Finish this sentence:

In 2009 I ......

fostered 3 dogs

adopted one

ate ham, twice

became more involved in the pug rescue

lived on $400 a week for 9 months

had a lot of nightmares

lost a few, gained a few

taught my nephew how to give high fives, stick his tongue out, and say uncle

learned the truth

gained perspective

laughed way more than I cried

got my mind out of the gutter (sort of)

rendezvoused with cousin Nicole in NYC for sushi at Nobu, dessert at the Plaza and frozen hot chocolate @ Serendipity (her mom would be pleased)

let go of unhealthy, unsatisfying relationships

lost my stepmother

had 4 mammograms and 2 surgeries - survived cancer scare

started a new job

hung out at the beach with my BGF (best gay friend)

finally learned how to work with the natural wave in my hair instead of fighting it

got an iPhone

struggled with forgiveness

prayed

danced like a fool

worked tirelessly at rehabilitating Plum

learned how to make my own dog food

felt inspired

felt blessed

reconnected with some great old friends

made some new ones

learned who my friends really are, and who they really aren't

was thankful for my blog peeps

taught myself Dreamweaver and Adobe CS4

thought wistfully of the Sausage every step of the way

never lost faith

wore skinny jeans

let another pug into my heart and my home

was seriously upset about Michael Jackson

started learning Digital SLR photography

scored some vintage Halston on ebay

started writing a novel

tried to be there

delighted each and every time I heard my nephew call me " ooo- Loo"

paid off my car loan

got pre-approved for a home loan

sat back and observed karma working at it's very finest

got a few steps closer to my pug farm

not bad

Posted by Lori in lists at 5:53 PM permalink Comments (6)

My new job

Listening to Michael Jackson's music

Plum

Nephew love

My iPhone (keep those apps coming)

Dreamweaver

Shopping for real estate

The power of positive thinking

Painting outside the lines

Pugs dressed up in Halloween costumes

Christmas present ideas that are going to make my loved ones very happy this year :)

Mi familia'

Full circling

Basking in the catharsis of it all

Remembering who you are

Project Runway

Bangs, I think I'm gonna get them with my next haircut

The autumn view from my office

Possibilities

Freedom

Awareness

Paying it forward

Blue cargo corduroys

Cooking for my dog

Where the Wild Things Are

Jon and Kate finally got cancelled - AMEN I say to you!

Posted by Lori in Daily , lists at 8:27 PM permalink Comments (1)

10. Smooth hair: no humidity = no frizz

9. Corduroy pants and preppy sweaters

8. Harvesting

7. The colors of Autumn

6. Perfect sleeping weather - not too hot, not too cold

5. Sweet apple cider

4. Country fairs

3. Thanksgiving and Halloween

2. Gaining an hour sleep with Daylight Savings time

1. Pugs crawling under the covers to snuggle

Posted by Lori in lists at 8:11 PM permalink Comments (3)

.
With summer well underway and a number of good books already consumed, I decided to update my summer reading list with my next must reads.

Think, me. On a big beach blanket in front of a large body of water with a warm breeze, cold drink, wide brimmed straw hat, and a good book that I just can't put down. Even if the pages are getting all oily from my suntan lotion. Got that visual down? Good.

Here is my current reading list:

Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
Lucky Man by Michael J. Fox
The Divine Comedy by Dante
Exploring Adobe Photoshop CS4
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Of course my mind is always thirsty for more....so if you have any must read, couldn't put the book down page turners that you think I would really enjoy - recommend away!

Posted by Lori in Daily , lists at 10:35 PM permalink Comments (5)

Jon and Kate Plus 8 - can somebody please explain her hair to me?

People who say verse instead of versus when denoting a comparison of two subjects. Totally different meanings by the way.... one is a preposition, the other is not.

People who give unpolished presentations and every other word is, "Um".....and we went to Um, and the results for that campaign were Um....."

Windows Vista!@!@#!@

When it takes a month to get an appointment with your doctor and when you finally arrive there on time, you have to sit in the waiting room for an hour.

Burning the roof of your mouth on hot pizza.

Ice cream headaches.

When all the light bulbs in the house blow at once.

Everything delicious and fun in life is bad for you.

Dashboard warning lights that come on unexpectedly.

Getting a flat tire only to discover the spare is flat too.

Bad hair days.

Overdone plastic surgery, think boobs that look like basketballs slammed under the skin and big puffy lips that look like they totally don't belong on that face.

People who have to make it all about them.

Pop ups that get by your pop up blocker.

Calling customer service departments that outsource their reps to another country and you can't understand a word they say.

People who are not mentally challenged but still feel the need to talk like Billy Bob Thorton from Slingblade, "Ah like french fried pur'taters, mmm hmmm".

Romantic comedies containing any of the following actors: Hugh Grant, Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Richard Gere, Kate Hudson, Matthew McConaughey.

Shirt labels that itch the nape of your neck or side of your hip.

Brown nosers.

Vegetarians who wear leather handbags and shoes...

When your cable bill increases $40.00 without warning and you have to get on the phone with customer service to get a new 6 month "promotion".

Renting a DVD only to find out its on television that night.

Celebrities who complain how difficult it is to be rich and famous.

That more people can quote cheesy one liners from Animal House than Shakespeare.

Drivers who pull out in front of you and cut you off only to drive 25 miles an hour like they are on a scenic Sunday drive.

When the sun doesn't come out for a month.

Office politics.

Talking to someone with an incredibly short attention span.

Backhanded compliments.

When the phone rings in the middle of dinner.

Paying $7.95 a month for an unlisted phone number and STILL ending up on some sleazy telemarketing list.

The entire cast of the new Beverly Hills 90210.

When half the cork stays in the bottle.

When your delicious cold cut combo grinder with oil and vinegar leaks all over your lap.

When you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

When you're the last to know.

Posted by Lori in Writing Life , lists at 12:48 PM permalink Comments (12)