do.”

6) Michael changes lyrics to Mambo #5: Season 2 “The Dundies”

7) Mambo #5 by Lou Bega: Season 2 “The Dundies” (Michael sings it at the Dundie awards, with different lyrics.)

Pam Season 2: “The Dundies” “Second Drink”

9) Michael changes lyrics to Tiny Dancer: Season 2 “The Dundies”

10)Tiny Dancer by Elton John: Season 2 “The Dundies” (Michael sings it at the Dundie awards, with different lyrics.)

11) Pam Season 2: “The Dundies” “I have so many people to thank for this award.”

12) Pam Season 2: “The Dunies” “I feel God in this Chilis tonight”

13) Pam Season 2: ‘The Fire” “Ryan thinks to himself…”

14) Everybody Hurts by REM: Season 2 “The Fire” (Dwight listens to this song in his car when he feels Michael likes Ryan more.)

15) Dwight and Micahel singing Season 2: “The Fire”

16) We Didn’t Start The Fire by Billy Joel: Season 2 “The Fire” (Dwight and Michael sing this song about Ryan.)

17) Ryan Season 2: “The Fire” “I cant believe I started the fire.”

18) Jim Season 2: “The Client” “My famous…”

19) Sing by Travis: Season 2 “The Client” (Jim and Pam listen to it on Jim’s iPod)

20) Michael and Jim karaoke Season 2 “Email Surveillance”

21) Island in the Stream by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton: Seaon 2

“Email Surveillance” (Jim and Michael sing this at Jim’s party.)

22) Dwight singing “Drunken Sailor” Season 2: “Booze Cruise”

23) Jim Season 2: “Booze Cruise” “I would save the receptionist”

24) Dwight Season 2: “Take Your Daughter to Work Day” “Hello tiny one.”

25) Dwight playing on his record ‘Green sleeves’ Season 2: “Take Your Daughter to Work Day”

26) Michael and Dwight singing “Teach Your Children Well” Season 2: “Tale Your Daughter to Work Day”

27) Michael Season 2: “Michael’s Birthday” “Kevin, respect the birthday.”

28) My Humps by Black Eye Peas: Season 2 “The Convention” (Michael’s ringtone)

29) Pam Season 2: “Michael’s Birthday” “Price check…”

30) Michael Season 2: “Casino Night” “I hate so much about…”

31) Michael, Jim, Phyllis, Pam and Dwight Season 2: “Casino Night” “Afganistanis with aids”

32) Jim and Pam Season 2: “Casino Night” “Im in love with you…”

33) Stars by Lamar (This was played during the promos all summer as we waited to see what would come of Jim and Pam.)

34) Jim (and Andy) singing Love Fool Season 3: “The Initiation”

35)Love Fool by The Cardigans: Season 3 “The Initiation” (Jim sings it to the squeaking of Karen’s chair.)

36) Ryan Season 3: “The Initiation” “Abandon you in a beet field…”

37) Jim Season 3: “The Initiation” “Fancy New Beesly”

38)On the Wings of Love by Jeffery Osborne: Season 3 “Grief Counseling” (Pam sings this song for the birds service while Dwight plays the music on his recorder.)

39) Jim and Andy sing Close to Fine Season 3: “Diwali”

40)Closer to Fine by The Indigo Girls: Season 3 “Diwali” (Andy and Jim sing this song while working late and drinking shots.)

41) Andy Season 3: “Diwali” “Tuna! Are you kidding me?”

42) Prison Mike Season 3: The Convict”

43) Andy hitting on Pam Season 3: “The Convict”

44)Rainbow Connection by Kermit the Frog: Season 3 “The Convit” (Andy sings this to Pam thanks to Jims encouragement)

45) Michael Season 3: “Benihana Christmas” “Christmas is cancelled”

46)Goodbye My Lover by James Blunt: Season 3 “Benihana Christmas” (Michael listens to the first 30 seconds of this over and over after his brake up with Carol)

47)You Ought to Know by Alanis Morissette: Season 3 “Benihana Christmas” (Kevin sings it at Karen and Pams Karaoke Christmas party)

48)Your Body is a Wonderland by John Mayer: Season 3 “Benihana Christmas” (Michael sings it to his new “girlfriend”)

49) Jim Season 3: “Traveling Salesman” “Ah, young Jim”

50) Jim Season 3: “Product Recall” “Lord, beer me strength”

51) Andy singing ‘Driftaway’ Season 3: “Product Recall”

52) Jim and Andy singing Season 3: “Product Recall”

53) Phyllis Season 3: “The Return” “Big personalities…”

54) Ryan Season 3: “The Return” “Ask me again 10 years ago…”

55) Andy and Jim Season 3: “The Return” Andys ringtone

56) Kevin and Scrantoncity Season 3: “Phyllis Wedding” “Fields of Gold”

57) Jim and Dwight Season 3: “Product Recall” Jim as Dwight

58) Jim and Dwight Season 3: “Women’s Appreciation” Demerit

59) Michael Season 3: “Business School” “Unless you had a camera…”

60) End music from Season 1: “The Pilot”

How is everyone doing? Excited? Yeah? Me too. If you havn’t already, go to: Dunder Mifflin Infinity and apply to be apart of your own Dunder Mifflin branch. Im currently watching Ed Homles (Andy) on the Today Show, which was a pleasant surprise. Im going to try and not watch my favorite Jim and Pam video too many times today. That shouldnt stop you though, you dont have many Office things to do before tonight. So Im off to stick a stapler in jell-o. Hope you a great Office day.

Oh, hi. This past weekend I went on my churches first retreat of any kind with six other women (well 7 if we are counting Baby Emma). It was a nice little get away that gave us time to get to know each other and talk about all sorts of things. There was food, homemade and BBQ. Had delicious pumpkin ice cream and a bite of pumpkin fudge (never mind it was 86 degrees out, I was getting into the fall spirit!).

Last week I spend good part of the day with my pastor’s family. They are in the process of trying to adopt a child from China. This weekend when talking about it, we referred to her as “China Baby” which sounds so un-PC. I took pictures of their family for their application process, along with their home. Since their kids are home school I took their “school” photos. I dont know if I took what they were thinking or not. Guess we’ll find out when I deliver their photos this week. You’d probably know about the photos Im speaking of if you followed my flickr stream. Im not here to guilt you into checking it or anything. I just tend to update that more than my blog these days.

Lastly, and probably most importantly, some news. This is a full week for me, working an actual 40 hour work week along with having plans with friends and the return of The Office on Thursday. Ive been watching this place being built for weeks, maybe a month now. A Chipolte on my side of town! There was on where Jason used to live, but now that he lives over on the good side of town (my side) I barely go over there. So I have missed Chipolte, so think my excitement when I saw them building one! There were men in with Chipolte shirts on at work and I asked where my burrito was. They said that they were fresh out but on Thursday it would be a day of free food all day Thursday. FREE CHIPOLTE?! On my day off and the day The Office returns? Thursday can not come sooner, burritos for breakfast lunch and dinner!

My friend Melissa has a cute little dog named, Saddy.I probably took the least amount of photos ever on a photo shot with her. Not for any reason really, but I just found the lower numbers interesting. Saddy tough me a lot about photography. It was good practice for kids/baby photos since she would not sit still very long. Or look at the camera for that matter, which is usually the opposite problem when I shot people. They think to look at the camera more than I want them too. Im a big fan of candid moments and trying to capture them. Id thought I share Saddy’s photos, even if I do feel a little silly having 20 plus photos of a cute dog.

A breakfast project thats quite inspiring. Ive been wanting something to help me practice portraits more. I think pairing it will still life is a wonderful idea.

1) This evening, I came home to a crumb of a brownie and a note that read “Dear Alisa, Hope you enjoy your brownie. Love, Susan and Sally”
2) My pastor is a Roll Tide fan.
3) A stranger commented on how he liked my Dunder Mifflin t-shirt.
4) Emma fell asleep in my arms at church (nevermind she then pooped while sitting in my lap. Though come to think of it, my row couldn’t keep from laughing – during prayer – as Emma did her event).
5) When Jason kisses me on the forehead, as if to say everything will be fine.
6) Waking up to cool fall weather.
7) Taking photos.
8 ) Having the best Greek food Ive ever tasted.
9) Planning a weekend in the mountains with some women at church.
10) This photo . (Makes me almost cry but happy tears.)

Currently Im dinning on Andrea’s world famous Strawberry Salsa. What you havnt heard of it? You must live in some dark corner of the world then becasue this stuff is amazing. Amazing! Every time we girls have a get together I beg Andrea to please make her salsa. I went to the store to get some last minute ingredients for my cheese and broccoli soup and saw strawberries buy one get one free. How could I pass that up really? I even added my own twist to it, some avocado. Yes! I found a good tasting avocado on this side of the country. And at all places, Wal-Mart. They were on sale there and looked very decent so I splurged with hope and was very much rewarded.

Oh and by the way, I got a Mac. I cant believe I havnt written about him yet. Hes shinny and new, maybe Ive been too busy playing with iCalendar to share the news. Im the last in my family to get a Mac, they’ve all had one for years now. Im still unsure about the new Mac, becasue it is so different from PC. Plus, I dont want to make Marla feel left out. (No, Im not writing blog entry on her at all. I dont know whatever you are talking about.) Hopefully I will get the hang of being a Mac user soon so I can use it to better my photography side. Which was the main reason I purchased a Mac after all these years of being a die-heart PC user. Now all I need is a name for him.

… “La la la la. I can not hear you.”

I can not hear you telling me we are going to be open on Christmas. No Im sorry, Christmas Day is the one, and only day of the year we are closed yet you seem to think Im hearing this “We are going to be open on Christmas Day” bit. Not buying it becasue well I just cant hear it. So if I dont show up that morning, its becasue well I didnt hear it. Christmas is not canceled!

I really do enjoy smelling good. This past winter, from advice from a friend I stopped wearing any kind of lotion with a scent to it. My skin had become so itchy that I was going a little crazy. This still baffles me since I grew up in Southern California which is basically a desert. Dry is what I know. To help fight my battle with dry itchy skin, I went on a lotion hunt all the while finding out that lotions with scents in it could set off the skin to itch. I banded all my scented lotions to the back of my bathroom shelf until now. I was getting out of my first-aid tubberwear and found the forbidden lotions. I thought that since its summer and I haven’t felt real dry, (which by the way makes no scene to me since in California only time I was dry was in the summer) Id see if my skin was up to smelling good. I’ve never been a girl who had a scent so it feels a little weird when I do. But the past two days of smelling good has been so lovely. I will smell this pretty green fresh smell and think “What is that wonderful smell?” only to realize that it is me! Better use all the lotion I can while summer still sticks around.

Anyone else in the mood for some fruit? I sure am. That has turn into my dessert of choice. When I grabbed some dinner last week, I got a couple of plums for dessert. Last night I had some strawberry shortcake and it was fine, but afterwards I wished I had a bowl full of strawberries instead. I don’t know what this change in my taste buds are, but Im glad for it being that fruit is much better for me. Only problem with this craving is currently have is that its hard to instantly give into it. And its good for me! Why is it hard? Becasue when I go to the super market later, Im gonna pick out some yummy looking fruit. I will bring it home and wash it and put in a paper towel to eat and take a good bite to only find out its not ripe yet! I spend a lot of time gently testing fruit to find an already ripe one, but I rarely can find one. I have to wait a day or two before getting the sweet nectar that I long for. Maybe I should just get some juice to hold me over.

Today the Office Season 3 came out on DVD. I follow a couple of office blogs that did the hard work for me: where do purchase. When Season 2 came out, there was a box deal that came with some awesome Dunder Mufflin paper goods (and season one which I gave as a Christmas present). This year, Best Buy wasn’t the only one offering Office goodies with the purchase of Season 3. Target has “Nifty Gifty” cover with some other extra features. Amazon.com sends a t-shirt when you buy the DVD. I’m not a huge Michael Scott fan, and nifty gifty is when Karen came to town, so that wasn’t my first choice. Amazon.com and I are on the rocks right now, being the last two purchases I have made them from take a really long time to ship. Plus the t-shirt you get with Season 3 I have already purchased at Kohl’s. It is blue and reads: Dunder Mufflin Paper Company. I thought about wearing it today, in celebration of the new season but chickened out becasue I didn’t want to be “that girl” at Best Buy at open with the fan t-shirt on. Oh I didn’t mention I got there at open? Okay so I lie, I got there quarter till open. I pulled out my Gilmore Girls book I’m currently reading (its all around TV day for me isn’t it?) as I wait for the time to pass. The reason I got Season 3 at Best Buy is becasue it comes with a mini bobblehead Dwight (even though I will be asking for regular size bobblehead Dwight for Christmas) and the cherry on top for me, a dundie award. That is one of my favorite episodes, so for me to have my very own dundie, I’m just one happy girl. And an Office dork becasue I took photos of the set today. I’m sure some of you will enjoy them (and not mock me).

Oh, and I dont know why two blog posts today. Maybe to make up for lack of posting lately. And its my day off so there’s a little more time on my hands. And I’m waiting to watch all the extra features when Jason gets off work, so I don’t have that to distract me.

Let’s talk about this amazing cup of coffee I had with brunch on Sunday. Yeah its Tuesday and I’m still thinking about it. I don’t know where the connection with coffee started with me. I know it went into full force when I started working for the ‘Bucks three years ago. The theme to my creative side is coffee-stained but that doesn’t mean I love coffee. I’m not a girl who has to have coffee every morning to function (though it is nice). I’ve never gotten hooked on it so much that when I don’t have it, I get a headache. When I go out for breakfast or brunch, I usually always get coffee. Lattes and such are saved for when I got to actual coffeehouses. I like to see who has the best plain coffee in town. I think that my search may be over. M’Coul’s is an Irish Pub in downtown that I love going to. Jason and I both love going there actually, its just a little bit out of our price range to go there all time. When we heard that they started to serve brunch over the summer we really wanted to go try it out. Between us having commitments at church in the morning or the Sundays we did have off we out of town or I was working. Finally this past weekend I took Sunday off to help Jason unpack and we reward our selves to brunch. The food was really good, as usual at M’Couls but my favorite part was the Irish coffee. As I was telling Jason, Starbucks does a very good job at roasting coffee and I understand how adding flavor to the coffee would take away from the pure roasting accept we have, but man flavor coffee is so good. I had two cup full and wanted to get some to go. I sit here now writing on my front porch wishing I had asked for one to go. Half of me is tempted to go down there and ask for a cup of that yummy coffee to go. See how Im going on and on over this coffee? I never do that! Not even when I get paid to do so! Now here I sit writing to the internet telling of the wonders of this coffee. Maybe I am turning into the coffee girl everyone thinks I already am.

Happy Labor Day Weekend! I’m working today, but time and half makes it not so bad (and I don’t have to close!). This past weekend I got a new lens. His name is Q and he is a wide angle lens and takes some pretty photos. Cant wait to try it out on some portraits. Whos first?

Its been a full weekend of events between some closing shifts. Jason has been moving and Ive been trying as I can (big heavy boxes and furniture Im not so good with). Unpacking is the main task now, which is slowly coming along, the new lens has sorta been distracting. We did catch up on Feasting on Asphalt too. I love Alton Brown and do enjoy Good Eats, but Feasting on Asphalt is the best. It may have something to do with the cameras and amazing photos they take. I love it for the characters that make you just want to get on a bike and join their crazy adventure becasue they feel like friends. I added the first season (its currently on the second season) to my Christmas Wish list. There is going to be a marathon of this season before the last show soon, so you should catch that. Also, hes going be in the state on the 29th. You know Im going to do everything within my power to go to that.
My love for Alton just sorta took over there for a moment. What else happened this weekend is that friends of mine had twin girls who Ive been waiting and praying for since, well the beginning of it all. So excited that they are here for Jeff and Adriene, I cant wait to met them. Also an old coworker of mine got engaged the same day the girls where born, so it was just pretty exciting Sunday.
The weather was lovely this weekend, I even pulled on my favorite cotton 3/4s tee. September is officially here, time to get chilly! I will even start walking again with the weather cooler, which Im looking forward to. Bring on fall, so all the other great things can follow; pumpkin spice lattes (Starbucks already has these but its too warm still for me to consume one), falling leaves, doc martins, and soups.