Dear Blog...

From: Eric Smith
Sent: Friday, June 05, 2009 1:02 PM
To: Collins Lindsay; Nick Collins
Subject: Re: Bored...

Chazz Michael Michaels - I was on the fence with this one. I didn't like the movie, so that was a major strike against CMM. I could have replaced Phil Weston with this one and put this CMM at #9. After further review, I do hear by remove Phil Weston from the list and put CMM in the #7 spot. There were some great lines in that movie and the scene with Jenna Fisher on the bed was pretty funny. I think the supporting cast really helped him get on the list.

Steve Butabi - It wasn't a great roll, and the movie was OK at best, but I had to put it on the list because it was his staring roll. It's now a LOCK at the #10 spot for that reason. Any future additions to the list will not bump this roll from the list.

Buddy - After review, jumped ahead of Federal Wildlife Marshal Willenholly

Harold Crick - could have been a little higher on the list, but comedic value to the movie was my top factor on the list (see Ricky Bobby). In additions, I must admit that I never say the movie all the way through.

Ricky Bobby - Say what you want about the movie, some of the funniest lines to ever come out of Will Ferrell's mouth were in that movie(as with John C Riley). Furthermore, the guy has two first name!!

Thoughts before I finalize the list.

1) I have not seen Zoolander in a while. I need to watch again to make sure Mugato isn't to low on the list.

2) Is Will Ferrell's roll as Mustafa in the first two Austin Powers movies list worthy? The scene when he falls off the cliff still cracks me up. "I think I have broken my leg... I am going to try and stand on it.. CRACK!. Ohhh!!!!"

List Version 1.2

Top Ten Will Ferrell Movie Rolls

10) Steve Butabi – A Night at the Roxbury

9) Mugato – Zoolander

8) Federal Wildlife Marshal Willenholly – Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back

7) Chazz Michael Michaels – Blades of Glory

6) Buddy – Elf

5) Harold Crick – Stranger Than Fiction

4) Brennan Huff – Step Brothers

3) Ricky Bobby – Talladega Nights

2) Frank "The Tank" Ricard – Old School

1) Ron Burgundy – Anchorman

Best Cameo Appearance

Chazz Reinhold – Wedding Crashers

(Honorable Mention)

Big Earl – Starsky & Hutch

From: Collins Lindsay
To: Eric Smith; Nick Collins
Sent: Friday, June 5, 2009 12:18:04 PM
Subject: RE: Bored...

Deep thoughts below…

From: Eric Smith
Sent: Friday, June 05, 2009 12:12 PM
To: Collins Lindsay; Nick Collins
Subject: Bored...

Systems are down at work and I am a little bored right now.

What do you think of this list...

Top Ten Will Ferrell Movie Rolls

10) Phil Weston – Kicking & Screaming - never saw it!

9) Steve Butabi – A Night at the Roxbury - never saw it!

8) Mugato – Zoolander

7) Buddy – Elf – move up on the list, to # 5

6) Federal Wildlife Marshal Willenholly – Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back

5) Harold Crick – Stranger Than Fiction – should be #3

4) Brennan Huff – Step Brothers

3) Ricky Bobby – Talladega Nights – awful movie, imo, take off the list and replace with Blades of Glory (Chazz Michael Michaels) and move up to #7)

2) Frank "The Tank" Ricard – Old School

1) Ron Burgundy – Anchorman

Best Cameo Role:

Chazz Reinhold – Wedding Crashers - agreed

(Honorable Mention)

Big Earl – Starsky & Hutch - never saw it!

Among Us

Today is Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. He would have been 80.

I've alluded to this fact before, but I find these tidbits of information from a daily email I receive called The Writer's Almanac. They send me a daily poem, and then little gems of information about the day in history from a literary, historical, or cultural point of view.

Anyway, in the paragraph about MLK, it reminds me that he was only 26 years old when he was asked to lead a boycott of the infamous segregated buses. Twenty-six! That's how old I am today. I am a cube monkey. Let's not make any comparison between the two of us beyond the number of days we've been on this earth at this point in our human experience.

It goes on to mention that had he known what the unintentionally assumed role of "civil rights leader" would encompass, that he might have declined the role. I think that's pretty magnificent. At first reading, it might sound kind of... selfish? You know, had he known all that would be to come in his life, personally, maybe he would have said no. If he'd know that he'd be murdered in his prime, he'd say no. But I think what that really says, to me anyway, is that he was human, a young man, just like the rest of us. Not a super-human who was born with martyr-like subconscious, but your normal average guy. Who went on to become a revolutionary.

I guess what I'm really getting at is this: there will be more of him to come. In male, female, young, old, gay, straight, black, white, rich, poor, married, single, parent, childless, religious, atheist forms. And the fact that he was just normal young adult like the rest of us, struggling to make decisions on which battle to fight, which stand needs to be taken, which debate you should jump in on (there are tons in this day and age) - is pretty awesome. There are more MLK's out there among my demographic, making waves and not even knowing how big they will crash on shore.

{Note - this was written many months ago, but kept in draft mode in my inbox. Just publishing it today, 6-5-09. The first sentence is obviously incorrect as of today's date.}

Monday, May 25, 2009

My husband couldn't WAIT to ride a tandem bike around Mackinac Island... With his cousin. It's alright. I was the willing historian. More funny pics to follow. The day could have only been better if my Murphy was in my bicycle basket.

Yeah it was only my first one but I gotta say Memorial Day is pretty fun but boy am I tuckered out! For once I am looking forward to my mom and pops go to work tomorrow so I can just sleep allllll day long.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Sleeping beauty (who will pinch me for posting this.)

Green

I'm green.

I buy natural soap, shampoo, detergent, food, cleaning supplier, the kit-and-kaboodle. Sometimes I let it mellow when it's yellow, I shut off the water when I'm brushing my teeth, etcetera etcetera. Yeah it's a fad, it's a trend, but I'm on the bandwagon for the long-haul.

But, that's not the type of green I am...

I am green... with envy.

Car envy - I see girls my age drive to work in Lexus, BMW, Saab... and I feel jealous of their wheels. I want that new-smelling leather. Shiny rims. Most importantly, the noticeable logo decal.

Clothes envy - I see people at work who rarely wear the same thing twice. Honestly! That, or they are the MASTER of mixing it up so you can never tell it's re-purposed. At any rate, me and my 10-shirt rotation (from Old Navy and Target) can't help but feel frumpy and out-of-touch with trends.

House-keeper envy - there's a girl at work who has a house-keeper. I WISH! I micro-manage our money just to keep us from bouncing a check; I can't imagine the luxury of paying someone to keep our house clean. I imagine the 10-second spats would all but disappear.

Hair-envy - just tonight, while enjoying a dish at Noodles with Nick, and eating slowly to allow more time for people-watching, I spotted a girl with the perfect shade of hair. Hers was more auburny-red than my stawberry-blone red. I said out loud "I wish my hair was that color." Nick just said "You need a haircut." The man speaks the truth, my friend. Which thus brings me to:

Hair-dresser envy - Ummm. I don't have a hair-dresser. I use coupons from the clipper to get my $8.99 haircuts. Okay, I won't lie, this has only happened once (my last haircut experience) but it will probably happen again in the next week or so. Cuz girlfriend's got some SPLIT ENDS. But I envy those girls who are BFFs with their hairdressers, sit and chit-chat with them, go every month, etc. I usually end up praying the "stylist" won't talk to me b/c I'm kinda anti-social.

But, in the end, this post is really silly. Because I realize... envy is not a pretty trait. You know what is? Gratitude.

So to counter my negative karma/energy/thoughts, here are the things I treasure, and the things that REALLY matter.

My husband, Nick. BFF. MOH. Proud Papa (to Murphy, don't get any ideas). Grill-Master. Expert Lawn-Mower (lest I have to step on frogs in the yard - truly, my #1 fear about cutting the lawn).

My Dog. I am a #3 (another post in the works...). I truly love the little guy.

My Family, both by blood, by marriage, and by friendship.

My health.

My awesome house. As much as it causes me headache, it's home to my little family.

My employer, for continuing to pay me. Ditto to my husband's.

OKAY - so this turned from jealous/snarky to Thanksgiving-in-May post. Speaking of which... I'm thinking we should throw a Christmas-in-July part... complete with Christmas cookies, eggnog, and mistletoe. Good idea or chirp-chirp-I'm-busy that night?

Signing off on that note...

P.S. I officially can't post pictures and/or get them aligned properly. Good thing I'm not a stickler to details or have any sense of aesthetic. :P

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Venting 101

It's crazy to me that the Powers That Be here at My Place of Employment put a person in charge around here that talks to people as if they've flunked Kindergarten twice, with Cliff's Notes, and the answer manual.

We are not stupid. You are an asshole.

</vent>

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Thing I Can No Longer Do Now That I Work In An "Open Cube" Area

- floss my teeth if I have last night's popcorn kernals hiding in the crevices between my canines

- scratch my boob

- use my letter opener to scratch my back (underneath the shirt)

- do a quick once-over of my tissues (ladies shouldn't do that anyway, right?)

- search for open positions at my company - don't want people getting the wrong idea

- apply last-minute make-up in a last-ditch effort to look put-together

- sit like a hunchback (probably a good thing, no?)

- gmail all day

- play solitare on those down minutes

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

3/3/09

I’m going to try to post every day for the month… last night was weak as it was a quick note from my cell. Anyway, Dick was one of my supplier sales reps whom I had many a lunch with. He worked up to his very last day. My coworker Marina and I went to his son’s house to visit with his family after the funeral. His daughter-in-law, Lynn, who had recently begun working with him (driving, making lunch appointments with customers, etc.) said that her last conversation with him before he passed away was about getting a sample from us for a quote. Amazing! In his eighty-eight years, he worked until the very last day. I can honestly say, that’s probably the only time I’ll ever go to a supplier’s funeral-type deal. I don’t have that level of report (not even close) with any other suppliers. The fact that his family invited us over to their house speaks volumes of this man, no? We met another guy there at the house that was another customer of his. Wow… true testament, if you ask me. This guy was a WWII vet, served in the Air Force as a pilot, and was a natural born storyteller. Listening to him tell stories from those times makes me feel like a chump! In a good way J Inspiring, I should say. Anyway, we always went to the same eatery (Webber’s Inn in Ann Arbor) and he ordered the same thing every time. “An ice cold Budweiser in a cold glass, a Reuben with extra dressing on the side, and a box to take home half of the sandwich for my wife.” Anyway, it was a treat to hear his stories, share in the work portion of his life, and get to know him a little over the past three years.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Dick, it was a pleasure

Dick, it was a pleasure knowing you. I had a Bud Light in a cold glass for you tonight. Rest in peace.