Lessons learned

So what did we learn from our little adventure in 2008?

I already know this...but at times like this I am reminded that this display is so much bigger than me, it really has a life if its own. From all the people in the community that help to the fact that my silly cat gets fan mail! :)

So what did we do this year (2009).....we super-duper-duper reinforced the heck out of that scaffolding. Along with several other safety features....eventually I want a cable and harness attached to the roof.

We learned a very valuable lesson that day, that home owners insurance does not cover peoples medical costs from accidents like that on your property. You cannot even buy an extra rider. You can buy liability insurance....but that only works if you are found liable. And that only happens if we created something unsafe - like dug a pit in the middle of the driveway and pushed you in. So fortunately for us, he had health insurance. We have a new policy at the workshop that you cannot help with set up or take down or work with power tools unless you are insured - NO exceptions. It is not because we don't like you.....it is because we do like you. :) Well, most of you :D

We have the best crew. Through the whole situation everyone was helpful - from visiting him in the hospital to getting him around after that.....bringing him groceries in the snow and having him over for the holidays.

Seriously, you can steal any prop in the yard...the whole thing in fact. But don't even think of touching my friends.* I am extremely possessive of those wonderful people. I love those guys and you cannot have them...not even to borrow. Don't ask. :D

* and the cat. You can't have Hal, husband will kill me (he would likely give up me before that cat :D )...and anyway, it is Hal's yard, you could try to take him...but he would just end up back at our place eventually :)

This proves my point

on #5 on the last list. So we rent some movies (I am going to be nice when I say "we" - I am going to take credit for agreeing to rent them...so I guess it is partly my fault.) :D

So we watched two movies the other night, one romantic comedy and one horror film.

All About Steve and Jennifer's Body

All About Steve was painful to watch, I think I have an imprint of the embroidery on my sofa on my head from banging against it trying to lower my iQ enough to watch that disaster. OMG - I cannot find words to describe how awful it was. I should be honest....I did not watch the whole thing....I got up from the couch as many times as I could throughout the movie :D I rest my case, most romantic comedies are rubbish....they make both men and women look like idiots.

I have to go watch Practical Magic again so that I don't have that image of Sandra in a dreadful blonde wig stuck in my head.

So, Jennifer's Body had to be better, right? Well, only slightly...don't rent that one either. It is okay, but I would never recommend it. Not sure what it is, it had potential, but just never went anywhere and was too predictable for my liking.

Once again, not going to get into the well covered movie review arena.....just giving you my opinion....you will have to trust me on these two movies and stay away.

Husband says I get to pick the movies next time!! I have to see if Robo-Geisha is out yet :D

In order to save Hal

from befalling some tragedy from Carl's Curse....I will accomodate (most of) the award rules....just this one time :D

Kreativ Blogger Award rules (I hate rules):

Thank the person...done

Copy the award on your blog...done

Link to the person who gave you the award...done

Name 7 things about yourself that people may find interesting.....

I am missing some girl genes. I can prove it:

1. I HATE shopping.
2. Pink is my least favorite color.
3. Don't even think of buying me a gift from a jewelry store.
4. I did not like Sex in the City (yes, I watched the whole series - because many of my girl and my gay friends bugged me about watching it.) If Carrie was my friend, (and I guarantee you, she would not be, but if she was,) I would have smacked her upside the head with her ridiculously expensive shoes! :D
5. I don't like romantic comedies - I rather watch a horror or action flick instead :)
6. I am seriously allergic to mushy Hallmark cards (or any mushy card for that matter) - Husband knows I neither get nor give them.
7. I wear a single band as a wedding ring....I have no desire ever to own some outrageously big and distracting diamond....I rather have a rare book or piece of art instead.

Nominate seven Kreativ Bloggers....

Oh my, what is that sound? Yes, you did hear a slight "snapping" sound....man, that rule broke easy! :D

Okay Carl, that is the last time you get to pull the pet curse on me :D

I know that I am

the reason for the change to the "holiday dress code memo" this year. It not specifically says "Christmas" clothing, instead of "holiday" clothing.

It used to read "holiday themed clothing", and yes, I did write it that way on purpose. No, not so I could wear a skeleton scarf on Christmas Eve (that was an added bonus), I wrote it that way as to not offend anyone who is of a non-christian faith or does not celebrate at all. I purposely did not use the word "Christmas" because I am allergic to lawyers :)

Anyway, big surprise that the frog queen does not own or ever plans to own a holiday sweater, so I just wear a Santa hat or antlers or something - paired with a Halloween item. For no other reason than I like Halloween and Christmas and I have a sense of humor. :D

Something that I think HR finds an absence of in an employee to be a necessity :D

So, I have this skull scarf that I wear all the time (not just Christmas eve) and it appears that wearing it outside of "Halloween" is offensive to some people I work with. They reported it to HR....who now has to be more clear in their communication to staff, because of me. :)

For the record, the HR department used to be next to marketing and we are good friends. I help organize most of the staff parties and events, I decorate, create the flyers and awards, they love me. They thought it was silly, but they are also afraid of lawyers so . . . . . . .memos have to be edited.

And if she did not like my skull scarf, then she would really hate my skull hat with holly on it....I thought about wearing it today......I had it in my hand this morning as I was walking out the door....at the last minute, I put it back in the box. (That was close!)

As for the gingerbread house. I told the department if they wanted me to make it, it was going to be "haunted"......I think they were even a bit, ah.....shall we say surprised. Guess I don't have to make one next year! :D

Frog on the Pumpkin

Okay, I am tired

of waiting....will they just show the final Dr. Who episodes already?!?!?

This is killing me.

A good reminder why I try not to watch TV, when I like something....I have little or no patience. This is why I prefer reading....the only thing stopping me from finding out how it ends....is how fast I can read, coupled with how tired I want to be at work the next day :D

Why did David Tennet have to be such a good Doctor!?

I could have been done with the series when Chris left......cause I was sure no one could do better.....but I was wrong. Just like everyone else David is one of my favorite Doctors. (Although Tom Baker will always be the Dr. Who in my mind, guess I am just old school :)

If you are a fan

of Fox News, sorry for my last post. :)

As much as I find the channel annoying, my making fun of them (and Mr. Murdock) was more in reference to the circus type atmosphere of the channel and anything related to that making a Pratchett movie, rather than the actual channel's content.

I hope the last post will make the title of this blog make a bit more sense :)

And.....if you like The Hogfather....they made The Color of Magic (his first book) and The Light Fantastic (both books, one movie) into another delightful movie. If you enjoy the humor, you will like this one too.

Rincewind was perfectly cast. And any movie with Tim Curry (as Trymon) gets my attention. :)

Now I am just waiting to see the Wyrd Sisters as a movie....who will they cast as Nanny Ogg - cause I do happen to posses a cat to play Greedo (although now gone orange tabby, Merlin would have been PERFECT) - yes, Dorie might have found her calling - if I can pry her out from under the couch :D

When she saw it

(her award) my sister said...."Hey, wait, I think that is actually a picture of me in Scotland." :D

She is right the picture that I used from my sister's "Least Likely to be Found" award is a picture of her and I outside of Stirling. I do have pictures of her at Loch Ness, but they were not the right angle for the picture.....and the ruins of Urquhart Castle (which is by far the coolest part of the loch.....unless of course, you believe in Nessy :D ) was in the background.......it was easier to photoshop out the background from a picture of a light brown heather covered glen. :)

Speaking of Scotland.....we are trying to swing a trip back there in November of next year (2010). The plan is to rent a castle, no, not this ones :) with about 10 friends.....anyone want to go? :D