What I'm listening to this month...

Each month I make a new playlist in iTunes and then listen to it almost everyday for a month until I can't stand it any more. Here are some selections from May:

- "Springtime Can Kill You" Jolie Holland (Really great female folk singer with a haunting voice. This is from her newest CD)
- "The Trapeze Swinger" Iron and Wine (Pretty song, pretty lyrics)
- "Everybody is a Star" Joan Osborne (I love the Sly and the Family Stone version, but I also love a female singer with a raspy voice, so this is a fun cover.)
- "Spooky" The Classics (Love IS kinda crazy with a spooky little girl like me...)
- "Goodbye Alice in Wonderland" Jewel (fun new single)
- "In a Sentimental Mood" John Coltrane (Joel has me listening to jazz. What is this world coming to?)
- "For Good" Wicked Soundtrack (Every month must have at least one showtune in it.)
-"Fireflies" Rhett Miller and Rachael Yamagata (This is the lead singer of Old 97's... very pretty song.)
- "Kissing My Love" Bill Withers (Each month needs a remind me of Joel song, too. This is May's.)

You're still in the running towards becoming America's Next Top Model...

Wow! I am probably not cool at all because two of the five TV shows I watch regularly are on UPN. You already know about Veronica Mars (though that season finale! Wow! Don't you dare cancel it new station!) But I also watch one of the dumbest shows on TV: America's Next Top Model. Joel heckles me while I watch saying, "Can you feel yourself getting dumber by the minute?" I have to point out, though, that he is usually saying that from the seat right next to me on the couch; he can hate all he wants, I know he likes the show deep down. Anyway, the season finale is tonight. I think I want Danielle to win all the "fabulous prizes", but mostly I watch it because the women are catty. And although, on some levels, it is probably wrong to support this cattiness, it is entertaining. The other three shows I watch regularly (remember I don't have cable) are: Everwood, Survivor, and Gilmore Girls. (I'm done now, though, it keeps getting dumber and dumber). How I Met Your Mother is funny too, I just always seem to miss it. Please don't let my bad taste in TV scare you off entirely, remember that I also have bad taste in movies to contend with as well!

To all the Mom's I've Loved Before...

Happy Mother's Day!

MJ M M T J L S D M S T C M B B P A E L M K N S S B K and anyone I forgot...

The bun in the oven...

So I went for my second Doctor's visit today and since she said I was doing well and free to talk about it...Thelonius Monk Barr (that's a working name) is due December 1st. Now I know all five of you who read this already know, but I still have been wanting to write about it.

So...look forward to the post about my gigantic boobs that I have been holding out on...

Well, I haven't posted in a long time, mainly because I am boring. I have been spending a lot of time outside trying to deal with the mess that we call "landscaping" in our front yard. Joel fired me though because I just Edward Scissorhanded two of our three Holly bushes. Oops. Plus I got all passive agressive with this ratty looking Juniper. I just cut it back to stumps.

...

Joel rarely makes fun of me. (I assume because I am near perfect, right?) But today, he breaks out into this impersonation of me at lunch. He uses a valley girl voice and says, "This is sometimes how Nora sounds: 'Blah, blah, blah, Veronica Mars, blah, blah blah, Entertainment Weekly, blah, blah, blah Showtunes'." All the while making goofy looking gestures. I was so proud of him! I knew if I just waited long enough my catty, sarcastic sense of humor would rub off. Payoff is a bitch though because I have to take him to this jazz concert for his birthday on Friday. I'm sure there will be no end to hilarious "What's with the sausage fest? and Only geeks like jazz fusion" jokes.

Snakes and snails and puppy dog tails...

One of my favorite things about being married is living with Joel. We always have the best time just hanging out at home.

One of my least favorite things about being married is that it means you have to live with a boy. And sometimes boys are gross!

Happy Birthday Jennifer Juniper!

In other news...sorry for the lack of posts. I have been reading such negative responses about blogging lately it has left me a little gun shy. Here are the two problems people seem to have with blogging and my commentary:
1. Some people use a blog to air their dirty laundry about work. This seems like a really dumb idea that will get you fired. There is even a blogger word for getting fired for your blog: "Dooced". Named after a popular blogger who got fired for this. (Though I have never heard anyone use it.) Plus that Chicago Public School teacher who did that...like you weren't going to get caught??

2. Lots of people say bloggers are losers who are totally self-involved and need to get a life. Now I might be self-involved, but I have a life, darnit! (This may be true, but this started out as something for me, for fun, and to learn how to do some new things on the computer. To the five people or so who happen to read it once in a while, cool. That's all.)

And... this weekend I watched Everything Is Illuminated. I liked the book, but actually liked the movie better. It wasn't reviewed very well though. Still, very touching and uplifting. I finished this month's book club book Babylon Sisters. I really loved it and read it in about three hours. You get sucked in. Lately though, I am embarrassed to say I have been reading a lot of very cheesey romantic comedies. If you are a fan of this sort of beach read, try Julie Ortolon. They're good "suck you in" kind of reads. (If you aren't a romance fan... you probably won't like them.) Joel's been teasing me about my latest selections so I may have to revisit Charlotte Bronte or something soon.