PBS has broadcast a night with Peter Frampton on their program "Soundstage". This guy could still totally sell out arenas; he's fantastic and hasn't lost anything since his heyday.

Plus, he's hot for an old guy. I mean, he doesn't at all look like the poster that my sister used to have on her bedroom wall (I think everybody had that poster), but still. He's a hottie.

Labels: guitar, misc

Posted by Laura at 9:24 PM | Permalink | Comments

Slowly, over today's passage of time, I have become a Cubicle Zombie. I've somewhat managed to whittle down my "To Do" list, but I had to sacrifice my sanity in order to do so. I spent ALL DAY trying to resolve overdue invoices for my plethora of vendors. Our AP group is tough to deal with, to say the very least. Oh, I'm sure as individuals they're fine, but as a process it rather sucks balls.

Thank God for Calvin. For many reasons, tis true, but especially for the fact that he rescued me for brunch today, and I got to have eggs and homefries and sausage. I like my sausage like I like my pancakes, smothered in maple syrup. Heh. You thought I was going for something dirty there, didn't you? Frisky readers.

We've been dating a lot lately. It's a marvelous thing to go on regular dates with my husband of almost five years. And we've been together for almost nine. For instance, on Sunday Calvin and I rode up to Grimaldi's for The Best Pizza on Earth(tm), then went across the street to the Sugar Cone for a banana split and a mocha malt. THEN we walked to one of the shops nearby (Old Town Scottsdale is very pedestrian friendly), where he proceeded to buy me a leather motorcycle jacket for Christmas. Even though I told him I didn't need anything (else).

All this was his idea, mind you. Sometimes he gets all romantical and stuff. He wants us to go on another date on Friday to see Eragon at the theater (just because he knows I really want to see it), and have some dinner. And ride the motorcycle some more.

My bike is excellent for us to ride on together. It's a lot easier to snuggle up against Calvin's back than on his street bike. If we're riding without our helmets (oh, I KNOW - we say it's only because we're going slowly and a short distance, but you don't have to preach about the potential for accidents. We're risk takers, we are) then I prop my chin up on Calvin's shoulder and we converse while we're riding along. It's really, really nice.

We've been riding a lot together, hitting various bars and restaurants, or just toodling around. It makes us happy. And one cannot overemphasize the importance of simple things that make day to day life - and day to day married life - enjoyable.

In other news, my fingers hurt. I've been practicing the guitar and it's MURDER (I tell you!) to fret the 1st and 2nd strings. However, I can occasionally make noise come out of it that sounds less like a dying cat and more like (slow, halting, mistake-fraught) music. Calvin is getting a guitar as well ("Dear God, please forgive me for ordering off of QVC... and help me to hold strong against the powers of Esteban..."), and we're toying with the idea of taking lessons together.

The family that plays together, stays together? I can just see Marie on drums and Michael on the tambourine (I can hear his protesting "HEY!" when he reads this). Heh. The Partridge Family ain't got nuthin' on us.

In other, other news, we've officially tried Absinthe. ACK. ACK, ACK, ACK. ACK. Yarg.

I love the buzz (like cannabis, except that **cough** I wouldn't know what that's like **cough**), but the taste is just plain vomitous. Very STRONG black licorice. Thick, with a STRONG aftertaste. That leaves you burping up (ack) licorice for three hours afterwards.

Of course, that's if you drink it straight. If you drink it the traditional way (1pt absinthe to 3pt water, poured slowly over a sugar cube), it's less vomitous, but the buzz is less profound.

And dude, we SO ain't drinking this stuff for the taste.

Labels: booze, Calvin, guitar, journal, motorcycle

Posted by Laura at 3:05 PM | Permalink | Comments

I'm so not in the holiday spirit this year. Had I been, the house would be decorated by now (sans tree, which is always about 10 days before Christmas). The decor is still snugly stored in the garage. Maybe it would be different if Lilly and the babies were still here - Christmas stuff is so much more fun when there are little ones around.

Christmas shopping is DONE, though. I heart Amazon. The gifts will be delivered within the next week, and all I'll have to do is wrap. We're going low-profile on the loot this year. I found a couple of cool gifts for Marie and Michael, but money goes over much better than anything else I might wrap and put under the tree. Why wrack my brain trying to find THE perfect gift when they'll just say, "Oh, gee, thanks," and stick it in the corner of their closet?

I'm looking forward to Calvin's reaction to his gifts, though. One of them in particular I feel is pretty cool and will garner the, "Oh, SWEET!" reaction I always look for. I like to find unique things that no one asked for and no one would think of, but when they receive it they really, really like it.

For myself, Santa has come early this year. I have instructed Calvin to purchase me NO gifts this year, as he has already been generous (and tolerant). On top of the motorcycle, which I continue to love, I have also purchased a guitar. A very pretty guitar.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Ibanez-AW40-Acoustic-Guitar-with-Solid-Sitka-Spruce-Top?sku=512465

I plan to try to teach myself, though if I prove to be particularly dense about it, I'll take a half a dozen lessons. Ah, if only I had decided to do this (counting) fifteen (!?!) years ago. I would've wow-ed 'em at the high school talent show.

I'm cooking a turkey dinner today, as we had the turkey for Thanksgiving already purchased before we knew we were going to the Grandparent's. It's an excellent way to occupy one's time, while watching Sunday afternoon football in HD. Oh, man, speaking of which. We almost didn't make it. We almost DIED. Swear. Last weekend the lamp in the TV died, so we put in a service call. The repair man wasn't able to get to us until last night, which meant that we were stuck watching TV in the bedroom on a regular old tube TV. Man, it was like living in the stone age. But we're all happy now. We watched "Superman - The Return" (right?) last night to celebrate. Which I thought was decent, though when did Lois and Superman have sex??? Kevin Spacey makes an excellent Lex Luthor. And I continue to hate Parker Posey. I just don't like her, never did. I don't know why.

One of the water dragons is very ill, and it looks like we'll have to put him down. I think he developed the muscle and bone disease that they're known for - he's not using his hind limbs at all. Such is the downside of owning critters - sometimes they break, and sometimes you have to say goodbye. Sigh.

And on that happy note, back to basting the turkey, which is an every-twenty-minute requirement. Have a good one!

Labels: food, guitar, journal, lizards

Posted by Laura at 11:40 AM | Permalink | Comments