Party Planning

aka: How I Learned to Love the Bomb

Don't tell anyone.. but I'll be turning 40 years old this week.
The good thing is.. I've been too busy to worry about it.
The bad thing is I've decided to throw myself a shindig so I've been worried about that instead.

And perhaps I'm so worried, stressed, that my body is giving out.
So the bad news is I've got the sniffles and my throat feels like doodoo-caca.
But the good news is I've lost my appetite and perhaps now I can look awesome in my dress!

With all the preparations, contracts, logistics, and making sure everything looks and sounds great, I'm almost worried people won't show up! Or I fear the music won't be enough to get people groovin'. Or we'll run out of food. Or guest won't like the wine. Are these fears normal? Is it the nightmare of every party thrower?

Deep breaths, gather. It's going to be great, and I can't wait to see you all there!

** Cake image courtesy of Pinkie's Bakery. Wait till you see what she is creating just for me!!

Super Doggy Bowl

If you hear a little whooping and hollerin' coming from my living room tonight and tomorrow, don't worry. It's just the annual doggie love fest known as the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Each February you can find me in front of the telly with a huge grin on my face, clapping for my favorites. I just simply can't help it!

Who can forget 2008's Best in Show Champion Uno the beagle (L)? Here he greets RJ (R) another beagle at a preview for this year's Westminster. Uno became a certified therapy last summer as part of the Club's Angel on a Leash program and truer champion there never was!


This year will also see the debut of the Dogue de Bordeaux, also known as the French Mastiff. It is the only newly-recognized breed eligible for competition this year; the head is the largest of any dog, according to the Kennel Club. Watch for lots of applause when Brando competes in the Working Group! HEAD!!!!!
You had better stand back when they say the words, "May we have the Terrier Group in the ring please." I stand up and clap and whoop and grin and simply act a fool over my favorite group. This
year's Australian Terrier is from Vacaville! w00t!!! And the Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Ch. King's Mtn Minnie Mouse is from San Francisco. Yay!!!

And Vegas has given Sadie, the Scottish Terrier, 18-1 odds of winning the whole shebang. Go Sadie!!

But watch out for a Terrier Showdown as Sadie goes up against Charmin, the #1 terrier in the country. Uh, Charmin is on the right....

(What the French Toast! Sadie takes it!!! First a Scottish Deerhound wins the Hound Group, and now a Scottish Terrier. If it's not Scottish, it's CRRRAP!!)

What more can you ask for? Drama, sportsmanship, grace, and athleticism. Westminster can give the Oscars a run for the money.

And lest you think dogs take any less grooming than Catherine Zeta-Jones, I give you Exhibit A....

Monday Morning Chuckle

In case you missed it because you had some other wildly fantastical thing to do Saturday night.


I couldn't have said this better myself..

Tough Crowd in the City

In the last couple of months, I have made overtures to homeless people here in San Francisco. I offer what I have with respect but without pity.

Once, I was headed to the Muni Station after stopping off at the grocery store. I had a bag(my own burlap one, natch) full of randon groceries, topped off by some apples. When I passed a homeless man panhandling, I turned and said, "Sir, I've got an apple here for you if you're hungry." He calmly opened his mouth and pointed to his toothless gums. I felt like an @sshole....

Today, after a refreshing yoga class at the gym, I once again made my way to the Muni station. This time I had a Satsuma orange in my pocket I was going to eat, but I stopped and said, "Hey Dude, would you like an orange?" The man seated on the ground waved both me and the orange away dismissively. For a moment there, I felt as though I did something wrong.

It can be a tough crowd out there in the See-tay.