I have installed spyware into my blog and I just though it would be nice to let you know. I'm tracking how many hits my blog gets, and how people are getting here, and how long they are staying...it's fascinating. Did you know that I get about 40 hits a day? I had no idea!

Interestingly, here are some of the keyword searches that people have done to find my blog:
The Nati
Catholic Wedding Living in Sin
eye goop
nondenominational tree toppers
Grandma Bench Cincinnati Ohio
What wrong with spanx
humidity in restraunts
car alarm keeps going off

All I can say is whaaaa? I don't know why somebody would search about eye goop and choose my blog..of all websites....to look at. Perhaps it just looked amusing or something.

Because there is only 15 minutes left of work, I am going to give you my random iPod playlist:
1) Justify my love - Madonna
2) Wishbone - Architecture in Helsinki
3) Swing Interpretation of the first movement of the concerto in D Minor - Django Reinhardt
4) Helter Skelter - The Beatles
5) Pop Life - Prince
6) But You're So Beautiful - Future Bible Heroes
7) Know Your Onion! - The Shins
8) Homeward Bound - Simon & Garfunkel
9) Never There - Cake
10) Miss Liberty - Dayna Kurtz

Happy Birthday! My aunt Patty and Uncle Jim had their baby tonight, about an hour ago. The baby wasn't due until January, so this is a nice surprise just in time for me to meet the baby on Christmas. It was a girl (even though I swore it was going to be a boy) and while it isn't official yet, she will probably be named Caroline (middle name Olivia or Frances last time I checked in). This is the very first December birthday for the entire family and the first baby in nearly 12 years!

Last month I had a nightmares that I did not purchase the proper undergarments for my wedding attire. So I began researching the underware that will make me look great in my clothes, even if they look awful under my clothes. I came up with this:

Properly named, Spanx, are supposedly a miracle undergarment. People everywhere sing the praises of Spanx. And they should be a wonder fat smoosher because at $68 a pair they will be the most expensive undergarment I will ever buy. So at my wedding you can all be assured that I will be wearing a very tight pair of underware that extends from my bra to mid-thigh. Wonderful!

I checked out ebay to see if I could get a lower price, and I found woman who seemed to sell nothing but Spanx for less than half the price. So I ordered from her. Note to self: don't order underware from the internet ever again. I mean, they arrived quickly, with the tag still attached but I was most put off by the fact that they were quite damp. Not just, "hey, these feel a bit damp" rather, I could have probably squeezed quite a bit of water out of them if I tried.

So I contacted the seller, who has no idea why they were wet. They were enclosed in a plastic bag in the shipping bag, so they didn't get wet in the mail. I wish she had told me that she washed them out before mailing them. They don't smell funny but I don't know what to do? Do I keep the mysterious damp spanx from ebay? Do I try and sell them again on ebay? Do I just go to the damn store and buy a pair for $68?

I frequent a small branch of a local bank in my neighborhood. When I first opened my account I spent a lot of time with a woman who seemed to be the bank manager. I talked to her about my job market frustrations and she encouraged me to apply for a job with the bank. She was a very kind lady. She is always there when I go into the bank and she recognizes me and greets me by a name that is never my own. I've been called Kristin, Ashley, and Liz. I usually correct her but she never seems to retain my real name. I don't think she's ever gotten it right.

Today she greeted me, "Hello Ashley!" I responded by saying, "Oh...HI!" I paused after Oh, debating about whether or not to correct my name and decided not to. I went to the counter, made my deposit, and as I was leaving she stopped me. "Why didn't you tell me I called you by the wrong name?" She really wanted an answer...she wasn't being rhetorical. "Umm," I stammered, "I thought it would be rude to correct you." (AGAIN, I was thinking...AGAIN!)

It was an awkward interaction and I think I'm going to be avoiding my bank branch for a little while.

So....Gwen Stefani is now doing a remix/cover or whatever of The Lonely Goatheard from The Sound of Music. She even does a little yadel. Her backup dancers are Asian women with blonde wigs and plaid schoolgirl outfits. I thought it might have been a drean (nightmare?) last night on SNL, but check out youtube. It's no dream.

I'm disturbed.

Stella Pictures!

Today, in honor of Todd's dead iPod I give you an iPod shuffle mix.
1) Alfie - Dionne Warwick (A horrible song, but I'm not ashamed.)
2) Memories of Love - Future Bible Heroes
3) Heart of Glass - Blondie
4) All the King's Horses - Dusty Springfield
5) In The Union of Wine - Hidden Cameras
6) A Case of You - Joni Mitchell
7) Over and Over Again - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
8) Down - Ben Kweller
9) Pin - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
10) Whatever Happened to Christmas - Aimee Mann

RIP 4th generation 40 GB iPod, RIP.

Todd and I have decided that we watch too much TV about murders and rape. I always end up getting frustrated because these shows usually perpetuate rape myths. We've decided to not watch any TV shows about rape and/or murder until the end of the year. I think we need more comedy in our life. So we need to rent some movies/TV shows to keep us occupied. Any suggestions?

I'm taking a poll. Which dress do you like better?

Dress #1

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c15/kdrotar/Dress007.jpg


Dress #2

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c15/kdrotar/Ring009.jpg

I've been struggling with myself a lot lately over a certain issue, and you are all going to think I am a giant cheeseball for saying this.

I hate my wedding dress. It is just about the most unflattering thing I own. I've disliked it since I first tried it on, but I was so ready to be done with the "bridal shops" that I just sucked it up and told myself that I would grow to love it. Well, I don't. I've grown to hate it.

So I'm going out shopping again. Wish me luck.