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Friday, March 30, 2012

What do Nerds do on a Starry Saturday Night?

So I mentioned in a previous post that I went to see the Nerdist Podcast show at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta (Little 5 Points to be precise).

Now I will admit this was not my idea.  My daughter - The Future World Renown Writer aka The Younger One heard that Chris Hardwick and troupe (Matt Mira and Jonas Ray) were coming to Atlanta to do the Podcast and was determined that we should go.  She even bought us both tickets. (How many kids do you know that want to take their mom to a show on Saturday Night.  :)  She loves me and yes we are Nerds.)

For those that don't know  The Nerdist  is nerd comedy at its peak.  Take Big Bang Theory meets American Pie- oh and definitely a mature audience only kind of show.  If you are a fan of Star Trek, Dr. Who or the Walking Dead this is the place for you. (I can only claim two of the three shows as Zombies just don't do anything for me.)

We started the evening at the Brew House as there is no better place to people watch in Little 5 Points, which as Chris so aptly pointed out in his intro is the Haight-Ashbury of Atlanta - it is an Alternative Haven and one of my favorite places in Atlanta.  However, we were unable to get a table outside and ended up in the cover seating area.  As we perused the menu we notice the couple at the next table - who should it be but TLC's Chilli - like I said best place to people watch.  (We did not take any pictures but let them enjoy their meal.)  I will say she is a beautiful woman and Usher was a fool to let her go - although her companion was definitely no slacker.

After we finished gawking and had dinner we walked over to the play house stopping at a few of the stores and enjoying the street performers along the way.



We got to Theater and took our place in line....



We even had music to keep us entertained while we waited.




Before long we were seated in the glory of purplish blue velvet waiting for the show to begin.



The show consisted of a stand up comedy portion, then the podcast portion followed by a Q/A portion called  QUEMMENT!   I was too busy laughing to take pictures during the show however, after entertaining us for 3ish hours they were so kind as to let everyone line back up to get autographs and take pictures.  We had a great time as you can see from the pictures.


 Picture of The Younger One with Chris, Matt and Jonas

Picture of the Future Tony Award Winning Actress aka The Older One

Me laughing at all the silliness and the fact it was way past my bedtime.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=SOir4aMu0vY

If you watch the promo specifically Chris's portion you will hear all of us yelling in the back ground... That's right he filmed it in Atlanta.

Check out the show and let me know what you think.  

**If you should be so fortunate as to enjoy an event at the Playhouse try the coffee.  Best cup of Joe I have had in a long time.  



Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Pleasant Surprise Saturday

Here in the Atlanta area we have something called Living Social which is like Groupon in that it offers discounts to various restaurants and businesses.   I had somehow managed to get on the email list but I had yet to make a purchase, I was waiting for an offer I could not refuse.  

My day job is in Financial Reporting which is Accounting on Steroids especially at year end (which for me starts in January and ends early March), by Mid-February we are all ready to become homicidal maniacs.  So when my Living Social daily email arrived with a deal for a 60 minute massage and 30 minute foot scrub on the right side of town and during my high stress work-phase, well it took me all of 5 seconds to whip out my card and buy one.  

I called and made my appointment at Relax Atlanta (http://www.relaxatlanta.com/) for Saturday 3/24.


I figured it would be a good day for a massage since I was walking a charity 5k in the morning and a massage would be just what I needed before heading to Little 5 Points that evening with my daughters to see the Nerdist Podcast show.


So after finishing the walk (it was a beautiful morning and I really enjoyed it) I went home, showered and headed out for my massage.  Now the location is part of a small strip mall in an area I rarely travel - between a pizza hut and Po Boy sandwich shop, but I had no problem finding it and arrived a few minutes early.


The staff was very courteous and efficient, they quickly had me signed in, and even though I was early had me in the back getting ready for my massage in no time.  My therapist was Jennifer and she was extremely nice asking questions about what areas did I want her to work on and if I had ever had a massage before.  She left the room so I could prepare and get comfortable on the table, which was extremely comfortable... so comfortable that I fell asleep several times during the massage and foot scrub...  I have never fallen asleep during a massage before but the room was so soothing and the massage so relaxing it was bound to happen....  It was probably a good thing too as I ended up being out on the town till 2 am with my daughters but I am saving that story for a post of its own.


I wasn't sure what to expect when I bought the daily deal from Living Social but I am so glad I did. I highly recommend Relax Atlanta if you are on the I-20 west corridor out of Atlanta be sure to check it out.   I will be heading back for another massage and maybe a nap soon.

Do you have a pleasantly surprising story to tell or a business to recommend?  Feel free to share in the comments below.



Monday, March 26, 2012

Easy Dinner Recipe Lemony Orange Roughy

Lemony Orange Roughy with Roasted Rosemary Sweet Potatoes, Rutabaga and Asparagus

Here is a easy dinner recipe.

I have been wanting to roast some veggies and had hoped to do roasted beets but there were none to be found in my local store so I got a Rutabaga and I had some Sweet Potatoes that were in need of cooking.

Ingredients:
1 fish filet for each person
1 Rutabaga
4 Small Sweet Potatoes
1 bunch of Asparagus
Olive Oil
1 Lemon
Rosemary
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut up the 1 Rutabaga and about 4 small Sweet Potato drizzled a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper mixed it up and then added 1 twig of fresh rosemary.  (Tear the leaves from the stem and break into smaller bits and scatter over the tray.)


I put this in the oven and cook for about 35 minutes and then stir/turn the veggies and put back in the oven for another 10 - 15 minutes.  Check for tenderness to ensure both are cooked. I found the Rutabaga took a bit longer than the Sweet Potato.

Asparagus is so simple just remove the bottom end and place in pan drizzle a bit of olive oil, sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper and roll around in the pan till everything is coated and you are ready to place in oven.  These take about approx 10 minutes to cook - you can adjust time to your preferred texture.  We like ours to be a crunchy or lightly cooked.



 I used my large Wok pan to cook the fish.  Preheat the pan with a bit of olive oil on a medium flame.  Add the fish fillets, salt, pepper and juice from one lemon.


Cover and let cook about 4 minutes.  Turn over and finish cooking.
Serve and enjoy.


Sunday, March 25, 2012

Thursday, March 22, 2012

What I Learned This Week

As my lovely teenage daughters can attest, there is much I do not know and although they have tried to educate me I can be a bit slow at times.  But I can learn and to prove it I am going to talk about what I learned this week.

1) Writing a blog means learning about about HTML and various other computer things I thought I would never have to worry about.  I must admit I am enjoying the challenge.  I love it when I try something and it works.  See Somewhere-Between  (Thank you The Simple Dude - I learned this from reading your book.)

2) Mr. Rogers used the word S H I T - I read this on Yahoo so it must be true (http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/upshot/don-t-know-mister-rogers-003202984.html).  Happy Birthday Mr. Rogers thank you for entertaining me back in the days before cable and afternoon cartoons.


3) I have 1 degree of separation from Jennifer Lawrence of Hunger Games...
Yep that is me behind the woman in black in white - if you look closely you can see Lenny Kravitz's hand on my shoulder....  I still haven's washed that shoulder.  Back to Jennifer I am really looking forward to seeing the Hunger Games movie - I highly recommend the books with a note of caution once you start reading you won't stop till you have finished all 3 books.

I think that is enough for one week... I don't want to blow a fuse.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Tooth Brush Happiness Oral B - Pulsar

I went to the Dentist the other day and much to my surprise I had a great check up.  The lovely Hygienist gave me a glowing review on my oral care and remarked I was the easiest patient she had had in a while - no tarter build up. Now considering the last few years have been filled with gum surgery, a root canal, two crowns, various fillings and I still have some repairs to do I was a bit surprised - even my Periodontal check showed significant improved.

There is only one thing I can think of that would have facilitated this improvement.  I switched to the Oral B Pulsar about a year ago.  It is a battery powered tooth brush that costs about $6 in the store but it has done better than the expensive rotary and sonic bushes that I have purchased in the past. 




I was so pleased that I bought two more when I went to the store, at this rate I might get to hold off on those dentures for a few more decades. 


*This blog post was not sponsored by Oral-B or my Dentist. No free products or exchanges of any kind were involved.  Just my happiness at some good news. 

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Poem - You Are The Master Of Your Fate


I could not resist sharing this poem when I came across it as I was perusing the Internet.  The link to the site is below.   Enjoy


You Are The Master Of Your Fate
You Are The Captain Of Your Soul!

You are a wonderful person,
so do wonderful things.
You can make a difference in your world.
You have a purpose;
you have the power;
you are magic.
You can create beauty.
Learn from your past;
design your future.
You can soar in imagination.
You have the courage to question,
and you can choose to change.
The only limitations you have
are those in your own mind;
don't be satisfied with less
than all you can be.
Don't compare yourself with others;
draw your own dreams
and design your own destiny.
Live each day to the fullest.
Give a little more than you take.
Make this world a better place to live,
and always listen to your heart,
for only you know what is best for you!





Monday, March 19, 2012

Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball Tour

So by sheer good luck I got two free tickets to the Bruce Springsteen concert (my employer is a sponsor of the arena and on occasion we are given an opportunity to get seats in the company box).

This was the first stop in his tour for the new album Wrecking Ball.  I had a blast.  I danced through the whole concert.  Yes most of the music was new but it had depth and rhythm and I enjoyed it immensely. Not to worry you die hard oldie lovers he dusted off some of the early songs in the encore.  So if you get a chance to go I would highly recommend it but stay till the end.  You will not be disappointed.

Here are a couple of pictures from the concert.












Sunday, March 18, 2012

On Being Invisible

Regardless of the calendar it is Spring here in Georgia. Every morning as I head to work the birds have been singing and I have longed to stay and listen to the chorus.  So this morning as I was puttering through the house, drinking my coffee and cleaning up odds and ends the music of the birds called to me and as I opened the front door 3 lovely singers awaited me, sitting in the early spring buds of the cherry tree.  I listened for a bit and the gently closed the door.  I grabbed my camera and figured this would be a perfect morning to meditate with the birds and grab a few photos along the way.



I headed out to sit on the porch and listen to the music. As it would happen the neighbors began their Sunday pilgrimages and it was quite fun, I must admit, to sit quietly on the porch and listen to all the hubbub around me.  I don't know if it was the intensity of completing their mission or the fact no one is ever on our front porch but I was not noticed by the dog walker or the families corralling everyone in to the car for church as I sat listening to the birds through it all.  If I was a bird I would think we humans quite amusing. Even myself sitting on the porch in my gym shorts which I hurriedly threw on and messy hair.



It was a beautiful morning and as I moved to the side of the house to get some pictures of the birds at the feeder I saw just how alive the trees behind the house were as the birds few in and out, and the squirrels chased each other through the branches.




Enjoy your day.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Saturday Night Silence - Sunday Night Rock and Roll

Saturday Night - St. Paddy's Day by the calendar and my younger daughter is working (she is a hostess at a local chain restaurant).  My older daughter is on Spring Break from college and has gone to her Father's house for the week.

Thus it was Corn Beef and Cabbage for two this year.


It is odd having the house so quiet on evenings like this...  But it is a perfect time for me to get some reading done while the Hubby is handling the laundry.

We have a date night on Sunday - we are going to the Bruce Springsteen concert compliments of my 9 - 5 j-o-b.  I must admit I am very excited to see "The Boss" - it brings out my inner teenager.  I was definitely doing the Happy Dance when I received the tickets.



(If anyone is interested here is a link to his keynote address at SXSW today http://brucespringsteen.net/ - I would love to go to Austin and SXSW both are definitely items on my bucket list.)


"Fear & Loathing in the Physical Realm" a Re-post from Veronica


This is a re-post from a newsletter that I get weekly from Veronica/April Crawford.  



Fear & Loathing in the Physical Realm

     "To become part of the physical experience it is necessary to focus intensely upon the moment.  A time line unfolds before you as you proceed upon creating a reality.  The plans are in place but often a deviation occurs placing the energy in the path of alienation from the core energy from which they came.  This occurrence is easily magnified and embellished by dramatic creations.
     It is important to take notice of the embracement of drama and its ability to spiral into more complicated predicaments.  It is at that point where the dread of continuance can cause severe depression and immobility.  This overwhelming experience puts the souls of many in jeopardy due to the lack of movement in their energy.
     To remedy this moment it is necessary to pause in the linear creation your are experiencing.  Attempt to stop the unnecessary chatter in your head while focusing on a quite moment connection with your energy.
     If it appears impossible, it is imperative to provide for yourself the silence.  If you have the time to be miserable indeed you have the time to reconnect to your soul.
     It's your choice.  However, to continue in the turmoil will only result in more of what you find yourself in now.
     Take the opportunity..... find the silence.  It's quite alright to do it your own way.  Just do it.



     It's never going to be too late but the tardiness of your evolution will be noticed....  by you.
     It is not required to be dissatisfied with your evolvement.  It is not required to fear the moment.  Fear can be conquered with mere eye to eye engagement.  Fear will slink away by a mere glance of your internal energy.  Yes it will.
     Find the silent moment void of fear.  Your distaste for the physical will recede and your eternal energy will emerge.  Remember to keep linear chatter at bay.  See what occurs."
                       --VERONICA


I try to mediate daily but I must admit that I sometimes fail in this endeavor especially when I need it most.  Having reminders posted where I am likely to see them helps me to - Step away from the Drama, take a deep breath and remember, it is but a moment in time neither the beginning or the end. 

I hope you are having a wonderful St. Paddy's day.  






Re-posted with permission of author.  No monetary compensation or in-kind exchange was received for this posting

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Ides of March

Tis the Ides of March and the day after Pi with the equinox around the corner, such a busy month.

So I have been puttering with this blog concept and trying figuring out what direction do I really want to take this adventure.  I have had several conversations with friends and acquaintances and while it is uniformly agreed that blogs and social marketing are the next wave of discourse, how do I join this party and what can I add to the mix.




I am a multifaceted individual and this blog will reflect that aspect.  I will continue discussions on Past-Life Regression, share my new adventure - obtaining my Certified Financial Planners (CFP) certification (which I plan to complete in the next 12 months), I also anticipate doing some product reviews and giveaways, as well as, addressing some of the mundane events that occur when one is approaching the empty nest phase.  My daughters are becoming more independent everyday, going to college/high school, working jobs and busy planning their futures.  I too am doing much the same thing.  With fewer responsibilities I now have time to go to the gym, or as I did last night play Bunco with a wonderful group of ladies and it didn't hurt that I won part of the pot on my first time - beginners luck.



I have been relatively busy with work and my favorite hobby Past Life Regressions the last few months, however, I decided to go back to school, although online, to obtain my CFP.  I chose this particular path because I felt it would build on my work experiences but also give me an opportunity to work more directly with people on a daily basis.  I will be learning a new skill that will be beneficial to me and my family as well as others.  And now it is time for me hit to books and do some reading.

Tante Belle Cose