Google and me? We are a good team. Google collects all these great things for me when come to the internet all in one neat place for me to have (you know, google gives and I take). Thats right, Im talking about my iGoogle page. One of the beat features iGoogle has is the free iTune songs. Its a hit and miss, but hey its free right? Well heres a fun pop song (and well all know Im a sucker for a good pop song) you can download for free. Its a song by the band “The Script”. Apparently they are an Irish band made up for three twenty somethings who are big in Europe right now. I like most things Europe a lot of times and this is one of those times. Enjoy.

(my friend Laura sent me these lovely guys. I now will promptly print this out and frame it for my office.

The middle school has a couple of new folks coming on staff. I met one of them last week, and he saw this photo on my desktop at work. He asked if it was me and my husband. I giggled a little and said no, it that its Jim and Pam from the TV show, The Office. I take the compliment that he thought I looked like Pam though. Jason commented later when I told him the story that I wish I was married to Jim. But then where would that leave Pam? I love Pam too much to do that to her (and Jason). I keep my office at work decked out in Office fashion, just waiting for my beloved show to return. I found this great Office video on YouTube for you Office fans out there who miss it just as much as I do. Enjoy.

I dont listen to NPR nearly as often as I once did. My commute to pretty much everywhere these days is not as long as when I first moved to North Carolina. Only reason I miss the driving is spending more time with NPR. The day I love NPR the most is on Sundays. I have Car Talk in the mornings, then Wait Wait Don Tell Me, then A Prairie Home Companion in the afternoon. This evening I discovered a delightful program that played Irish music. Kinda wishing I didnt sell my Titanic soundtrack. Never thought I would say that!

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.

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.

I know all that stuff about materialism, about things not making you happy and all that, I really believe it’s true. But when you need a tool (and that’s all this is) for your job (and that’s partly what this is), it might as well be a finely tuned, fine-looking machine (and that’s exactly what this is).

One of the best things about Mac stuff is the way they package it. When you open the box you’re greeted not with styrofoam peanuts and their unearthly squeaking but with a sleek silver-grey box greeting you with a welcome message from Apple, written in the most pleasing font. You slide the machine out of its cradle and it feels like you’re an archaeologist pulling treasure from Tut’s sarcophagus. Knowing that the thrill will wear off in a matter of minutes only makes me enjoy more it while it lasts. -Andrew Peterson

So, I ordered a Mac Book Pro the other night. Marla is starting to give me a few problems and Jason has been trying to talk me into getting a Mac for ages. My whole family switch to Mac years ago, never mind that I was borne and practically raised (I used how to use a computer in school, which was on an apple) on a PC. Seriously, for a while all that I knew to be true was completely shattered. I love Marla. Its hard to even type the news to her that she will be getting a new brother. But just maybe I will feel like Andrew Peterson and Marla will retire and think about the happy life she has lead.

I will never look at this song the same way again.

Dear Dunder Mufflin friends,

Im so excited for your return tonight! I’ve spent (wasted) many hours on YouTube filling the little whole in my heart that is for the Office since you have deprived me for a month.You do not know how long of a month it has been without you! Though I did find this gem , which with a weekly visit to Dunder Mifflin I might not have found. I am ready to do my Office dance when the theme song starts playing. I want some Dwight and Angela moments! Will this be the week that Ryan cracks and breaks up with Kelly? Classic but not too much Michael? A Toby and Pam moment? Thats a bit much for one episode and I know that. And really, I don’t know how I can really prepare myself for the Jim and Roy show down. Pushing Karen out of the way? Now, that’s very gentleman like of Jim to do such a thing, but since you know, I love Jim with all of my Office heart, I think she would of been a great shield (ohhh Im so cold). You know, I even miss Andy a little, to that I say congratulation universe, you win. Will this week be the return of Andy? What will the Fancy New Besley do with two men fighting over her? Only a few more (but so long) hours till I will be in Scranton again. Please dont stay away for so long again – I dont even want to think about summer.

Excitied as Kelly is everyday,
alisa

I’m house sitting this week for a cowoker of sorts (she works for Starbucks but not at my store) this week. When trying to connect to the internet I couldn’t because the connection had a lock on it. So when I called with a pet question I asked what the password is for the internet. I was told that they don’t have wireless but I was welcome to use their computer which is hooked up as long as I push Netscape. I get off the phone, boot the computer up (ahhh desktops, its been a while to use one of those) and then I click on Netscape and then I hear the noise. The noise I haven’t heard in many moons… the dial up noises. You all know what I’m talking about and I couldn’t not believe that anyone still has dial up! It didn’t connect (of course) and I gave up and came to Panera down the road. But even still, I have to grab little internet time between work or Panera closing (like tonight). I didn’t really realize how much of my daily routine was dependent on the internet. I commutate with so many people through email or messages and got information like the weather and movies and anything else! Its amazing the life I didn’t really knew I lead. So if you wonder where I’ve been, its in a house with dial up. Internet life will return to me this weekend.

Enjoy.

Today I read both the New York Times and News & Records. Mind you, the NYT was from yesterday (a perk working at Starbucks, old newspapers at the end of the day are officially trash) but still read it. Enjoyed an article on photography and this guy making a lot on photos he leaves the shutter open for a long time. But I actually enjoyed News & Records more, and here is why. I normally skim the business section, if that because normally there is nothing in there that interest me. But today there were a couple of great articles that I enjoyed quite a bit about repairing iPod companies and Disney cut backs. I don’t know if this reflex poorly or not on me. What I do know is that I’m sticking to my goal of trying to read the newspaper more. Gold star for me.

If you havnt been by my flickr page lately there are lots of new photos. Enjoy.

(there are more on my flickr)

Those are images of my daily drive around town (especially on my drive to work). As much as I love my town in the spring time with the mustard flowers and poppies popping up everywhere, I keep thinking back to the cherry blossoms in North Carolina. And the amazing colors the leaves turn and dance in the wind during the fall. Of course in exchange I will have the heat and the cold instead of my constant 70 degrees. But in the mist of piles and boxes, I feel like it all will be worth it.

There has been a bit more changes going on in my family, hopefully that will be for the better. My dad has accepted a new job with a whole sale nursery, which is more the speed he is used too. His retail job was just wearing on him and effecting our family extremely. Mom is still going to work for the time being, but I want to see how long it lasts. My brother is moving out with a couple friends of his June 1st. That means 12 whole days without him then I’m off and my parents will really be empty nested. At work, I’m going through the “Coffee Masters” program, learning even more about coffee. When I finish the program I get to wear a black apron is really the reason I’m doing it, tee hee.

So, I’m doing a little better these days, even if Id rather redo this year over again. That’s probably my main lack of posting, things seem to get a little better but then something will get me down again. I am thankful for the constant relationships in my life I can find comfort and support in. I only with I had more desire to see this hard time as a time to grow closer to Jesus. Where as I fear what He might want to teach me instead. But even still, I have people who point my straight back to Him with a gentle nudge. And then I have the others who are just simply there to listen to my tears and just let me be.

I just found one of the coolest stores on the internet. Its called Koo de Kir . Here are just a few of the items I want from it:

Have I made you a fan too? (Im seriously considering the tea pot and cups. Goes too well with my red kitchen don’t ya think?)

Carla and I have a moving blog. Add to your feeds or bookmarks and comment often.

Venti Adventures

Sooo I have written a little stuff for the blog here andthere but have never gotten done enough to post it. Maybe that will be tommorow. But for now, I have lots and lots of new photos on flickr. In order, like I always do with my photos:

OC and Huntington Harbor just some odd shots from my drive up to Orange County for a wedding two weekends ago.

The Artsy Fartsy photos got updated quite a bit lately.

My friend Laura and I hung out on Beach Blvd for the day and took lots of silly photos.

Hayley and I took some of our 8th grade girls shopping one afternoon last week (this was mostly to use up film from the weekend, but got some fun shots!)

During a day Jason had to work, I took some long over due photos of Downtown Greensboro . These only make me want to go back down there and take more.

So these could be part of the downtown Greensboro set, but I think they deserve their own. There were some amazing cherry blossoms down there that were so easy to take photos of.

I have one more roll to develop too, so look for those and actually blogging soon. Oh also, yes I did go to NC and yes Im back in CA now.

A new Gilmore Girls and a new seasons of the Amazing Race. What a great Tuesday night. Good episode of Gilmore Girls (there is exciting news but I don’t want to spoil in case yall haven’t seen it. Lets just say, I squealed.) and a great start to the Amazing Race. This seems like its gonna be a good season. So, if you need me past 8pm on Tuesday nights… try and catch me during commercial brakes.

I’ve been getting into Podcasting lately, another reason why I’m falling more and more for iTunes. Jason found me a few months back a Gilmore Girls podcast , which I love. And one of the host of that show has an Indy music podcast he does called Tanfastic Podcast. I’ve been catching up on those and he has some great music to share. My most favorite thus far, whos 4 song ep I just downloaded from iTunes is Jupiter and Teardrop . I encourage you all to unclick all those familiar songs in your iTunes, download new, Indy songs onto your iPod and enjoy some amazing music we miss far too often cause we stick to what we know. Trust me, I only have 5 Sandra songs on my iPod right now to just help me branch out. Too much good music is out there to not take a little time away from old music friends and support Indy artist.