win win

My department has this program in which you can post some of your deals (if you're too busy) or pick up someone else's deals (if you're interested in it and have some extra time). It's pretty handy, and I've used it a few times to get coverage for my deals when I'm on vacation, or when I'm swamped. The people who use the system most get prizes. This time around, I got a Riedel decanter and a bunch of wine glasses.

Wait. I get to give someone else my work and I get free stuff? Yes, please.

helping hands

This week, a few more of my coworkers volunteered to pitch in on a little project I've been working on to help out another coworker who is sick.

birfday

Yay, my sister and I are going to the spa in a few weeks for a big spa day to celebrate her birthday (which was in April) and mine (which is in August)! Also, she and my cousin are coming for lunch on Friday.

couch time

Logging some good cuddle time with Fiver while watching more TV on DVD.

improvement

Take a box of mac and cheese, swap creme fraiche in for the milk, then add a spoonful of truffles chopped up with mushrooms.

restocked

I ate a whole bag of these in two days last weekend, so I went back to the store and bought two this time.

itch

One of the perks of dating someone is that you always have someone to scratch sudden itchy spots for you. Ahh...

tgif

Nothing better than a little dose of crazy new guy asking the founders insane questions at the weekly company happy hour.

motivation

A friend from my law firm days is on a creative diet that I think he designed himself. He has to lose 50 pounds in some period of time (I think he has 40 days left to lose the last 20), or else he has to donate $250 to Sarah Palin (whom he despises). He has been tweeting about his progress, so I think the combination of public accountability and his opposition to supporting Palin in any way are as good (and funny) a combination as I've seen for dieting. I hope it works, partly because I would love to see him reach his goal, but also because I do not want to see Sarah Palin getting more money.

bonk

Boyfriend opened the sliding door to the back yard to let his dog out to pee. His dog didn't notice that the screen door was still closed, and tried to charge out. Bonk.

the usual

Nothing exciting to report today, unless you count seeing a guy commuting home from work on a unicycle in 90 degree weather.

ultra marathon

This weekend, I finished five books, in addition to watching hours of TV. Yesss...

But it wasn't all laziness. I also went to the grocery store and the library, got a pedicure, did the dishes, made enough quinoa for the week, did a bit of work, and did two loads of laundry.

seasonal

Summer means cherries and gazpacho!

oh snap

I often forget how much I like ginger snaps.

marathon

TiVo is better than live TV, but an entire season of a show on DVD is better than TiVo. Icing on the cake: the library brings the DVDs to work for me to pick up.

secret meetings

We were having a team meeting today, and one of my coworkers got distracted and started laughing while looking past me. I turned around to look at the white board behind me, and my name was on a list of names, along with the town where I live. Boyfriend's name was listed with mine, and our names were circled. At the top of the list, it said "Potluck." Looks like the social committee was talking about us, and decided that we should host a group event. It was really funny, but maybe you had to be there...

heh

It was only a matter of time (one week, to be precise) until the summer intern left his computer unlocked. He knew he was in a pranking environment and still let down his guard.

lights out

My car had a warning light on for about a week, indicating that I had low tire pressure. Boyfriend measured the pressure, took me to the gas station, and showed me how to fill the tires. Now I can drive with my mind at ease: no stressful warning light (yes, any warning light in my car worries me constantly until I get the thing resolved), and better fuel efficiency.

interview

I really like it when I interview someone and think that they're awesome.

good girl

The dentist told me that I'm doing a good job. Whew.

june

Hello, June, thanks for bringing summer with you. Finally, a week where the forecast is all sunny and in the 70s. California was confused for a while, it seems, but now we're back on track.

sunday funday

Did family stuff in the first half of the day, then met up with friends (including a good friend who was only in town briefly in the middle of a six month stint in Europe) at an unexpectedly good restaurant for dinner.

saturday at home

Successful day of sleeping in, rehashing the Swiss trip over the phone, reading, eating quinoa, and watching clouds from the comfort of my living room. Now we're getting ready to eat mangoes and melon while drinking vintage port and watching terrible but wonderful reality tv.

mint

I have come to realize that I have a borderline unnatural love of mint. Mint lip balm makes my day every morning. Mint chocolate chip ice cream. Even better, mint chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches. Mint on salads with quinoa. Mint with ripe strawberries. And we have a huge and ambitious mint plant growing in our back yard, thanks to Boyfriend.

sweet luxury

For years, I bought generic ibuprofen in huge bottles, even though the coating on the pills had a mildly unpleasant smell that eventually made me gag reflexively upon opening the bottle. It was cheaper that way, and had the same active ingredient! Last time, however, I paid for the brand name, sugar-coated Advil, even though it comes in smaller bottles and costs more, but every time I take Advil, I savor the sweet coating. No more smelly generics for me, I've made it to the big time!

moles whacked

Things I did today:

• Ate the chocolate croissant that Boyfriend got for me as he was leaving Switzerland
• Ate some truffled Brie with slices of baguette
• Worked from home and kept on top of everything that came through
• Got a peer bonus for a deal I worked on (and yesterday, too -- two days in a row! Who says that no one likes lawyers?)
• Did the dishes
• Gave my dog a bath, trimmed his nails, brushed his teeth, and cleaned his ears
• Made a batch of quinoa
• Went to the store and got stuff to go with the quinoa, plus a bunch of frozen veggies (in an effort to keep more healthy foods in the house)

mr. brightside

My dog sometimes has to endure a series of horrors all at once: I brush his teeth, trim his nails, clean his ears, and give him a bath, all of which he dislikes (especially the bath part). He endures it with the sad acceptance of a martyr, but is always so fricking excited once it's over and he can have his treat.