Turkey Breasts and Mice, Oh My!

We have a mouse in the office. Linda opened her bottom desk drawer this morning, looking for a job folder, and she leapt back and said a few curse words. A mouse - the mouse that had been suddenly making appearances in the office for the past few weeks - leapt out and scurried underneath her cubicle, disappearing into the abyss of office space. Linda's heart was pounding and she was breathing heavily and she was definitely awake this Monday morning. Bob went out to Walgreen's and bought some mouse traps which I didn't like at all. I hate just the mere idea of a mouse getting his neck snapped in half when all he wanted was a taste of peanut butter. I didn't want him to get the glue traps but I didn't want him to get any of the kill traps. To torment me, he put the trap right by mine and Linda's desk. I really do not want to hear the snap of that trap anytime soon.

Today at work, Linda came up to me and randomly asked if I wanted a ham or a turkey. I don't really like ham so I picked turkey without really thinking about it. I then found out that I had won a boneless turkey breast from one of our lighting manufacturers. If $10,000 or more was sold by a salesperson in Widelite fixtures, then that person got either a spiral ham or a turkey. I sold $20,000 in orders and therefore, I won my first poultry product. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't quite proud of myself right now.

A Milestone

Holy shit. The Mixed Tape has reached its 500th post! I can hardly believe that I still have this blog going but I have fun with it - not as much fun as that dancing bear but enough fun - so here's to another 500.

Artist of the Moment

Yesterday, just as it began snowing what would turn out to be quite the snow storm, I went to Target for some last minute things I needed for Christmas. While there, I was looking through the cds and dvds like I always do. Target has this endcap in every store of emerging new artists and I usually buy a lot of the cds featured there - usually discovering some great new bands before a lot of other people. Yesterday, on a whim, I bought a cd called Little Voices by the artist Sara Bareilles. All I have to say is go and buy this album. I have been listening to it on repeat, loving the folk/rock songs by this talented pianist/singer. Below is the video for her first single "Love Song". Listen and enjoy.

Home for Christmas

BILLY'S HOME!!!!

Business Lunches Make Me Feel Like an Adult

Yesterday for lunch, Linda, Bob, Dave a.k.a. worthless and myself headed over to Circle R for a holiday luncheon to show our appreciation for one of our biggest electrical contractors. We got lunch catered from Lucrezia - that amazing Italian restaurant that also catered our open house - and I was finally able to meet people that I had talked to on the phone for over a year. Chuck, the owner, Nick, his son, Robin, Rich, Jim - who I have talked to countless times - Mark, Amy, and Tommy. It was great to meet all of them, finally, and it was a lot of fun. Just a lot of joking around and laughing. Made me feel so grown up. Only adults have holiday luncheons in offices like that. Next week, we have a luncheon with Hyre, another electrical contractor, so I get to feel like an adult twice in two weeks. Whoa. Now I'm scared.

Is It Possible To Be This Tired?

And the answer to that age-old question is a simple yes. I got home around 1 a.m. last night and even Baxter was tired because we went to bed almost immediately and we both passed out. I got to the concert around 7 p.m., which was perfect because I really only wanted to see Silversun Pickups (who are amazing live) anyway and Jimmy and Montgomery were waiting in the door for me. They were drunk most of the night and both of those guys drunk are huge sources of entertainment for me. After the concert - which was so much fun and crowded - we went to a couple of bars in the neighborhood but I only had a couple of beers so Jimmy and Montgomery drank more, saying they had to make up for me. I finally left around midnight to get back to the beautiful southeast.

Lines of the night:

Montgomery (shouting in between band changes): Am I the ONLY black guy that likes to rock? (which was answered with cheers from the people around us) He also seemed to be right seeing as how there weren't that many black people at the concert.

Jimmy: Alright. It's either time to drink some beer or kick some ass and it looks like I'm all out of ass. I mean beer. Beer. Did I say ass?

Some drunk guy (to me): Hey. I couldn't help but notice what you're wearing.
Me: Yeah. I'm wearing clothes. It's a concept a lot of girls here aren't familiar with.
Jimmy: Hey! Buddy! I'm all out of beer so watch out! (to me with the guy standing right there)He totally wants to roofie you.

You got to love a drunk Jimmy getting protective of me when he could barely stand up without swaying - which sucked for him because House of Blues is an all standing venue. Montgomery and I haven't really spoken to one another in a couple of months but that changed last night when Montgomery said he was sorry and I basically said that it was cool. We all go through things and LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO BE CAUGHT UP WITH PETTY IMMATURE BULLSHIT. There. I said my piece.

The dynamic duo got home last night okay I'm figuring because when I woke up, there were three pictures in my inbox. I didn't bring my camera with me and I don't think I've ever seen Montgomery take a picture so that left Jimmy - who may I remind you was intoxicated and could barely hold the camera straight - but he insisted that he was fine. Great pictures James.

Montgomery - the only black man who likes to rock

Jimmy occupying himself in the bar bathroom

"I must have been obsessed with Kate's head last night because this is one of six pictures just like it" - Jimmy

Video of the Day

So in honor of them playing at the House of Blues tonight, the video of the day is "Lazy Eye" from Silversun Pickups. I bought their album Carnavas sometime this summer and it has definitely become one of my most played albums of 2007. The lead singer's voice is so unique and it will be great to hear it live. I will go nuts if they play this song.

The Shining/Mary Poppins

So, The Shining by Stephen King is definitely one of the scariest things I have ever read. I was practically like Joey from Friends when he wants to hide the book in the freezer. And though a lot of fans of the book despise the movie, I actually really like the film starring Jack Nicholson. Below, a very clever and creative person re-envisioned The Shining, turning it into a fuzzy cozy romantic comedy. It's hilarious and actually had me laughing out loud - especially if you've seen the real version of the movie.

Also, I know I've posted this before but I wanted to again. Last night, on television, Mary Poppins was being shown. Now, this is a movie I hate. Mary Poppins is so full of herself. "Practically Perfect in Every Way", oh please. Below, someone has recut scenes from the movie to turn it into a horror movie and I love it.

Action Movies

Thanks to Joel who found this and thanks to Brittnay who gave me the link. She thought of me when she saw this and I definitely loved it. I had to post it for everyone to enjoy it. River Tam is definitely one of my favorite all-time movie characters and I wished they would make a movie like this.

Video of the Day

I'm not sure why I love this music video so much. It's the typical hot rock star/hot actress looking hot together but for some reason, "Echo" by Trapt is a video that when I saw it, I went and bought the cd. It's really the only song on the cd that I like so perhaps, that's another reason why I love the video.

My Mixed Tape

This is my mixed tape of Sunday and the music that is on my computer at the present moment. Hitting 'shuffle' on the media player, these are the next ten songs that randomly played. I am obsessed with music having thousands of songs between my two computers and even more cds that I have not put on either. Without music, I don't know what I would do. I love this 'shuffle' button option as it definitely always gives me an interesting mixed tape and lets me listens to songs that I might not always listen to.

1. You Give Me Something by James Morrison

2. Wonderwall (acoustic live ) by Oasis

3. Do You Wanna Dance? The Beach Boys

4. Travelin' Band by Jerry Lee Lewis

5. Beg by Evans Blue

6. You Fight Me by Breaking Benjamin

7. Pretty Little Angel Eyes by Curtis Lee

8. This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) by Natalie Cole

9. Talk Shows on Mute by Incubus

10. Dry Your Eyes by The Band

Oh Christmas Tree

My digital camera has been acting weird lately. Even after I put new batteries in it and cleaned out the memory card, it still is moving slowly, taking sometimes a full minute for it to take a picture so I didn't take as many pictures of the tree this year. I finished decorating today and the final product looks pretty good. I like the way the tree lights reflect off of the glass ornaments and this year, I invested in shatter-proof ornaments since last year, Baxter liked to pluck the glass ones off the tree. I don't need my dog eating glass. The only good picture I got of the tree is only partially decorated - you'll notice that no ornaments are at the bottom of the tree but I really don't put many down there anyway. Baxter is kind of a brat with the ornaments on the tree. He thinks that they're all his toys.