OK...so I'm not *REGULAR*

For those of you who REALLY know me, I'm sure you're surprised by the title of this post. You've got to be saying to yourself, "of course she's regular...I've seen the reading material and sudoku puzzles in every one her bathrooms! she's got a regular lending-library in there!"

The honest truth is that I am not referring to my scatological comings and goings (mostly goings), but to the irregular nature of my "pattyfabulous is just that" blog activities.

Who knew blogging took up so much time? With work and the new adventure of school kicking my shorts into midnight four nights a week (whoever even suggests that Capella is a diploma mill is welcome to stop by and write papers with me any time!), I barely have time to scoop cat boxes, exercise, and see my darling Shawn.

Gentle reader - I hope you'll forgive my delay in posting:

• parts 2 through ? of with stories of our Mexican vacation,
• highlights of my last kayaking adventure
• how much I frickin' love Bert Summers (and you ask "who the hell is he?")
• my very own reviews of cheese, local restaurants, beer, school courses, and more!

It will come...just not as fast as a "professional" blogger would deliver.

I *HEART* Squidbillies

I am a big fan of Aqua Teen Hunger Force (saw the movie in the theaters!), but I am an even BIGGER fan of the Squidbillies! As the name suggests, the show is about squid hillbillies. Charles Napier (of Blues Brother fame) is the voice of the sheriff in Season 1. I haven't seen a new episode since 2006 - I sure hope they make more!

Here's a fun episode -- enjoy! (p.s. - Dokken is devily music.)

PART ONE:



PART TWO:

A kinder, gentler version of "My Humps"

I've not been a big Alanis Morrisette fan, but I think in this case she comes very close to making the nonsense Black Eyed Peas song into something pretty and listenable.

Our Mexican Vacation

Shawn and I recently spent two lovely weeks in Mexico. We spent our first week in Puerto Vallarta and our second week in the little seaside jungle village of Yelapa. The trip was grand, and I'll probably tell you about it over a couple of posts. Read on...

On our first day, we arrived at our hotel just in time for happy hour(s). We happily discovered that happy hour meant "dos por uno" for all drinks from 3-6. Needless to say, we made it back by at least 4pm during our time there.

While in Puerto Vallarta, we stayed at the Hotel Mercurio. It's a VERY GAY hotel that welcomes open-minded straight people. The place was FABULOUS (just like me!)...a new pool, a well-stocked bar with a great mixologist on staff, free calls to the states, free high-speed internet, free breakfast, nice staff, and a kick-ass location right in the heart of the Romantic Zone.

As it's VERY GAY, we did get questions from other guests about why we chose to stay there, but most everyone was friendly. We were sort of the human oddity exhibition for the other guests, who for the most part seemed to be gay couples who liked to drink, go to the beach, drink, go to dinner, drink, and then go clubbing. One snarky little gentleman from Canada did tell me that I looked like an old Jewish lady because I kept my cowboy hat and sunglasses on while drinking my pina colada from the pool, but I think it's just that he was JEALOUS.

So - our first hours at the hotel were spent drinking in the sunshine and the wonderful margaritas! After three hours of drinking, we decided to do some exploring and headed to the beach, heading north along the malecon and eventually getting something to eat (I don't even remember where!). It was a great first day!

Separated at Birth?

This is my kitty, Maruschka. She is a friendly calico who loves to be pet very hard (she loves the hair brush!). She weighs in at 20 lbs. and has been known to stop dogs in their tracks! She has a rather loud motor and cannot sleep with people because she paws and licks heads to wake people up!

This is another kitty cat who seems to have a playful wink and wonderful dance moves!



Separated at birth? You decide!

A song for a mere 10 cents!

So I spent about a year paying 99 cents a song on iTunes until my British friend Paul turned us on to the Russian music site phenomena. He SWEARS it's the exchange rate that allows them to sell songs for as low as a dime, and trusting lass that I am, I BELIEVE HIM!


The one I've been visting lately is at: http://www.gomusic.ru/

Not all songs are a dime - I found a bunch of (what I thought were) relatively rare Coil songs that were listed at 15 - 25 cents a piece, but I figure the mark-up is all related to volume - and if you buy the entire album you get 10% off - what a deal!

While this site won't have super obscure American music (no Slant Six in this catalog), it does carry most anything you'd want in terms of traditional Russian, European dance and popular American music (including everything "alternative") and can be a cheap walk down memory lane. I bought almost all of Social Distortion's catalog of music for less than the price of a bargain bin CD...now that's what I call living! Hell, I was skipping and hopping down memory lane!

Since it's from Russia (with love!), we call these sites "iTunskis!" Yabol!

Here it goes again!...and again....and again...

Ok, so I know this is from July 2006, but it's still rated in the tops on YouTube. I just watched it for the 90-somethingest time (was linked to from another guy's page) and it still is one of the most creative physical performances I have EVER seen.

Test Drive Your Dream Job!

Are you a HR exec who's always hankered to be a cattle farmer? Maybe you're a marketing analyst who really wanted to be a choreographer?

No matter what you're doing now, if you've ever DREMPT of doing something different vocationally, you have to check out the Vocation Vacations website.

The service hooks you up for a "vacation-length" period of time with real people who are doing your dream job. You spend time working the job and learning what it's really like to have THAT vocation (the perfect antidote for "grass is always greener" syndrome!).

If you LOVE your job and know that you're doing your life's work, you can also sign up to be a mentor with the program and have people come to you!

Banks vs. Credit Unions

Everyone who knows me knows I like a good "movement!" Whether it's a movement of pleasing classical music, an abundance or rapid progress of events, a "grassroots for a good cause" movement, or (my favorite) "I had coffee on an empty tummy in the morning" movement, I like 'em all and support those that are my favorites or make a big impact.

I do this professionally, too, because I work for the leading provider of financial services to credit unions and their members worldwide. The credit union space is typically referred to as a "movement" as well, because the CU community is a diffusely organized or heterogeneous group of people or organizations tending toward or favoring a generalized common goal.

Some people are saying that the CU movement is in trouble. There's a lot of consolidation in the industry, and attracting new members amid changing charters and on-line bank offerings can be tough. I think there's a lot of confusion over the differences between banks and credit unions, too

I just found a VERY COOL website that helps to differentiate the difference. Check it out!

I am *TOTALLY* in love with Shawn!

My husband is one of the most SUPER COOL guys I know -- which is good thing, since I married him! He's practical and is blessed with smarts, looks, and a sense of adventure (which I share and would like to further exploit so we don't get bored in our old age). Simply put, I adore him!

This picture was taken on the twisty-turny Sugar River in southern Wisconsin. The day started out great (nice weather, nice water depth, I came head-to-head with a huge buck in the middle of the river as I quietly glided around a curve) and ended 6+ hours later with a paddle through a nasty mud lake where I had to get out and walk in mud past my knees to get my boat into a paddle-able depth. I was pissy and mad, but Shawn (as always) talked me through it and calmed me down. Everyone was BEAT after that trip!

Step One...Cut a Hole in a Box

I adore that Justin Timberlake is so willing to have some fun and make fun of the genre that's made him so much coin!

Step Two...put your junk in that box...

Liam Sullivan is Funny!

I'm a really big fan of the SHOES by Liam Sullivan. We showed it to some friends and they all wanted the URL - now we hear people doing Kelly quotes (hands of betch...).

He's got a new Kelly song out that's about text message breaking up that's pretty good, too (a word of caution - it's got swear words). Check it out, dog:

how many of YOU are there?

My sister just turned me onto this website where you type in your name and it tells you how many people with your name live in the US.

While I always knew I was one of a kind (my husband continues to tell me that God broke the mold when I was made!), it's nice to know that I am truly the *ONLY* Patty Fabulous in the world. And I have proof, see:

HowManyOfMe.com

There are: 0 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Check it out for yourself and see how many there are of you!

My FAVE rock -n- roll photo

What can I say? I *LOVE* this picture!

I'm a fan of Johnny and Patsy (both for their awesome voices, great songs, AND karaoke potential!), but while Patsy Cline was the soulful sometimes-wronged sweetheart, Mr. Cash was ALWAYS a major bad ass - even when pushing 40 (when this pic was taken).

Is there even a contemporary who will enjoy the career longevity that Johnny Cash has?

I Want Snow Shoes!

I'm very excited because just got our first REAL bout of snow. I love winter sporting (sledding rocks, I like X country skiing, and just hiking with the dogs is a blast!). Now that we're in Wisconsin, I'd like to really get out into the winter wonderland!

A hint for all of you out there who are thinking of buying a present for little ol' me: I want snow shoes. Specifically, I'd like the MRS Denali Classic, which are available at REI for the very low price of $139.99 (if you knew anything about snow shoes, you'd know that this IS actually cheap!). I'd like these in Black, please.

Of course, snow shoes also require trekking poles (sort of like ski poles), so if you're making this purchase with a group and need to spend a tad more coin, I'd also like REI's summit trekking poles. Very low cost at $55 for the pair (and they come in a beautiful RED!)

If anyone out there would like to send these to me anonymously, I'd be real pleased!

Trip to FLA was BOFFO

Whew! My last post was from sunny Florida (yay!) and now I'm back in overcast Wisconsin (boo!).
FLA was great! I learned A LOT, had some family time, AND had ample time with the mouse.

I went to Disney World the Sunday night when I arrived on an "After 4" park ticket. It worked out perfectly - it was Extra Hours night, so the park was open until midnight for resort guests. I got there around 8, enjoyed a Dole Whip (the BEST frozen treat on earth!!!), went on Pirates a few times, did the Jungle Cruise, watched the fireworks, headed to the Haunted Castle, did Big Thunder Mountain and Pirates once more, and then headed back to my resort to rest up for some head-hurting learnin' on Mon - Weds at the Training Outsourcing conference. Two coolest things about the Con: 1) articulating the value of training using net present value, and 2) the Disney backstage tour conducted by the Disney Institute.

After Training Outsourcing, I spent some time at my sister's house (where my last posting was written!). I worked all day (yay!).

The following day I checked into my new hotel for Con #2 and went to EPCOT with my sister. I am always nostalgic for EPCOT because we went there alot as a family when I was a teenager. While they've really done A LOT to update the front part of the park (Future World has a new name and a ton of cool stuff like Soarin', Mission to Mars, and Test Track), my favoriate attraction at EPCOT is still the movie in France (I am SUCH a geek!), with the production at the American Pavillion coming in as a strong second.

Day after that, I went to the Magic Kingdom with her family, including my niece and nephew. We got to bypass all the lines and go in the back way for Pirates of the Carribean and the Haunted Mansion - I've never seen those parts of the park before - it ROCKED! We closed the day at the Hall of the Presidents, which was much cheesier than I ever remember - I swear I remember more dialogue between the prezidents - now it's mostly George Bush (boo!). What happened? Did I dream it?

From there, I started Con #2 (Learning 2006) and came directly home when that was over.

Some thoughts about my experience at Disney:

The war for talent is evident and it looks like it has taken it's toll.

• I heard alot at the back stage tour about employee selection and how they don't hire people who don't smile (apparently, cast members are required to smile and make eye contact with guests). I saw scowling cast members talking with their peers and ignoring guests.
• The parks are way dirtier than I ever remembering seeing them in the 1980s (especially the Magic Kingdom). We're talking TRASH on the ground and not a sweeper in sight. Amazing.
• Disney must outsource some things on property, because my very tacky waitress at a very high end restaurant told me so. She was relatively new and complained about having to abide by Disney costume rules even though she was not an employee. She then told us that she was 40 and had a daughter who was in her mid-20s because she didn't use her birth control pills correctly. She went on to tell us that she put her daughter on the pill when she turned 15 and reminds her about the importance of "not having a pill baby." Forgive me, but I CANNOT think of a better ending to a $250 dinner with friends!

I hope the guy or gal who came up with this princess thing got a hefty bonus. You can't go anywhere without seeing girls in $60 get-ups. They also have taken some very nice restaurants and made them "dine with princesses" establishments, which I'm sure means the food is quite marginalized yet more expensive. Way to go!

Fabulous at Five!

Even at 5 I was fabulous. Of course I didn't realize it then (and am sad to say that sometimes in moments of humanity I forget it even today!) but looking back, I know I must have had converse moments of clarity where I just KNEW I was emerging into fabulosity.

Ah....1975. In this pic I am 5 and taking a break (to pose - see? FABULOUS!) from getting ready to be the flower girl for the wedding of my aunt's best friend, Karen. I remember my pretty dress (white) and the flower petals (yellow) and I have some very cute pics of me holding hands with the minister as we walk down the aisle after the ceremony. I remembering playing my role well (no crying or whining, expertly distributing petals, moving down the aisle in step with the processional) and thinking how cool it was to have been asked to be part of the party. It was my only flower girl gig.

Being an alum to the flower girl club, I of course check out how the flower girls do at the weddings I attend. I'm sad to report that while I've seen some great flower girls, I also see a lot of crying and sobbing, which really destroys the mood for all involved. I'm inclined to believe this is the fault of the bride or parent for picking a kid who was too young or not precocious enough to handle and/or enjoy the spotlight that the role provides. In some cases, I'm sure the would-be flower girl was pushed into the role without being asked if she wanted to do it.


SIDE BAR:
So while I'm cute in a dated sort of way, looking at this pic again, I am SO THANKFUL for being alive today vs. 100-200 years ago. I started wearing glasses at 3, which totally saved me from having a crossed eye, and the magic of braces brought in a VERY "Melissa Gilbert as Laura Ingalls Wilder" overbite (why was is so damn cute on her?!?!?!?!) I can also say that it's one of the only times I've ever worn curlers in my life.

BLOGS AWAY...

So, not sure if anyone will ever read this, but thought I'd try this for fun. Will I have time for this? Will I have enough thoughts to compel me to write? Is this all bullshit? We'll definitely find out over the next coupla months, no?

Here's about me...