Office Par-tay!

There ain't no party like my Nana's tea par-tay! --Flight of the Conchords So we had our annual office party today. Ah...good times. With the whole company gathered together in Tomorrowland (our largest conference room), the IT group once again demonstrated that oil does not mix with water when they, as usual, clustered together at one table. On the bright side, we proved that, yes, these tables can accommodate up to 12 people. The big winners of the mystery gift give away -- Ravi with the iPod Shuffle and Aimee with the emergency light (which was exactly what she wanted).

Happy Birthday...To Me!

So, for my birthday we headed over to Chevys for a fiesta filled with friends, food, and fun. YUM! To all those who attended -- Matt, BC, Maria, Geoffrey, Thommy, Parker, Aimee, Jan, Eric, Fred, & Kitty -- thanks for coming and making my birthday extra special. You only turn 38 once and I'm glad you were able to share in the experience. Too bad no sombreros were involved. But the event did come with a mariachis!

That's Kooky

Here's Parker's latest obsession that's driving me crazy...but in a good way, I guess.

Every morning now, I lure Parker out of bed by letting him watch the episode of Wow Wow Wubbzy that I have tivo'd. This allows me to almost effortlessly change and dress him as he's mesmerized by the television. Of course, since I currently only have one episode recorded, that also means I've started my day off with this video every single morning for the last week.

I guess it's time for me to record a new epiosde of Wow Wow Wubbzy.

That's Kooky!

Ocean Front Property?

Ocean Front Property?,
originally uploaded by Car2nGrl.

So I forgot to post this. I took it about a month ago. Something to keep in mind when it gloomy gray. Just over the marine layer, it absolutely beautiful.

This is a picture of the Los Angeles basin. The cloud cover lays over the city like an ocean of cotton, shielding the city from the beautiful blue skies.

I took this on my way to work, off of Angeles Crest Highway.

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Xmas

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Xmas,
originally uploaded by Car2nGrl.

It's nice to wake up in the morning and discover that everything has been dusted with snow.

Devious Case of Bedhead

Devious Case of Bedhead,
originally uploaded by Car2nGrl.

Someone not only woke up on the wrong side of the bed but he was left with a serious case of bedhead. Sorry little dude, if I still have to go to work, you still have to go to school.

Mouse House

I noticed my car was starting to smell like gas...not a good sign. So I too my car in and not only found out I need a new fuel pump but the local rodent population thought the top of my gas tank would make a good home.

On the bright side, I mentally applied part of my repair bill to the nest removal, which makes be feel kind of better about the big bill. Kind of.

Halloween 2007

Halloween 2007,
originally uploaded by Car2nGrl.

This year, Parker was a fireman and his entourage consisted of me, Chris, Aimee, Geof, Jan, and Thommy.

I tell ya, after a bunch of brush fires hit a region, the best costume is...yes...the fireman. Everyone loved Parker's costume, which meant a big haul this year. The good thing, though, is that Parker still doesn't have a concept of candy so I didn't have to worry too much about him snacking along the way on a bunch of sugar. Which is good, since we ended the festivities at Bob's Big Boy. (This is the second time in a row we've done this...could this become our ''thing''?)

L-R: The setting on my camera switch but it kind of looks like Fireman Parker's escorting the masses out of an inferno. Yes? Parker inspects his haul. Happy family calls it a night.

Only A Faint Memory

Only A Faint Memory,
originally uploaded by Car2nGrl.

Later that evening, we're decked in our Incredibles gear and we're ready to head to bed. There's only a faint reminder of the tantrum that occurred just minutes ago. Look close closely at my shirt and you'll see the tear/drool impression Parker let behind. Pretty funny.

Parker's New Ride

Parker's New Ride,
originally uploaded by Car2nGrl.

Thanks to Geof, Parker has a new ride. Rocket from Little Einsteins. Right now, the ship has landed. But soon after this you can hear a vibrating bbbbbbbrrrrrr sound as Parker has taken to the air and has begun zooming around the house.

I like how he uses Rocket's antenna as a joystick to steer the ship. Nice!

Chris, You Will Be Missed

So with the launch of the ABCNewsStore at work, we had to bring in a temp to help us test the new store. Things have been going well. The site's now launched and the job should be pretty much wrapping up shortly. Last Thursday, Chris had to go to the DMV and then interview someone (he's a writer); so he took the day off. Curiously, he didn't show up to work on Friday. Weird. We called his temp agency to check in on him but nothing. Odd.

This morning I get a call, asking if I know Chris. Yes. Then informing me that he collapsed in the lobby of their building on Friday. He passed away over the weekend and now the coroner is looking for his next of kin. What?! Who is this? How did you get this number? This isn't funny.

Well, it wasn't a joke. The building happened to have Disney tenants and they were able to use his temp access badge to find me. I wish they could have found me sooner. How awful! It makes me sad that his family couldn't be with him before he left this world.

Chris hasn't been with us long but it's amazing how much of an impression a person can make. I can't help thinking of the things he left unfinished -- his blogs/mogs, a book he was ghost-writing, his computer was just fixed (is it still in the shop?), he was learning German for her girlfriend (She's in Germany, has someone contacted her?), etc. Hell, he was only 35. It just seems too soon.

Looking at Chris' blogs, I can't help but smile when I see things like a mention of his job interview with us...I got a call with an offer for another gig over at one of the major studios to expedite this Web-related project which, although won't last as long as the law firm editing gig, would pay a grip more $crilla than I would've if I were working with that fancy-pantsed lot down in the finance district...a couple of minutes ago I got the call back and ...I'm in there, son! I start on Monday...The ladies who interviewed me were much more laid back than those two twitchy tossers with the sticks in their keysters and we got right down to brass tacks without all of that alpha male posturing...it was refreshing...I just shot on over to the lot and acted like myself, no fuss no muss (and yes, I wore the Blerd glasses again).



A couple of weeks later, he blogs again from his desk......pardon the Obi Wan-Darth Maul, Jedi look but the A/C in this building is boomin’ and it’s colder ‘n a witch’s titty where I’m sittin’...never knew there was an Arctic Circle setting on that thing, so I’ve been rockin’ a hoodie while at my desk...too, I’ve been on the phone waiting for the last half hour while the IT guy sorts out my email clearances and such shite...so, in the interim, I’ve been cleaning out the desk of whomever was in this office space before me to keep my teeth from chattering...apparently it was a chick...who liked seafood..I found this magnet and an old compact in the bottom drawer of one of the cabinets...kinda funny, it made me think of Fred Schneider’s words of wisdom when starting at a new workplace...watch out for them piranhas, y’all...BTW, MOG ’s eating posts done in FireFox today but Safari’s working like a charm...so don’t be a crab if your post gets pinched…roger, over…check your vector, Victor…CP, out.

I feel I should reply to this entry as I was the one to clear out Chris' desk; however, I can't figure out how to do it just yet. So I'll list the contents here: ear buds, a "Di Vinci Code" mug, a notepad with scribble about the work needed on his computer, a shirt (he biked to work so I guess it something to wear if he got too schvitzy), and the hoodie mentioned above. That's it.

I asked Aimee, the resident Ghost Whisperer, if he was still hanging around work but she has yet to see him. Good. I hope he's moved on to better things.
Even though I didn't know you for long, Chris; you will be missed.

Check out Chris' blog and mog -- he interviewed a lot of interesting people and loved music.

• The Chronicles of Ridicule
• Crash Pryor's MOG

Ground Control to Major Tom

While Chris was at the chiropractor, Parker and I went out to breakfast and had pancakes. While we wait for our order to arrive, I give Parker my empty creamer container to play with. Usually they become blocks but today they're a spaceship. ZOOM! The capsules separate. And then they land on the surface of the alien planet. All right. Go ahead. Say it, in your best Scottish accent, of course.

Well, that's a huge noggin. That's a virtual planetoid.

Has it's own weather system.

I'm not kidding, that boy's head is like Sputnik; spherical but quite pointy at parts! Now that was offsides, wasn't it? He'll be crying himself to sleep tonight, on his huge pillow.

Where I've Been, Where I'm Going

I guess I should post a pic of where I've been most of my time in New York. The hotel is just a few blocks away so I've been able to walk to work each day. Pretty cool.

Wrapped up work today at noon and headed for the airport. Of course, it wasn't going to be that easy. Was suppose to be picked up by the car service at the hotel. However, we (luckily I was with my boss Lori) got into the wrong car. Go figure. We figured it out by the time we go on the other side of Manhattan when the car service called us to tell us the car was on its way. DOH! After a series of confusing conversations with the car service, the drive, and the driver's car service, we decided it would be best if we just got out of the car right then an there and look for a taxi. Luckily, not too hard in New York. Soon we were on our way to JFK again and in the end it was about half the price. BONUS!

Once at JFK, Lori and I went our separate ways (were flew different airlines). Now all I had to do was wait for the plane. And wait and wait. (Have you picked up on the theme for this entire trip yet?) My 4:25 flight was pushed to 4:55 because the flight crew was late. Once we finally got the plane we had to wait a couple more hours just to take off. Luckily, Chris got off of work early enough to meet his mom (who's been watching Parker while I've been out of town).

I didn't get back to LA until about 9. Thank goodness I opted for the car service because I was so tired by then. It's good to be home.

Before & After

So first of all, I guess I have to state that the rice pudding from the night before...yeah, not the best choice. And I'm still paying the price. That just goes to show you, even if the establishments serves its food in cool containers, it's staff may not have the best hygiene practices.

Regardless of my delicate stomach, though, I had to go to Carnegie's Deli and brave one of their sandwiches.

I think I did pretty good. I'm not sure if I'd consider it the best pastrami sandwich I've ever had; however, the pastrami was meaty, not greasy, which was nice...especially with my sensitive condition.

Sight Seeing

Didn't have much time for sight-seeing. However, our hotel is near Central Park, so on the way to find one of Lori's favorite places, we skirted the edges of the park. I'm sure I walked past other famous things but, unfortunately, I just don't have the time on this trip to stop and check things out. That just means, though, I can discover this city some other time with Chris and Parker.

As for that place we were going to for Lori? Apparently, the building is being demolished so they're moving their flagship store. Go figure.

We did pass by Disney's NY flagship store and this window display caught my eye. Pretty cool, huh?

On the Town

NY, NY,
originally uploaded by Car2nGrl.

Had a pretty good day training the guys at ABC. Afterwards, Lori and I went out to dinner at a French bistro called Balthazar. Delish! I had a grilled beet salad with the most awesome cheese, followed by a perfect steak and pomme frites.

Afterwards we went a place called From Rice to Riches. A place that only serves rice pudding. With all it's flavors, the only ones that called to me were the traditional and the caramel flavored. I guess I'm too much of a rice pudding purist.

When the Cat's Away...

originally uploaded by Car2nGrl.

Chris sent this to me yesterday. I guess the boys decided to go camping in the house. I love it!

BTW, while you and I see the tent and think "camping". Parker thinks "spaceship". Hmmmm. Parker, you seem to be obsessed with spaceships lately. Is there something you want to tell us all?

A Room with a View

originally uploaded by Car2nGrl.

...into another room. I guess with all these tall buildings, that would be the norm for New York.

Actually, the room's pretty nice. I mentioned the iPod docking station earlier. The bedding is soft and comfy. The bathroom is stylish with fragrant amenities and soft towels. Plus free wifi and a paper at my door in the morning. Love it!

Before I go, I guess I should mention that I'm at the Empire Hotel.

Marcel Marceau died yesterday. That's

Marcel Marceau died yesterday.

That's got to be some kind of omen.

Home Sweet Home

originally uploaded by Car2nGrl.

Finally, I'm at the hotel...and my iPod has a resting place, too. A restful ending to a very long day.

(BTW, the clock is an hour off. But have no fear, I've fixed it. After all this, I've still gotta wake up on time tomorrow.)

JFK IS BROKEN

originally uploaded by Car2nGrl.

Why can't I get out of here?

I can't believe this. After everything that's happened today, they let us off the plane into this crazy long underground hallway, which we after a while discover -- after going down one long hall then up an escalator and then down another escalator and then down another super long hallway -- has no open exits. Thank good I wasn't trying to catch a connecting flight because I think I would have freaked out.

Eventually, we walked all the way back to find the person who should have been at their exit in the first place. (Did I mention that I was not the first person off the plane but rather the last person so really, there's no excuse.)

Thank goodness the car service was still waiting in the baggage claim area -- almost 3 hours past the original pickup time.

Touchdown

Finally! I'm here. The question now, though, is whether or not the car picking me up knows that. Hell, where do I even go from the gate. Stay tuned. More to come.

HA!

originally uploaded by Car2nGrl.

In case you can't read the text, it says ''Distance Traveled: 0 mi''

Good to know.

2 Hours 15 Minutes & Counting

Holy smokes! If this is ''close'', I'd hate to see what's ''far''. Still sitting on the plane at LAX.

NY NY (some day)

originally uploaded by Car2nGrl.

Looks like we're almost out of here. Hopefully, my next entry will be from JFK. Keep your fingers crossed!

LA LA

Still waiting. Been waiting for over an hour. (We were suppose to depart at 9:30am.) But they say a replacement part has been located so hopefully we'll be on out way soon.

I heard a guy complain about them fixing the problem, which has to do with the fuel gauge. Dude! I'm so glad you're not the Captain.

This reminds me of that flight in Nepal a couple months ago that had a mechanical problem, which was ''fixed'' by sacrificing a goat. Oh yeah. I'm feeling better already.

Now if they can just get the TVs working.

No NY

originally uploaded by Car2nGrl.

Scratch that previous estimate. Looks like there's a maintenance issue that will delay take off for about 20 min. (Did I mention that I'm in the last row?)

NY NY

originally uploaded by Car2nGrl.

Home, Sweet Home for the next 5-1/2 hours. The bummer part -- I'm in the last row. Ugg.

NY, NY

So today I'm off to New York on a business trip. I was a bit worried the car service picking me up would get lost trying to find my house. I gave them my standard BBQ directions but I couldn't help but be worried.

So this AM I woke up and kept an eye out, anticipating that I'd see the car's headlights stray off to a neighbor's house. I turned on kitchen lights, opened blinds -- but looking outside all I saw was darkness. I checked my bags and got a cup of coffee. Still nothing...Or so I thought.

Just then I heard a car start. HOLY CRAP! He's already here and waiting in front of the house. How spooky is that? A car is sitting in front of my house and I'm totally clueless. (Don't even ask about the dog. He barely got up in time to see me rush out the door.)

Well anyhoo. I'm at the airport now, with plenty of time to spare, as my flight leaves at 9:30. Will keep you updated as the trip progresses.

Spaceship

originally uploaded by Car2nGrl.

I love that something as simple as a binder clip can be transformed into something as complex as a spaceship. Santa isn't bringing toys this year. Think office supplies.

Taking Care of Kailey

So, this week we're watching Kailey while the boys are out of town. While Kailey loves the company, she seems to be getting a little more than she expected with Parker. On the bright side, though, she's getting a lot of exercise as Parker chases her around the house. Run Kailey, Run!

Bye Cookie!

So Parker and I are leaving daycare and his friend Lucas screams out the window, "Bye Cookie!" Then another friend, Hailey, joins him. "Bye Cookie!"

Cookie?

So the next day I ask his teacher about this Cookie business. "Why do the other kids call Parker "Cookie"?"

But she didn't know. It just seems like Lucas started it and it stuck. Even the other parents have notices the nickname and have commented on it.

Personally, I like it. It's kind of funny. But when I ask Parker, "Who's Cookie?" he responds with "I'm Parker." so I can't tell if he likes it or not.

I don't know, Parker. "Cookie Trillo" has a nice ring to it.

Biscuit Bandit

originally uploaded by Car2nGrl.

I can't believe you're smiling Frankie. That's Parker with your dog biscuit in in his mouth. And it doesn't look like he's giving it up soon.

Daycare Anecdote

So it was the end of the day and I was at the daycare to pick up Parker. One of the teachers noticed that there was blue crayon scribbled on the table so she mentioned to one of Parker's classmates (and actually, one of his best friends at school), "Tyler, did you color on the table? You know, you're not suppose to color the table?"

Like a doe caught in a set of headlights, he just innocently looks up and responded, "Parker did it."

Okay, kid. Now, knowing Parker, he probably did do it. But this is something to remember in the future. When denying responsibility for the blue crayon on the table, don't do it with blue crayons tightly gripped in both of your meatpaws.

The Postal Service

So I have this shirt that my sister gave me for this band called The Postal Service. I'm sure it's good. (My sister has excellent taste in music.) But I just haven't gotten around to listening to them. Evidently, though, I'm the only one. I wore the shirt to a grocery store in Palmdale and the bagger commented on it, telling me how much she loved the band.

So today a wore the shirt and Aimee commented on it. No, she hadn't heard of the band but the name of the band and the artwork caught her eye. (Nothing sadder than a kid dropping his scoop of ice cream.) But that reminded me of the chick at the grocery store so I relayed that story to her. It's just weird that a shirt I got from San Francisco would elicit comments from down south. (Of course, now I discover that the band's from LA so I guess it's not as weird as I thought.)

But that takes me to later in the afternoon when I went to Starbucks. As one guy was getting me my coffee, a second guy says something to me. It was hard to understand but it sounded like..."Would you like *mumble* service?" Huh? Is this guy trying to upsell me something? "What?" I ask and he replies with the same thing. What the hell was this guy offering me? So finally I had to admit, "I have not idea what the hell you're saying." Now, you probably know by know what the guy was saying. Yes, he was a fan of The Postal Service and he was asking, "You like The Postal Service".

Again with The Postal Service. I guess it's about time I check these guys out and you know what...they're not bad. :o) Here a link to one of their songs, Such Great Heights. Very Death Cab for Cutie. Momma likes.

Pfit!

Pfit!

What the hell is that sound?

Pfit!

I'm driving home from work and I keep hearing this sound.

Pfit!

I look back at Parker. He looks normal, contently watching Toy Story. Hmmm. Weird.

Pfit!

I look up at the rear view mirror. He hasn't moved an inch. Maybe if I just watched him a little bit longer...okay, not going to happen during curvy, mountain road driving.

Pfit!

What is going on?! Wait. I think I've got a solve here. Break out the ol' camera phone and take a video. Low and behold, it is Parker. Sniffling...really loud. And yet, it doesn't break his concentration as he watches TV. Nice.

Daily Lit

Well, I have to agree with Wil Wheaton, Daily Lit is a pretty cool site. Is there a book that you keep telling yourself that you need to read? Well, if it's in public domain, Daily Lit may make it that much easier for your to reach that goal. Register and select a book and Daily Lit will email you the book, little by little, in digestible bits each day. I'm finally getting around to read Dracula. Of course, I'm already behind but I'm sure I'll catch up sitting my dentist's waiting room.

Trillos Unite

Chris' cousin Margie was in town with her husband Jim and son Christopher, which made a great excuse for a bunch of Trillos to get together. Plus, Chris' mom's birthday's next week so even better!

This gave Chris and Parker some pool time to go over the essentials…"Kick! Kick! Kick!" and squirting frogs. Squirting frogs you ask? Come a little closer and let them show you. :o) (Don't fall for it!)

At the other end of the pool, Jim and Gerry gab, oblivious of the nearby cow-tastrophe. On closer examination, things appeared to be all right as Dana made the most of the situation.

Of course, with all those people at the house, Frankie tried his best to get someone…anyone…to feed his need for ball. Will someone pickup this slimy thing and throw it?! (L-R: Frankie, Carly, Jasmine, Josephine, & Margie)

And what a trip to the North 40 with out a ride on the tractor? Chris made sure Christopher had a chance to get behind the wheel of the big green machine.