Mischief Night

He kept whispering "I like boys." Michael Jackson (aka Maggie) and her adorable husband, Jens, (former circus performers and now an incredible artist, genius math instructor and totally over-the-top Halloween party throwers) invited the gang over for a Mischief Night melee. Their backyard was transformed into a spooky wonderland complete with steaming dry ice, a scary blacked-out fortune teller room, creepy decorations wherever you looked (like little doll arms reaching out of flowers pots) and a massive brick wall lit up with amazing selections of movie and video clips - Monster Mash, Rocky Horror, Twilight Zone, and more just kept coming as we all danced, ate, drank and laughed hysterically as the costumes kept getting better and better. I was a wench (with a last-minute borrowed costume, complete with some borrowed boobs). Jo was a sparkly Renaissance maiden,

 Jens was that Oxy-clean guy that recently died,

Louise and Patrick donned black eyes and each one had a big "P" hanging around their necks (The Black Eyed Peas - get it?). Little Annabelle was a creepy old man (we went into the fortune teller together and they reported that he wasn't going to make it much longer). Jaye was a desperate housewife - about thirty years later - make-up smeared all over, sparkly gold and green camisole under a leopard jacket and leopard beanie-type hat, leggings and, of course, house slippers. Then Henry (Henrietta) showed up. Oh my God. Here's a photo of "her" kissing Fergie.

Thanks Maggie and Jens - can't wait for next year!

I Wanna Hold Your Hand

Shawn and I were driving home from work, cracking up. He was reading me dirty jokes from his iphone when I looked past his laughing face and saw a couple walking in the park, holding hands. At first glance from the back, the woman looked exactly like a friend of mine. So close that I almost rolled down the window and called out her name. But before the logistical thoughts "no, it couldn't be her...she wouldn't be in this neighborhood...that's not her husband" formed in my brain, I thought "no, it couldn't be her since she doesn't really like her husband, she doesn't take walks with him, and she must not want to hold hands and walk around in the middle of the day with anybody or she would have figured out a way to do it a long time ago." Then I thought about so many other people I know. People who don't hold hands and walk around in parks. Made me sad. I reached over to Shawn's hand and squeezed.

A Vampire Tale

A Vampire Tale at The Phoenix Little Theater with Ronnie! Spooky, sexy, smoky, surreal, seductive peek into the world of vampires. Followed by spooky, sexy, smokey, surreal, seductive trip to always favorite My Florist Cafe, complete with piano playing, a half-priced bottle of wine and escaping into the night in one piece.

The Igloo

It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I ended up waking up in a friggin' igloo. We were celebrating the nice, cool weather last night, jumping up and down since the long, hot summer was finally over and threw open all of the windows to air the place out. But this morning when the dog stuck his nose in my leg and I crawled out of bed, I froze. I cursed the fortunate animal because of all of his glorious fur, while I (never one of those robe and slippers gals) still have my warm, comfy sweatwhirts stuffed way back behind the summer clothes in the closet. I let Sully out and jumped back into bed, dreaming of summer.

When the cat's away...

That's Lotus and I have no idea whether or not she's the culprit. For the second time in a week I have come home to find some...um...you know...feminine products on my bed. The other possible suspects are LuLu or Cali (Sully's a boy and totally incapable of such finesse and wit), but I'm leaning toward Lotus since she is the one that seems to have returned to the scene of the crime. Plus, she's got that look on her face.

Sicko

Showed up to work today hoping for a nice, easy, peasy, slow Monday. Hoping for a chance to clean off my desk, hide in my little Bat Cave office and not offer to help, pretend I'm not here, maybe even sneak out for a long lunch (aka Monday Movie Madness). The schedule looked good, totally doable. Then the phones started and we got the weekend messages. The day suddenly changed from a nice flowing bunch of follow-up-appointments into SICK, SICK, SICK, SICK, SICK, I'VE GOT THE FLU AND I'M COMING IN, whipping the schedule into something altogether different. I've got the hand sanitizer out and I'm trying really hard not to stick every single pen I come in contact with into my mouth...you're not going to get me, little flu bug. I'm going to the movies, it's gotta be safer than this place.

Movie Madness - Amelia

She died at the end.

I hope I didn't ruin it for you, but the reviews were so bad, probably nobody will go anyway. But I liked it. Great historical lesson, great old footage, lots of soaring plane rides and still so cute Richard Gere and oohhhh....lots of suspense at the end. We had a nice turnout, too, thanks to co-pilot, Laura, who beefed up the row!

U2X2

Okay, one more U2 thing and I'll stop. Promise. For the first time ever - a global concert webcast. Free. Tonight. 8:30 on youtube.

U2 youtube concert

Brunch, Brunch

What's not to love about brunch? Celebrated the book club's October birthdays (Laurel and Jaye)
on Saturday with an all-you-can-eat sushi and champagne brunch at Roka Akor. The table was full of presents, mimosas and little fishies! We lounged in our Asian oasis for hours, lingering as the champagne and food kept coming until we shut the place down.

Sunday it was back to just Shawn and me, celebrating Sunday on a different, other side of the world French oasis at the new Petite Maison

complete with a flowered patio, fun French music and a great neighboorhood vibe. Say fromage!

Working Girl

Shana must have gotten sick of begging for moolah and the little tyke went out and got a job. She found something in an adorable toy store in Tucson called Mildred and Dildred. It's run by a young gal, great role model, and the place seems to have an enormous amount of spunk and creativity. They put on plays for the kids, which fits right in with Shana's theater background. She called me today to tell me all about her first day. I looked at the clock and it was 4:00, right when she got off (it's still so fun to be the first one called!). She went on and on about all that she learned, how impressed they were with her and how well she fits in. Thanks, Mildred and Dildred, have fun.

Wild Thing

I had my little wild thing home for the weekend and number one on the to do list was to see Where The Wild Things Are. It was one of our favorite books from Shana's childhood. We had it memorized and would quote from it when we were out and about, talking about Max and the teeth-gnashing monsters, but mostly it was the last line - "and it was still hot" - that would somehow stand for "everything will be ok" and never failed to make us smile. Our planned Saturday night movie out turned into swinging in the park and a Netflix DVD at home on the couch with Wild Thing, the original, Aunt Amy. The next showing on Sunday turned out to be just a father-daughter affair. Shawn and Shana loved it. It was different from the book, though, they said. Max goes outside, his mom is divorced and there was no "and it was still hot." No and it was still hot? I'm glad I skipped it.

1/60,000

It's a good thing Bono didn't ask me to try a little poisoned Kool-Aid tonight, just a sip, because I would have. I'm mesmerized by the guy. He's a poet. He sings about life and love and peace and war and having fun and somehow he took a group of four kids from Dublin and turned them into a band, a band that is still around after so many years. And, oh, it's not just me that's a crazy fan. In Phoenix tonight, over 60,000 others were worshipping right along with me. He said, "We've got some new songs. We've got some old songs. And we've got a spaceship." And he was right. The gorgeous night open air stadium was full of this massive lit-up, flashing, changing colors, smoke coming out of it spaceship. It was supposed to carry them across the globe and also to create "intimacy" which it did somehow. It brought them out almost into the middle of the room with the orbiting walkway and moving bridges, along with some stories tall sometimes spinning screens for the glorious close-ups (for the few moments when I put the binoculars down for my very own close-ups).

 I read that it takes four days to build and four days to break down and that there are three of them "leap-frogging" Europe and the US getting ready for the next show. The first thing we heard as we saw the lights and the smoke was David Bowie's voice singing "this is ground control to Major Tom" and the last, Elton John singing "Rocket Man."

In between was an incredible hours long, nobody ever even sat down rock concert that I'm still processing, taking me through so many great years and loving the new stuff, too. Out of 60,000 people (including Mohammad Ali and the McCain family), Shawn and I ran into four that we knew, but it seemed like the whole place was bound together somehow. Shawn indulges my Bono-obsession and it was good to be steadied by his wrapped around me tight arms as the songs kept coming. I still remember the first time I heard my probably still favorite, definitely still relevant Sunday Bloody Sunday - way back in high school, sitting on the trunk of my car on a sunny day, watching Shawn and his friend wash their cars. The guy still spends a big part of his weekend washing his latest obsession (an M5 that roars like Bono, even kind of looks like him with all the black paint and leather). Maybe this Saturday, I'll sit on the trunk of my car and crank up some U2, just like the old days.

Groupie Girl

Some people are Beatlemaniacs or Deadheads or in love with The Fray, but for me, it's U2 all the way. It's like they have written an anthem for my life - I can look back and find a song for every stage, every big event since high school in their albums. So as long as they keep coming around, I'll keep showing up. 10/20/09.

Movie Madness - New York, I Love You

Wanna go to New York? Round trip in under two hours. Seven bucks. 


New York, I Love You. It's worth the trip.

The Alphabet Game

A - My name is Andrea and my husband is Anthony. We are from Africa and we sell Aardvarks. B - My name is Beatrice and my husband is Bernard. We are from Boston and we sell Beans. Get the idea? After swinging by the airport to pick up A is for Amy, we headed to meet another A is for Amy, Amy Si. and her clan, A is for Annabelle, S is for Sophie and S is also for Susie (unless you're Annabelle or Sophie and Susie's a G, G is for Gaga). We learned how to play the alphabet game in preparation for an upcoming Thanksgiving fiesta. It's hard not to go through the alphabet without cracking up, especially with adorable little kids - out of the mouths of babes, you know. But then Amy and I joined our mom and friend from high school, John, for some Mexican food, a pitcher of margaritas and round two of the Alphabet game. Maybe it was the tequila, but by the time we got to N is for nuts and X is for Xanax, the game took a turn to a rated R version. Later on, A is for Amy and I taught S is for Shawn the game, and he took it one step further, creating almost a whole paragraph about Chris' Crappy day before he finally got to the part where he and his C-named wife sold Cod in Connecticut.

Wanna play?

Rebranding America

Bono - Rebranding America

Some thoughts from Bono in the New York Times.

The guy can sing, too - three days and counting 'til we're together again!

Cheers! Fifty years!

Good 'ol Dad (Old Wildcat to you bloggers) has worked at the same firm for FIFTY years, that's right FIFTY. What do you get for that? Beautiful corner office in a high rise? Check. Big Wig status by the water cooler? Check. Fun Friday night party? Check! The new, hip downtown Sheraton was full of admirers, gathered to thank the big guy for years of hard work and dedication. There was a great "This is your life" slide show with only a few embarrassing old photos and an incredible reminder of all of his accomplishments. He gave a great speech, recollecting his interview way back when and his first day on the job. The interview seemed like a piece of cake, ruining my explanation that the only reason anybody would want to work somewhere for so long was a deep-seated fear of the interview process. Actually, turns out it's just a really great place to work, as evidenced by all of the nice people in the room. A good time was had by all. See you for your 60th in 2019!

Congratulations, Dad!

Best of Phoenix - Wonderland

Third Friday celebration of the Best of Phoenix art. Amazing merz project building on McDowell Rd. full of the Best of Phoenix art winners, homemade cookies and chocolate milk and a very cool band, complete with helmut, bunny head, Freddie Kruger - hat wearing musicians and their had to be drug induced but still so fun to watch dancing groupies. The art gallery was incredible - wall to wall thought-provoking, taking me back to the good old days in Phoenix display, making it obvious why we all still live here.

Goldwater Girl

I used to be a Goldwater Girl. No, I wasn't a Republican out stumping for Barry (but I did hike up to his big house to go trick-or-treating and I still remember that they gave out full size candy bars!). I spent a couple of high school years selling clothes at Goldwater's department store at Scottsdale Fashion Square. Back then, the "mall" was just a few stores spread out, connected by a sidewalk, way before the big air-conditioned bubble popped up. There was a Bullocks and a Sakowitz and the still there, still incredible Camelview Theatre. The place looked like no other mall around, unlike now where they are all the same same same. But today, we went back a bit to the old days, where Fashion Square is a little different. Just like the mythological Phoenix bird, the old Goldwater's (eventually Robinsons) was reduced to ashes and then came back to life as a new, hip Barneys New York, making it impossible for me to figure out where I used to work, which door I would go in, making my old stomping ground totally unfamiliar. Today I took a long lunch and ventured in with some non-high school friends. The champagne was flowing and the goods were nothing like I sold back in the day. They even had a pair of old, dirty boots tagged at a cool $1800.

Barry was a cowboy. I bet they were his, pulled from the rubble.

I love you, you love me...

we're a happy family

Wait...that's the other Barney.

The new cool Barney, the Barneys New York store is coming to little 'ol Scottsdale.

Free champagne and doughnuts!

High Noon, Thursday, come walk around during lunch hour

Workshop on SALE!

http://www.orho.org/

Sign up today for the summer and save big time!


There is a fabulous Defining Moments even this Sunday around noon if you want to stop by and see the kids in action. It's free, takes about an hour and you will be AMAZED!

Can I get some fries with that?

My mom used to take me to McDonald's for some French fries on the way back to school after getting my braces tightened. I think that I made her feel sorry for me. So these days I'm the one driving her around post-knee replacement surgery and after some painful bending and straightening, she was in need of a drink. Anyway, these days when you order a Coke, the order goes from the drive-thru head-set wearing order taker to the drink machine that selects the size of cup and drops it into the assembly-line like conveyor belt, stops at the ice, then to the drink dispenser which pours in just the right amount. Pretty cool. We drove off, straight teeth and brand new knee.

Yoo Hoo, Mrs Goldberg

Yoo Hoo! Great documentary about Molly Goldberg (aka lots of different names) and her rise to fame from a little Jewish girl from the Bronx into an Emmy and Tony award winning actress, writer, director, producer. She paved the way for Lucille Ball, fought with the big wigs at CBS and NBC (after winning a battle with her father to go her own way) to create a long-running career on the radio, television and stage. Amazing footage of old New York where hanging out your window and talking to your neighbors was the closest thing you could get to therapy back then. Some of the girls and I did our own version of "yoo hooing " out the window and ventured out to Happy Hour at Regions for a change-your-life margarita following movie madness for a little therapy of our own.

Free chai

I pulled up to the Starbucks drive-thru this morning, twenty bucks ready to hand over, and the cashier told me that the lady in front of me paid for my order. I said, "Wow! Then...why?" She said that the guy in front of her paid for her order, so she decided to pay for mine. Thanks lady in front of me.

Got Boobs?

Sunday morning, cool October sunshine. A few of the Divas and I, out for a walk. Ronnie, Cathy and I got up early and walked along with thousands of others for the cure. Walked with the "Ta Ta Sisterhood" group and the "Saving Second Base" group and the "Jogging for Juggs" group and so many others. Then we stopped for some sushi, beer and then more fun time on Ronnie's patio to talk and figure out the rest of the world's problems.

PEACE, Man!!!

Obama Wins The Nobel Peace Prize

Trick or Treat

I love Halloween. Give me a holiday that doesn't involve buying presents for people that have everything somehow because of God or requiring me to explain that I don't eat meat, again. Give me a day that revolves around dressing up and eating candy (Valentine's Day is another fave). I brought out my three little friends (my neighborhood goes nuts right on 10/1, so I have an excuse for the early, though wimpy, display). I can't wait to answer my door and see all of the witches and princesses and Hannah Montanas. Boo - what a treat!

And she's off...

Last night, for the first time in Shana's college career, I got the feeling that she's finally in the swing of things, she's in the groove. I've been nagging for over a year about the importance of joining groups, getting involved in the school, really getting to know teachers, making new, non-high school friends, etc. and I always got the 'ol smile and nod (which I have, if I do say so myself, perfected). Her first semester was a depressing, impossibly challenging, trying too hard to be the perfect Daddy's Girl by taking junior level classes disaster. Second semester shaped up much better. Her grades went way up, she was Teacher's Pet in one class, her Advisor loved her and helped get her back on track, she made a couple of new dorm friends and joined two sports teams, soccer and softball. But now, sophomore year, she is shining and I love it. One of her teachers called her by name in the first couple of weeks (it wasn't in her 500 student class, but still, she was excited), she's organizing study groups, going to theater performances, even ushered one of them for a class and has made two new good friends in the last month, going to movies and sitting around with them in coffee shops, drinking chai. She joined the Blue Chip Society and the Young Democrats Club. Shana's always been outgoing and the center of attention, but something else seems to have clicked. There are still the frat parties and the too much TV, but the kid's on a roll, the mom is ecstatic and the nagging has stopped.

notMYkid

Got kids? Go to this program or at least log on to their site and learn something. They have an incredible way of getting out information about drugs and how to protect your kids. You'll never say "not my kid" again.

http://www.notmykid.org/

Heart

Perfect yoga class. Mary focused on the heart and getting it to open up. She just experienced a heartbreaking loss, which made me try even harder to push and pull and stretch until my own heart seemed to be pumping the way it should be. More reminders to be grateful. One hour a week on my mat - lucky, lucky girl.

Fast Cash

I saw U2 on Saturday Night Live a couple of weeks ago and realized that I am woefully unprepared for the upcoming concert. I got their new CD a few months ago, but haven't had it on for awhile, so I don't know some of the songs yet. Bad fan. What if the Jumbotron catches me and I'm singing the wrong words? So I popped it back in to the car and started my homework. There's a line in one of the songs where Bono talks about punching the keys on an ATM machine. I wonder if he wrote that line? I wonder if he really goes to ATM machines? Needs $100 fast cash on the way into a Dublin bar? $60 allowance for the kids? $1000 bucks for a little present for the wife? Cool mil to save some children in Africa?

goodreads

In the mood for a good book? A friend told me about goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/. You can chronicle all of your favorite books and search for other's recommendations based on "worst books ever" "books for reluctant readers" "best book cover art" and dozens of other categories and genres. It looks like fun, but I haven't really set up my whole account yet. It's a good thing that I check out everything I read at the library so I have a record of it, since I pretty much forget titles, authors and even content a few days after I return them. Oh well. Lately I've read "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein - a book club assignment - written from a dog's point of view, which I had a hard time with for a bit, but then loved it - lots of great life lesson moments and even some racing techniques (confirmed with Shawn). Continuing with the animal theme I picked up Homer's Odyssey. No, not that Homer's Odyssey. This was another great read about a blind cat named Homer by Gwen Cooper.

 As a cat lover, I could relate to her house full of three cats (the first two were planned, but the third...an accident). Heartbreaking 9/11 scenes, but unbelievable account of Homer's life, even if you don't love cats, it will have you cheering and thinking of ways to get out of your your own box. Another NPR recommendation was about another Homer. Another blind Homer. Homer and Langely by E.L. Doctorow.

A somewhat fictionalized account of two real brothers, the Collyers, living on Fifth Avenue in New York at the turn of the century, through WWI and beyond. I'm in the middle (up to the 60s) and love it. Next up, just picked up today from the Mustang Library drive-thru window How I Became A Famous Novelist by Steve Hely.

Maybe I'll remember what's in that one.